Emperors of Rome - A (Chronological) Portrait Gallery

[Octavius]

 Antoninianus of Carinus with Aequitas reverse....

[dougsmit]

My favorite Carinus is the Alexandrian tetradrachm honoring Legion II Traiana making it very unusual compared to types less common than it.  The type is listed also for Numerian but I have never seen one. 

As with the coins of his father and brother, there seems to be a rather ordinary set of reverse options.  To find something 'special' one might look for 'different' letter forms.  This one has A's that could be H or N as well as M and N that seem to swap places once but be normal elsewhere on the coin.  There is quite a variation in lettering on coins attributed to Cyzicus mint in this reign.

Probably due to the lack of really interesting reverses, coins of Carinus are not terribly popular so I could afford a few.  Two from Antioch:

Tripolis

Lugdunum

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

16 minutes ago, dougsmit said:

My favorite Carinus is the Alexandrian tetradrachm honoring Legion II Traiana making it very unusual compared to types less common than it.  The type is listed also for Numerian but I have never seen one. 

As with the coins of his father and brother, there seems to be a rather ordinary set of reverse options.  To find something 'special' one might look for 'different' letter forms.  This one has A's that could be H or N as well as M and N that seem to swap places once but be normal elsewhere on the coin.  There is quite a variation in lettering on coins attributed to Cyzicus mint in this reign.

Probably due to the lack of really interesting reverses, coins of Carinus are not terribly popular so I could afford a few.  Two from Antioch:

Tripolis

Lugdunum

Great rare tet of Alexandria Doug. I'll happily trade my Elpis  for that one😋

[Qcumbor]

2 hours ago, Octavius said:

 

That's spectacular !!

 

Q

[mc9]

Here a ugly coin, but i love the portrait, and it is my best and only one.

IMP C M AVR IVLIANVS P F AVG : radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right

FELICI-TAS TEMPORVM S/B/XXI: Felicitas standing facing, head left, holding caduceus in right hand and sceptre in left

Antoninianus , Siscia,A.D. 284, RIC V 2

[Pellinore]

I only have this Alexandrian family picture of the two brothers to show my Carinus. Sitting quietly underneath his brother Numerian. 

 

AE Tetradrachm, Alexandria. Obv. Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right. Rev. Elpis, holding a flower and raising her skirt. Year 2 = 283. 18 mm, 7.52 gr. Dattari 5584.

 

[Severus Alexander]

I have the same Lugdunum issue as @Octavius's beauty. The mottled patination makes it difficult to photograph:

As usual, the Lugdunum portraits are the most lifelike.  But I also quite like the (very different, more abstract) portrait on this ex-Dattari coin from Cyzicus:

From Rome, here's one as Caesar (only one I have!) and a rarely seen denarius:

[Severus Alexander]

5 hours ago, mc9 said:

Here a ugly coin, but i love the portrait, and it is my best and only one.

IMP C M AVR IVLIANVS P F AVG : radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right

FELICI-TAS TEMPORVM S/B/XXI: Felicitas standing facing, head left, holding caduceus in right hand and sceptre in left

Antoninianus , Siscia,A.D. 284, RIC V 2

 I hope everyone noticed that this is Julian of Pannonia! 👍👍

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

I did now!  Any Julian is good.  Well done!

[Roman Collector]

I have one each of Carinus and his wife.

Carinus, 283-285 CE.
Roman billon Antoninianus, 3.80 g, 21.1 mm, 12 h.
Lugdunum, 283 CE.
Obv: IMP C M AVR CARINVS AVG, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust, right.
Rev: SAECVLI FELICITAS, emperor in military attire, standing right, holding transverse spear and globe, officina mark D (=4) in right field.
Refs: RIC 214; Cohen 120; RCV 12354; Hunter 37; Pink, p. 22, series 4.

Here's my Magnia Urbica. It's not exactly FDC, but it was in a group lot I obtained some 25 years ago.

