Most Recent Pick Up - Volusian Sestertius

The short reign of Trebonianus Gallus and Volusian was notable for the outbreak of a plague, which is said by some to be the reason for Hostilian's death, the invasion of the Sasanian Empire, and the raids of the Goths. Volusian was killed alongside his father in August 253 by their own soldiers, who were terrified of the forces of the usurper Aemilian which were marching towards Rome.

I posted a pic of this coin earlier but never an attribution, so here it is.

Volusian (251-253 A.D.)

AE Sestertius, 26mm 16 grams, Rome mint

Obverse: IMP CAE C VIB VOLVSIANO AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right

Reverse: FELICITAS PVBLICA S-C, Felicitas standing left, leaning on column, holding caduceus and sceptre.

Reference:

RIC 251a, Cohen 35, Sear 9786.



Feel free to post any pics of Volusian coins.

 

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Nice bronze addition!


Volusian (251 - 253 A.D.)
AR Antoninianus
O: IMP CAE C VIB VOLVSIANO AVG radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
R: CONCORDIA AVGG, Concordia seated left, holding patera and double cornucopiae, star in right field.
Rome Mint
3.35g
22mm
RIC IV, 169; RSC 25; Hunter 6; Sear 9743.


Volusian (251 - 253 A.D.)
AR Antoninianus
O: IMP C C VIB VOLVSIANVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
R: ROMAE AETERNAE AVG, Roma seated left with Victory & spear, shield at side, ui in ex.
Antioch Mint
4g
20mm
Unlisted

Published on Wildwinds!


Volusian (251 - 253 A.D.)
SYRIA, Seleucis and Pieria. Antioch
AR Tetradrachm
O: AYTOK K G AFIN GAL OYEND OYOLOYCCIANOC CEB Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right; three pellets below.
R: DHMAPX EXOUCIAC, eagle standing facing, head turned left, wreath in beak; Γ between legs.
12.36g
24mm
Prieur #697, McAlee1187c

Rare

 

Nice capture @ancient coin hunter ... a good little write up. Do you feel sick?


RI Volusianus 251-253 CE AR Tet Antioch mint Eagle - son of Treb Gallus
Prieur 694
Ex: @Mat

 

Well I was sick for two weeks ending last week, flu, cold, cough in that sequence!

However it wasn't the plague so I am happy!

 

Some Volusiani ... sest. and 3 Anton.

 

Nice!

 

There will never be a monography about Volusian because he must have been the most inactive of all emperors.
As far as I know apart from him being promoted and killed (which was both rather passive and both only happened to him for the one reason that he was his father´s son) there is not a single action he took during his lifetime that was worth recording.

Here is my Sestertius of the man that, as far as we know, spent two years sitting around in the palace next to his dad, while the world around him was devastated by the plague, Shapur and the Goths.

 

Nice addition, ACH! This is my only coin of his, a rough As with Pax reverse:

 

Nice pickup !


Volusian, Antoninianus - Rome mint AD 252
IMP CAE C VIB VOLVSIANO AVG, radiate and draped bust of Volusian right
IVNONI MARTIALI, Juno seated within a distyle shrine, * in right field
3,60 gr
Ref : RCV # 9750, Cohen #45



Volusian, Sestertius - Rome mint, AD 252
IMP CAE C VIB VOLVSIANO AVG, Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Volusian right
CONCORDIA AVGG, Concordia standing left holding patera and double cornucopiae. S C n field
16.49 gr
Ref : RCV # 9784, Cohen # 21

Q

 

Thanks! And nice coins Cuke!

 

I have noticed that the antoniniani of Volusian are a bit hard to get in shiny silver, probably due to the ongoing debasement. But there are many excellent examples on this thread!

 

Perhaps, but how many natural born sons of Roman Emperors made better, more effective rulers than their fathers were? There might be some close to tied but Commodus grade outnumber Titus grade.

 

I have the same type, with plague scars:

 

Good question... who else do we have?

• Constantine, son of Constantius? Constantius was reportedly a good ruler but Constantine had a greater impact and more time at the top.
• I thought of GIII... but he was a nephew not son of Gordian II.
• Gallienus was better than Valerian right? Even though the empire was going though increasingly tougher times...
• Maxentius? Although Maximian by himself may have been a disaster, he had Diocletian... so no.
• Was Constantius II better than Constantine?

 

Referring to the list above... I only listed the sons who were eventually sole emperors (of at least portions of the empire) that may have a chance at being argued as better. I did not list sons who didn’t really ever attempt to lead or sons that were obviously worse.

 

Interesting comments @Orange Julius - with regard to Constantius II he ruled for 24 years and didn't kill as many members of his own family. He engendered the return to happy times. I believe he also was sympathetic to Arianism. Who knows, he may have been forced to knock off Julian if he hadn't died before he could march against him. So this leaves Constantius Gallus as the primary in-family victim of Constantius II. Supposedly Constantius II ordered Gallus' execution then changed his mind and rescinded the order. But the eunuch Eusebius prevented the countermanded order from reaching the executioners in time so Gallus perished.

 

If Constantius was the man behind the "Purge of 337" as most historians seem to think, then he certainly DID kill half of his family members including his cousins, the Caesar Delmatius and the Rex Regorum Hannibalianus, his uncles Julius Constantius the Consul (and his elder son) and Dalmatius the Censor, and others.