Like father, like son - Macrinus&Diadumenian

[ambr0zie]

I am posting this in the Imperial section because it seems there is no Provincial subforum?( @Restitutor, perhaps it wouldn't be bad)

Anyway, I do not have a Diadumenian or Macrinus imperial coin but I managed to reunite them in a method I always wanted.

Macrinus does not have much of a history. Not a happy one anyway. Under Caracalla, in 212 AD, he was named  praetorian prefect under Caracalla, dealing with civil affairs in Rome, but conspired directly in Caracalla's elimination and proclamed himself as emperor, without approval from Senate. His reign was short because Julia Maesa instigated a rebellion and had Elagabal made emperor. The Battle of Antioch, that clarified the destiny of the Roman Empire, meant Macrinus had to flee but was captured and executed.  His son, Diadumenian, who reigned with Macrinus, had the same fate, as he was fleeing to Parthia but never made it.

Macrinus and Diadumenian were then declared enemies of the state and the Severan dynasty continued.

Interesting facts - Macrinus was the first Roman emperor from Mauretania; first who never visited Rome; first emperor from equestrian class.

As I do not have imperial coins from Macrinus, my favorite is this one from Laodicea ad Mare, because of the reverse, one of my favorite reverses in coinage.

Seleucis and Pieria. Laodicea ad Mare. Macrinus AD 217-218.
Bronze Æ
27 mm, 13,60 g
IMP C M OP S-EVE MACRINO-S AVG, laureate head of Macrinus right / ROMAE above, FEL in exergue, she-wolf standing right, head turned to look back at the suckling twins, Romulus and Remus. Cf. SNG Hunterian 3218 (obv. legend); SNG Righetti 2121; SNG Copenhagen 369; BMC 98.

Diadumenian was missing and for a few months I keep thinking about a type from Deultum that I lost because of bad strategy in the auction. Managed to grab one today and even if I paid a little more than I usually do for provincials, I am quite happy with it!

Thrace. Deultum. Diadumenian AD 218-218. Bronze Æ. 24 mm, 9,44 g
M OPEL ANTONINVS DIADV C, bare-headed, draped and cuirassed bust right / COL FL PAC DEVLT, She-wolf standing right, suckling twins, Γ in exergue. Varbanov 2217-8 var. (obv. legend); Corpus Nummorum Cf Online 11917; Jurukova 214-6.

I am very glad that it's a "pair" with the Macrinus coin and the fact that it is from a different city  (that was also missing from my collection) is a plus!
A possible target for 2023 would be a coin from a Thracian city with Macrinus and Diadumenian facing.

 

Please post:

- Macrinus and/or Diadumenian coins

- coins with the she-wolf and twins

- coins from Deultum

- coins you bought at second attempt, or whatever you feel relevant

[Roman Collector]

Excellent!! Those are nice coins of the lad & dad, @ambr0zie!

Here's a matching pair of Mac & Di from Antioch.

Macrinus, Augustus AD 217-218
Roman provincial Æ 19 mm, 3.80 g, 12:00
Syria: Seleucis and Pieria, Antioch ad Orontem
Obv: ΑVΤ Κ Μ Ο C ΜΑΚΡΙΝΟC CЄ, laureate and cuirassed bust right
Rev: Large SC, Δ/Є above and beneath; all within laurel wreath interrupted by star above
Refs: SGI 2949; BMC 20. 198,385; SNG Cop. 233; McAlee 728.

Diadumenian, Caesar AD 217-218.
Roman provincial Æ 16.5 mm, 4.63 g, 11:00.
Syria: Seleucis and Pieria, Antioch ad Orontem.
Obv: ΚΑΙ Μ Ο ΔΙA ΑΝΤΩΝΙΝΟC CЄ, bare-headed and cuirassed bust right.
Rev: Large SC, Δ/Є above and beneath; all within laurel wreath interrupted by star above.
Refs: Sear 3017; BMC 20. 201,408; SNG Cop. 235; McAlee 745a.
Notes: Reverse die match to McAlee plate coin.

 

And here they are together on the same coin.


Macrinus and Diadumenian, AD 217-218.
Roman provincial Æ Pentassarion, 12.06 g, 26.5 mm, 6 h.
Moesia Inferior, Marcianopolis, Legate Pontius Furius Pontianus, June/Aug 217-Nov/Dec 217.
Obv: ΑΝΤ Κ ΟΠΕΛ CΕV ΜΑΚΡΕΙΝΟC Κ Μ ΟΠΕ ΑΝΤΩΝΕΙΝΟC, Confronted heads of Macrinus right, laureate, and Diadumenian left, bare.
Rev: VΠ ΠΟΝΤΙΑΝΟV ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ, Athena wearing helmet and aegis, standing left, holding owl and inverted spear; E in right field.
Refs: AMNG I 734v.; Hristova & Jekov 6.24.4.7; Varbanov 1170a; BMC 30v.; Moushmov 537; Wiczay 2148v.

