MAXENTIUS...THE 5TH EMPEROR OF THE TETRARCHY

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by ominus1, May 17, 2022.

  1. ominus1

    ominus1 Well-Known Member

    ...Man...Diocletion might've thought that forming a tetrarchy would bring peace to the land...but..no...interesting emperor this Maxentius, not to mention prolific builder...and i see in 2006, they think they found the royal regalia of his in Rome.

    POST YER COINS N COMMENTS PEEPS! :) IMG_1104.JPG IMG_1105.JPG Emperor Maxentius(306-312AD) follis, emperors bust right, obverse, Roma in temple, top flanked by 2 victories, 27mm, 6.21gms
     
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  3. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    Nice addition

    maxent.jpg
    Maxentius (306 - 312 A.D.)
    Æ Follis
    O: IMP C MAXENTIVS P F AVG, laureate bust right.
    R: VICTORIA AETERNA AVG N, Victory advancing left with wreath & palm.
    In ex. MOSTT
    6.70g
    Ostia mint
    RIC 54
     
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  4. Terence Cheesman

    Terence Cheesman Well-Known Member

    This is one of the more unusual depictions of Maxentius on a coin.
    Maxentius as Caesar Silvered Follis Carthage 306 AD Obv Head right laureate Rv Carthage standing facing head left holding fruit in both hands. RIC 51a Drost 14/14 This coin illustrated 10.80 grms 27 mm photo by W. Hansen maxent5.jpg As far as I know Carthage is the only mint that gives Maxentius the title of Caesar on the silvered follis though I believe it does exist on some gold issues from the mint of Rome. For the first few weeks after his revolt the status of Maxentius was in flux and it shows on his coinage. However only Carthage minted base metal coins with his title as Caesar and as well with another title he had adopted that of Princeps.
     
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  5. Al Kowsky

    Al Kowsky Well-Known Member

    I won the coin pictured below in a CNG auction about 5 years ago, it was later pictured in an article "NGC Ancients: Mints of the Roman Empire". If interested in the article follow the attached link below :D.

    CNG 405, lot 536, Sept. 6, 2017, Al Kowsky Collection, photo by Curtisimo.jpg
    Maxentius, AD 307-312 (struck AD 309-312). Ostia Mint. Billon Nummus: 25 mm, 7.08 gm, 12 h. Reverse: Fides holding two signum. RIC VI 45. Photo by Curtisimo.

    https://www.ngccoin.com/news/article/8151/

     
  6. Andres2

    Andres2 Well-Known Member

  7. wittwolf

    wittwolf Well-Known Member

    An interesting man indeed, and its always nice to add a new emperor to the collection. Here two Maxentius coins from my collection:
    Emperor Maxentius - Follis - CONSERV VRB SVAE - Ticinum mint
    Maxentius.png

    Emperor Maxentius - Follis - AETERNITAS AVG N - Ostia mint
    Maxentius 2.png
     
  8. Spaniard

    Spaniard Well-Known Member

    Some lovely coins shown..

    Maxentius AE Follis, Rome. AD 306-312...23/25mm diameter..6.92gr
    Obverse..IMP C MAXENTIVS PF AVG, laureate head right.
    Reverse..CONSERV VRB SVAE, Roma seated front, head left, shield at her side, within hexastyle temple, holding globe and sceptre, wreath in pediment, knobs as acroteria.
    Mintmark RBS. RIC VI Rome 210; Sear 14987.
    MAX_TOGETHHER.jpg
     
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  9. sky92880

    sky92880 Well-Known Member

    Here is a lefty: IMG_1.jpg
    Maxentius AE Follis, late 309 - 312; 20.92 mm ; 3.15 gr
    obv : MAXENTI-USPFAVG
    rev : VICTORIAAE-TERNAAVGN / VOT X
    RIC VI nr 60
    MINTMARK : MOSTT, T(T) not in RIC
     
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  10. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    Nice addition to your collection, @ominus1! I like the temple reverse type.

    [​IMG]
    Maxentius as Augustus, AD 307-312.
    Roman billon follis, 6.53 g, 24.6 mm, 10 h.
    Rome, AD 307-308.
    Obv: IMP C MAXENTIVS P F AVG, radiate head right.
    Rev: CONSERV VRB SVAE, Roma seated facing in hexastyle temple, head left, globe in right hand, scepter in left, shield at side behind, Victories as acroteria, wreath on pediment, H left, R S in exergue.
    Refs: RIC 202a; Cohen 21; RCV 14986.

    I also like the Dioscuri type:

    [​IMG]
    Maxentius, AD 307-312.
    Roman billon follis, 6.44 g, 24.5 mm, 1 h.
    Ostia, 4th officina, AD 309-312.
    Obv: IMP C MAXENTIVS P F AVG, laureate head, right.
    Rev: AETE-RNITAS - AVG N, Dioscuri standing left and right, each holding scepter and bridled horse; MOSTQ in exergue.
    Refs: RIC vi, p. 404, 35; Cohen 5; RCV 14975.
     
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  11. Julius Germanicus

    Julius Germanicus Well-Known Member

    Wouldn´t Maxentius actually be the 8th emperor of the Tetrarchy chronologically (including the deceased Constantius Chlorus) or the 7th in office (excluding Chlorus but including the two senior Augusti that were still recognized) in 306 AD?