Magnia Urbica, 283-285 CE.
Roman billon Antoninianus, 3.26 gm; 22.0 mm.
Rome, 283-285 CE.
Obv: MAGN VRBICA AVG, diademed and draped bust, right.
Rev: VENVS VICTRIX, Venus standing left, holding scepter and helmet; her shield leans against the front of her leg.
Refs: RIC 343; Cohen 17; RCV 12424.

[Jims,Coins]

Its been 8 hours since the last post. It's 2:33 PM Eastern Time. Time for Diocletian:

Could'nt decide on my favorite!

Diocletian BI Nummus. Serdica, AD 305-306. D N DIO[CLETIAN]O B[AEATI]SSIMO SEN AVG, laureate bust to right, wearing imperial mantle, holding olive branch and mappa / PROVIDENTIA DEORVM QVIES AVGG, Providentia standing to right, extending right hand to Quies, standing to left, holding branch and leaning on sceptre; S-Δ-F across fields, •SM•SD• in exergue. RIC VI 14a.  RHC 36 pg. 254 Abdication  9.26g, 27mm, 12h.

Good Very Fine.

Diocletian BI Nummus. Treveri, AD 296-297. IMP DIOCLETIANVS P AVG, laureate head to right / GENIO POPVLI ROMANI, Genius standing to left, modius on head, holding patera and cornucopiae; A-Γ across fields, TR in exergue. RIC VI 181a. 9.82g, 27mm, 6h.

Very Fine.

Bronze coin (AE Follis) minted at PT=Ticinum during the reign of DIOCLETIAN in 301 A.D. Obv. IMP.C.DIOCLETIANVS.PF.AVG.: larger portrait, laur. bust r. Rev. SACRA.MONET.AVGG.ET CAESS.NOSTR.: Moneta standing l., r. holding scales, l. cornucopia. RCS #3538. RIC VI #45a pg. 286. DVM #47.

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

This type represents Diocletian's hope and dream that each colleague in the tetrarchy would happily step down when the time had come. Diocletian retreated to a custom-built palace at Split where he intended to plant cabbages with his own hands. 

Diocletian's Palace at Split, Croatia

Unfortunately, Maximianus the co-senior tetrarch grumbled in his forced "retirement" and his machinations and lust for power doomed the future of Diocletian's system which he had hoped would endure for the duration of the empire. Maximian managed to grab for the Imperial throne once again and reclaimed his title of Augustus, eventually allying with his son Maxentius who also had become an Augustus. For a brief while, even Constantine, who believed he had been passed over when he was awarded the title of "Filius Augustorum", formed an alliance with the old man. Meanwhile, Diocletian watched in horror as Civil War shook the empire. And he, relegated to Split, could only watch and worry as his health declined. So, in that historical milieu I submit this coin for your perusal.

Diocletian (A.D. 284-305) AE Follis Weight: 6.90 grams Diameter: 23 mm

Mint: Follis struck at Alexandria (ALE Mintmark) between 308 and 310, after his abdication.

Obverse: DN DIOCLETIANO BAEATISS, laurel-wreathed bust right wearing mantle, holding olive branch and holding mappa in the other hand.

Reverse: PROVIDENTIA DEORVM, Providentia standing right, extending right hand to Quies, standing left, holding branch and sceptre.

Reference: Sear 12922, RIC VI Alexandria 80 corr. 

[mc9]

A selection of portraits from Diocletianus, i love them all:

DIOCLETI - ANUS AVG : head laur. r.

