First and Second Tetrarchy from Carthage

The mint in Carthage opened to fund the Roman campaign against the Quinquegentiani (People of the Five Tribes) a group of Berbers that rebelled circa A.D. 298. How it turned out-- “Maximianus Augustus, too, ended the war in Africa by crushing the Quinquegentiani and compelling them to make peace.” (Eutropius pg 62)

I just got a Galerius today that completed my 2nd Tetrarchy from Carthage. In A.D. 305, Diocletian and Maximianus retired, so Constantius I and Galerius moved up to Augustus. Severus and Maximinus were appointed Caesars; which set up a bit of trouble from Constantine and Maxentius; who show up shortly on the coinage in late 306. Some of the issues have H and I in the reverse fields. These are the first letter of the names of the Roman gods Hercules and Jupiter (Jove). Diocletian and Maximianus claimed lineage with the gods- Diocletian was in the family of Jupiter and Maximianus was in the family of Hercules. Their respective Caesar was also related to the deity.

"Where now are the surnames of the Jovii and the Herculii, once so glorious and renowned among the nations; surnames insolently assumed at first by Diocles and Maximian, and afterwards transferred to their successors?" Lactantius LII

Also note that the workshops denote seniority--A is most senior and Δ is most junior.

for more on the Carthage issues -- http://www.constantinethegreatcoins.com/Carthage/

EDIT- I added the first Tetrarchy. These are only SALVIS AVGG ET CAESS FEL KART reverses

The first Tetrarchy-- Group 1
A.D. 296- 305
Augustii-- Diocletian, Maximianus
Caesars-- Constantius I, Galerius


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Diocletian
A.D. 298-303
27x29mm 9.3g
IMP DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG; Laureate head right.
SALVIS AVGG ET CAESS FEL KART; Carthage standing facing, head left, holding fruits in both hands.
In ex. A
RIC VI Carthage 29a/31a​

Maximianus
A.D. 298-303
28mm 10.4g
IMP MAXIMIANVS P F AVG; Laureate head right.
SALVIS AVGG ET CAESS FEL KART; Carthage standing facing, head left, holding fruits in both hands.
In ex. B
RIC VI Carthage 29b/31b
​

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Constantius I
A.D. 298- 303
27mm 9.2g
CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES; laureate head right.
SALVIS AVGG ET CAESS FEL KART; Carthage standing facing, head left, holding fruits in both hands.
In ex Γ
RIC VI Carthage 30a/ 32a




Galerius
A.D. 298-303
25x28mm 9.5g
MAXIMIANVS NOB CAES; laureate head right.
SALVIS AVGG ET CAESS FEL KART; Carthage standing facing, head left, holding fruits in both hands.
In ex. Δ
RIC VI Carthage 30/32b


​

The 2nd Tetrarchy-- Group 2
A.D. May 305- July 306
Augusti-- Constantius I, Galerius
Caesars-- Severus, Maximinus II
Seniors-- Diocletian, Maximianus​

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Constantius I
A.D. 305- 306
27x30mm 9.1g
IMP CONSTANTIVS P F AVG; Laureate head right.
SALVIS AVGG ET CAESS FEL KART; Carthage standing facing, head left, holding fruits in both hands; H in left field.
In ex. A
RIC VI Carthage 39a​

​

Galerius
A.D. 305- 306
30mm 10g
IMP MAXIMIANVS P F AVG; Laureate head right.
SALVIS AVGG ET CAESS FEL KART; Carthage standing facing, head left, holding fruits in both hands; I in left field.
In ex. B
RIC VI Carthage 39b​

​

Severus II
A.D. 305- 306
27x31mm 10.4g
FL VAL SEVERVS NOB CAES; Laureate head right.
SALVIS AVGG ET CAESS FEL KART; Carthage standing facing, head left, holding fruits in both hands; H in left field.
In ex. Γ
RIC VI Carthage 40a​

Maximinus II
A.D. 305- 306
27x28mm 10.5g
GAL VAL MAXIMINVS NOB CAES; laureate head right.
SALVIS AVGG ET CAESS FEL KART; Carthage standing facing, head left, holding fruits in both hands; I in left field.
In ex. Δ
RIC VI Carthage 40b​

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Wow, such cool coins! I love that awful flan on the Galerius. Seems like those poorly made flans were rather unusual on these large folles.

