Capitoline Museum The history The reign of Probus intervened at a crucial time of the Roman Empire, where it almost broke up and disappeared, with the period of the 30 usurpers, and often, the more than major action of Probus is forgotten. The testimony of its historian Flavius Vopiscus, confirmed by other authors, shows us in this soldier of obscure extraction one of the most remarkable Roman emperors: military leader and administrator of the first order, of a character both energetic and fair, simple and kind. It was him who definitively stopped the first invasion of the Barbarians, that of the third century, and allowed, behind the firmly guarded border, the organization of the administrative monarchy of the Lower Empire. For Probus, the soldier was not just a soldier embodying order, power and defense, he was first and foremost a being endowed with values and virtues. The soldier was to be a double of the emperor and his representative, and was to be viewed with respect. This energetic emperor therefore extended the social actions of the imperial army, by involving the Roman army in public utility works, and also by helping the populations in the different territories of the Empire. Indeed, Probus, not liking to see his troops idle, charges the soldiers with various jobs in peacetime such as planting vines, draining marshes or digging canals, charges which the soldiers find dishonorable. At the end of October 282 AD, around Sirmium, during an inspection of the works, he scoffs at soldiers tired of this task and provokes a violent reaction: tired of carrying out work which they consider to be uninteresting and dishonorable, some soldiers of the army Imperial decide to assassinate Probus. He was only 50 years old. The coinage Continuing the monetary reform of Aurelian, his coinage is abundant and diverse due to its various bust type and reverses, and at coin shows or in auctions you can get nice examples at very reasonable prices. Ten mints under his reign produced a considerable numbers of coins : many aurei, a few gold quinarii, very many antoniniani, a few denarii, a number of quinarii of the silver series, a few dupondii, some asses and some smaller bronze coins. Here is a little anecdote taken from RIC volume 5b :"It is not incredible that a foreign collector accumulated 10,000 coins of the reign which all differed in some details". An example to illustrate this point is my RIC 810 from Siscia; there are at least 80 varieties of this coin, all with different bust types, mintmarks, officinae, mintmark/fieldmark configuration... Taking into account that Probus produced such a large and diverse coinage, let us be careful with the use of the term "rare" for his coins, a term very popular with all collectors. Another example with one of my coin; this RIC 846 var. from Serdica is supposedly one of the two known specimens with the short titulary...So what ? For all Probus' fans, here are a wonderful reference book and two website you need to consult: https://probvs.net/probvs/ https://www.probuscoins.fr/ Anyway, on the day of his death, please show us your PROBUS' examples. I'm curious to see how many different specimens we will be able to display in this thread.
My favorite and most photogenic Probus: Probus, AD 276-282. Roman billon antoninianus, 4.96 g, 23.2 mm, 7 h. Lugdunum, fourth emission, mid-to late AD 277. Obv: IMP C PROBVS·P·F·AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust, right. Rev: ABVNDANTIA AVG, Abundantia standing right, emptying cornucopiae held in both hands; IIII (officina 4) in exergue. Refs: RIC 17; Bastien 195.
Here's a fairly rare Siscia-only issue with a Probus-only legend, ORIGINI AVG. I'm not sure if the intention was for Siscia to claim Probus as a native son, or for Probus to claim descent from the founders of Rome. PROBUS AE Antoninianus. 3.83g, 21.7mm. Siscia mint, AD 276-282. RIC 703 (R2). O: IMP C PROBVS P F AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right. R: ORIGINI AVG, She-wolf (Lupa Romana) right, head left, suckling the twins Romulus and Remus; XXIT in exergue.
Probus (276 - 282 A.D.) Æ(S) Antoninianus A: IMP CM AVR PROBVS PF AVG, radiate bust in imperial mantle l., holding eagle-tipped sceptre. R: SOLI INVICTO / CM / XXIT, radiate Sol in spread quadriga, hand risen, holding whip. 22mm 3.8g Cyzicus, A.D. 280, 3rd officina RIC Vb Cyzicus 911 Probus (276 - 282 A.D.) Egypt, Alexandria Potin Tetradrachm O: A K M AVP PROBOC CEB, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right. R: Eagle standing right, head right, wings spread, wreath in beak; L to left, ς to right. Dated RY 6 (280/81 AD) Alexandria Mint 8.19g 20mm Milne 4631. Emmett 3982 (6) R1. Curtis 1872
Here’s my newest Probus (with an incredibly long neck): Probus, Antoninianus (23 mm, 3.65 g), Rome, 276. Radiate and cuirassed bust of Probus to r./ Rev.FIDES MILIT / XXIЄ Fides standing l., holding long scepter in her r. hand and transverse signum with her l. RIC 151 var.
