Huge Maximian portrait upgrade

Thanks, @Roman Collector - that's pretty close The background of my photo' should be white, not pink, so my photo is too red and you've made a great job of it!

In fact, I'll steal it and stick it on Tantalus

ATB,
Aidan.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

There is always the possibility of miss-attributing Maximian Herculius and Galerius Maximian folles, for it is often hard to differentiate their name forms and titulature. Following is an excerpt from one of my web pages (it focuses on Tetrarchic reformed, unreduced, folles produced by the London Mint, but the titulature information is ubiquitous):
...................................
Inasmuch as the information on this web page relates to the reformed, unreduced, folles catalogued and described in THE ROMAN IMPERIAL COINAGE (RIC), Volume VI, I employ the Imperial name forms used in the headers by Sutherland here. The following depiction includes the alternate name forms frequently used by collectors, dealers and authors of historical texts and reference documents:

DIOCLETIAN ........................ (no other names commonly used)
MAXIMIAN HERCULIUS ...... Maximianus, Herculius
CONSTANTIUS .................... Constantius I, Constantius Chlorus
GALERIUS MAXIMIAN ......... Galerius
SEVERUS ............................. Severus II,
MAXIMINUS .......................... Maximinus II, Maximinus Daia, Daza
CONSTANTINE ..................... Constantine I, Constantinus
MAXENTIUS .......................... (no other names commonly used)
LICINIUS ................................ Licinius I, Licinius Licinianus

Note: Caution should be exercised when attributing the coins of Galerius Maximian (Caius Galerius Valerius Maximianus) & Maximian Herculius (Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maximianus) due to the similarity of their titulature. Galerius Maximian was both Caesar and Augustus during this time period whereas Maximian Herculius was always only Augustus. Therefor coins bearing the titulature MAXIMIANVS plus NOBIL CAES, NOB CAES, NOBIL C, etc., can only be those of Galerius Maximian. There is a special problem with Galerius as Augustus coins: The titulature is mostly exactly the same as that of Maximian Herculius and frequently the only way to differentiate between the two is by the portraiture on the coin obverse.

I will include image examples in my next post.

 

Maximian Herculius and Galerius Maximian titulature:

RIC Volume VI, Londinium, Group I, (ii), folles, Class II, (b), No. 17-22, c. 300 onward, 10.8-9.0 gm, 27/26 mm. Laureate bust, right, cuirassed, or cuirassed and draped - shorter necks and proportional heads.

Exemplar coin No. 17 - Maximian Herculius:


IMP C MAXIMIANVS P F AVG .............................. GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI

8.5 gm.

RIC Volume VI, Londinium, Group I, (iii), folles, Class III, c. 303 onward, No. 23-39 - Large, spread, laureate bust, cuirassed and sometimes draped.

Exemplar coin No. 33 - Galerius Maximian as Caesar:


MAXIMIANVS NOBIL C ................................. GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI

10.2 gm.

RIC Volume VI, Londinium, Group II, Period I: until the death of Constantius on 25 July 306 -- Period II: after the death of Constantius until the Dissolution of the Tetrarchy in 307 and the Introduction of mint marked (PLN) reduced size folles (summer of 307)

Titulature Note:

Galerius Maximian as Augustus:
Note that there is some duplication of Maximianus Herculius titulature here which often causes confusion. There is a special problem with Galerius as Augustus coins: The titulature is exactly the same as that of Maximian Herculius and frequently the only way to differentiate between the two is by the portraiture on the coin obverse:

2a IMP C MAXIMIANVS PIVS FEL AVG
2b IMP C MAXIMIANVS P FEL AVG
2c IMP C MAXIMIANVS P F AVG
2d IMP C MAXIMIANVS P AVG
2e IMP C MAXIMIANVS P F IN AVG
2f IMP MAXIMIANVS P F AVG


Exemplar coin No. 42 - Galerius Maximian as Augustus:


IMP C MAXIMIANVS P F AVG ......................... GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI

9.7 gm.
Identical obverse inscription (2C) to the primary one of Maximian Herculius.

 

Thanks for the Roll-Velez paper. It will require a turn for the worse in local weather to make me ready to digest the details!

I have a page on the matter of MAX confusion and offer it to confused beginners for helping clarify the matter an experts on the matter to suggest where what I have said might lead beginners astray.
http://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/max.html

I look forward to seeing the ones you consider deceptive. Worst IMHO are the small fractions of Galerius with simple legend MAXIMIANVSAVG. The lack of space caused the omission of helpful additional letters like GAL.


The Roll-Velez paper mentions using the word 'dot' rather than just using a dot (.) in his tables. I applaud his sensibility. Moreover I appreciate the mint workers in the time of Maximianus who went out of their way to make sure we saw the dot they placed on this obverse.


Maximianus must have been a good looking fellow. We have quite a variety of portrait styles from his various mints and periods but most make him look at least to some degree regal.

 

Uhm, I wasnt thinking about getting rid of my other Maximian. My point was that with this portrait I think I'm set with this emperor. That's not to say I wont get another Maximian ever, or get rid of the other, but I'm certainly sone actively looking for any of his coins. However, if another catches my eyes, I'd certainly bite.

 

Some great coins in this thread. I love tetrarch coinage.

Great new score @Sallent!

 

I am not smart enough to figure it out. After collecting this series of coins for some fifty years I am still sometimes sublimely confused.

