Trajan Decius & his family

I've posted a lot recently about the SAECVLARES AVGG and other animal-reverse antoniniani issued in the name of Philip I and his family. But I haven't seen anyone post lately about the coins of the next imperial family -- that of Trajan Decius, who defeated and succeeded Philip.

Here are antoniniani of Trajan Decius, his wife Herennia Etruscilla, and their son Herennius Etruscus. (Unfortunately, I have no coins of their other son, Hostilian.)

Trajan Decius AR Antoninianus, Obv. Radiate bust right, draped and cuirassed, IMP C M Q TRAIANVS DECIVS AVG/ Rev. Uberitas stdg. left, holding purse and cornucopiae, VBERITAS AVG. RIC IV-3 28b, RSC IV 105, Sear RCV III 9384. 23 mm., 4.9 g.

(As I recall, this was the first Roman Imperial coin I ever bought as an adult, at a coin show sometime in the mid-1980s.)





Herennia Etruscilla (wife of Trajan Decius) AR Antoninianus, 249-251 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. HER ETRVSCILLA AVG, Draped bust right, wearing stephane, crescent behind / Rev. PVDICITIA AVG, Pudicitia standing left lifting her veil and holding scepter. RIC IV-3 58b, RSC IV 17. 21.77 mm., 3.82 g.



Herennius Etruscus Caesar AR Antoninianus, 250 AD. Obv. Q HER ETR MES DECIVS NOB C, radiate draped bust right/ Rev. SPES PVBLICA, Spes advancing left, raising skirt & holding flower, RIC IV-3 149, RSC IV 38. 22 mm., 4.37 g.



I would love to see any coins anyone else has of this family, including Hostilian.

 

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Well I don't have an Hostilian yet, but here are the other three family members.

Trajan Decius





Herennia Etruscilla





Herennius Etruscus

 

Lovely coins, @DonnaML ! I enjoy the barracks emperors and their coins. I'm still waiting for the right Hostilian to come along, too. I have too many Decius and Etruscilla coins to show, so I'll just show one of each. I'll try to choose some of the more interesting examples.

I like this one because it shows the personifications of Upper and Lower Pannonia, a large region to the west of Dacia which formed much of the north-western part of the Balkan peninsula. The territory roughly comprised present-day western Hungary and parts of eastern Austria, as well as portions of several Balkan states, primarily Slovenia, Croatia, and Serbia (Vojvodina).


Trajan Decius AD 249-251.
Roman AR antoninianus, 3.78 g, 21.5 mm, 7 h.
Rome, AD 250.
Obv: IMP C M Q TRAIANVS DECIVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Rev: PANNONIAE, the two Pannoniae standing left and right; each raising right hand; the one on the right holds a standard in her left hand and there is a vertical standard behind the one on the left.
Refs: RIC 21b; Cohen 86; RCV 9378; Hunter 16.

The PVDICITIA seated or standing are by far the most commonly encountered reverse types on the antoniniani of Herennia Etruscilla. This one, though, is scarce and interesting because it's from the Antioch mint and demonstrates dots under the bust as officina markings, which was a practice continued by that mint under Trebonianus Gallus:


Herennia Etruscilla, AD 249-253
Roman AR Antoninianus; 4.18 g, 23.2 mm, 12 h
Antioch, AD 250-251
Obv: HER ETRVSCILLA AVG, diademed and draped bust right on crescent, hair with horizontal waves and with a long plait carried up the back of the head (Sear type a; Temeryazev and Makarenko type 1); •• below bust
Rev: VBERITAS AVG, Uberitas standing left, holding marsupium (?) and cornucopiae
Refs: RIC 68b; RCV 9499.

I wish I could say something interesting about this one, but it's as mundane as an antoninianus of Herennius Etruscus can get. I'd much rather have a Spes reverse type like yours, @DonnaML :



Herennius Etruscus as Caesar, AD 249-251.
Roman AR antoninianus, 3.83 g, 22.4 mm, 11 h.
Rome, 5th emission, early AD 151.
Obv: Q HER ETR MES DECIVS NOB C, radiate and draped bust, right.
Rev: PRINCIPI IVVENTVTIS, Apollo seated left, holding branch and resting left elbow on lyre.
Refs: RIC 146; RSC 24a; Cohen --; RCV 9522; Hunter 9; ERIC II 40.

