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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Sallent, post: 2839787, member: 76194&quot;]I swear these breed like bunnies. You start with one and before you know it there is another, and another, and another, etc. I tried bug spray, but that did not seem to do the trick.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]671504[/ATTACH] Gordian III, AD 238-244</p><p>AR Antoninianus 23mm, 4.5g, 12h; Rome mint, AD 238.</p><p>Obv.: IMP CAES M ANT GORDIANVS AVG; Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right.</p><p>Rev.: PAX AVGVSTI; Pax standing front, head left, holding branch up in right hand and transverse scepter in left.</p><p>Reference: RIC IVc 3, p. 16.</p><p><br /></p><p>Pax seems like an ironic theme, considering the Roman Empire had peace in short supply. Gordian himself died on a campaign, either murdered by his troops or by the Sassanids in battle. Given that his successor Philip the Arab transported Gordian III&#039;s body to Rome for burial, built a monument for him along the way, and arranged for Gordian III&#039;s deification, I don&#039;t quite buy the idea that Philip I murdered him. Doesn&#039;t make any sense. So yeah, Gordian III probably died in battle. So much for the peace of Rome theme being portrayed on this coin, which no doubt alluded to a more tranquil past a century before.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]671505[/ATTACH]Gordian III, AD 238-244</p><p>AR Antoninianus, 23mm, 4.6g, 6h; Rome, AD 239-240.</p><p>Obv.: IMP CAES M ANT GORDIANVS AVG; Radiate, draped, cuirassed bust right.</p><p>Rev.: LIBERALITAS AVG II; Liberalitas standing half-left, holding abacus and double cornucopia.</p><p>Reference: RIC IVc 36, p. 119.</p><p><br /></p><p>The reverse of Liberalitas on this Gordian III Antoninianus commemorates a gift of money given by the young emperor to his troops, which was basically a bribe to keep your loyal troops from accidentally plunging a knife into your back, or slitting your throat. It appears that the Praetorian Guards, and increasingly the legions themselves, were very accident prone with their emperors, but emperors soon caught on to the fact that the more bribe money &quot;donatives&quot; that they gave to their soldiers, the lesser these accidental stabbings and slitting of throats seemed to happen.</p><p><br /></p><p>Probably didn&#039;t help Gordian III much though, as he was either stabbed by his troops, or his troops failed to adequately protect him and he was killed in battle against the might of the Sasanian Empire. I love the possibility that this coin itself might have been carried by a legionnaire tasked with protecting the emperor during the battle, and when faced with dozens of Sassanid troops encircling them, probably shoved the Emperor at them and galloped away screaming &quot;Should have given me 100 coins, you cheapskate. I ain&#039;t saving your butt and risking mine for 75.&quot;<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie11" alt=":rolleyes:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>MY OTHER ROACHES</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>[ATTACH=full]671518[/ATTACH] </b></p><p><b>[ATTACH=full]671506[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]671508[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]671509[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]671510[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]671511[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]671512[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]671514[/ATTACH] </b></p><p><br /></p><p>See, them roaches breed like crazy. I need me a dozen volunteers to toss bug bombs at my collection to see if we can make a dent on this roach infestation. I&#039;m not going to lie, it&#039;s a dangerous mission and some of you may not come back. But your country will always remember your sacrifice.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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