    1. Diocletian (Senior-Augustus of the East)
    2. Maxentius (Senior-Augustus of the West)
    3. Divus Constantius Chlorus (deceased Augustus of the West)
    4. Galerius (ruling Augustus of the East)
    5. Severus II (ruling Augustus of the West)
    6. Maximinus Daia (Caesar of the East)
    7. Constantinus I (Caesar of the West)
    8. Maxentius

    Maxentius with Dioscuri watching over She-Wolf and twins:

    .png

    IMP C MAXENTIVS PF AVG – Laureate head of Maxentius right /
    AETERNITAS AVG N MOSTΓ – The Dioskuri Castor and Pollux standing facing one another, each holding his bridled horse and resting on sceptre; between, she-wolf standing left, suckling the twins Romulus and Remus
    Æ Follis, Ostia mind, 3rd officina, AD 309
    25mm / 5,64 gr / 12h
    RIC VI 16, Cohen 10, Sear 14976, Drost 17 b
     
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  12. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    Maxentius, 306-312 A.D.

    Type: AE Follis, Rome mint (probably) 308-310 A.D.

    Obverse: Laureate head of Maxentius right, IMP C MAXENTIVS P F AVG

    Reverse: Roma seated facing left, holding orb, in hexastyle temple with peaked roof, wreath in pediment, CONSERV VRB SVAE

    Reference: RIC 210; Sear 14987

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  13. Fugio1

    Fugio1 Well-Known Member

    Here's another with different depiction of the wolf and twins. Ostia mint
    Maxentius Ostia Wolf&Twins RIC52-blk2.jpg
    Obverse: IMP C MAXENTIVS PF AVG. Head of Maxentius r. with laurel wreath.
    Reverse: SAECVLI FELICITAS AVGN. In exergue: MOSTT. Wolf and twins L.
    Mint: Ostia
    Weight: 6.26 gm.
    Reference: RIC 52 (Ostia)
    Provenance: CNG eAuction 465, April 8, 2020. Lot 529
     
  14. Tejas

    Tejas Well-Known Member

    Here is my favourite Maxentius from my collection

    Obv.: IMP C MAXENTIVS P F AVG
    Rev.: CONSERV VRB SVAE / AQΓ
    Mint: Aquilea, 3rd officina
    Date: AD 309/10
    Measurements: 6.36g, 25mm
    RIC VI, 113; C. 42; Drost, Maxence 35a/1; Bauten S. 37 Nr. 67.

    Screenshot 2022-05-18 at 18.53.57.png
     
  15. Finn235

    Finn235 Well-Known Member

    Despite his major role in imploding the entire Tetrarchy, Maxentius sure did mint some Purdy coins - I would argue his types were among the last artistically captivating reverse types

    As Caesar - as discussed earlier, the provinces of North Africa had gotten a beat down for supporting usurpers against the other Tetrarchs, and so were understandably hesitant to acknowledge his claim of the purple
    Maxentius caesar carthage.jpg

    Dioscuri type, Ostia. I believe this is the last time Castor and Pollux ever made an appearance on Roman coinage?
    Maxentius follis dioscuri aeternitas avg n.jpg

    Temple reverse, emperor trades a captive to Roma in exchange for the globe
    Maxentius CONSERV VRB SVAE.jpg
     
  16. seth77

    seth77 Well-Known Member

    CGB had these two and a few more with the same general appearance and patina in the summer of 2020. Possibly from a late Tetrarchy hoard in Gallia.

    maxentius2.jpg
    maxentius1.jpg
     
  17. Jims Coins

    Jims Coins Well-Known Member

    Bronze coin (AE Follis) minted at AQ=Aquileia during the reign of MAXENTIUS IN 307 A.D. Obv. IMP.C.MAXENTIVS.P.F.AVG. laur. hd. r. Rev. CONSERV.VRB.SVAE. Roma seated l., on shield in Tetrastyle temple r. handing globe to MAXENTIUS (in military dress, stg. r.) l. holding sceptre, seated captive between; Victories as acroteria, wolf and twins in pediment. RCS #3781. RICVI #113 pg.325. DVM #19. JH-238 OBV.jpg JH-238 REV.jpg

    . Bronze coin (AE Follis) minted at AQ=Aquileia during the reign of MAXENTIUS IN 307 A.D. Obv. IMP.C.MAXENTIVS.P.F.AVG. laur. hd. r. Rev. CONSERV.VRB.SVAE. Roma seated, facing, head l., in hexastyle Temple, r. holding globe, l. sceptre; shield by l. side; statues or knobs as acroteria; star in pediment. RCS #3781. RICVI #121a pg.326. DVM #18.


    JHA-OBV-434.jpg JHA-434-REV.jpg

    Bronze coin (AE Follis) minted at Ostia for DIVUS ROMULUS (son of Maxentius) Bi Nummus. Ostia, 309-312 A.D. Obv. DIVO.ROMVLO.N.V.BIS.CONS., bare head to right. Rev. AETERNAE.MEMORIAE. eagle perched atop enclosed masonry shrine with a domed-shaped roof with right door ajar; MOSTP in exergue. RCS #3786. RICVI #34. DVM #1 pg. 285. 7.92g. 26 mm. 5h. Extremely fine; traces of original silvering remaining. From the collection of Z.P., Austria, collector’s ticket included.


    JHS-439 OBV1.jpg
    JHS-439 REV1.jpg
     
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