Featured April 18th: The Emperor GRATIAN is born

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Ocatarinetabellatchitchix, Apr 17, 2021.

  1. Ocatarinetabellatchitchix

    Ocatarinetabellatchitchix Well-Known Member

    The history
    Born April 18th 359 AD, Gratian was the oldest son of Valentinian I, he went along with his father during several campaigns along the borders of the Rhine and the Danube and was elevated to the rank of Augustus in 367 AD at the age of 8 years old. On the death of Valentinian in 375, Gratien took the government of the west while his half - brother Valentinian II was also acclaimed Emperor in the province of Pannonia. Gratien ruled the western provinces of the empire, while his uncle Valens was already the Emperor in the East.

    [​IMG]

    He published in 380 AD the edict of Thessalonica, which ordered all subjects of the Roman Empire to profess the faith of the bishops of Rome and Alexandria, making Nicene Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire. He also declared that all of the pagan temples and shrines were to be confiscated by the government and that their revenues were to be joined to the property of the state treasury. Gratian was also the first Emperor to refuse the office of Pontifex Maximus. Finally in 383 AD his army deserted him, he fled to Lyons, and was later killed: he was 24 and leaving no children...

    The coinage
    It is under Gratian's reign that the small bronzes became for the first time the principal form of coinage for the common people of the Empire. From this period we can note the passage from the Ae3 to the smallest denomination Ae4. It was the beginning of a new stage which will go on for a century where the coinage is becoming smaller and rougher in design and fabrication. This evolution is to be put in relation with the growing place occupied by silver coinage in the second half of the 4th century.

    9ADEA0C1-BDDA-4F0C-945D-450B777D4789.jpeg
    Siliqua, Aquileia, Roma seated.

    At the beginning of the 380s, a new reform created two new bronze denominations: an Ae2 at 1/60 pound and an Ae4 which was probably struck at 1/192 of a pound in the West and at 1/252 of a pound in the East. The Ae3, now an intermediate denomination, is becoming scarce. The new heavy denomination (Ae2), for its part, is rapidly disappearing.

    16E4F6EE-3716-4E39-A1AD-E7A924812213.jpeg
    Ae2, Aquileia, Emperor raising kneeling female.

    The question: why having Gratian's coins in my collection ? Personally I don't know anybody who specialize in this Emperor's coinage; but his siliquae are among the cheapest of all, ditto for the solidi and if like me you were one day fantasizing about gathering one coin of each Emperor, well you got to grab at least one specimen... Anyway, on the day he's born, please show me your Gratian´s coins !
     
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  3. furryfrog02

    furryfrog02 Well-Known Member

    Happy Birthday to Emperor Gratian!

    Not too many Gratian's (2) in the FF collection. Here is the one with the best picture though:

    Gratian AE 17
    Obverse: D N GRATIANVS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right
    Reverse: GLORIA RO-MANORVM, Gratian standing right, holding labarum inscribed with Chi-rho and holding captive by hair; Q left, K P right
    Mintmark ΔSISCR in ex.
    Gratian.png
     
    philologus_1, singig, tibor and 16 others like this.
  4. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    [​IMG]
    Gratian, AD 367-383.
    Roman Æ maiorina, 5.90 g, 21.4 mm, 11 h.
    Constantinople, AD 383.
    Obv: D N GRATIA-NVS P F AVG, helmeted, draped and cuirassed bust, right, holding spear and shield.
    Rev: GLORIA RO-MANORVM, Emperor standing facing, head right, on ship, raising right hand. Victory seated at helm. No wreath in field; in exergue, CONΓ.
    Refs: RIC 52a (unlisted officina).
     
  5. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    gratvirt_0.jpg
    Gratian (367- 383 A.D.)
    Æ 21
    O: D N GRATIA-NVS P F AVG, Pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right.
    R: VIRTVS ROMANORVM, Roma seated facing, head left, holding globe and spear,Θ and Φ at sides, anta in ex.
    theta and phi officina
    Antioch Mint
    2.5g
    RIC IX Antioch 50b
     
  6. hotwheelsearl

    hotwheelsearl Well-Known Member

    Here are my two best Gratys:

    An unusual 19mm AE3 "Gloria Novi Saeculi."
    Despite the "TCON" mintmark, for some reason it's not Constantinople, but rather Arles. Gratian Arles RIC IX 15 type xii a (2020_11_18 03_38_31 UTC).JPG


    And a neat AE4, lettering that I really like for some reason.
    LVG is more straightforward being Lyons, or Lugdunum.
    Gratian Lyons RIC 30a (2020_11_18 03_38_31 UTC).JPG
     
  7. Orange Julius

    Orange Julius Well-Known Member

    Yep, Arles was renamed Constantina for a period due to it being the birthplace of Constantine II.
     
