Maximian looks like a tetrarch

I love coins of the tetrarchy (founded by Diocletian). Books often say the art of the period emphasized unity and their portraits are almost indistinguishable. That is false in the realm of coinage. Maximian usually looks much different from the others (especially because his nose is often upturned, or at least has a bulb on its end, and his co-rulers did not). The portraits may be less realistic, but they are usually still distinguishable.

I'll let others post other styles of coins of Maximian and the other tetrarchs. I am posting this one which just arrived. I wanted it because from this mint (Nicomedia) the style really is tetrarchal and not very individual.


You can still see his (here only slightly) ski-jump nose, but what attracted me was the huge round head and thick tree-trunk neck. Clearly the realism of earlier styles was not the goal of the engraver.
27-26 mm. 9.275 grams.
IMP C MA MAXIMIANVS PF AVG
laureate head right
GENIO POPVLI ROMANI, Genius standing left [an extremely common type]
SMNA
RIC VI Nicomedia 29b, "c. 303-304"

Show us some other coins of the tetrarchy!

 

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I haven't make a study of their portraits but now i have to browse ACsearch to do a nose check .

Below are my only two Imperial tetrarchs-- Maximian and Diocletian. The mints are different but Maximian does have a slightly upturned nose.



Maximianus, 286-305 AD
AE follis, 9.9 gm, 27 mm
Obv: IMP C M A MAXIMIANVS PF AVG, laureate head right
Rev: GENIO POPVLI ROMANI, Genius standing left holding cornucopia and pouring from a patera; XXI in left field, E in right field, ALE in exergue
Mint: Alexandria
Ref: RIC VI 30b


Diocletian
CE 302-303, Antioch
AE follis, 27 mm, 9.57 gm
Obv: IMP C DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG, laureate head right
Rev: GENIO POPVLI ROMANI, Genius standing left, naked but for chlamis covering shoulders and modius on head, holding cornucopia and pouring from a patera; K in left field, Δ/V in right field; ANT in exergue
Ref: RIC VI 56a
Secret Santa gift from @Pishpash

 

A few Maximian portrait styles:



And here are some magnificent examples from the London mint plus one invasion issue, belonging to @jamesicus, of which I am temporary custodian:

RIC VI London 6b, Maximian Herculius, Cloke & Toone 2.01.007, c. 296-303


RIC VI London 76b (abdication issue), Cloke & Toone 4.01.003, c. May 305 - Spring 307, Rare


Invasion issue, (RIC VI Lugdunum 14b), issued 294, Rare

 

I no longer own this coin but when I collected them actively, I was also touched by the unique styles of the coins of the Tetrarchy. Here is a Diocletion portrait from the "Senior Augustus" series with full bust.


Diocletian
RIC Treveri 671

 

Three 'different' ones
Maximianus London mint by Carausius


Divus Maximianus by Constantine I


Maximianus tetradrachm of Alexandria year 9

 

London mint as Senior Augustus

 

Don't have many of the Tetrarchy emperors
but some real beauties in this thread, i guess my Maximianus is the ski ramp nose variety.



Catalog: RIC 118; Coh. 64
Material: Bronze
Weight: 7.11 g
Maximianus I. Herculius, 2nd Government 307-310 AD
Follis
Aquileia, 1st Officina, 307 AD
Vs .: IMP C MAXIMIANVS PF AVG, head with laurel wreath on the
reverse: CONSERV VRB SVAE / AQP, six columnar Temple with cult image of the Roma

ex Münzzentrum Müller, auction 72, 1992, lot 533

 

The artwork is much less well-rendered, I think, on the post-reform radiates. Is this a portrait of Diocletian or of Maximian on this uncleaned-lot-special? I'm going with Max because of the ski-jump nose, but you just can't say for sure.

 

Maximian, RIC 022, London, Struck 303 CE, 9.67 gm.

 

That’s a great portrait for the era!

