The Compromise

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by nicholasz219, Nov 24, 2017.

  1. nicholasz219

    nicholasz219 Well-Known Member

    After the death of Constantine I, stability was hard to maintain in the Roman Empire. Old blood feuds, external threats and fighting amongst the heirs of Constantius I and Constantine I made for a very chaotic time in the Imperial house as well. After the death of Julian II in 363, Jovian, son of Varronianus, comes domesticorum (commander of the imperial bodyguards) for Constantius II was nominated by the army as a compromise candidate to wear the purple.

    Julian II had taken a massive army to fight the Persians in what he hoped would be a decisive battle to remove the Persian threat once and for all. His death during this campaign left Jovian with a massive army in the field, hard to maneuver and even harder to feed. Jovian sued for peace with the Persians, giving away much territory, much of it gained eighty or more years prior.

    Jovian also did away with the restoration of paganism begun by Julian II. While Christian, Jovian then tried to stay out of religious disputes unlike Constantius II or Constans. As a compromise emperor, after his death by suffocation by his brazier (heater) or by other means, the army would move to nominate or force the selection of emperors for each half of the empire in an imitation of the idea of the Tetrarchy of Diocletian.

    I was able to pick up this nice Jovian from @John Anthony recently. I am pretty light in the emperors post Constantine I department besides Constantius II and a few others. I thought this was a nice piece. Being moved to learn more about a period that is admittedly confusing is a good thing as well.

    5630 5631.jpg

    Jovian, AE3, NO LEGEND; Wreath, VOT V/MVLT X, within.
    AE3
    Jovian
    Augustus: 363 - 364AD
    Issued: 363 - 364AD
    19.0mm 2.70gr 6h
    O: DN IOVIA-NVS PF AVG; Diademed (pearls), draped and cuirassed bust, right.
    R: NO LEGEND; Wreath, VOT V/MVLT X, within; dot within badge at top of wreath.
    Exergue: AQUILS
    Aquileia Mint
    RIC VIII Aquileia 247; Sear 19227.
    Aorta: 123: B2, O3, R16, T24, M3.
    JAZ Numismatics/John Zielinski Auction 112, Lot # 21.
    11/16/17 11/23/17

    Post anything you want, as usual, but coins from after the death of Constantine I through the Valentinian Dynasty are more welcome than others!
     
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  3. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    That's an uncommonly nice example!
     
    nicholasz219 likes this.
  4. nicholasz219

    nicholasz219 Well-Known Member

  5. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    A nice example, Nic.
     
    nicholasz219 likes this.
  6. David@PCC

    David@PCC allcoinage.com

    I sold my only Jovian this year. Yours is very nice.
    ri209.jpg
    Constantius II
    350 AD
    AE Centenionalis
    Mint: Siscia
    Obvs: DN CONSTANTIVS PF AVG. Diademed, draped, and cuirass bust right. * behind, H before
    Revs: HOC SIGNO VICTOR ERIS, H to left. Emperor standing left with labarum inscribed with Chi-Rho, being crowned by Victory.
    20x21mm, 5.04g

    ri207.jpg
    Constantius II
    Mint: Siscia
    347 AD
    AE 4
    Obvs: CONSTANTIVS PF AVG, rosette-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right.
    Revs: VICTORIA AVGG, Victory with wreath in each hand. Chi-rho right, *ΔSIS*
    15x17mm, 1.40g

    ri231.jpg
    Valens
    Mint: Antioch
    367 to 375 AD
    AR Siliqua
    Obvs: DN VALENS PER F AVG, Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed right.
    Revs: VOT X MVLT XX, in laurel wreath. ANTH
    17x19mm, 1.59g
     
  7. nicholasz219

    nicholasz219 Well-Known Member

    David, thank you for the compliment. I would love to add a Siliqua to my collection but talk about wandering into the unknown: I am really clueless.
     
  8. Gavin Richardson

    Gavin Richardson Well-Known Member

    Not all who wander are lost.
     
  9. Cucumbor

    Cucumbor Well-Known Member

    A nice Jovian for sure, good catch.

