In 293 Diocletian instituted the Tetrarchy: government of the geographically divided Empire by four interacting rulers - two Augusti assisted by two subordinate Caesars which each Augustus would personally select. Diocletian, Augustus of the east, selected Galerius Maximian as his Caesar and Maximian Herculius, Augustus of the west, selected Constantius as his Caesar. The first assignment given Constantius by Maximian was to remove Carausius, the usurper Augustus of secessionist Britain, and restore that former possession to the Empire. Constantius thereupon beseiged and captured Boulogne and then wrested coastal Gaul from Carausius. Constantius now set about planning the invasion, occupation and restoration of secessionist Britain to the Empire. One of the first orders of business for Constantius was to insure that a supply of reformed aes coinage - now the commonplace legal tender of the Roman Empire - was available for use not only by his occupying force, but also by the British civilian populace. To that end Constantius established a Continental Mint (exact location unknown), manned by Lugdunese workers, to produce this invasion coinage - unmarked (i.e. without a mint mark) folles issued in the names of Diocletian & Maximian Herculius as Augustus and Constantius & Galerius Maximian as Caesar. Notes relating to unknown Continental Mint invasion coinage In his introductory notes to RIC VI, Londinium, Sutherland states that "Bastien is to be followed in regarding the umarked coins of Class I as an issue prepared in advance for Constantius' invasion of Britain in 296". This coinage is characterized by right facing laureate and bare truncated busts with the long laurel wreath ribbon laying on the neck. The Genius of the Roman People reverse with the legend GENIO POPVLI ROMANI is standard with no mint mark. Genius is depicted standing, head surmounted by modius, naked except for chlamys over left shoulder, holding a patera in the right hand and cradling cornucopia in the left arm. Peripheral legends read clockwise. The inscriptional lettering is relatively large with delicate letterforms. Reverse axis is 6 or 12 o'clock. Weight range is 10.5 to 8.75 gm. Examplars of unknown Continental Mint invasion coinage RIC Volume VI, Lugdunum, Group I, (iv), folles, Class I, No. 14-21, c. 296, 10.5-8.75 gm, reverse axis 6 or 12 o'clock. Laureate head, right, with bare neck truncation. RIC VI, Lugdunum, Follis, No. 14a - Diocletian: RIC VI, Lugdunum, Follis, No. 14b - Maximianus: RIC VI, Lugdunum, Follis, No. 17a - Constantius: RIC VI, Lugdunum, No. 17b, Follis - Galerius:
Very neat! And interesting, as I was just working with my Maximian coin last night, to make sure I had the correct attribution (it is not an invasion coin, but I feel compelled to share nonetheless...) Imperial Rome Maximian, r. 286-310 A.D. (291 A.D.) Rome Mint, Billon Antoninianus, 21.35mm x 3.1 grams Obv.: IMP MAXIMIANVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right Rev.: HERCVLI PACIFERO, Hercules standing left holding branch and club, lion skin over arm, XXIε in ex. Ref.: SRCV 13131var (RIC 502) It looks better in hand, and is more clear... this is in the next group to be re photographed.
I do not know how I put that trailing L after Constantius in the thread title -- or how to get rid of it -- darn it! Edit: I found how to do it! Eureka!