I always felt that too many people of 'importance' failed to pay heed to what I would call the lesson of Probus. Probus was a great leader and general who had great successes against the then current enemies of Rome. His mistake was telling his soldiers that he looked forward to a time when Rome, at peace, would have no further need for soldiers. He put soldiers to work draining swamps (real ones not the current euphemism for the federal bureaucracy). Lets see, you tell a bunch of guys with long knives that they can look forward to menial labor and unemployment. What could possibly go wrong? We value success and honesty. Perhaps Probus would have done well to have been more moderate in those areas. I never know whether to post photos of my better coins that have been shown before or lesser items just because they are different. In the last ten years I have posted most of my favorite coins on CT; some have been repeated far too often. Still we have new members and I have no idea what I have posted before the most recent days. Coin Community has a utility that allows you to see all images previously posted and link them into current discussions as desired. Several of us left or cut down on our activity there years ago when they kicked out two of our favorite people. I still (rarely) visit there and post if there is something in my specialty but still consider CT 'home'. If we had the same utility here, I might have selected different Probus examples but, as it is, I hope there are some below that are not repeated so often and recently that no one wants to see them.
Here is my equivalent to the Serdica coin from the OP, same legends but different bust type... I don't believe that I have ever shared this one here before. Do you want bust varieties of bust types, reverse types, mints, legends? I have enough Probus coins to kill this thread (about 700 in all and over 170 from Lugdunum alone) and so I will hold off for now. I will admit to obtaining over 25 of the RIC 810 variations.... in if you include all the variations of obverse legend of this reverse type up to RIC 816 I gathered over 60 variations of this type. Obsessive? Me?
I have only one example, in a very bad shape, acquired about 4-5 years ago when ancient coins were just a curiosity for me. The reverse is even worse so I won't post it at all. Obv: IMP C M AVR PROBVS AVG. Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. Rev: ROMAE AETERNAE
PROBUS RI Probus 276-282 CE Ant 21mm Rome mint captive on ground Riding Horse in ex R-Thunderbolt-Z RIC 155
I try to post examples that haven't already been posted in the current thread, although sometimes on longer threads I might miss something and post a duplicate. I don't worry too much about re-posting a coin that I posted in a different, earlier thread because I figure no one reads the exact same threads that I read and for that matter, who would bother remembering every coin I've posted? In any case, here's my Probus, an early (I think) depiction of Jupiter on a Roman coin: Billon Antoninianus Rome mint, A.D. 281 Obv: IMP PROB-VS P F AVG Rev: IOVI CONS PROB AVG - Jupiter, standing, facing left, holding thunderbolt in right hand and scepter in left. R[thunderbolt]B in exergue. RIC 173 22x20mm, 3.8g.
Nice coins, excellent book and website! This coin from AD 281. Here's a Probus that I like for the detail of his cuirass and helmet, not to mention the secret code: Probus (276-282), AE Antoninianus, Ticinum Obv: VIRTVS PROBI AVG, Buste radié, casqué et cuirassé de Probus à gauche, vu de 3/4 en avant, une lance sur l'épaule droite et un bouclier couvrant l'épaule gauche. (Code buste Bastien : E1) Rev: CONCORD MILIT /E/-//PXXI, Em. 9, 1e off., La Concorde (Concordia) debout à gauche tenant deux enseignes militaires. (Type B) Rarity : Common Note: E in the secret code of emission 9, EQVITI Ref: RIC 481
Message to Doug Smith and all members: please post any of your coins anytime you want. (I wasn't here 2 years ago and certainly have missed many threads during this period.) If you have question about the secret code : https://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/equiti.html
PROBI RI Probus Æ Ant 22mm 3.75g 280CE CLEMENTIA TEMP XXI Emperor receiving Victory from Jupiter UNKNOWN EASTERN MINT - fight Saturninus RI Probus 276-282 CE BI Ant 2.80g captives l and r Cohen 768
the only Probus coin I photographed, I promise to post some other types Probus, antoninianus, Rome. RIC V-2 Rome 186; Sear 12027. IMP PROBVS AVG, radiate, helmeted and cuirassed bust left, holding spear and shield / ROMAE AETER, hexastyle temple with Roma seated within, holding Victory and sceptre. Mintmark R crescent gamma.
Very cool write up @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix and good reminder of the INSANE amounts of variants of his we're spoiled with Here's a rarity jk,I liked the portrait and amount of silvering left:
@Ocatarinetabellatchitchix I'm glad you posted about Christophe's book. He's a good friend of mine and I was happy to help at reading and correcting that interesting and informative book prior to printing. Seeing the same coins everyday doesn't bother me as long as they're nice and/or of interest. Please go on @dougsmit ! Probus, Antoninianus - Siscia mint, AD 279 IMP C M AVR PROBVS P F AVG, radiate ust of Probus left, wearing imperial mantle (bust type H) SOLI INVICTO, Sol in quadriga, XXIT at exergue 3.77 gr Ref : Cohen #662, RCV # 12038 var, RIC 767 Probus, antoninianus - Rome mint, AD 278-280 IMP PROBVS AVG, Radiate and cuirassed bust of Probus right VICTORIA GERM, Two captives under a trophy. R*A at exergue 4.32 gr Ref : RIC #222, RCV #12055, Cohen #768 Probus, Tetradrachm - Alexandria mint AD 277 A K M AVPTTPBOC CEB, Laureate and cuirassed bust of Probus right Eagle right, head left, holding wreath in beak. LB in field (regnal year 2) 6,69 gr Ref : Sear #4773v, Emmett #3983/2 Q