This is the third coin I bought this week from a friend at the local coin club. The emperor Carausius, half and half a pirate, always fascinates me, not only because of his sly and wily ways of clinging to the supreme power in Britain and the West of Gaul, keeping distance whilst trying to woo his imperial adversaries. In the end he was not successful, because Allectus, that execrable treasurer of his, murdered him, only to be crushed himself soon by smarter and stronger Roman generals. Carausius was born a Menapian: a Celtic tribe from the Southern Netherlands. They lived in what's now Zeeland and North-Brabant where my family hails from. He might well be a far cousin of me, although his jowls and cheekbone are far mightier than mine. But then, I don't have much imperial blood in my character. Neither I'm much of a sailor, let alone a pirate. That radiate crown would just feel itchy on my head. However, sitting in my chair, pondering over this coin, I think: Cousin Carausius, wouldn't you share a cup of mulled wine with me and talk about those olden days of yore, when you went a-roaming over the grey unruly seas teasing the Romans and playing boss over the Britons. Carausius, BI antoninianus, 24 mm, 3.39 gr. Rev. Providentia. Minted in C = Camulodunum = Colchester, Great Britain.
Carausius (287 - 293 A.D.) Æ Antoninianus O: IMP C CARAVSIVS P F AVG, Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. R: PAX AVG, Pax standing left, holding olive-branch and sceptre; S in left field; P in right field. Camulodunum(?) Mint 4.53g 23mm RIC 475 Allectus (293 - 296 A.D.) Billon antoninianus O: IMP C ALLECTVS P F AVG, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right. R: PROVIDENTIA AVG, Providentia standing left, globe in right hand, cornucopia in left hand, S in left field, P in right field, ML in exergue. Londinium (London, England) mint 21mm 2.52g RIC V-2 36
Carausius for Maximian. AE Antoninainus. 5.24 gm. Radiate and cuirassed bust of Maximian facing right; IMP MAXIMIANVS P F AVG/ Pax standing left holding sceptre and branch S left P right; PAX AVGGG. MLXXI in exergue. V2 London 34 The three G's in AVGGG represented Carausius, Diocletian and Maximianus as part of an attempt by Carausius to become equal in power with Diocletian and Maximianus, which failed. ex Jamesicus
Here's to your cousin Carausius! CARAUSIUS AE Antoninianus. 3.65g, 22.9mm. "C" mint (Camulodunum/Clausentum), circa AD 286-293. RIC V 335. O: IMP C CARAVSIVS P AVG; Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right. R: PAX AVGGG, Pax standing left, holding branch and scepter; S-P across fields, C in exergue. Ex James '@jamesicus' Pickering Collection; ex CNG e-Auction 204 (2 Nov 2009), lot 184; ex J.S. Vogelaar Collection And something a little unofficial... CARAUSIUS AE Antoninianus. 2.4g, 19.8mm. Unofficial mint in Britain, circa AD 278-293. Apparently unpublished. O: IMP CARASIVS PA, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. R: [...] I [...], Pax (?) standing left, holding olive branch and (double?) cornucopiae; V in left field.
I rather like that unofficial Carausius with its graceful Pax! Here is a very unofficial Carausius: Carausius 287-293. AE barbarous antoninianus. Obv. Radiate head right. Text around: IMP C CA (…) CVG. Rev. Providentia, in a short skirt, with some absurd appendages. Around it: VIHJ – THX. 15-17.5 mm (oval), 2.41 gr.
James, your coin has an interesting portrait with a long neck & double chin . It's also interesting how many of these usurpers sport an image of PAX on their coins. Carausius was obviously a seasoned politician too as the randygeki coin illustrates.
For those looking to cut down on the number of usurper coins, we have two for one: Carausius / Pax overstruck on a Victorinus / Salus IMP C VI AVSIVS PF AVG / SAVG X AVG
A long time ago I owned this very nice one but sold it to finance another coin. I miss it. Would love the chance to re-buy it at twice of whatever I sold it for!
