Magnentius, the Usurper

Born in Samarobriva (Amiens), Gaul, Magnentius was the commander of the Herculians and Jovians, the Imperial guard units. When the army grew dissatisfied with the behavior of Roman EmperorConstans, it elevated Magnentius at Autun on January 18, 350. Constans was abandoned by all except a handful of retainers, and he was slain shortly afterwards by a troop of light cavalry near the Pyrenees.

Magnentius quickly attracted the loyalty of the provinces in Britannia, Gaul, and Hispania, in part because he proved to be far more tolerant towards both Christians and Pagans. His control on Italia and Africa was applied through the election of his men to the most important offices. However, the short-lived revolt of Nepotianus, a member of the Constantinian dynasty, showed Magnentius that his status as emperor was to be consolidated against the members of that dynasty.

Magnentius tried to strengthen his grasp on the territories previously controlled by Constans, moving towards the Danube. Vetranio, commander of the Pannonian army, had been elected Augustus by his troops in Mursa on 1 March. This revolt had a loyalist mark, since Vetranio was supported by Constantina, and Constantius II himself recognized Vetranio, sending him the imperial diadem.

The remaining emperor of the family of Constantine I, Constantius II broke off his war in Syria with Persia, and marched west. Despite Magnentius' efforts to gain Vetranio to his cause, the elderly Vetranio reached Constantius with his army, resigned the crown, and went into retirement in Bithynia.

After electing Magnus Decentius (probably his brother) as Caesar and gathering as many troops as possible, Magnentius advanced his armies to meet those of Constantius in the Battle of Mursa Major in 351; Magnentius led his troops into battle, while Constantius spent the day of battle praying in a nearby church. Despite Magnentius' heroism, his troops were defeated and forced to retreat back to Gaul.

As a result of Magnentius' defeat, Italy ejected his garrisons and rejoined the loyalist cause. Magnentius made a final stand in 353 in the Battle of Mons Seleucus, after which he committed suicide by falling on his sword.

Following the suppression of Magnentius' rebellion, Constantius commanded an investigation be made to find his followers. The most notorious agent in this search was the primicerius notariorum Paulus Catena ("Paul the Chain"). [Wikipedia]

This coin was gleaned in @John Anthony 's auction of last week.

Magnentius, A.D. 350-353

AE Majorina, 22mm, 7.2 grams, 6H

Trier mint

Obverse: IM CAE MAGNENTIVS AVG
Bare-headed, draped, and cuirassed bust right

Reverse: FELICITAS REIPVBLICAE
Magnentius standing slightly left, head left, Victory on globe in right hand, labarum in left; A in right field //TRS, crescent in exergue

Reference: RIC VIII Trier 264

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Nice capture if I do say so myself! It's one of the nicest of his coins that has come through my store.

 

Very nice! That's a well-rendered reverse on that one, too! Here's one from the man's home town:


Magnentius, AD 350-353
Roman billon heavy maiorina, 4.73g, 22.1 mm, 5 h
Amiens, AD 351-352
Obv: D N MAGNEN-TIVS P F AVG, bare headed bust right; A behind bust
Rev: VICTORIAE DD NN AVG ET CAE, two Victories facing each other; between them wreath inscribed VOT V MVLT X, chi-rho on top of wreath. AMB crescent in exergue
Refs: RIC viii, p. 122, 23; LRBC II 13, Cohen 69; RCV 18817
Notes: the Amiens mint was only operational between 350-353.

 

Very cool write up! Thanks. Sheds a new light on the man, in my book at least.
I have several of him and his bro that I have shared. But here is my barbarous one that I like a bunch! (Wish I knew more about his barbarous coins..)

 

You used the word Decentius so he gets to be seen here. He used the same reverses less the ones that were finished before he became Caesar.

Arles mint.


Lugdunum


Trier

 

Nice job @ancient coin hunter ... good write-up and great coin!

PLAYERS, in order of the write up:

Magnentius:

RI Magnentius 351-352 CE AE 2 Maiorina 2 Victories holding wreath VOT V

Constans:

RI Constans 337-350 AE3 19mm Thesalonika mint Reparatio stdg CHI RHO banner

Nepotianus:
NOPE

Vetranio:

RI Vetranio 350 CE AE3 17mm Siscia mint Emp stdng hldg Standard and Spear

Constantina's dead husband:

RI Hanniballianus 337 Rex Regum of Pontos AE

Constantius II:

RI Constantius II 337-361 CE AE18 Folles 2 soldiers 2 standards

Constantine I:

RI Constantine I Folles 306-337 CE Captives VOTA Banner

Decentius:

RI Decentius 350-353 CE AE19 VOT V

 

Nice!

 

Very decent Decentius, that I won on CoinTalk, thanks John Anthony!

 

Nice Magnentius, I’ve been waiting to get one. However, I do have a Decentius on layaway still.

Stock photo


Decentius. AE3. 351-353 AD.
Trier mint. 21mm, 3.80 gr.
Obv: DM DECENTI-VS FORT CAES, bare-headed, draped, cuirassed
bust right, A behind bust
Rev: VICTORIAE DD NN AVG ET CAES, two Victories standing facing
each other holding between them a shield inscribed VOT-V-
MVLT-X, chi-rho above, mintmark TRS in ex.

Ref:
RIC VIII Trier 316. The exact one on wildwinds.

 

..that's a nice'un OP and all!... Ae Magnentius

 

My favorite Magnentius via @Victor_Clark! His seller photo too, I hope he doesn't mind me using his photo. My pics are nowhere near as nice.


Magnentius
A.D. 350-3
21x22mm 4.7gm
OB: DN MAGNEN-TIVS PF AVG; bare-headed, draped and cuirassed bust right; A behind bust.
R: VICTORIAE DD NN AVG ET CAE; two Victories holding wreath inscribed with VOT V MVLT X; SP below.
In ex. RPLG
RIC VIII Lyons 13

 

Nice!

Heres a Magnentius FTR.

 

haha! what else?! ..O wait, i thought it was fh...

 

I wish I had one

 

Some nice examples all around


Magnentius, AE 1
Amiens mint, AD 353,
D N MAGNEN TIVS P F AVG, Draped bust of Magnentius right
SALVS DD NN AVG ET CAES, Large christogram between alpha and omega. AMB at exergue
9.20 gr
Ref : Cohen #30, LRBC #19, Bastien # 135 (15 ex), RIC # 34 (C)



Magnentius, Maiorina
Trier mint, 1st officina,
DN MAGNENTIVS PF AVG, bare bust draped right, A behind
VICTORIA DD NN AVG ET CAE, two victories holding a wreath where is inscribed : VOT/V/MVLT/X. TRP at exergue
4.73 gr
Magnence, maiorina, Ref : Cohen # 68, Roman coins # 4024, LRBC # 56,



Decentius, Maiorina
Lyon mint
DN DECENTIVS CAES, bare bust, cuirassed right
VICTORIA DD NN AVG ET CAE, two victories holding a wreath where is inscribed : VOT/V/MVLT/X. Dot and SV in field
4.46 gr
Ref : Cohen # 33, Roman coins # 4035, LRBC # 224

Q

 

She is beautiful

 

This is superb

 

I have a soft spot for the GLORIA ROMANORVM type.

 

for RSLG● Lyon – 3ème phase de mai 350 à août 350 – Bastien 162 (8 ex) – RIC.116 (S)
for the first = Trèves, What are you reading highlight ??

 

This piece looks like it was struck in his younger (and thinner days):

Ox: IMP CAE MAGN-NENTIVS AVG
Rx: VICTORIA AVG LIB ROMANORVM; Victory and Libertas jointly holding a trophy