 

TRAJAN DECIUS
AR Antoninianus
OBVERSE: IMP C M Q TRAIANVS DECIVS AVG - Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
REVERSE: VBERITAS AVG - Uberitas standing left, holding purse and cornucopia
Struck at Rome, 250 AD
3.5g, 20mm
RIC 28b, C 105

HERENNIA ETRUSCILLA
AR Antoninianus
OBVERSE: HER ETRVSCILLA AVG - Diademed, draped bust right on crescent.
REVERSE: PVDICITIA AVG - Pudicitia, veiled, standing left, with right hand drawing veil from face and holding scepter
Struck at Rome, 249-51 AD
3.1g, 23mm
RIC 58b

HERENNIUS ETRUSCUS
AR Antoninianus
OBVERSE: Q HER MES DECIVS NOB C, Radiate and draped bust of Herennius right
REVERSE: CONCORDIA AVGG, Clasped hands
Struck at Rome, 250/1 AD
3.53g, 21mm
RIC138

HOSTILIAN
AE As
OBVERSE: IMP C VAL HOST M QVINTVS AVG laureate and cuirassed bust right
REVERSE: P M S C OL VIM City-goddess standing between a bull and a lion, AN XII in exergue
Struck at Rome, 251 AD
11.8g, 26mm
Moushmov 54

 

Wow for a first coin; I'm too embarrassed to show here the grade of my first one...but I can share a part of the discussed family from Viminacium with the famous Bull & Lion.

P.S. I'm still missing the lady

 

It's good to see a couple of Hostilians! It's not easy to find one with at least a legible name for less than a few hundred dollars. Especially these days, if, like I am, you're staying away from sellers outside your own country given the mail issues.

 

It's a nice coin, but although I don't remember exactly what I paid for it, I'm quite sure it was way over the fair market value of 35 years ago. And probably more than what it should cost even now! I was at the show to look at British coins, but was tempted by the Roman coins prominently displayed at one table, and the seller really took advantage of a young and obviously ignorant buyer. I still feel kind of embarrassed when I think about it.

 

Cool @DonnaML , very nice examples.

Here are mine:

TRAJAN DECIUS


RI Trajan Decius 249-251 CE AR Ant Dacia draco standard


HERENNIA ETRUSCILLA


RI Herennia Etruscilla 249-251 BCE w-Trajan Decius Ant crescent Fecunditas cornucopiae child RSC 8


HOSTILIAN


RI Hostilian 251 CE AE 27 Viminacium Moesia Bull-Lion


HERENIUS ETRUSCUS


RI Herennius Etruscus 251 CE AR Ant Apollo seated

 

Trajan Decius
Herennia Etruscilla
Hostilian

 

Family from Viminacium:
Trajan Decius
Herennia Etruscilla
Herennius Etruscus
Hostilian

 

Here are my ants of Decius and Herennius, and then righty and lefty tetradrachms of Decius from Antioch. I really would like to add a coin of Hostilian soon, but they don’t come up that often in good condition (and when they do, they are not cheap).

 

I also lack the Hostilian Imperial but have a couple Herennius Etruscus ants. The first is fourree and very late for those.


My favorite Decius coins are from the very late issue abbreviating the obverse legend greatly. The reverse here (GEN ILYRICI) is also abbreviated from the usual.


My favorite is the PANNONIA overstruck on a denarius of Geta. Any overstrike with identifiable undertype is good to me.


Finally, I have what may be the worst known Decius double sestertius. The best known perfect one sold for $100,000. Mine was a lot cheaper. The reverse is Victory. Double sestertii of Herennia are not at all common or cheap but can be magnificent. I don't plan on owning one.
32.5g (lighter than many)

 

Interesting thread. Some people here know how fond I am of the Divi series struck by Trajan Decius. @DonnaML, you might find some interest at reading what I wrote about them some time ago : https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ancients-trajan-decius-the-divi-series.296342/

And here are the family members :


Trajan Decius, Antoninianus - Rome mint, AD 250-251
IMP C M Q TRAIANVS DECIVS AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind
DACIA, Dacia standing left holding a standard surmounted by an ass's head
3.52 gr - 20/23 mm
Ref : RCV # 9368, RSC # 16, RIC IV-3 # 12b



Herennia Etruscilla, Antoninianus - Rome mint, AD 250/251
HER ETRVSCILLA AVG, diademed bust right, with hair ridged in waves
PVDICITIA AVG, Pudicitia standing left holding transverse sceptre and drawing veil from her face
3.78 gr, 21 mm
Ref : RIV IV # 58b, Cohen # 17, RCV # 9494