 

Really nice coins everyone, some stunners in there too.
Mine will drag the standard down to Kevin's level of strike quality.
Messy Obverse & Reverse due to strike issues.
Weight 9.90g Size 28mm.

 

I've got an abdication follis of Maximian from the Heraclea mint Very nice Maximian's all around! I've also got a Maximian follis from Antioch to add to my Maximian/Diocletian/Galerius/Constantius/Severus set of folles from Antioch with the genio reverse. Only have Galerius and Severus remaining.

 

@Valentinian I can see why you would be attracted to that portrait for the unusual depiction.


Maximian, AD 286-305
AE, Follis, 8.8g, 31mm; 6h; Heraclea
Obv.: IMP CMA MAXIMIANVS PF AVG; laureate head right
Rev.: GENIO POPV-L-I ROMANI; Genius standing left, modius on head, naked except for chlamys over shoulder (falls low), holding paera from which liquid flows and cornucopiae
In Ex.: HTΓ
(Gosh I love how this coin came out in the photo!)


Maximianus, AD 286-305
AE, antoninianus, 23mm, 4.06g; 12h; Lugdunum, AD 290-294
Obv.: IMP MAXIMIANVS AVG, Radiate, cuirassed bust right
Rev.: SALVS AVGG; Salus standing right feeding serpent in arms
In Ex.: C

 

I'm a little late to the party, but I've always loved a good Maximianus portrait and have enjoyed all of these posted. Here are a few of mine.


MAXIMIANUS
AE Follis. 10.5g, 26.7mm. Alexandria mint, 1st officina, AD 304-305. RIC VI 38. O: IMP C M A MAXIMIANVS PF AVG, laureate head right. R: HERCVLI VICTORI, Hercules standing slightly right, head left, holding club and apples, with lion skin draped over arm; S in left field, P over A in right field, ALE in exergue.


MAXIMIANUS
AE Follis. 10.03g, 26.5mm. Carthage mint, AD 297. RIC VI 21b. O: IMP MAXIMIANVS P F AVG, laureate head right. R: FELIX AD-VENT AVGG N N, Africa standing left, holding standard in right hand, tusk in left, lion at feet left; B in left field, PKS in exergue.
Ex Giovanni Dattari Collection (1853-1923)


MAXIMIANUS
AR Argenteus. 3.11g, 17.9mm. Nicomedia mint, circa AD 295-296. RIC VI Nicomedia 25b; RSC 553c. O: MAXIMIANVS AVG, laureate head right. R: VICTORIAE SARMATICAE, campgate with four turrets, doors open, and star above archway; SMNΓ in exergue.

 

Here's an old stevex6 Maximian follis. Did a CoinTalker buy it? It's no longer in Pierre's eBay store.

Steve is back in the hospital, this time with pulmonary emboli . He's not fond of being cooped up in the hospital nor is he accustomed to feeling so run down, so it is hard on him.

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Maximianus AE Follis
(Cyzicus mint)
Date: 305 AD
Diameter: 28.5 mm
Weight: 8.44 grams
Obverse: D N MAXIMIANO BEATISSIMO SEN AVG - Bust of Maximianus, holding mappa and branch
Reverse: PROVIDENTIA DEORVM QVIES AVGG - Providentia and Quies facing each other. * between, S / F in fields, KD in exergue
References: RIC 28 b

 

Gawd, Z-- those are spectacular!!!

 

Damn, it sucks that Steve is back in the hospital. Here's hoping that he'll have a speedy recovery and be back on his feet and howling at the moon again soon.

I didn't buy that Maximianus of his, but the types are appropriate. Right now Steve could do with a blessing from Quies, the goddess of good ol' R & R.

Mine has Maximianus polishing off what appears to be a BBQ rib.

 

zumbly, I like the tiny Donald Trump like hands on the abdication issues .

 

And to think with those teeny tiny hands he clung on so tenaciously to power that he had to be forced to retire not once but three times. If Constantine hadn't made the last retirement a permanent one, who knows how many times he may have come back.

 

zumbly, good point, I think he would have wasted his entire family for another chance.....