VIRTUS MILITVM /r/ALE : tree turreted campgate, open ; no doors, 6 layers

Denarius, Alexandria, A.D.295 – 296, RIC VI 10a p.662

IMP C C VAL DIOCLETIANVS AVG : radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right

CONCORDIA MILITVM. //.XXI. : Jupiter standing left, presenting Victory on globe to Diocletian

Antoninianus, Cyzicus, A.D.293-295, RIC Vb, 256

IMP C C VAL DIOCLETIANVS AVG : Radiate and cuirassed bust right

HERCVLI CONSERVAT / SXXIT : Hercules standing left, holding club in right hand and bow and lion's skin in left

Antoninianus, Ticinum, A.D.290, RIC VI 216

IMP DIOCLETIANUS AVG : Radiate and cuirassed bust right

GENIO POPV - LI ROMANI S/F/ PTR : Genius standing left, head towerd, naked but for chlamys over left shoulder, right holding patera, left cornucopiae

Folles, Trier, A.D.301 – 305, RIC 305a

 

[Qcumbor]

Even though I have a beautiful argenteus of his, my best portrait coin for Diocletianus has to be the following mature portrait from Alexandria :

Diocletian, Follis - Alexandria mint, 2nd officina, c. AD 304-305
IMP C DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG, Laureate bust of Diocletianus right
IOVI CONS CAES, Jupiter standing left, holding victory and spear. B in right field S | P in lower field, ALE at exergue
11.21 gr
Ref : Cohen # 173, RCV # 12805 (180), RIC VI # 41

Q

[wittwolff]

One before his monetary reform, one after and one after his abdication (The big post-reform Nummus is my favorite):

[John Conduitt]

After a dry spell I’m back in it for a while, now the mint at London is open…

Diocletian Follis, 298-300

Londinium. Bronze, 10.65g. Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right; IMP DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG. Genius standing left, holding patera and cornucopia; GENIO POPVLI ROMANI (RIC VI, 6a).

[Roman Collector]

Here's a Sacra Moneta. I wish the reverse legend were completely on the flan, but I like the coin anyway.

Diocletian, AD 284-305.
Roman billon follis, 10.80 g, 23.6 mm, 7 h.
Rome, AD 302-305.
Obv: IMP C DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG, Laureate head, right.
Rev: SACRA MON VRB AVGG ET CAESS NN, Moneta standing left, holding scales and cornucopiae; star in right field, R P in exergue.
Refs: RIC vi, p. 362, 103a; Cohen 434; RCV 12815.

Edited April 3, 2023 by Roman Collector

[DonnaML]

Here, in chronological order, are some Diocletian portraits I like -- despite the fact that some of them reflect the heavily stylized, bull-necked, non-realistic portraiture that seemed to take over with the first Tetrarchy, resulting in everybody looking basically alike. Which may have been the intention!

Diocletian, Billon Tetradrachm, 292/293 AD (Year 9), Alexandria, Egypt mint. Obv. Laureate and cuirassed bust right, ΔΙΟΚΛHΤΙΑΝΟC CΕΒ / Rev. ENA/TOV / L [= Year 9 spelled out] within laurel wreath; in exergue, A [ = 1st Officina]. 19-20 mm., 7.39g., 12 h. Dattari 5787; Geissen 3264/65; BMC 16 Alexandria 2541 at p. 327; K & G 119.84; Emmett 4084.9, Milne 5065. Purchased from Dr. Martina Dieterle, Schenkenzell, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, Feb. 2022; ex. Münchner Münzhandlung Karl Kreß [Kress] Auction 139, 20 Jun 1967, Lot 717.

Diocletian, AE Antoninianus, 293-294 AD, Antioch Mint (7th Officina). Obv. Radiate, draped & cuirassed bust right, IMP C C VAL DIOCLETIANVS PF AVG / Rev. Jupiter stdg. left, holding long scepter, presents Victory on globe to Diocletian, CONCORDIA MILITVM; Z in lower middle field (= 7th officina of Antioch mint), XXI in exergue. RIC VI 322 (p. 256), Sear RCV IV 12637, Cohen 34. 20.87 mm., 4.75 g.

Diocletian, silvered AE Follis, 294-295 AD, Nicomedia Mint. Obv. Laureate head right, IMP CC VAL DIOCLETIANVS PF AVG/ Rev. Genius standing left, pouring out patera & holding cornucopiae, GENIO POPVLI ROMANI, mintmark SMN (Nicomedia). RIC VI 27a p. 556), Sear RCV IV 12788, ERIC II 539, Cohen 106.  27.8 mm., 8.6 g.