 

London Mint unreduced folles -- different portrait styles:

RIC VI, Londinium, No. 6b, Maximian Herculius as Augustus:


IMP C MAXIMIANVS PF AVG ........................ GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI

RIC VI, Londinium, No. 6b, Maximian Herculius as Augustus:


IMP C MAXIMIANVS PF AVG ......................... GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI


RIC VI, Londinium, No. 15, Galerius Maximian as Caesar:


MAXIMIANVS NOB CAES ............................... GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI

RIC VI, Londinium, No. 15, Galerius Maximian as Caesar:


MAXIMIANVS NOB CAES .............................. GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI

RIC VI, Londinium, No. 15, Galerius Maximian as Caesar:


MAXIMIANVS NOB CAES .............................. GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI


RIC VI, Londinium, No. 17, Maximian Herculius as Augustus:


IMP C MAXIMIANVS P F AVG .............................. GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI

RIC VI, Londinium, No. 21, Galerius Maximian as Caesar:


MAXIMIANVS NOB CAES .............................. GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI

RIC VI, Londinium, No. 25, Maximian Herculius as Augustus:


IMP MAXIMIANVS PF AVG ................................. GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI

RIC VI, Londinium, No. 42 - Galerius Maximian as Augustus:


IMP C MAXIMIANVS P F AVG ......................... GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI

RIC VI, Londinium, No. 76b, Maximian Herculius:


DN MAXIMIANO BEATISSIMO SEN AVG - PROVIDENTIA DEORVM QVIES AVGG

 

Maximian has a short, upturned nose, whereas Galerius has a longer, sometimes down-turning one.

 

Yup! ...... as a general rule.

 

Two earlier portraits:

Constantius British Invasion Coinage produced at (unknown) Mint in Gaul by Lugdunese workers.

RIC Volume VI, Lugdunum, Group I, (iv), folles, Class I, No. 14-21, c. 296, 10.5-8.75 gm.

No. 14b - Maximian Herculius as Augustus:


IMP C MAXIMIANVS PF AVG ................................. GENIO POP -- VLI ROMANI

8.9 gm

No. 17b - Galerius Maximian as Caesar:


C VAL MAXIMIANVS NOB C .............................. GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI

10.3 gm.
As depicted in RIC Volume VI, Plate 3.

And ..........

Intermediate Group folles (Bastien) c. 297 that often feature Lugdunum style laureate heads and London style lettering. Sometimes with laureate busts in fine style with elaborate consular cuirasses (Stewartby).

Not in RIC -- Galerius Maximian as Caesar: Bastien (a) - laureate truncated bare bust with long ribbon tie lying on neck.


C VAL MAXIMIANVS NOB C .............................. GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI

10.1 gm.

 

iwas just thinking that looking though here and now i'm not sure what i have. i will refer to your info, thanx Jamicus

 

Stunning @Sallent, superb.

 

An outstanding coin you posted @Sallent -- congratulations!

 

Why not post a pic of it @ominus1? That way we can have a crack at attributing it. The worst thing that can happen is that we botch the attempt and get an inconclusive result -- happens to me all the time!

 

Great score @Sallent ! My third ancient coin purchase.


Maximian, AD 286-305
AE, Follis, 8.8g, 31mm; 6h; Heraclea
Obv.: IMP CMA MAXIMIANVS PF AVG; laureate head right
Rev.: GENIO POPV-L-I ROMANI; Genius standing left, modius on head, naked except for chlamys over shoulder (falls low), holding paera from which liquid flows and cornucopiae
In Ex.: HTΓ

I thought it was a pleasing coin. Didn't know what I was doing when I bought it I just used some very basic knowledge I learned here. Still like it so I guess it was a win. Paid high retail for it.

 

Just to clarify - so any MAXIMIANVS NOB CAES coins are Galerius because Maximianus was never Caesar? Also, once Galerius was elevated to Augustus there are no MAXIMIANVS AVG coins of Galerius? If that's the case the GAL VAL MAXIMIANVS legend refers to Galerius as Augustus. I hope I'm right.

@jamesicus may have already explained this in detail but to me it's still a bit of a Gordian knot.

 

man, that's a killer portrait sallent!

I thought I had a follis of this cat, but all I have is this Alexandrian provincial.

 

I showed one above but it was a fraction. I believe you are correct for full size folles. Also, you can be suspicious that a coin is Galerius Augustus because by that time the coins started to get smaller. This is not reliable but is only a clue to start you looking in the right place.

It should go without saying but it does not: Too many people look at one rule and forget to read the legend. Yes, Galerius was the only Maximianus who was Caesar but the coin below is Maximinus with no second A who was both Caesar and Augustus. 'No A' trumps all other rules here.


If a coin clearly reads GAL or GAL VAL as below, it still can not be Galerius unless the Max name has that additional A. This is Maximinus II. That would be obvious if folks read each letter but many tend to see GAL and quit reading.

 

My latest Galerius has the refreshingly unambiguous IMP C GAL VAL MAXIMIANVS P F AVG legend as well as the typically long, down-turned nose.


Galerius, A.D. 305-311
Roman AE follis, 26.0 mm, 7.73 g, 12 h
Heraclea mint, AD 310-311
Obv: IMP C GAL VAL MAXIMIANVS P F AVG, laureate head right
Rev: GENIO IMPERATORIS, Genius standing left, holding patera and cornucopia; */HTE
Refs: RIC 48a; RCV 14514; Cohen 48.