Herennius Etruscus, Antoninianus - Rome mint, AD 250-2511
Q HER ETR MES DECIVS NOB C, Radiate bust of Herennius right
PIETAS AVGVSTORVM, Sacrificial implements
4.45 gr
Ref : RIC # 143, Cohen #14, RCV #9521



Hostilian, Antoninianus - Rome mint, AD 251. Issued as Caesar with Trajan Decius
C VALENS HOSTIL MES QUINTVS N C, radiate and draped bust right
MARTI PROPUGNATORI, Mars advancing right, holding spear and shield
2.74 gr
Ref : RCV # 9556, Cohen # 15, RIC # 177b

Q

 

Thanks! I went out online and did some reading: Wikipedia, of course, but also New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia; and via Wayback I found an archived page from the University of Michigan Classics Department. (https://web.archive.org/web/2011033...cs/programs/class/cc/372/sibyl/en/Decius.html)

From Wikipedia
"Unlike some of his immediate imperial predecessors such as Philip the Arab or Maximinus who did not have extensive administrative experience before assuming the throne, Decius was a distinguished senator who had served as suffect consul in 232, had been governor of Moesia and Germania Inferior soon afterwards, served as governor of Hispania Tarraconensis between 235–238, and was urban prefect of Rome during the early reign of Emperor Philip the Arab (Marcus Iulius Phillippus).[5]" citing [5] Scarre, Chris, Chronicle of the Roman Emperors: the reign-by-reign record of the rulers of Imperial Rome, Thames & Hudson, 1995

The Catholic Encyclopedia says, in part:
"In the administration of the internal affairs of the empire, Decius showed himself to be an unstatesmanlike theorist. He conceived the unpractical policy of reforming the morals of his time by a forcible restoration of the old religion. He revived the obsolete office of censor as a sop to the senatorial party, permitted them to name its first incumbent, whom he invested with the most autocratic powers in matters of civil service and over the private lives of the citizens. Oblivious of the changes wrought by time and the march of ideas, he pinned his faith to the almost abandoned paganism of old Rome as the solution of the problems of his time. Such sweeping reforms necessarily brought into prominence the growing power of the Christian Church, and made it clear that any attempt to realize or enforce the absolutism of earlier Roman politics must necessarily be futile as long as any considerable body of citizens professing the Christian creed was allowed the free exercise of their religion. Belief in the freedom on conscience and the higher estimate of religion found among the Christians could find no part in such schemes as those of Decius and would necessarily prove an insuperable obstacle to the complete realization of his plans. Various reasons have been assigned for the emperor's hatred of Christianity, some seeing in it an evidence of innate cruelty, others a desire to be avenged on the friends of his predecessor; but there can be little doubt that the main motives for his hostility were political, conceived not in the form of fanaticism but in purposes of political expediency."
https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04666a.htm

If you think that was harsh. Consider this appraisal from the U of M Classics Dept:
"The emperor Decius was a curious figure. The evidence of his actions suggests that he was deeply conservative, that he was deeply pious, that he possessed a ferocious temper, and that he was quite stupid. He seems to have yearned for the days when the empire appeared to be invincible, and he appears to have cherished the memory of Trajan and the other emperors who had made Rome great. Thus one of his first acts after assuming the throne was to take the name Trajan for himself and to issue an edict ordering all the inhabitants of the empire to sacrifice to the ancestral gods for the safety of the state. His vision of the empire may also be reflected in the remarkable series of antoniniani which were issued from the mint at Milan commemorating the deified emperors."

 

Thank you. I will look at that thread. That's a wonderful coin of Hostilian you have!

 

I have now read your article, and that entire thread. Absolutely fascinating; thank you. I must confess that I didn't even know about that series before.

 

EKA #209. London Coins 9-22-95 $35.00 - Silver Coin (AR Antoninianus) minted at Rome during the reign of TRAJAN DECIUS between 249 - 251 A.D. Obv. IMP.C.M.Q.TRAINVS.DECIVS.AVG.: Bust, rad., dr., cuir. r. Rev. PANNONIAE.: The two Pannonia, veiled, stg. front, turning r. and l. away from one another; each wears robe reaching to feet and holds standard: the one on r. raises r. hand. RCS #2699. RSCIV #86. RICIV #21b. DVM #16/1.