Diocletian, AR Argenteus, ca. AD 295, Heraclea Mint (1st Officina). Obv. Laureate head right, DIOCLETI-ANVS AVG / Rev. The four tetrarchs [the Augusti Diocletian and Maximian, and the Caesars Constantius Chlorus and Galerius], draped, sacrificing over a tripod altar, two of them on each side, before military camp gate with six turrets (four in front and two in rear), VICTORIA-SARMAT [referring to victories over the Sarmatians*]; in exergue, H A [Heraclea, 1st Officina]. RIC VI Heraclea 6 [see http://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.6.her.6], RSC V Diocletian 488j, Sear RCV IV 12612. Purchased from Kenneth W. Dorney, Oct. 2021. Ex Ira & Larry Goldberg Auction 90, 2 Feb. 2016, Lot 3274. 19 mm., 2.70 g.   

*See Stephen Williams, Diocletian and the Roman Recovery (Routledge, 2000) at p. 76 (preview at Google Books): “In 294 Diocletian launced a fresh offensive against the main body of the Sarmatians. . . . By the latter half of 294 they [the Sarmatians] had sustained such a defeat that they ceased to be a threat for many more years. Sarmatian warriors were taken into the Roman armies in large numbers, either as mercenaries or under treaty, and later fought well under Galerius against the Persians.”

Diocletian, billon abdication Follis, 305-307 AD, Trier Mint. Obv. Laureate bust right in imperial mantle (trabea), holding olive branch and mappa, D N DIOCLETIANO BAEATISSIMO SEN AVG / Rev. Providentia standing right, holding [scroll or short scepter?] and drapery with left hand and extending right hand to Quies standing left, holding branch downward with right hand and leaning on scepter with left hand, S - F across fields, PROVIDENTIA DEORVM QVIES AVGG; PTR in exergue. 27x28 mm., 9.6 gm. RIC VI Trier 673a (p. 208), Sear RCV IV 12927.  [Die match to example sold by Numismatik Naumann in 2015; see https://www.acsearch.info/image.html?id=2337893.]

 

[CPK]

Diocletian was a fascinating figure. Here is my only portrait coin of him:

 

[Severus Alexander]

Because he's so important both historically and numismatically I have a lot of Diocletian. So I'll get creative with my "best of" categories to squeeze 5 coins in. 🙂 

Best portrait on an antoninianus:

^ This was actually issued by Carausius at the mysterious C mint.

Runner-up (antoninianus portrait):

^ One of Diocletian's first portraits, issued in 284 in Antioch, before he elevated his buddy Maximianus (thus AVG rather than AVGG on the reverse).

Now for the folles/nummi.  Best "good cop" portrait (Siscia, first issue):

^ All smiles!

Best "bad cop" portrait (Cyzicus 2nd issue):

^ Super grumpy. 😤

Best "neutral cop" chiselled anonymous-looking tetrarchal portrait (Antioch c. 302-3):

^ An ex-Dattari coin with its typical "Dattari toning," as I've dubbed it.

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

I also have a potin Tetradrachm of Alexandria for Diocletian. Also, during my last trip to Egypt I ran into a German archaeological dig near Luxor temple which had discovered a late third century legionary fortress, attributed to the time of Diocletian and a construction with two purposes, one being an outpost to fight back against incursions of the Blemmeyes and the other being to control the restive population. It was during Diocletian's reign that the usurper Domitius Domitianus had wrested away Alexandria and it was subjected to an assault by the troops of Diocletian.

Type: Potin Tetradrachm

Obverse: A K ΓOYA L DIOKLHTIANOC CEB Laureate bust of Diocletian right

Reverse: Eusebia left, sacrificing, dropping incense onto altar LE Year 5, 288 A.D.

