It would appear that the gods neither despised nor favored Hostilian - they were completely indifferent. He was the second son of Trajan Decius and Herennia Etruscilla. His older brother and heir to the throne was Herrenius Etruscus. One fine day, Decius and Herennius went off to show the Goths who's boss, but got their heads handed to them instead. The Danubian legions elected Trebonianus Gallus as the new head honcho, and Treb intended to keep Hostilian around out of respect for TD, but the Plague of Cyprian got to him first, and he died somewhere around his twentieth year, having accomplished exactly nothing whatsoever. He "ruled" for less than a year in AD 251. He's one of the easier of the rare emperors to collect, particularly if you look to Viminacium. A bit of patience and haggling should get you a very nice coin without robbing the bank...
Sweet OP-score, JA ... Hostilian, eh? (I still need to find an example of this guy) => you guys all have the same coin-type (I like it)
Nice coin JA, and I love your storytelling (One fine day, Decius and Herennius went off to show the Goths who's boss....uh !) I do have an antoninian of his (just to make steve happy) Hostilian, Antoninianus Rome mint, AD 251. Issued as Caesar with Trajan Decius C VALENS HOSTIL MES QUINTVS N C, radiate and draped bust right MARTI PROPUGNATORI, Mars advancing right, holding spear and shield 2.74 gr Ref : RCV # 9556, Cohen # 15, RIC # 177b Q
My only one was an antoninianus but from Antioch. Hostilian, Antoninianus Obv:– C OVL OSTIL MES COVINTVS CAESAR, Radiate draped, and cuirassed bust right Rev:– VBERITAS AVG, Uberitas standing left, holding purse and cornucopiae Minted in Antioch. A.D. 251 Reference:– RIC 200a (Rare)
that's a sad tale ... I may try and collect an example just to learn a bit more about this dude (nobodies rock!!)
At least that nobody got a CT thread. His poor brother died and was common enough no one cares even for his coins. I went to a tiny coin show today and got this very poor billon Herennius Etruscus. Both brothers have in common theat their legends are weak in the names historians chose for them. Here is the young prince Quintus Herennius Etruscus Messius Decius. I only had one other Imperial of his but it has much better metal. I have no explanation for why some coins of this period are so much better metal than others. More amazing to me is that in this time of poor billon official coins, someone was still making fourrees. This is my latest one. It seems it would be easier just to make coins like the real mint did and use the same amount of silver. This one had to be better looking when new than my new coin did.
Great coins! I have a sad story about his Dad. Back in Dec. 1997, after saving $ up for 3 months. I bid on a FDC Aureus of Trajan Decius TRITON #1 auction. I received a letter 2 weeks later with notice that I had won...my FIRST aureus!!! After sending CNG payment, I awaited that registered letter with my precious coin. After 3 weeks i got antsy/ 5 weeks/7weeks zilch. Apparantly, even with reg. letter....no trace ever found. Happy ending I got my $ back, and at Triton II won that Elagalabus coin I posted. I started into Roman denarius/antoninius, now I can start a new adventure.
Awww, well apparently I do have an example of his bro ... => Herennius Etruscus AR Antoninianus Simpulum & Lituus
