Teen Spirit!

The emperor with "Teen Spirit"? Elagabalus! Post your coins of teenage rulers!


Elagabalus, AD 218-222.
Roman AR Denarius, 2.80 g, 18.3 mm, 6 h.
Rome mint, AD 221-222.
Obv: IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG, laureate and draped bust right, with horn on top of his head, signifying divine power.
REV: SACERD DEI SOLIS ELAGAB, Elagabalus, in priestly robes, standing right, sacrificing over altar and holding cypress branch, star in field, right.
Refs: RIC 131; BMCRE 225-226; Cohen 246; RCV 7542; Thirion 302.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Philip II
Was made Caesar at 7, Augustus at 10, killed with his father at 12. Let's say he was a "pre" teenager...



Diadumenian
Was briefly emperor before executed at 10-11 years old. Another preteen.



PS: I think I prefer the Nirvana's version...

 

Severus Alexander became emperor when he was around 14 years old. He was the youngest emperor in Rome's history untill Gordian III. I don't own a coin of Gordian III, yet.


And here's his young predecessor:

 

Gordian III AR Antoninianus 23mm/4.28gr Toned..
IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, radiate draped bust right / VIRTVTI AVGVSTI, Hercules standing right leaning on club set on stone and holding lion skin
Rome mint: AD 241-243 (9th, 10th, and 11th Issues, 4th Officina) RIC 95, RSC 404

 

Gordian III

RI Gordian III 238-244 CE AE As 25mm Hercules S-C
(I regret no Gordian I or Gordian II)

Elagabalus:

RI Elagabalus 218-222 CE AR Antoninianus Radiate Roma seated

 

These teenagers are some of my favorite coins to collect.


Elagabalus
AR denarius, 19.4 mm, 3.5 gm
Antioch, 218-219 CE
Obv: ANTONINVS PIVS FEL AVG, Laureate draped cuirassed bust right
Rev: SANCT DEO SOLI / ELAGABAL, Quadriga right, bearing sacred Baetyl stone, flanked by four parasols
Ref: RIC IV 195
Vauctions 310, lot 250 (25 Sept 2014)
ex CNG Mail Bid Sale 33, lot 914 (15 March 1995)
https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ancients-a-boy-and-his-stone.254886/


Elagabalus
AR denarius, Rome mint. Struck CE 221-222. 3.55 gm
Obv: IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG; laureate and draped bust right, with “horn” on forehead
Rev: SACERD DEI SOLIS ELAGAB; Elagabalus standing right, holding club and sacrificing from patera over lighted altar; star to right; faint star in left field (likely engraved and then mostly removed by grinding the field, or just incomplete before the engraver realized his mistake).
Ref: RIC IV 131; Thirion 302; RSC 246


MOESIA INFERIOR, Nikopolis ad Istrum. Elagabalus
Æ 26 mm, 12.5 gm
CE 218/9, Novius Rufus, consular legate
Obv: ...ΠΗ ANTΩNEINOC΄ laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Elagabalus right
Rev: VΠ NOBIOV POVΦOV NIKO[ΛOΛITΩN ΠPOC IC TP]; Athena standing left before serpent coiled around olive tree to left; shield on ground behind her
Ref: Hristova & Jekov 8.26.4.7 (same as last illus. Specimen); Varbanov 3906 (same dies as illus.); Moushmov 1384


MOESIA INFERIOR, Nikopolis ad Istrum. Elagabalus
AE 18 mm, 2.8 gm
Obv: AVT K M AVP ANTΩNINOC, laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right
Rev: NIKOΠOΛITΩ NΠPOCICTPO N, Priapus standing left, drawing back his cloak to expose his phallus, bowl of fruit balanced on phallus, right hand extended pouring from patera
Ref: Varbanov 3811, AMNG 2022 (I own neither of those references and cannot verify the numbers)


