Emperors Killed by the Praetorian Guard (post yours!)

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Roman Collector, Mar 26, 2017.

  1. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    Here's a (probably incomplete) list of Roman Emperors who were murdered by those charged with protecting them, the praetorian guard. I have most, but not all of them. Post yours! And by all means if you know of other emperors that met the same fate but are not on my list, post 'em!

    Aurelian Libertas Antoninianus.jpg
    Aurelian AD 270-275
    Roman silvered billon Antoninianus, 4.29 gm; 23.4 mm
    Uncertain Balkan mint, issue 1, AD 271-272
    Obv: IMP AVRELIANVS AVG, radiate, cuirassed bust, right
    Rev: LIBERT AVG, Libertas standing left, holding pileus and scepter
    Refs: RIC 396; MER/RIC temp 2447; CBN 958; Sear 11555; MIR 270a; Cohen 119

    Balbinus (none in my collection)


    Calligula and Caesonia.jpg
    Calligula AD 37-41
    Roman provincial Æ 28 mm, 11.17 gm
    Carthago Nova, Spain, AD 37-38
    Obv: C. CAESAR AVG. GERMANIC. IMP. P.M. TR.P. COS., laureate head of Caligula, r.
    Rev: CN. ATEL. FLAC. CN. POM. FLAC. II. VIR. Q.V.I.N.C., head of Salus (some attribute to Caesonia, wife of Calligula) r., SAL AVG across field
    Refs: SGI 419; Heiss 272, 35; Cohen 247, 1; RPC 1, 185; SNG Cop 503.

    Caracalla Denarius.jpg
    Caracalla AD 198-217
    Roman AR Denarius 3.37 g; 19.7 mm
    Rome mint, AD 211
    Obv: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG BRIT, laureate head, right
    Rev: INDVLG FECVNDAE, Julia Domna as Indulgentia, wearing polos, seated left on cerule chair, extending right hand and holding scepter
    Refs: RIC 214; BMCRE 73; RCV 6805

    Commodus Hilaritas Sestertius.jpg
    Commodus AD 177-192
    Roman Æ Sestertius 26.13g; 28.7 mm
    Rome mint, AD 187
    Obv: M COMMODVS ANT P FELIX AVG BRIT, laureate bust right
    Rev: HILARIT AVG PM TR P XII IMP VIII COS V PP SC, Hilaritas standing left, holding branch and palm
    Refs: RIC 497; Cohen 213; RCV 5754 var.

    Elagabalus Roma Denarius.jpg
    Elagabalus AD 218-222 AD
    Roman AR Antoninianus 4.88g; 18.8 mm
    Rome mint, AD 218
    Obv: IMP CAES M AVAR ANTONINVS AVG, radiate, draped cuirassed bust right
    Rev: PM TRP COS PP, Roma std left, Victory in right hand, scepter in left, shield at side
    Refs: RIC 1; BMCRE 3; RSC 126; RCV 7493.

    Galba Alexandrian Tetradrachm.jpg
    Galba AD 68-69 AD
    Roman billon Tetradrachm, 12.97 g; 24.5 mm
    Alexandria, AD 68-69
    Obv: [ΛOYK ΛIB ΣΟΥΛΠ Γ]ΑΛΒΑ ΚΑΙΣ ΣΕΒ ΑΥ, laureate head of Galba to right; LA before (year 1)
    Rev: ΑΛΕΞΑΝ-ΔΡΕΑ, draped bust of Alexandria with elephant headdress to right
    Refs: RPC 5326; BMC 199; Cologne 217; Milne 320; RCV 2139.

    Gordian III Apollo seated sestertius.jpg
    Gordian III AD 238-244
    Roman AE Sestertius, 20.01 gm; 28.2 mm
    Rome, 5th officina. 9th emission, AD 241
    Obv: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust, right
    Rev: PM TRP IIII COS II PP SC, Apollo seated left, holding laurel branch and resting left arm on lyre
    Refs: RIC 302; Cohen 252; RCV --; Banti 72.