Reference: Milne 4896 

[Ursus]

Diocletian, Roman Empire, AE antoninianus, 285–286 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IMP DIOCLETIANVS AVG; radiate, draped, cuirassed bust of Diocletian from the back r. Rev: IOVI CONSERVAT AVGG; Jupiter standing l. with thunderbolt and sceptre; in exergue, XXIB. 22mm, 3.62g. RIC V-2 Diocletian 162.

Diocletian, Roman Empire, AE antoninianus, 285 AD, Antioch mint. Obv: IMP C C VAL DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG; radiate, draped, cuirassed bust of Diocletian r. Rev: IOV ET HERCV CONSER AVGG; Jupiter, standing r., holding globe in r. hand and sceptre in l. hand, and Hercules, standing l., holding Victory in r. hand and club and lion's skin in l. hand; in central field, crescent above B; in exergue, XXI. 19 mm, 3.89g. Ref: RIC V Diocletian 323.

Diocletian, Roman Empire, AE radiate, 295–299 AD, Cyzicus mint. Obv: IMP CC VAL DIOCLETIANVS PF AVG; radiate, draped, cuirassed bust of Diocletian r. Rev: CONCORDIA MILITVM; Jupiter standing l. and holding sceptre presents Victory to emperor standing r.; between them, mintmark KΓ. 22mm, 3.2g. RIC VI Cyzicus 15a.

Diocletian, Roman Empire, AE1 ("follis"), 302–303 AD, Antioch mint. Obv: IMP C DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG; head of Diocletian, laureate, r. Rev: GENIO POPVLI ROMANI; Genius, wearing modius, nude, chlamys draped over l. shoulder, standing l., holding patera in r. hand and holding cornucopiae in l. hand; in field r., B; in exergue, ANT*. 27mm, 9.61g. Ref: RIC VI Antioch 56a.

[Pellinore]

An able emperor who stayed, finally, after a long series of less succesful allmighties. A bit dour, and I never did my best to find a nice portrait. So I bought his coins for other reasons. 

 

Some of you probably recognize this coin. 2579. Diocletian 285-305, antoninian (285-295). Obv. Radiate and cuirassed bust r. IMP DIOCLETIANVS AVG. Rev. Jupiter standing facing, head right, preparing to hurl thunderbolt; at feet to left, eagle standing left, head right; XXI Γ in exergue. IOVI FVLGERATORI. Metal a bit reddish. 22 mm, 3.81 gr. RIC 167 or 168: see this lengthy discussion on CoinTalk. Ebay Coin.Ages ex-coll. Stevex6, August 29, 2018.

 

Diocletian 285-305, brockage antoninian (285-295), Ticinum. Obv. Radiate and cuirassed bust r. IMP C VAL DIOCLETIANVS AVG. Rev. Incuse. 21 mm, 3.22 gr. Ticinum is the only place with ‘Imp C Val’.

 

3272 A. Diocletian, potin tetradrachm Alexandria 292/3. Obv. Laureate and cuirassed bust right. Rev. Bust of Zeus right, slight drapery on shoulder, wearing taenia; L ENATOY = RY 9 (AD 292/3) before and behind Zeus. 18 mm, 6.84 gr. Emmett 4086.9 (R5). 

3273 A. Potin tetradrachm Diocletianus. Alexandria. 19 mm, 6.90 gr. Dated RY 11 (AD 294/5). Obv: Laureate and cuirassed bust right. ΔIOKΛHTIANOC CEB. Rev: Nike advancing right, holding wreath and palm; L IA (date) across field. Dattari (Savio) 5741. Emmett... ??? Ebay Lanz May 2017. Chosen by me as Top Provincial 2017.

 

 

Edited April 3, 2023 by Pellinore
A few little mistakes

[kapphnwn]

Diocletian Ar Argenteus Nicomedia 295-296 AD Obv Head right laureate Rv Campgate with four turrets RIC 25a Gautier 2 (Second Emission 3.39 grms 17 mm Photo by W. Hansen

[mc9]

4 of my provicial Diocletianus coins, must still attribute all my provincial coins, something to to in the summer, outside :