  8. hotwheelsearl

    hotwheelsearl Well-Known Member

    whooaaa
     
    Orange Julius and Inspector43 like this.
  9. Valentinian

    Valentinian Well-Known Member

    Here is an AE type set for Gratian:
    http://augustuscoins.com/ed/ricix/Gratian.html

    Not the rarest, but the most interesting AE type for Gratian is: 02125.jpeg

    AE3. GLORIA NOVI SAECVLI
    Emperor standing right, head left, holding labarum and left resting on shield
    Unusual obverse legend: DN GRATIANVS AVGG AVG
    AVGG AVG may abbreviate "avgustorum avgustvs" (RIC page 36).
    [Augustus in a line of Augusti]

    Gratian. 367-375
    19 mm (a bit larger than other AE3s), 1.76 grams
    RIC Arelate 15

    This type, neither common nor rare, was struck only for Gratian and only at Arelate.
     
    Last edited: Apr 18, 2021
  10. gogili1977

    gogili1977 Well-Known Member

    Two from Thessalonica:
    image.jpg
    image(1).jpg
     
  11. Andres2

    Andres2 Well-Known Member

  12. svessien

    svessien Senior Member

    Congratulations, Gratian! (Or as I would say; «Gratulerer, Gratian»)
    I realized that I barely have him in my collection. Quite similar to Mats coin, only 4 mm smaller:
    Gratian AE3.jpg
    Gratian, 367-383 AD. AE centenionalis

    Obverse: D N GRATIA-NVS P F AVG, Pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right.
    Reverse: VIRTVS ROMANORVM, Roma seated facing, head left, holding globe and spear,Θ and Φ to left and right. Mint mark: ANTA in ex.

    Reference: RCV 20137

    Weight: 2.42g Diameter: 17mm Condition: Very Fine
     
  13. ominus1

    ominus1 Well-Known Member

  14. gsimonel

    gsimonel Well-Known Member

    Reverse is similar to @Mat's and @svessien's, but with a different legend:
    temp.jpg
    (Bronze) AE III
    Cyzicus mint, A.D. 378-383
    Obv: D N GRATIA-NVS P F AVG
    Rev: CONCOR-DIA AVGGG - Roma, seated, head turned left, raising right hand (with spear?) and holding globe in left; right leg bare.
    SMKA in exergue; cross in right field.
    17mm, 2.4g.
     
  15. seth77

    seth77 Well-Known Member

    Congrats for being born, Gratian, a most daring venture :cat::cat::cat:

    6ZbpA3JpCz5Fx4Wn9jRSfP2fj7yF8D.jpg
    (Marc Walter on VCoins had some of the most wonderful coins back in the day)
     
  16. ambr0zie

    ambr0zie Dacian Taraboste

    I have 1 Gratian coin from a lot.
    upload_2021-4-18_15-51-53.png

    AE3. DN GRATIANVS PF AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right / GLORIA ROMANORVM, emperor in military dress walking right, head left, holding labarum, dragging a kneeling captive by the hair, F to left, R above hooked A (symbol 4) to right. Mintmark ΔSISCVE.

    Siscia
    RIC IX Siscia 14c
    type xxxvii var
     
  17. Al.cofribas

    Al.cofribas Member

    Attached Files:

  18. Alegandron

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

    Thanks for the writeup and your coins, @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix .

    upload_2021-4-18_9-55-56.png
    RI Gratian 367-383 CE AE 17mm Reduced Folles Emp Stdg w Shield and XP banner labarum


    upload_2021-4-18_9-56-37.png
    RI Gratian 367-383 CE AE 17mm Reduced Folles Concordia


    upload_2021-4-18_9-57-29.png
    RI Gratian 367-383 CE AE 17mm Reduced Folles Leading captive XP banner labarum
     
  19. seth77

    seth77 Well-Known Member

    A most unusual and interesting coin. Better pictures possible?
     
    Inspector43 likes this.
  20. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    Gratian, AE 1 or AE 2, 24 mm 6.3 grams, Siscia mint

    Obverse, diademed and cuirassed bust

    Reverse, REPARATIO REIPVB, emperor crowned by Victory and holding globus raises turreted woman

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  21. Al.cofribas

    Al.cofribas Member

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