    Numerian Mars Antoninianus.jpg
    Numerian AD 283-284
    Roman silvered billon Antoninianus, 4.14 g; 19 mm
    Lugdunum, 283-284
    Obv: IMP C M AVR NVMERIANVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right
    Rev: MARS VICTOR, Mars, advancing right, carrying spear and trophy over left shoulder, C in right field
    Refs: RIC 386; Cohen 24; RCV 12247.

    Pertinax (none in my collection)

    Probus Salus.jpg
    Probus AD 276-282
    Roman billon Antoninianus 3.25 g; 21.7 mm
    Ticinium mint, AD 280-82
    Obv: VIRTVS PROBI AVG, Radiate, helmeted, cuirassed bust, left, holding spear and shield
    Rev: SALVS AVG, Salus standing right, feeding serpent held in arms. V in left field; * in right field, TXXI in exergue
    Refs: RIC-500; Cohen 584.

    Pupienus (none in my collection)
     
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  3. Pishpash

    Pishpash Well-Known Member

  4. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    Nice!!
     
  5. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    What a GREAT THREAT @Roman Collector ... Good coins...

    Let me post my pedestrian examples:

    Aurelian:
    RI Aurelian 270-275 CE AE Ant Concordia-Milit Obv-Rev.jpg
    RI Aurelian 270-275 CE AE Ant Concordia-Milit


    Balbinus:
    upload_2017-3-26_8-14-19.png
    RI Balbinus 238 CE AR Denarius 20mm 3.7g Rome Laureate draped cuirasses - Victory wreath palm RIC 8


    Caligula:
    RI Gaius Caligula AE As 37-41 CE Vesta seated S-C Obv-Rev.jpg
    RI Gaius Caligula AE As 37-41 CE Vesta seated S-C.jpg

    Caracalla:
    RI Caracalla 198-217 AR Denarius MONETA.jpg
    RI Caracalla 198-217 AR Denarius MONETA

    Commodus:
    RI Commodus 177-192 CE AR Denarius Apollo Plectrum Lyre.jpg
    RI Commodus 177-192 CE AR Denarius Apollo Plectrum Lyre.jpg

    Elagabalus:
    RI Elagabalus 218-222 CE AR Antoninianus Radiate Roma seated Obv-Rev.jpg
    RI Elagabalus 218-222 CE AR Antoninianus Radiate Roma seated

    Galba:
    RI Galba AE Sestertius SPQR - O.B - CIV.SER in Wreath.jpg
    RI Galba AE Sestertius SPQR - O.B - CIV.SER in Wreath


    Gordian III:
    RI Gordian III 238-244 CE AE As 25mm Hercules S-C.jpg
    RI Gordian III 238-244 CE AE As 25mm Hercules S-C


    Pupienus:
    FAIL!

    upload_2017-3-26_8-19-44.png
    (I always read in Latin pronunciation)


    Probos:
    RI Probus 276-282 CE Ant 21mm Riding Horse Obv-Rev.jpg
    RI Probus 276-282 CE Ant 21mm Riding Horse
     
    Last edited: Mar 26, 2017
  6. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    Numerian:
    RI Numerian 283-284 CE AE Ant Stndg receiving Victory Obv-Rev.jpg
    RI Numerian 283-284 CE AE Ant Stndg receiving Victory

    Pertinax:
    RI Pertinax 193 BC AE Sestertius rome mint LAETITIA RIC 17 C 21.jpg

    RI Pertinax 193 BC AE Sestertius rome mint LAETITIA RIC 17 C 21
     
  7. Deacon Ray

    Deacon Ray Artist & Historian Supporter

    I don't have any yet but wow—what a collection! I wonder if there are any emperors who died from lack of sleep!
     
  8. Deacon Ray

    Deacon Ray Artist & Historian Supporter

    LOL! I've done that. More than once! Also with Neosporin Cream!
     
  9. Mikey Zee

    Mikey Zee Delenda Est Carthago

    Super posts!!! And a thought provoking thread. Using my fingers and toes:p, I count 12 who 'bought the farm' by those who were meant to ensure their safety:eek:
     
  10. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    Nice coins, @Alegandron ! And yes, it's indeed most unfortunate that Pupienus' name is properly pronounced "poopy anus."
     
