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Message:: [QUOTE="jamesicus, post: 3068600, member: 14873"]Diocletian plans his Abdication - and includes a reluctant Maximian Herculius: It seems Diocletian had always envisioned that there would come a time when he (along with his co-Augustus) would have to relinquish the reins of supreme power and retire (for whatever reason). He chose the occasion of his Vicennalia -- the twentieth anniversary of his assumption of power as Augustus and coincidentally the tenth anniversary (Decinnelia) of his institution of the Tetrarchy -- to Abdicate and retire and persuaded (compelled?) Maximian Herculius to do the same in concert with him. And so, in 303 the two Augusti announced their intention to simultaneously abdicate and retire (Maximian Herculius somewhat reluctantly) in 305, their titles and authority to be assumed by the Caesars, who in turn would appoint new Caesars thus perpetuating the system. This was, of course, the only instance of an Abdication during the Tetrarchy -- it didn't survive as an institution long enough to witness another one. Although Diocletian had provided a model for perpetuation of the system attending an Abdication, he didn't provide one to follow in the event of the sudden death of one, or both, of the reigning Augusti, and that had dire consequences for the Tetrarchy when Constantius (Augustus of the West) died suddenly in 306. RIC VI, Londinium, No. 76b, Maximian Herculius (Abdication commemorative):CT (Cloke & Toone), No. 4.01.003, c. May 305 - Spring 307, Rarity: R <img src="http://jp29.org/000lon76bo.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /><img src="http://jp29.org/000lon76br.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" />DN MAXIMIANO BEATISSIMO SEN AVGPROVIDENTIA DEORVM QVIES AVGG Obverse: Laureate bust of Maximian Herculius in Imperial mantle holding mappa in right hand and olive branch in left hand.Reverse: Personification of Providentia, standing left, and extending hand to personification of Quies, standing right, holding olive branch and leaning on sceptre.9.8 gm. RIC VI, Londinium, No. 77a, Diocletian (Abdication commemorative):CT (Cloke & Toone), No. 4.01.002, c. May 305 - Spring 307, Rarity: C <img src="http://jp29.org/lon77ao1.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /><img src="http://jp29.org/lon77ar1.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" />DN DIOCLETIANO FELICISSIMO SEN AVGPROVIDENTIA DEORVM QVIES AVGG Obverse: Laureate bust of Diocletian in Imperial mantle holding mappa in right hand and olive branch in left hand.Reverse: Personification of Providentia, standing left, and extending hand to personification of Quies, standing right, holding olive branch and leaning on scepter.9.6 gm.[/QUOTE]

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