PHOENICIA, Tyre. Elagabalus
CE 218-222
AE29, 13.4 gm
Obv: Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right
Rev: Dido building Carthage; she stands to front before the arched gate of the city, looking left, holding a rule and transverse sceptre; above the gate, a mason at work, [below, a man digging with pick]; murex shell in upper field, palm tree to right
Ref: Rouvier 2375; BMC 409; AUB 245; Price & Trell 748


EGYPT, Alexandria. Elagabalus
tetradrachm, 24 mm, 13.27 gm
regnal year 4
Obv: laureate head right
Rev: Elagabalus standing right and empress (Aquilia Severa) standing left, each holding scepter, clasping right hands; L ∆ across field
Ref: Köln –; Dattari (Savio) 4098; K&G 56.43; Emmett 2929.4 (R4)


MOESIA INFERIOR. Marcianopolis. Elagabalus (218-222)
AE 17, 2.5 gm
Obv: AVT K M AVP ANTΩNINOC; laureate head right.
Rev: MAPKIANOΠOΛITΩN; Telesphorus standing facing.
Ref: Varbanov 1422


EGYPT, Alexandria. Severus Alexander
year 12, CE 232/3
tetradrachm, 23 mm, 13.87 gm
Obv: AKAIMAAVPCEVAΛEΞANΔPOCEV; Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right
Rev: Alexandria standing facing, head left, holding vexillum and grain ears; palm frond to left, L IB (date) to right
Ref: Emmett 3088.12 (R4); Köln 2474 var. (obv. legend); Dattari (Savio) 4264; K&G 62.172 var. (same)


THRACE, Hadrianopolis. Gordian III
AE 18 mm, 2.59 gm
Obv: AVT K M ANT ΓORΔIANOC AVΓ; laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Rev: AΔPIANOΠOΛEITΩN; ostrich running like @stevex6 is chasing it with a basting brush
Ref: Varbanov 3833, rare
https://www.cointalk.com/threads/a-now-extinct-animal-on-a-roman-coin.287175/

 

Some 5th century child emperors:

Valentinian II
Augustus, A.D. 375-392
(Bronze) AE III
Siscia mint, A.D. 378-383
Obv: D N VALENTINIANVS IVN P F AVG
Rev: CONCO-R-DIA AVGGG - Roma seated, holding globe and reverse spear; left leg bare
ASISC in exergue
RIC 27(c)
18mm, 2.3g.


Arcadius
Augustus, A.D. 383-408
(Bronze) AE III
Cyzikus mint, A.D. 392-395
Obv: D N ARCADI-VS P F AVG
Rev: GLORIA ROMANORVM - Emperor on horseback, riding right, right hand raised
SMKΓ in exergue
RIC 29(b)
17mm, 2.0g.


Honorius
Augustus, A.D. 393-423
(Bronze) AE II
Antoich mint, A.D. 393-395
Obv: D N HONORIVS P F AVG
Rev: GLORIA ROMANORVM - Emperor, standing, facing right, holding globe and standard
ANTΓ in exergue
RIC 68(f)
23mm, 5.6g


Valentinian III
Caesar, A.D. 424-425
Augustus, A.D. 425-455
(Bronze) AE 3/4
Rome mint mark, possibly No. African mint, ca. A.D. 440-455
Obv: D N VAL-EN AV
Rev: VICTO-RI AVGVS - Victory advancing left with wreath and palm
ROMA in exergue; (no cross in field)
11mm, 1.3g

Of course, this poor kid never made it to teenager:

Flavius Victor
Augustus, A.D. 387-388
(Bronze) AE IV
Rome mint, A.D. 387-388
Obv: D N FL VIC-TOR P F AVG
Rev: SPES RO-MA-NORVM - Campgate with star between two turrets
[RB?] in exergue
RIC 59
13mm, 0.9g.

 

A question: Who was the youngest emperor who actually ruled on his own as opposed to being a figurehead for a relative or strongman?

 

I like Weird Al's version better.




Syria, Laodicea ad Mare. Elagabalus AE18.
Obv: Laureate head right.
Rev: Turreted bust of Tyche in distyle arched shrine.
BMC 101, Lindgren I 2100A .


