One of the worst Emperors?

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by expat, Aug 19, 2022.

  1. expat

    expat Remember you are unique, just like everyone else Supporter

    Got this one today. Regarded as one of the worst Emperors, A damnatio memoriae was undertaken against Carinus after his death, removing his name and image from as many works of literature and art as possible while also destroying statues of him.

    CARINUS, AE Antoninian. Aequitas 283-285 AD

    IMP CM AVR CARINVS AVG, radiate, draped, cuirassed bust right
    AEQVITAS AVGG, Aequitas, standing left, holding scales
    and cornucopiae, A in right field

    Lyons mint. RIC V-2, 212
    2.88 g. 22 mm. (VF +). Brown patina
    gPx6D9eMEbY4y7sC8Znt83HoQw2bm5.jpg
     
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  3. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    Nice coin.

    [​IMG]
    Carinus (283-284 A.D.)
    EGYPT, Alexandria
    Tetradrachm
    Obv.: AKMAKA PINOCCEB; Laureate, cuirassed bust right.
    Rev: Elpis standing left, holding flower and clutching hem of robe; across fields L-B
    year 2, CE 283/4, Augustus
    18 mm,
    6.2 gm
    Ref: Emmett 4007.2, R1

    [​IMG]
    Carinus (283 - 285 A.D.)
    Æ(S) Antoninianus
    O: IMP CARINVS P F AVG, radiate, draped, cuirassed bust right.
    R: AETERNIT AVGG, Aeternitas standing left, holding phoenix on globe, lifting hem of robe with left hand. KAΓ in ex.
    Rome Mint. 284 - 285 A.D.
    22 mm
    3.8 g
    RIC 248

    Reverse engraver's error, missing "I", " AETERN(I)T"
     
  4. expat

    expat Remember you are unique, just like everyone else Supporter

    I keep looking at that Tet, lovely coin thanks for sharing
     
    Curtis and Struck7 like this.
  5. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    Carinus 2a.jpg
    CARINUS
    Antoninianus
    OBVERSE: IMP CARINVS P F AVG, radiate cuirassed bust right
    REVERSE: FIDES MILITVM, Fides standing left with a standard in each hand. KAEpsilon in ex.
    Struck at Rome, 284-5 AD
    2.9g, 22mm
    RIC 253c, C 28
    Carinus 3.jpg
    CARINUS
    Antoninianus
    OBVERSE: M AVR CARINVS NOB CAES, radiate, draped & cuirassed bust right
    REVERSE: PRINCIPI IVVENTVT, Carinus standing left holding globe & sceptre, SKA in ex
    Struck at Rome, 282 AD
    3.5g, 23mm
    RIC 161
    Carinus 1.jpg
    CARINUS
    Antoninianus
    OBVERSE: M AVR CARINVS NOB C, radiate draped and cuirassed bust right
    REVERSE: PRINCIPI IVVENTVT, prince standing left holding globe and spear, sometimes with captive at foot left. TXXI in ex.(unlisted officina)
    Struck at Ticinum, 282-3 AD
    3.5g, 23mm
    RIC 182t, C 98
     
  6. Kentucky

    Kentucky Supporter! Supporter

    See, this is where you guys get me in trouble...I had to look on e-bay and a cheap one is selling soon...save me from myself :)
     
    iameatingjam and expat like this.
  7. marchal steel

    marchal steel Active Member

    Real nice coin, expat. I'd always thought that Commodus was the worst, hence the water closet (commode) being named after him. However, that wasn't the case; it was something else indeed, although Commodus was a pretty bad guy.
     
    expat likes this.
  8. Cherd

    Cherd Junior Member Supporter

    Unfortunately for ancient peoples, "One of the worst" Roman emperors is a big club! :blackeye:
     
  9. johnmilton

    johnmilton Well-Known Member

    One of the worst emperors? When the list of the worst includes Caligula, Commodus, Didius Julianus (who bought the position), Caracalla and Elagabalus, the sex maniac, I think that Caricus is safely above that group. He'll never be the "Abe Lincoln" of Roman emperors, but there have been worse for sure.

