Here is an interesting type of Maximian, co-emperor to his most famous colleague Diocletian, and also the father in law of Constantine the Great. This is from his first reign. The coin saw a bit of circulation,and the surfaces are a little rough from corrosion from burrial, but the radiate crown in combination with the reverse of Hercules grasping a lion is one of his better reverses. Its definitely not as common as his Jupiter and Emperor reverses, and I think it looks better. I figured that if I was going to get a Maximian (this being my second one after giving away my more common Emperor and Jupiter reverse) might as well get something a little different and a little bit less seen. I think Mat might also have one of these, but his Maximian is wearing a helmet instead of the radiate crown (which I think is even more unusual and less common than mine). What do you guys think? Post your Maximian coins Maximianus, First reign, 286-305. AE Antoninianus Lugdunum, 287-289. IMP C MAXIMIANVS P F AVG Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust of Maximian to right. Rev. VIRTVTI AVGG Hercules standing right, strangling the Nemean lion; at his feet to left, club. Lyon 213. RIC V, 454.
Come on folks, let's see your Maximians. I'm sure some of you have some real beauties in your collections. Don't be shy.
OK! Good Lion there Herr @Sallent ! Here is my Maxi: RI MAXIMIANUS HERCULIUS 286-305 CE antoninianus Antioch 292-295 CE CONCORDIA MILITVM Jupiter H-officina 8
Nice choice. My example of the type has a military bust, but was struck with a rather worn reverse die. MAXIMIANUS Antoninianus. 3.81g, 23.5mm, Lugdunum mint, AD 287-289. RIC 458; Cohen 647; Bastien 218. O: IMP C MAXIMIANVS P AVG, helmeted and cuirassed bust right, wearing radiate crown. R: VIRTVTI AVGG, Hercules standing right, strangling Nemean Lion, his club on ground behind. Another Max ant with a Herc reverse that I picked up earlier this year. MAXIMIANUS Antoninianus. 3.74g, 23.2mm. Ticinum mint, circa AD 286-288. RIC V-2 Ticinum 544. O: IMP C M A VAL MAXIMIANVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. R: HERCVLI CONSERVAT, Hercules standing right, holding club with lion's skin, on rock; SXXIT in exergue. And yet another Herc reverse, but this time on a large Alexandria mint follis. MAXIMIANUS AE Follis. 10.5g, 26.7mm. Alexandria mint, 1st officina, AD 304-305. RIC VI 38. O: IMP C M A MAXIMIANVS PF AVG, laureate head right. R: HERCVLI VICTORI, Hercules standing slightly right, head left, holding club and apples, with lion skin draped over arm; S in left field, P over A in right field, ALE in exergue.
Cool reverse type! I'm sure everyone has a CONCORDIA MILITVM type; I've got a couple from the Cyzicus mint: And an Alexandrian Tet: Maximian, 1st reign, AD 286-305 Roman billon tetradrachm, 16.2 mm, 7.29 g Egypt, Alexandria, AD 289-290 Obv: A K M A OVA MAΞIMIANOC CЄB, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust, right Rev: Dikaiosyne standing left, holding scales and cornucopiae; L in left field and Є (year 5 = 289/290) in right field Refs: Dattari 5850; Similar to BMCG 2550 and RCV 13345 (different placement of Є).
What a sweet reverse! Seriously... it looks like Hercules is comforting a distraught lion. I like that idea better than him killing it . "There there, little lion. She'll come back." Here's a recent Maximian pickup: EGYPT, Alexandria. Maximian potin tetradrachm, regnal year 1 (CE 285/6) Obv: laureate bust right Rev: Alexandria standing left, holding the head of Serapis and a sceptre; L-A Ref: Dattari-Savio Pl. 285, 10657 (this coin); Emmett 4093.1 Ex Dattari Collection
TIF, I love your personal interpretation of the reverse. I admit that I also thought it looked more like hugging than being strangled to death, but I doubt the ancient minds with all the violence around them would have had more benign interpretations like ours. And may I add, that's a lovely Alexandria Tet with a very interesting portrait of Maximian.
My favorite coins of Maximianus are the Siscia series from three officinae with the word Hercules in Greek letters divided between the three. There are several variations of bust type and letter placement. My set is mixed. A -HP B-KOY gamma - lambda iota If you find this confusing, you are in good company. The die cutter on he one below was supposed to have lambda iota as the third segment of Her-koy-li but the lambda on this die turned out to be an A.
Great posts!!! That's my example.....mediocre reverse but I love the portrait. Hmm, I wonder if @TIF 'sees' old Herc instructing the lion to the latest dance craze??
Post-abdication Follis of 305 AD, because Maximian was such a nice guy that he decided to step-down and let someone else have a turn at ruling. That is, until he changed his mind a year or two later!