    Paul M., RAGNAROK, panzerman and 5 others like this.
  11. Parthicus

    Parthicus Well-Known Member

    No new emperors to add to the list, but here's my Galba:
    Galba.jpg
    And a couple of provincials of Elagabalus:
    Elagabalus Berytos.jpg
    Elagabalus Bithynia Nicaea.jpg
     
  12. 7Calbrey

    7Calbrey Well-Known Member

    Was there any charge or motive for the assassination of each Emperor stated above ?
     
  13. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    LOL, I always felt it was "I do not like you anymore..."
     
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  14. Smojo

    Smojo dreamliner

    Gordian III is one of the really not sure who killed him. Some historians say was killed in battle by the enemy. Others tout is was Philip I.
    I personally doubt it was the later because Philip took his body back to Rome, praised him and made him a divas.
    @Sallent could go into bettet detail than I can..

    This is a cool thread and some great pics
     
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  15. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    Well, for Caligula, Commodus, and Elagabalus, the motive was "Some folks deserve to be killed."
     
    Andres2, Paul M., RAGNAROK and 4 others like this.
  16. Sallent

    Sallent Live long and prosper

    Commodus was killed because the relationship between himself and the Senate soured to a state of irreconsilability after Commodus replaced his father's old advisors with his own friends. Everything else was probably made up gossip or exaggerations by writers after the fact, and with an agenda.

    Commodus denarius with seated victory.jpg

    Caracalla, although he may have had a brutish streak, was well loved by the soldiers. Evidence for this can be seen in Elagabalus' elevation, when soldiers declared for him as Emperor when they were tricked into believing he was Caracalla's illegitimate son.

    Caracalla died because he had an affair with the wrong soldier's wife, so it was a personal score that was settled. But he was quite popular with the troops.

    Caracalla Serapis denarius.jpg

    Elagabalus died because Julia Maesa could not control the teen. He may have been eratic with power, but he was also a kid. And most of what he is alleged to have done was also probably greatly exaggerated after his death.

    7LepE9NwR8n87q3JS6QdrX2Hb5tF4b.jpg

    And Gordian III's death, as @Smojo pointed out, is murky enough that no one can say for sure how he died. He is as likely to have died in battle, as he was after battle from his injuries, or as likely as he was to have died at the hands of his troops. No one really knows.

    Gordian III Salus Snake.jpg

    Bottom line, I disagree with your assessment that these emperors were killed simply "because they needed to die." That is such an oversimplified version of what happened.
     
  17. 7Calbrey

    7Calbrey Well-Known Member

    Elagabalus wanted to introduce the worship of his Syrian god " The ultimate god of the Sun " into the Roman myth or religion . His god would be above Jupiter. I remember seeing a Roman coin where Elagabalus was worshiping the Sun.
    I'm also recalling the assassination of Julius Caesar and possibly General Agrippa.
     
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  18. Ancient Aussie

    Ancient Aussie Well-Known Member

    Yes it was definitely a hazardous job being emperor, a couple of Galba. 353.jpeg 20160821_114551.jpg 20160821_114611.jpg
     
  19. panzerman

    panzerman Well-Known Member

    Excellent theme/ stunning coins:happy: my Elagalabus..... john photos 1 023 (Medium).jpg john photos 1 024 (Medium).jpg
     
  20. Parthicus

    Parthicus Well-Known Member

    In the case of Galba, a major motive in his murder was anger at perceived mistreatment. Early in his short reign, Galba refused to pay a bonus that had been promised to soldiers who had early in the civil unrest declared their loyalty to him, allegedly declaring "It is my custom to levy troops, not to buy them." He also earned the hatred of the Praetorians specifically by dismissing number of them who were accused of having been loyal to Nymphidius Sabinus, a Praetorian commander who tried to declare himself emperor immediately after Nero's death but was immediately killed. When the boss refuses to pay a promised bonus, and fires a bunch of your co-workers on flimsily pretexts, anyone would be upset. And when the upset workers have swords and access to the boss, well...
     
  21. IdesOfMarch01

    IdesOfMarch01 Well-Known Member

    It's always seemed to me that it would have been best to be a successful but low-key merchant or businessman in the days of the Roman Empire. Being Caesar was a hazardous occupation, suited only for those whose ambition and ruthlessness exceeded their fear of assassination.
     
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