    Here are my notes about Caricus from my notebook.

    Carinus Antoni All.jpg

    Silvered Antoninianus of Carinus, Obverse: IMP CARIVUS P F AVG “Emperor Carinus, dutiful and patriotic augustus.” Reverse: AETERNIT AVGG Aeternitas standing holding a globe with phoenix, lifting her robe. Personification Aeternitas stands for eternity, stability. She holds a globe, scepter or heads of sun or moon. Ric 248, Sear 12341

    · Marcus Aurelius Carinus was born in the middle of the third century. He was in his early 30s when his father gave him the title Caesar a month or so before he gave the same title to his younger brother, Numerian.

    * His father showed confidence in him when he left Carinus in charge in Rome while Carus and Numerian left for Persia to wage war on that empire. Carinus would never see his father or brother again. His father was probably murdered by the praetorian prefect Arrius Aper and his brother was probably killed by Aper or the future emperor, Diocletian.

    · After Diocletian’s army declared him emperor, the country braced for a civil war between the opposing forces.

    · In the mean time Carinus was waging war against invaders on the Rhine and Danube frontiers and in the far west of Britain. He also faced a challenge from Julian, the governor of Venetia. Carinus’ forces beat back that challenge in a battle fought in January or February of 285.

    · Having vanquished those rivals, Carinus turned his attention to Diocletian who was attacking from the east. In a pivotal battle that was fought at Margum (modern Dubravica near Belgrade). Carinus’ forces seemed to have the upper have the upper hand, but one of his officers killed him. The scuttlebutt was that Carinus had seduced the officer’s wife.

    · The triumph of Diocletian changed Roman history. Diocletian’s tetrarchy, which divided the empire into eastern and western districts and placed it under the rule of four leaders, fundamentally changed the structure of the domain.

    · After Carinus’ death, Diocletian painted him as an extreme low life who had few redeeming qualities. The evidence shows that he was a competent military leader who may have become an effective emperor if his reign had been cut short.
     
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  10. randygeki

    randygeki Coin Collector

  11. Topcat7

    Topcat7 Still Learning

    (1) CARINUS RIC V-2 Rome 238.png (2) Carinus.jpg
     
    Last edited: Sep 7, 2022
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  12. Curtis

    Curtis Well-Known Member

    Carinus -- I have exactly one of his coins in my collection of "Barbarians, Captives, and Enemies" on Roman Coins. I believe the captive is Germanic, probably of the Quadi tribe, since that's the only place the young Carinus had any military success. Also, I suspect (just a hypothesis at this point) that the captive may be portrayed with Germanic hairstyle, swept around, forward and upward, similar to a "Suebian knot."

    [​IMG]

    Roman Imperial. Carinus, as Caesar, Billon Antoninianus (22mm, 3.68 g, 6h), Ticinum mint, 3rd officina. 2nd emission, December 282 CE.
    Obv: M AVR CARINVS NOB C. Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right.
    Rev: PRINCIPI IVVENTVT. Carinus standing left, holding globe and spear; to left, captive seated left; TXXI.
    Ref: RIC V 182; Pink VI/2, p. 28.
    Prov: CNG E-Auction 509 (9 Feb 2022), Lot 738; From the Crescent Collection.

    Notes: Likely celebrating the young Caesar Carinus’ military successes quashing the Quadi uprising in Gaul.
    Coin-in-Hand Video & Photos: https://imgur.com/gallery/Qh2f1PD
     
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  13. Tejas

    Tejas Well-Known Member

    I also believe that Carinus was much better and competent than Diocletian's propaganda had made him out to be.

    I have a number of Carinus Antonininiae, but I particularly like the coins that were struck for his wife Magnia Urbica. I have issues from Lugdunum (Lyon), Ticinum (Pavia) and Rome:

    Lugdunum:

    5496.png


    Ticinum (The issues from Ticinum show here in an unusual dress, which I think appears for the first time on her coins):
    5496.png

    Rome:

    5496.png
     
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