Distinguishing between Maximian, Galerius, and Maximinus II

A friend asked me about why some coins of Galerius did not have "Galerius" on them. Good question. I created a web page about how to distinguish Maximian, Galerius, and Maximinus II, three emperors that are often identified incorrectly. While I was working on it I spotted in a major current auction a coin of Galerius identified as a coin of Maximian, which makes the point that they can be hard to tell apart! (I won't give the link to save the firm embarrassment!)

Consider this coin:



It says "MAXIMIANVS NOBIL C" but it is not of Maximian. Why not?

Check out my site to find out.

http://augustuscoins.com/ed/tetrarchy/distinguishing.html

Do you have any coins to show us which are often misidentified?

 

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I got this one which was misidentified as Galerius when in fact it is Maximin Daia because of the GAL VAL part of the legend!

 

Great page! I had not paid enough attention and after looking through mine- I found one in my collection that was attributed to Galerius but is actually Maximinus II. I had never checked the attribution and missed that there was no A in the legend.

Additionally- this one falls under the "Is it Maximian or Gallerius". I think Maximian but couldn't find the reference. It is a Reverse struck for Maximian.
IMP MAXIMIANVS AVG
radiate and cuirassed bust right

PAX-AVGG
Pax stg L, holding Victory and sceptre
*cresent in exergue

So I think that makes it Lugdunum
(sorry for the quick phone pics, but I don't have most of my "gentlemen" photographed!)

 

This coin is an aurelianus (a.k.a. antoninianus), a pre-reform radiate. Galerius became Caesar in 293, only a short time before this denomination was discontinued c. 294. All the coins of Galerius of this type are as Caesar (He did not become Augustus until 305). So, the "AVG" in the legend tells us it is of Maximian.

 

very informative Warren.. i'm going to get mine out and see who is who ..

 

This coin is Galerius as augustus:

 

Thank you @Valentinian ! I’m going to steal the “always learning” caption!

 

Yes, it is, according to Rule 3 on
http://augustuscoins.com/ed/tetrarchy/distinguishing.html

 

Nice write up! It is indeed a but daunting; the Tetrarchy was the last of the "easy" Roman period sets I completed, for exactly this reason!

One thing that always vexed me: Diocletian named Maximian as his Caesar in 285 before raising him to Augustus a handful of months later. Why don't we have any coins for this? OR, is it possible that some of the "Galerius" antoninianii are in fact of Maximian as Caesar? Theoretically, the pre-reform tetrarchic coinage should have circulated with coins of Aurelian through Carinus, so how would we really know?

Some of my coins:

Maximian


Galerius as Caesar

As Augustus


Maximinus II

 

http://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/max.html
My page on the Max matter has been online since 1998 but the details have not changed. The photos below are from my site and are identified there if you want to see the answers. My page included Maximinus I and Maxentius which no one should mix up. For that matter, Maximinus II is a great deal more obvious for those who read the names and know the letter A. If you are already well schooled from Valentinian's page, you can use my images above as practice material.

 

Yep -- pay attention to the A:


IMP C GAL VAL MAXIMIANVS P F AVG


IMP C GAL VAL MAXIMINVS P F AVG

 

That's what happened with my Maximin coin. They forgot to check out the A in the name. It was not Maximianus by Maximinus.

 

Thanks for the interesting post and rules for disambiguation @Valentinian and for the quiz @dougsmit

Rule 2: MAXIMIANVS with CAES identifies Galerius

Galerius, as Caesar (AD 293-305)
AE Follis (8.48g, 31mm)
Mint: Heraclea, 3rd officina c. 296-297
Obv: GAL VAL MAXIMIANVS NOB CAES, laureate head of Galerius right
Rev: GENIO POPV-L-I ROMANI, Genius standing facing, modius on head left, naked but for chlamys over left shoulder, patera in right hand from which liquor flows, cornucopia in left; HTΓ in exergue.

Rule 4: Coins with MA and MAXIMIANVS are of Maximian
Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maximianus AE Follis
Mint: Cyzicus
Size: 20.0mm, 2.58g.
Obv: IMP C M A MAXIMIANVS P F AVG, Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust of Maximian r., seen from behind.
Rev: CONCORDIA MI LITVM, Maximianus standing r., holding sceptre, receiving Victory on globe from Jupiter standing l., holding sceptre; KE
Ref: RIC VI 15b

 

Oops. I should have said it was distinguishable because of MAXIMINVS as opposed to MAXIMIANVS, otherwise, the same GAL VAL prenomen.

 

Excellent article - thank you.
Great reading and it was fun to go back and double check a couple of mine.
Looks like I need to add a Galerius and Maximinus II to my collection...


Maximianus AE Follis. 302-303 AD.
OBV: IMP C MAXIMIANVS PF AVG, laureate head right
REV: SAC MON VRB AVGG ET CAESS NN, Moneta standing left, holding scales and cornucopiae.
Mintmark R-crescent-S (Rome)



Maximianus AE Follis.
OBV: IMP C MAXIMIANVS PF AVG, laureate head right
REV: GENIO POP-VLI ROMANI, Genius standing left, modius on head, naked except for chlamys over left shoulder, holding patera and cornucopiae. gamma in right field.
Mintmark star SIS. (Siscia)

 

...or when in doubt attribute by beard coolness (not really but here are two from the same mint, close in mint year).

Galerius - Alexandria - RIC 105a - 308-310ad
IMP C GAL VAL MAXIMIANVS PF AVG
Tough guy biker beard


Maximinus II - Alexandria - RIC 139b - Early 311ad
IMP C GAL VAL MAXIMINVS PF AVG
Groomed nightclub beard
*Note: This one was listed by the seller as Galerius

 

here's a neat example of a confusing legend

OBV: DIVO MAXIMIANO MAXIMINVS AVG FIL

REV: AETERNA MEMORIAE GALERI MAXIMIANI

 

@Valentinian excellent writing, thank you so much!

I also had to check mine and now I wonder what does the C stand for on his coins if he was never Caesar, e.g. IMP C MA MAXIMIANVS P F AVG on this Antoninianus struck under Diocletian? (no upturned nose)

31 mm, 3.75 g;
Antioch, 293 AD struck under Diocletian
Ref.: RIC V Diocletian 621;
Obv.: IMP C MA MAXIMIANVS P F AVG Bust of Maximian, radiate, cuirassed, to r.
Rev.: CONCORDIA MILI-TVM Maximian, draped, cuirassed, standing right, holding short scepter in r. hand and receiving Victory on globe from Jupiter; Jupiter, standing left, holding long scepter; mint mark Z // XXI (7th Officina)

​

 

About three months after Diocletian had defeated Carinus, he accorded Maximian the rank of Caesar. Most historians agree this occured on July 21, 285, though some suggest it occurred in November. There are no coins, however, of Maximian as Caesar. But I think the C refers to this title.

 

Deleted. Doug is right.