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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Nemo, post: 2184059, member: 58462&quot;]Here are my three Diadumenian denarii. Any other Diadumenian silver out there?</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]423204[/ATTACH]</p><p>Diadumenian, Mid May - 8 June 218 A.D. Silver denarius, weight 2.935 g, 19.6 mm, die axis 0o, Rome mint, as caesar.</p><p><br /></p><p>O: M OPEL DIADVMENIANVS CAES, bare-headed and draped bust right, from behind</p><p>R: PRINC IVVENTVTIS, Diadumenian, in military dress, standing left, baton in right, long scepter in left, two grounded standards right; RIC IV 107, RSC III 12</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]423205[/ATTACH]</p><p>Diadumenian, as Caesar. 218 AD. AR Denarius 3.04 g.</p><p><br /></p><p>O: M OPEL ANT DIADVMENIAN CAES, bare-headed and draped bust right</p><p>R: PRINC IVVENTVTIS, Diadumenian standing half-left, head right, holding standard and sceptre; two standards behind. RIC IV 102 (Macrinus); BMCRE 87 (Macrinus); RSC 3.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]423206[/ATTACH]</p><p>Diadumenian, Mid May - 8 June 218 A.D. Silver denarius, Rome mint, weight 2.999g,&nbsp; 20.4mm, die axis 0o, as caesar, Jan - May 218 A.D.</p><p><br /></p><p>O: M OPEL ANT DIADVMENIAN CAES, draped and cuirassed bust right, from behind;</p><p>R: SPES PVBLICA, Spes advancing left, flower in right, raising skirt with left;</p><p>- SRCV II 7450, RIC IV 117</p><p><br /></p><p>Marcus Opellius Diadumenianus was born in 208. According to Aelius Lampridius, quoted below, the boy was so named because he was born with a diadem formed by a rolled caul.</p><p><br /></p><p>“Now let us proceed to the omens predicting his imperial power — which are marvellous enough in the case of others, but in his case beyond the usual wont. 4 On the day of his birth, his father, who then chanced to be steward of the greater treasury, was inspecting the purple robes, and those which he approved as being brighter in hue he ordered to be carried into a certain chamber, in which two hours later Diadumenianus was born. 2 Furthermore, whereas it usually happens that children at birth are provided by nature with a caul, which the midwives seize and sell to credulous lawyers (for it is said that this bring luck to those who plead), 3 this child, instead of a caul, had a narrow band like a diadem, so strong that it could not be broken, for the fibres were entwined in the manner of a bow-string. 4 The child, they say, was accordingly called Diadematus, but when he grew older, he was called Diadumenianus from the name of his mother&#039;s father, though the name differed little from his former appellation Diadematus.”</p><p><br /></p><p>His father Macrinus was hailed as Augustus in 217. Diadumenian, in turn, received the titles of&nbsp; Caesar and Prince of the Youth. He was also given the name Antoninus after the assassinated emperor Caracalla.</p><p><br /></p><p>These titles are seen on the denarii with ANT and PRINC IVVENTVTIS. The third coin has Spes on the reverse, the personification of hope. As the heir to the throne, he was portrayed as the hope for the future of the Empire.</p><p><br /></p><p>When the armies of Elagabalus revolted at Emesa on May 16, 218, Macrinus traveled to the praetorian fortress at Apamaea to shore up (buy) support and to raise Diadumenian to the rank of Augustus.&nbsp; Still, Macrinus’ armies were defeated outside Antioch in less than a month.</p><p><br /></p><p>10 year old Diadumenian was captured while fleeing to Zeugma and executed shortly thereafter. He reigned as Caesar for 13 months and as Augustus for less than one.</p><p><br /></p><p>Although the Senate never confirmed Diadumenian’s title as Augustus, there is extremely rare silver (one or two pieces?) with Diadumenian as emperor. It is believed that a large issue was struck, only to be immediately recalled and melted down when the news of Macrinus’ defeat reached Rome.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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