Arabia Petrea, Petra. Elagabalus Æ21 IMP C M AVR ANTѠN, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Founder ploughing right with pair of oxen, PETPA above, COLONI in exergue.


Bithynia, Nicomedia. Severus Alexander AE16. Galley
Obv: Laureate bust right.
Rev: ΝΙΚΟΜΗΔƐΩΝ ΔΙϹ ΝƐΩΚΟΡΩΝ, Galley with three oarsmen above waves r.

 

I'm not sure there is an answer to that question. At what point does a regent become merely an advisor?

 

Elagabalus:







Severus Alexander


(I'm skipping Gordian III) Here's Herennius Etruscus:





Valerian II:

 

I'm not entirely sure how old he was, but Tetricus II may have been co-ruler as a teenager.



Antoninianus, 273-274, possibly RIC 270, C PIV ESV TETRICVS CAES. Spes SPES AVGG

 

With the exception of just a few most look like grown older men. I would not have guessed teens had they not been explained in the post. Just my opinion.

 

Great question Doug. But let's not forget that there were also strong women that ruled through their puppet sons and grandsons


And what about the perpetually youthful God Apollo!

 

Elagabalus's teenaged first wife (and my first coin of hers), Julia Paula.

FORVM's reprint of Stevenson's Dictionary of Roman Coins has an amusing take on this marriage - that "odious miscreant" husband of hers:

"Julia Cornelia Paula, said to be the daughter of Paulus, praetorian prefect, was the first wife of Elagabalus having been married to that odious miscreant A.D. 219.—Divorced shortly after her nuptials, on some pretence of bodily defect, she died in retirement.—Her gold coins are of the highest rarity, silver by no means scarce..." http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=Julia Paula



Julia Paula Denarius
(First wife of Elagabalus)
(219-220 A.D.)
Rome Mint
IVLIA PAVLA AVG, draped bust right / CONCORDIA, Concordia seated left, patera in right hand, left elbow rests on arm of throne, star in left field.
RIC IV (Elagabalus) 211.
(2.81 grams / 18 mm)

 

Off the top of my head, I would probably say Gordian III. He was 13 when he was made the sole legal emperor, after Pupienus and Balbinus were killed. However, Gordian was under the influence of his praetorian prefect and father-in-law Timesitheus. The influence of relatives/high ranking officials on child emperors seems to have been a recurring phenomenon in Roman history (Sev Alexander, Valentinian II, Theodosius II, Valentinian III...etc). I cannot think of any child emperor who ruled without such influences.

 

PHILIP II


RI Philip II 244-249 Nisibis Mesopotamia-farthest EAST Temple Tyche river god Mygdonius - sinister left


DIADUMENIAN


RI Diadumenian 217-218 AE26 Nikopolis-Nicopolis ad Istrum Homonoia stdg

 

SEVERUS ALEXANDER


RI Severus Alexander 222-235 CE AR Denarius laureate Victory stndg


JULIA PAULA



Julia Paula Augusta AD 219-220 AR Denarius 18 mm 3.10g Antioch mint AD 219-220 - Venus Genetrix seated left holding apple scepter RIC IV 222 RSC 21

 

A COUPLE of TWO's...

TETRICUS II


RI Tetricus II 273-274 CE BI Ant SPES w Flower


VALERIAN II


RI Valerian II 256-258 CE Silvered Ant PRINCIP IVVENTVS

 

VALENTINIAN III


VALENTINIAN III AE4 11mm 1.47g Nummus AVG - SALVS REI - PVBL - Scarce


FLAVIUS VICTOR


RI Flavius Victor 384-388 CE AE4 14mm 1.8g Aquileia Camp Gate Star SMAQS RIC IX 55b-2 LRBC1104


VALENTINIAN II


RI Valentinian II AD 375-392 AR Siliqua 18mm 1.8g Trier Victory wreath palm RIC IX 43