 

 

[Julius Germanicus]

Here is my matching pair of Sestertii from the Rome mint:

IMP CAES M OPEL SEV MACRINVS AVG - Laureate and cuirassed bust of Macrinus right, with beard of intermediate length /

PONTIF MAX TR P COS P P around, S - C in field - Felicitas standing left, holding long caduceus and cornucopiae

Orichalcum Sestertius, Rome, 1.Oct.-31.Dec.217

20,51 grams / 33,10 mm

Clay (The Roman Coinage of Macrinus and Diadumenian), obv. die 2, rev. die 42 (this coin cited); RIC 139; BMC 120, note; Cohen 66; Sear (RCTV II) 7386

Ex collection of Friedrich Karl August, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont, 1763-1812 (Münzhandlung Basel Auction 3, 1935, lot 730)

 

M OPEL ANTONINVS DIADVMENIANVS CAES - Bare-headed, draped and cuirassed bust of Diadumenian right /

SPES PVBLICA S C - Spes advancing left, holding flower in extended right hand and raising drapery of her dress behind Sestertius

Orichalcum Sestertius, Rome 218 a.D

23,46 g / 32.23 mm

RIC 219; BMCRE 155-7 and pl. 84, 7 (same obverse die) 

Ex Ebay

[shanxi]

Diadumenian and Macrinus

Diadumenian (As Caesar, AD 217-218)
Moesia Inferior, Markianopolis
Æ Triassaria
Obv.: Κ Μ ΟΠΕΛΛΙOC ΑΝΤΩΝΕΙΝΟC / Draped and cuirassed bust right
Rev.: MAPKIANOΠΟΛITΩN / Artemis advancing right, holding bow and drawing
arrow from quiver; at feet to right, hound springing right; Γ (mark of value) to left.
AE, 7.92g, 23.7mm

 

Macrinus, 217-218
Moesia Inferior, Nikopolis
struck under legate Statius Longinus
Obv.: laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Macrinus right
AVT K M OΠEΛIOC CEVH MAKPINOC
Rev.: Asklepios standing front, head left,
leaning on his serpent-entwined-staff,
VΠ CTATI ΛONΓINOV NIKOΠOΛITΩN [ΠPOC]
Ae, 13.33g, 27.3mm
Ref.: AMNG 1756var.

 

[Qcumbor]

Cool father & son pairs of coins

Here's a pair of syro-phenician tetradrachms (Antioch for the dad, Hierapolis for the lad)

 

 

Q

[Al Kowsky]

I'm still waiting for the right Diadumenian Tet, but I've got two of Macrinus 😊.

Cyrrhestica-Beroea (modern day, Aleppo, Syria). Macrinus, AD 217-218. Billon Tetradrachm: 14.80 gm, 26 mm, 6 h. Prieur 890, 9 cited.

[Jims,Coins]

Macrinus and Diadumenian, AD 217-218.
Roman provincial Æ Pentassarion, 12.06 g, 26.5 mm, 6 h.
Moesia Inferior, Marcianopolis, Legate Pontius Furius Pontianus, June/Aug 217-Nov/Dec 217.
Obv: ΑΝΤ Κ ΟΠΕΛ CΕV ΜΑΚΡΕΙΝΟC Κ Μ ΟΠΕ ΑΝΤΩΝΕΙΝΟC, Confronted heads of Macrinus right, laureate, and Diadumenian left, bare.
Rev: VΠ ΠΟΝΤΙΑΝΟV ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ, Athena wearing helmet and aegis, standing left, holding owl and inverted spear; E in right field.
Refs: AMNG I 734v.; Hristova & Jekov 6.24.4.7; Varbanov 1170a; BMC 30v.; Moushmov 537; Wiczay 2148v

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

The history of Rome podcast had an interesting episode about Macrinus.  Emperors of Rome also did one.  Totalus Rankium, which I've recently discovered, should have one. 

[sunir caM]

Great additions @ambr0zie

I only have the confronted bust type for Diadumenian unfortunately and that has been posted too many times.

Here is a Macrinus that i don't think i have posted before,  not the prettiest but Rare.

 

Seleucis ad Pieria, Gabala

Obv - AVTKMOPMAKPINOC ? Laureate, Draped bust right

Rev - GABALEON - Athena left

27mm - 14.83g 

BMC Galatia p246. 18.

 

 

[ambr0zie]

Great style on Gabala! I remember seeing Gabala coins in auctions and they have a distinct style.