 

The ragged flan is a distinctive aspect of Carthage folles-- a result of the way that they were cast.

 

Wow, great set Victor.

 

great goal achievment V_C...my Maximinus (lst i believe) hails from there..

 

Mine was also struck under Galerius. Cohen 191.

 

@Victor_Clark fabulous collection. the Diocletian is near perfect in all regards. Of the first and second tetrarchy I have only Severus from Carthage:

Obverse: FL VAL SEVERVS NOB CAES; Laureate head R.
Reverse: SALVIS AVGG ET CAESS FEL KART, Carthage standing facing, head left, holding up fruits in both hands; H in left field, Δ in exergue.
Weight: 14.15g.
Reference: RIC VI Carthage 40A
Provenance: Numismatik Naumann, Esale Oct 2, 2019

 

I have always liked the coins from the mint of Carthage and managed to get this one
Maxentius As Caesar Ae Follis 306 AD Obv Head right laureate Rv. Carthage standing facing head left holding fruit. RIC 51a Drost 14/14 this coin illustrated. 10.80 grms 27 mm. Photo by W. Hansen It would appear that when Maxentius began his revolt and then invited Dad to take part the good citizens of Carthage had no real idea of what to do. Initially the titles placed on the coins of Maxentius was Prince of youth, then Caesar and then finally Augustus.

 

Diocletian

Maximianus

 

Beautiful example @Terence Cheesman. The folles of Maxentius as Caesar from Carthage are quite scarce but also particularly interesting since it is the only coin issued with Maxentius as Caesar (other than two extremely rare Carthaginian gold issues from the same time period)

 

A coin I sold, before deciding to collect Carthage by RIC number. One of many regrets in my life.

 

Don't have any Carthage coins! How did that happen?.....
@Victor_Clark .....Lovely collection!...Particularly like the Severus
Paul

 

I had a Maxentius from Carthage too but decided to part with it as it was peripheral to my main collections.

 

Lovely collection!

I got a bunch in a job lot and the type grew on me...

Diocletian


(I had a lovely Maximian but regrettably sold it in favor of one with full silvering from a different mint)

Two of Galerius as Caesar - Carthage holding two different types of fruit!



Severus II as Caesar


Maximinus II as Caesar


My favorite is this Maxentius as Caesar, a white whale in my collection by title

 

@Finn235.... Cool coins!.....Not seen this Galerius type before...Very interesting!....Type of fruit?

 

I posted a similar Galerius in my first post-- Carthage 30b/32b

 

Yes I saw......But obviously not grapes......Any ideas?

 

likely some sort of grain

 

from the first Tetrarchy, some FELIX ADVENT reverses from issue v --

Diocletian
A.D. 297- 298
27x29mm 8.2gm
IMP DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG; laureate bust right.
FELIX ADVENT AVGG NN; Africa standing left, holding labarum and tusk; at feet, lion with captured bull, in right field I.
In ex. PKA
RIC VI Carthage 25a




Maximianus
A.D. 297- 298
28mm 9.7gm
IMP MAXIMIANVS P F AVG; laureate bust right.
FELIX ADVENT AVGG NN; Africa standing left, holding labarum and tusk; at feet, lion with captured bull, in right field H.
In ex. PKB
RIC VI Carthage 25b





Constantius I
A.D. 297- 298
27x29mm 9.2g
CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES; laureate head right.
FELIX ADVENT AVGG NN; Africa standing left, holding labarum and tusk; at feet, lion with captured bull, in right field H.
In ex PKΓ
RIC VI Carthage 26a




Galerius
A.D. 297-298
28x29mm 9.7g
MAXIMIANVS NOB CAES, Laureate bust right.
FELIX ADVENT AVGG NN; Africa standing left, holding labarum and tusk; at feet, lion with captured bull; I in left field.
In ex. PKΔ
RIC VI Carthage 26b

and my lone silver--​

Constantius I
AD 296- 298
AR Argenteus
18mm 2.7g
CONSTANTIVS CAES; Laureate head right
F ADVENT AVGG NN; Africa standing facing, head left, holding standard and tusk; at her feet, lion standing left, head right, with bucranium to left.
In ex. T
RIC VI 14a​

 

just curious why all of sudden around 300 AD all of the roman emperors started to have a very thick necks? Lol