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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;seth77, post: 4845798, member: 56653&quot;]Following the loss of Africa and subsequently Carthage by Maxentius, the mint of Ostia was opened&nbsp; around late 308 or in 309 to lift the pressure from the main mint of Rome and spread his new coinage through a gateway port, the main such port of Italy. </p><p><br /></p><p>The types struck at Ostia are mainly the ones introduced at Rome, with Fides and Castor and Pollux facing being the main ones, in use extensively in the last period of Maxentius reign.</p><p><br /></p><p>Here are two nice specimens, in very similar preservation state, offered by a French dealer together with other similar material:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1169886[/ATTACH] </p><p>AE24mm 8.12g follis/nummus, minted at Ostia, ca. 310.</p><p>IMP C MAXENTIVS P F AVG; laureate head r.</p><p>AETE - RNITAS A - VG N; Castor and Pollux, each with star above cap, naked but for chlamys hanging from shoulders, standing facing each other, each holding scepter with outer arm and briddled horse with inner arm.</p><p>MOSTQ</p><p>RIC VI Ostia 35, C2</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1169887[/ATTACH] </p><p>AE25mm 5.83g follis/nummus, minted at Rome, ca. 310-312.</p><p>IMP C MAXENTIVS P F AVG; laureate head r.</p><p>FIDES MI - L - IT - VM AVG N; Fides standing left, holding standard in each hand.</p><p>MOSTS</p><p>RIC VI Ostia 45, C</p><p><br /></p><p>The pattern of oxidation, the patina and the general appearance of the two might suggest that they come from the same deposit/hoard, from either Northwestern Gaul or Britain. </p><p><br /></p><p>But what would a hoard of rather freshly-minted -- the Castor and Pollux specimen has visible silvering beneath the oxidation and patina -- coins of Maxentius do in Constantinian territory so close to the open conflict between the two and the invasion of Italy by Constantine?[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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