    Here's the same type, from the Sirmium mint

    [​IMG]
    Jovianus, AE3 Sirmium mint, 2nd officina
    D N IOVIANVS P F AVG, Diademed and draped bust of Jovianus right
    VOT V MULT X IN A LAUREL WREATH. BSIRM at exergue
    3.32 gr
    Ref : Cohen #35, RC #4087, LRBC #1624

    Q
     
  10. Severus Alexander

    Severus Alexander find me at NumisForums

    Nice coin and nice writeup! Here's my VOT V version from Antioch:

    Screen Shot 2017-11-24 at 11.17.41 AM.png
    RIC VIII Antioch 230
     
  11. ValiantKnight

    ValiantKnight Well-Known Member

    Jovian/Jovianus

    [​IMG]

    And the similarly named Jovinus, much rarer:

    [​IMG]
     
  12. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

    No compromise on that OP coin, though. It's a pretty darn excellent example.

    Because it comes up so infrequently, I try to never miss an opportunity to show the board's worst Jovian :D.

    199CD9AB-5FC3-4CF6-A565-B08415D9B447.png
     
  13. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    I have a couple Jovians:

    RI Jovian AE3 Sirmium mint VOT V.jpg
    RI Jovian AE3 Sirmium mint VOT V

    RI Jovian 363-364 AE 20mm Folles LEFT Sinister VOT V.jpg
    RI Jovian 363-364 AE 20mm Folles LEFT Sinister VOT V
     
  14. Parthicus

    Parthicus Well-Known Member

    How about Shapur II, the Sasanian Persian king who defeated and killed Julian and made a treaty with Jovian:
    Shahpur II obol.jpg
     
  15. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    Here's an even worse Jovian from an uncleaned hoard. This one popped out in the midst of a gaggle of Constantius II FTR types.

    jovianus1.jpg

    jovianus2.jpg

    Can just make out the VOT V.

    In contrast, here's my best Julian - the APIS bull type is probably the last high quality heavy bronze coins struck in the roman empire.

    julian5.jpg

    julian6.jpg

    The transition between Julian and Jovian is very aptly described by Ammianus Marcellinus...here's a link to the full text. There also is a Penguin edition of Ammianus' work under the title of The Later Roman Empire, which is pretty good.

    http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/e/roman/texts/ammian/home.html
     
  16. randygeki

    randygeki Coin Collector

  17. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    My Jovian is not better than others but it is bigger. These AE1's followed the bulls of Julian and continued for a short while into the time of Valentinian.
    Jovian AE1 VICTORIA ROMANORVM / ANTB Antioch
    rx7455bb3157.jpg

    Valentinian I AE1 RESTITVTOR REIPVBLICAE SMHB Heraclea
    ry7460b01763lg.JPG
     
  18. chrsmat71

    chrsmat71 I LIKE TURTLES!

    My Jovian is apparently shocked about something to our left of the flan!

    jovianvot_zpsc57b297e.jpg
     
  19. Gavin Richardson

    Gavin Richardson Well-Known Member

    I’d like to challenge zumbly and ACH for ugliest Jovian. The decent reverse and scarcer AE1 status might mean I lose. I think I got this ca. 2004 from an uncleaned lot from Noble Roman Coins (“mayadigger” / Kevin Sandes). That’s a fun coin to find in a cheap uncleaned lot, even in terrible shape.
    FC96AC4D-DFC5-4CBA-BF3D-F03C2043CCDF.jpeg
     
  20. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

    The obverse is truly hideous, but we should both probably concede the 'win' to ACH.
     
  21. Valentinian

    Valentinian Well-Known Member

    Jovian had only four AE reverse types. Here is my page on them:

    http://augustuscoins.com/ed/Jovian/Jovian.html

    The rarest, by far, is this AE4:
    JovianRICRome335.jpg
    14 mm. 1.70 grams.
    Mintmark, if any, not legible
    RIC Rome 335 "R4" -- only a few known
    In RIC Kent comments that the mint marks on the two examples he is aware of are uncertain, but one might be R
    ex. Gorny and Mosch auction 220, lot 1810.

    This type was minted only at Rome.
     
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