EKW #248. Wayne Philips 7-20-96 $92.00 - Silver Coin (AR Antoninianus) minted at Rome for HERENNIUS ETRUSCILLA, Wife of TRAJAN DECIUS, between 249 - 251 A.D. Obv. HER.ETRVSCILLA.AVG.: Diad., dr., on crescent r. Rev. PVDICITIA.AVG.: Pudicitia veiled, std. l., with r. hand drawing veil and holding sceptre. RCS #2731. RSCIV #19. RICIV #59b. DVM #5.

EL #213. London Coins 10-13-95 $28.00 - Silver Coin (AR Antoninianus) minted at Rome during the reign of HERENNIUS ETRUSCUS, as Caesar, between 250 - 251 A.D. Obv. Q.HER.ETR.MES.DECIVS.NOB.C: Bust, rad., dr., r. Rev. PIETAS.AVGVSTORVM.: Sprinkler, Simplum, jug and lituus. RCS #2741. RSCIV #14. RICIV #143. DVM #10.

EM #290. Enotria Creszenzi 2-2-01 $86.00 - Silver Coin (AR Antoninianus) minted at Rome for HOSTILIAN, as Caesar, during the reign of TRAJAN DECIUS, in 251 A.D. Obv. C.VALENS.HOSTI.MES.QVINTVS.N.C.: Rad. and dr. bust r. Rev. PRINCIPI.IVVENTVTIS.: HOSTILIAN in military dress, stg. l., holding standard and reversed spear. RCS #2759. RSCIV #34. RICIV #182. DVM #13/2.

 

Wonderful coins, everyone!

Trajan Decius certainly is an interesting historical figure, and I'm particularly partial to the provincial references on his coins. Below are Dacia, the two Pannoniae, and the Genius of the Illyrian army.

Trajan Decius, Roman Empire, AR antoninian, 249–251 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IMP C Q TRAIANVS DECIVS AVG; bust of Trajan Decius, draped, cuirassed, and laureate, r. Rev: DACIA: Dacia standing left, holding draco. 22mm, 3.66g. Ref: RIC IV Traian Decius 12. Ex Frascatius Ancients.


Trajan Decius, Roman Empire, antoninian, 249–251 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IMP C M Q TRAIANVS DECIVS AVG; bust of Trajan Decius, radiate, draped and cuirassed, r. Obv: GENIUS EXERC ILLVRICIANI; Genius of the Illyrian army standing l., holding patera and cornucopia, modius on head, standard to r. 23mm, 4.67g. Ref: RIC IV Trajan Decius 16. Ex H. D. Rauch (Vienna), auction 50, lot 424.


Trajan Decius, Roman Empire, AR antoninianus, 249–251 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IMP C M Q TRAIANVS DECIVS AVG, bust of Trajan Decius, draped and radiate, r. Rev: PANNONIAE, the two Pannoniae standing, holding standards. 23mm, 4.14g. Ref: RIC IV,3 Trajan Decius 21b. Ex Warren Esty; ex PMV Inc., "Late Summer List" 1982, lot 94; ex Dorset County Museum.

I got this antoninianus of Herennia Etruscilla from Frank Robinson's last bargain list:

Herennia Etruscilla, Roman Empire, AR antoninianus, 249–251 AD, Rome mint. Obv: HER ETRVSCILLA AVG; bust of Herennia Etruscilla, diademed, draped, on crescent, r. Rev: PVDICITIA AVG; Pudicitia, draped, veiled, standing l., drawing veil with r. hand, holding sceptre in l. hand. 22mm, 4.13g. Ref: RIC IV Trajan Decius 58. Ex Frank S. Robinson, bargain list April 2020, lot 178.

As most of us, not counting @Cucumbor 's and @Jims Coins' terrific and jealousy-inducing examples, I lack an Imperial Hostilian. Since I don't really collect Roman provincial coinage, I also didn't swerve to Viminacium for him. Yet, I have a Herennius Etruscus with a Mercury reverse. Apart from Imperial coin reverses showing Vulcan, Mercury is the most difficult one to find of the twelve Dii Consentes.

Herennius Etruscus, Roman Empire, AR antoninianus, 251 AD, Rome mint. Obv: bust of Herennius Etruscus, radiate, draped, r. Rev: PIETAS AVGG; Mercury, nude except for cloak on shoulders, standing l., holding purse and caduceus. 20mm, 3.17g. Ref: RIC IV Trajan Decius 142. Ex JB collection; ex AMCC 2, lot 201 (their picture).

 

If you are a Trajan Decius amateur, this is a booklet everyone here can afford :FORVM has some copies left for 6$...