Featured Maximinus Thrax

Maximinus Thrax is one of those emperors, who, despite of a rather short reign of 3 years (235-238) left us with large quantities of high quality coins. Nevertheless, I have only four denari of Maximinus Thrax in my collection. The last one of which I bought just recently, to complete the series of different bust styles.

Maximinus Thrax is particularly interesting to me. I am from northern Germany and Maximinus Thrax appears to have been the last emperor to make it to my home region, where he fought the fabled battle in the bog (proelium in palude) in which he is said to have personally distinguished himself. There is a lot of controversy regarding the significance and size of this battle. Some think that it was little more than a skirmish, with farmers who tried to defend their homes and families against pillaging Roman troops. Indeed, the whole campaign was a retaliation for a large scale Germanic attack on the Limes in the years 231 to 234, in which numerous Roman settlement and military camps were overrun.

In any case, after harrowing the region, his troops returned south. The army that consistent of vexilliations of different legions including legio IIII Flavia Felix, legio II Parthica, legio XXII Primigenia, legio XXX Ulpia Victrix, legio I Minerva and legio VIII Augusta) must have been quite large. Nevertheless, in the meantime sufficient numbers of Germanic warriors had gathered to attempt an ambush in the hills of the Harzhorn. The ambush failed, the Romans made it back home and Maximinus Thrax was awarded the title of Germanicus Maximus.

He may have been of barbarian stock himself. Later, but not particularly reliable sources, stated that his father was a Goth named Micca and his mother was an Alan named Ababa. Whatever the matter, he was an able soldier and apparently of great physical strength. He is often considered the first of the soldier emperors. He never visited Rome, which may explain the very different portrait styles on his coins.

So here is my new acquisition. I was after this particular portrait for a very long time. My very rough estimate based on acsearch suggest that only about 1% of his denari show this type of facial features. Hence, even though his denari are mostly common, this portrait style is quite scarce.

The reverse FIDES MILITVM is well suited for a military man like Maximinus Thrax. I am not sure, but I think the coin dates to the beginning of his reign, i.e. 235. In my view, artistically this is his best portrait.





Next up is Maximiuns Thrax' most common portrait - more prominent chin and straight nose. The picture is bad, I find it difficult to photograph silver coins. However, the coin is in EF condition. The coin dates to 236, i.e. the year when his son Maximus was named caesar - PAX AVGVSTI



Finally, this is what I think is the last stage in the development of Maximinus Thrax' facial features - prominent bend nose and very prominent chin. The reverse celebrates his Germanic victory - VICT ORIA GERM. The coin is in lustrous EF. The battle in the bog was apparently fought in 235, but the Germanic campaign ended in 236 .I guess the date of this coin is 236 or 237.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Congrats Tejas, here's my colorfull FIDES MILITUM:

 

Tejas, Excellent article & coins illustrating the progression of portrait styles ! Attached below is a denarius I sold last year; the same type as the coin Andres posted. For comparison I'm also posting a sestertius of his son Maximus.




Maximus as Caesar, AD 236-238, Rome Mint. AE Sestertius: 26.39 gm, 31 mm, 12 h. RIC 13.

 

Very nice example, @Tejas! Here's my latest Max Thrax:


Maximinus I, AD 235-238.
Roman AR denarius, 3.13 g, 19.2 mm, 6 h.
Rome, 2nd emission, AD 236.
Obv: IMP MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust, right.
Rev: PROVIDENTIA AVG, Providentia standing left, holding baton and cornucopiae; globe at feet.
Refs: RIC 13; BMCRE 86-88; Cohen 77; RSC 77a; RCV 8315; MIR 11-3.

 

Nice coins!....For me, along with Philip I, his coins have a good cost/detail/quality ratio....
Maximinus I Denarius. AD 235-238...3.18gr
Obverse..IMP MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG, laureate, draped bust right.
Reverse..FIDES MILITVM, Fides standing left, a standard in each hand.
RIC 7A Minted AD 235-236

 

I once owned a Maximinus Thrax Sestertius with VICTORIA GERMANICA Reverse. However, the coin was stolen from me in a burglary some 20 years ago. Here is the picture (note the prices are still in French Francs):

 

Here is Maximinus combined with "Pax." Some how one does not think of Maximinus and peace going together unless it's in the context that he has killed everyone around him.



Denarius of Maximinus I or Thrax, Obverse: IMP MAXIMINUS PIVS AVG “Emperor Maximinus dutiful, patriotic, Augustus.” Reverse: PAX AVGVSTI “Dedicated to the peace provided by the emperor” Pax standing, holding a branch Sear 8310, Ric 312, RSC 31, 31a, Year 235

 

That is true, but I think the Romans' view of peace was slightly different to our understanding. PAX ROMANA or PAX AVGVSTA referred to internal peace in the form of the absence of civil war, which had brought down the Roman Republic and which was to be avoided at all costs. This Pax Augusta could well be achieved or maintained through military means. PAX AVGVSTA is similar to TRANQILITAS, SECVRITAS, CONCORDIA etc.

 

This is a fantastic Sestertius!

