Nice brickwork !!

I was quite satisfied with my earlier Romulus hexastyle domed temple I purchased last year but been looking for ages for the similar type that portrays the Mausoleum that his father built for him at the Appian way near his circus Maxentius, but really keen to get the type with the irregular bluestone look brickwork which looks like the celator spent a bit more time on structure realism, so when this one come up a couple of CNG auctions back I jumped at it.
Divus Romulus. Died AD 309. Æ Quarter Follis (17mm, 2.01 g, 12h). Rome mint, 3rd officina. Struck under Maxentius, circa AD 310. Bare head right / Domed shine with doors ajar, surmounted by eagle; RT. RIC VI 239. VF, dark green patina, flan flaws on obverse. Ex CNG 437 lot 494.
The Mausoleum of Romulus within the Circus of Maxentius on Rome’s Appian Way has reopened to the public after more than 20 years.

The mausoleum was dedicated by emperor Maxentius to his son Romulus, who died prematurely in 309 AD.

The imperial complex built by Maxentius, who was the 58th emperor of the Roman empire between 306 and 312 AD, includes the 513-meter long Circus, second in size only to the Circus Maximus in Rome, which could already be visited and is the most popular site within the complex, the ruins of the Imperial Palace and the mausoleum itself.

The restored tomb has a circular shape and was built to house the remains of the imperial family’s members, including the young Romulus.

Although I visited this site a couple of years back I managed to miss the mausoleum, I won't be making that mistake again when I visit Rome in September.

Let's see everyone's Maxentius and family coins.

 

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Great looking coin!

 

Thanks I love the brassy tone look of yours great eye appeal.

 

What an interesting architectural type! Very cool!

I only have the typical Temple of Roma Aeterna type:

 

Like randygeki's yours has heaps of eye appeal that green patina is fantastic.

 

Don't have one with the temple :-( it is on my wish list. But I have one Maxentius with victory:

22 x 24 mm, 5.66 g;
Rome, 310 - 311 AD, mint mark RBP, Officina mark P (=Prima officina)
RIC VI, Rom 273 var. (?)

Ob.: laureate head of Maxentius right, IMP C MAXENTIVS P F AVG
Rev.: VICTORIA AVG N Victory advancing l. holding wreath in right hand and palm in left; at her feet, captive; in exergue RBP (Roma Beata)

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Nice, yet another with great patina.

 

That really remarkable brickwork, especially compared to the usual way bricks were engraved. Compare it to this LRB camp gate:

Constantine I, RIC VII Antioch 84, SMANTE


The blocks in this structure were engraved in a manner which renders them the opposite of reality: the grout lines are in relief and the blocks are recessed. That would have been the easiest way to engrave the die... just use a graver to gouge simple lines.

The bricks in the OP coin required the die engraver to dig out each block so they would match reality: the blocks are in relief. I wonder how much longer it took to engrave such a die compared to the LRB I showed?

Wonderful find, @Ancient Aussie!

 

Terrific example, @Ancient Aussie! One of these is still on The List for me. I'd love to be able to score one with a reverse like yours.

 

A Follis of Maxentius

Usually folles are regarded as boring. But sometimes they show a wide variety of details as you can see on this coin. It is a follis of Maxentius (306-312), son of Maximian, with the most complex pediment I have seen on his coins:

Maxentius, AD 306-312
AE - follis, 24.52mm, 6.1g
Rome. 4th officina, AD 308-310
obv. IMP C MAXENTIVS PF AVG
Laureate headc, r.
rev. CONSERV - VRB SVAE
Roma, draped and helmeted, in hexastyle temple with three-step base enthroned l., resting with raised left hand on long sceptre and holding in extended r. hand Victoriola with wreath, neside her shield; geison decorated with waved lines and dots; pediment decorated with 4 figures: on left side Jupiter with eagle sceptre, on r. side Hercules resting on his club, both with outer hands extended; in left angle upper body of a river-god, in right angle Sol, radiate, holding in extended l. hand globe(?); as acroteria l. a wreath, r. a male figure with long torch
in ex. RBQ
ref. RIC VI, Rome 208 var. (?); Victor Failmezger, Roman Bronze Coins 294-364 AD, no. 1271M3, notes 179, 183; Cohen cf. 34; Drost, Monayage de Maxence, p. 310, No. 93, 5. Emission (1 ex., Milano, 5572), fig. 89d/3 (this coin))
Very rare, about VF, partially weekly struck
pedigree:
ex coll. Failmezger (plate coin)
ex Ebay 2000

Note:
Curtis Clay: The river god could be a captive begging for mercy
Drost writes: Jupiter rt Hercules flanques de geants (flanked by giants)!


Details of the Pediment

Maxentius is known as adversary of Constantine I and was defeated 312 in the famoius Battle at the Milvian Bridge and drowned when the bridge collapsed. In contrast to Constantine he was no worshipper of Christianism but follower of the old Roman religion as can be seen on this coin. However he was religiously very tolerant

Maxentius started once again a huge building activity. Preserved until today is the temple for his deceased son Romulus on the Forum, today the entrance of the church SS. Cosma e Damiano and then the relicts of the gigantic Basilica nova, known as Basilica of Maxentius or of Constantine. It was the biggest building in Rome and became the model of the great Christian basilicas. Initially Maxentius was loved by the plebs and his Praetorian Guard. But that was changing when by the usurpation of Domitius Alexander in Africa the supply with grain began to suffer.

Best regards

 

Agree, it is refreshing to see even in that later period the Romans were still displaying glimpses of artistic perfection they were famous for in previous centuries.

 

Great portrait of Romulus on such a small follis,also like the tomb on the reverse.

Daddy:

 

Fantastic type one I am keeping my eyes open for, at least now I know there is at least two reverse dies as zumbly's Hercules has the club in left hand and yours in right.

MAXENTIUS
AE Follis
6.27g, 27.4mm
Rome mint, AD 308-310
RIC VI Rome 208 var.
O: IMP C MAXENTIVS PF AVG, laureate head right.
R: CONSERV - VRB SVAE, Roma seated facing, head left, within hexastyle temple, holding globe and scepter; shield at base of scepter; in temple pediment from left to right, a river-god, Jupiter, Hercules, and Sol; tall standing figures as acroteria; RBP in exergue.

 

that's very nice AA...i bid on those whenever they come up, but no cigar(or coin of) yet..very kool!... my latest temple coin making a grand total of 2! ^^ bronze provincial of Trebonus Gallus..

 

That's a really nice one of that type, only two.....hmm think you can only go up from there and hope you get a cigar one day.

 

@Ancient Aussie an engaging write-up and impressive coin with amazing brickwork. Here is an newer and more common coin with functional brickwork.

Constantius II, as Caesar, 324-325 A.D.
Æ Follis (18.9mm, 3.0 g) Cyzicus mint
Obv: FL IVL CONSTANTIVS NOB C, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust left
Rev: PROVIDEN-TIAE CAESS, camp-gate with no doors and two turrets, star above; SMKA.
Ref: RIC VII 27; RIC 84 ;C.167; LRBC 878; RC 3984

 

All and all...

Tear down the wall. Tear down the wall...

 

The attention to detail in the brickwork is astounding and makes one wonder if the die-sinker was familiar with the masonry trades.

Apologies in advance for my poor pics, but here is a Divus Romulus I picked up a few weeks ago:

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ROMULUS, son of Maxentius, 308-309 AD. Æ Follis (6.43 gm) of Rome.
Bare head / Dome-roofed temple surmounted by eagle. RIC 256(R)
Ex: The J. B. Parker Collection (SuperiorStamp&Coin, 6/1998; Lot 7228)