 

MAXIMINUS I
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right
REVERSE: VICTORIAAVG - Victory advancing right, holding wreath and palm
Struck at Rome, 235-236 AD March - January
2.8g, 21mm
RIC 16, BMC 25, C 99

MAXIMINUS I
AE Sestertius
OBVERSE: IMP MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG, laureate, draped & cuirassed bust right
REVERSE: FIDES MILITVM S-C, Fides standing left, standard in each hand
Struck at Rome, 235-236
16.3g, 30mm
RIC 43

MAXIMINUS I
AE Sestertius
OBVERSE: IMP MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG - Laureate, draped bust right.
REVERSE: SALVS AVGVSTI - Salus seated left, feeding snake on altar
Struck at Rome, 235-236 AD March - January
20.7g, 29.5mm
RIC 85

 

I had the chance to admire the archeological finds from the Harzhorn battlefield in the context of the wonderful "Bewegte Zeiten" exhibition in Berlin in 2018, and subsequently also visited the battlefield near Northeim. Since then, a Maximus Thrax with a "VICTORIA GERM" similar to @Tejas terrific example ranks high on my wish list, but so far I have been outbid.

For the time being, I thus have to put up with these two examples:


Maximinus Thrax, Roman Empire, denarius, 236–238 AD, Rome mint. Obv: MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG GERM, bust of Maximinus Thrax, draped and laureate, r. Rev: PROVIDENTIA AVG, Providentia standing l., holding wand pointing at globe in r. hand and cornucopia in l. 20.4mm, 3.5g. Ref: RIC IV.2 Maximinus Thrax 20.


Maximinus Thrax, Roman Empire, AR denarius, 235–236 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IMP MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG; bust of Maximinus I, laureate, draped, cuirassed, r. Rev: PAX AVGVSTI; Pax, draped, standing l., holding branch in extended r. hand and transverse sceptre in l. hand. 21mm, 2.78g. Ref: RIC IV Maximinus Thrax 12 (denarius).

 

I have no coins a Maximinus T. As a matter of fact I knew very little about the man until earlier this morning, when I found myself immersed in part one of The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, more precisely the chapter on Thrax.
Ugly man, as it turns out, even by Roman standards.

Interestingly, Gibbon writes (also, the point of my post):

'Every city of the empire was possessed of an independent revenue, destined to purchase corn for the multitude, and to supply the expences of the games and the entertainments. By a single act of authority, the whole mass of wealth was at once confiscated for the use of the Imperial treasury. The temples were stripped of their most valuable offerings of gold and silver, and the statues of gods, heroes, and emperors were melted down and coined into money'. (chapter VII, The oppression of the provinces).

How fascinating it would be to own a coin struck from one of those statues! (although you obviously couldn't possibly hope to prove that any one coin came from that event). But the idea alone, that the coin you hold may have that origin, is enough to want to buy one... Despicable though the man was, it certainly adds to the drama of his coinage!

 

Maximinus I Thrax Ar Denarius 235-236 AD Obv Bust right laureate draped seen from back Rv Salus seated left. RIC 14 3.22 grms 18 mm Photo by w. Hansen He does not appear to have made it to the city of Rome for his entire reign thus creating a problem for the die cutters at the mint of Rome as they seem to have no prototype to create a portrait of their new emperor. Initially they employed an image that looked very much like a more mature version of Severus Alexander. However over time this image mutated as they got better information on the appearance of their emperor.

 

@Ignoramus Maximus wrote:

"Despicable though this man was, it certainly adds to the drama of his coinage."

Isn't it odd how the worst of them were the most interesting?

These comments about the confiscation of wealth remind me of the reason why Gordian I and Gordian II were declared emperors by the wealthy people in North Africa. Maximinus T was taking their wealth. It shows how much of a dumb brute he was. If you want to hold power, you need to keep the army and the wealthy and influential people on your side.

 

nice denarius...i only have a sestertius like you had(and @Bing has), altho not quite as sharp on details.. Max Thrax(235-238AD), Victory standing over captive reverse, 30mm, 19.05gms, RIC 90

 

While this thread shows many nice Imperial coins, we might mention that Maximinus has a nice group of Provincials as well.
Anchialus Thrace / Apollo


Ninica Claudiopolis, Cilicia /wolf and twins


Of course, we can not forget Alexandria:
Sol tetradrachm year 3


Less common are Provincials of Maximus.
Tomis 4 assaria / Hygeia

 

Ah yes, the guy who killed Severus Alexander. Not my fave. The portrait style you just obtained is sometimes described as being based on Sev Alex, but personally I think that's a stretch. Very loosely based, that's for sure!

I have an OK denarius, the Max Thrax coin I like best is this As:


The denarius:


Son Maximus:


Harry Sidebottom does a good job of fictionalizing this period in his series Throne of the Caesars. It goes from the death of Sev Alex, through Max Thrax and the Gordians.

 

Here is the last issue of Maximinus, from 238.



PM TRP IIII COS PP. TRP IIII dates it to year 4, 238 before April [BMC]
BMC 219
Sear 8314 (no photo)
22-19 mm. 2.25 grams.

This issue is very small. Maximinus lost control of the Rome mint when the Gordians were proclaimed emperors at Rome in the beginning of April, 238. BMC suggests the mint had been preparing even before that by not issuing many coins in the name of Maximinus in 238. TRP III is scarce (11 in BMC hoards, among 1855 denarii of Maximinus, page 88). TRP IIII is rare (only 1 of 1855 in BMC hoards).

For a discussion of his portraits and coinage, see:
http://augustuscoins.com/ed/Maximinus/Maximinus.html