Emperors of Rome - A (Chronological) Portrait Gallery

[mc9]

 

 

D N MAGNENTIVS P F AVG : bare-headed, draped and cuirassed bust to right; A behind

GLORIA ROMANORVM // TRP : emperor galloping to right, holding shield and spearing barbarian kneeling to right, shield and broken spear below horse; in exergue..

Centenionalis, Treveri, AD 350-353, RIC VIII 26

IM CAE MAGN-ENTIVS AVG : bare-headed, draped, and cuirassed bust right; A behind

FEL TEMP REPARATIO A//TRP : emperor standing left on galley, holding Victory and labarum inscribed with Christogram; tat stern sits Victory, steering the ship

Centenionalis, Trier, A.D. 350, RIC VIII 260

D N DECENTIVS NOB CAES : bareheaded and cuirassed bust right

VICTORIAE DD NN AVG ET CAE // RSLG: Two Victories standing facing each other, holding between them shield inscribed VOT | V | MVLT | X in four lines;  around, SV between, in exergue.

Centenionalis, Lugdunum, AD 351-352, RIC VIII 127

Edited April 28, 2023 by mc9

[CPK]

[Pellinore]

Decentius! Compared with Magnentius a pretty decent fellow, I think. 

Decentius (350-353), AE maiorina. Obv. Cuirassed bust right, DN DECENTIVS NOB CAES. Rev. Two Victories facing each other, holding between them wreath inscribed VOT / V / MVLT / X. VICTORIAE DD NN AVG ET CAE; SP between figures // RSLG. Lugdunum, 351-353. 20 mm, 4.21 gr, 6h. Reference: RIC VIII 137, p. 187. From the YOC Collection. Attractive photograph by John Zielinski, JAZ auction, January 2017, € 65 

[Qcumbor]

I have a Magnentius' AE1 that unfortunately puts my Decentius' AE2 to shame !!

 

Magnentius, AE 1 - Amiens mint, AD 353, seventh phase (before Aug 10th)
D N MAGNEN TIVS P F AVG, Draped bust of Magnentius right
SALVS DD NN AVG ET CAES, Large christogram between alpha and omega. AMB at exergue
9.20 gr
Ref : Cohen #30, LRBC #19, Bastien # 135 (15 ex), RIC # 34 (C)

 

Decentius, Maiorina - Lyon mint
DN DECENTIVS CAES, bare bust, cuirassed right
VICTORIA DD NN AVG ET CAE, two victories holding a wreath where is inscribed : VOT/V/MVLT/X. Dot and SV in field
4.46 gr
Ref : Cohen # 33, Roman coins # 4035, LRBC # 224

Q

Edited April 29, 2023 by Qcumbor

[John Conduitt]

These guys sent a lot of coins to Britain. Nice to get slightly bigger bronzes again too.

Magnentius Centenionalis, 350-351

Lugdunum. Billon, 22mm, 5.25g. Rosette-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right; D N MAGNENTIVS P F AVG. Emperor standing left, holding Victory in right hand and labarum bearing ☧ in left hand; FELICITAS - REIPVBLICAE; RPLG in exergue (RIC VIII, 112). From the Freckenham (Suffolk) Hoard 1948.

The Chi-Rhos and bare heads were apparently to distinguish their Christian credentials with Constantius II's Semi-Arianism.

Decentius as Caesar Centenionalis, 350-353

Lugdunum. Bronze, 23mm, 5.92g. Bareheaded and cuirassed bust right; D N DECENT(I-VS NOB CAES). Large Chi-Rho ☧, flanked by A and ω, SALVS DD NN (AVG ET CAES); mintmark PSLG (RIC VIII, 157/159). Reportedly from the Bridgnorth (Shropshire) Hoard 2007, Portable Antiquities Scheme IARCH-65B7BF.

[wittwolff]

[Shea19]

He had a great helmet of hair:

Magnentius, Treveri(Trier), 352 AD, (AE, 23.3 mm, 4.55g), Bare-headed bust of Magnentius to right, A behind/ Two Victories holding wreath with inscription VOT / V / MVLT / X; TRP in exergue

[Pellinore]

The coins of Magnentius are sometimes leaning to barbarous. 

 

 

And this one was cleaned so severely that there is little character left of it: 

 

[Romancollector]

Magnentius AE Double Centenionalis from Lugdunum rv. Chi Rho

[Sulla80]

An unusual Decentius with 's" and "*" in the bottom two arms of the chi rho - only one other example in ACSearch (and Lucernae selling on on Vcoins).  It is listed in RIC VII as Decentius Lugdunum 171 however the example shown is not the correct coin: http://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.8.lug.171) Sear in Roman Coins & Their values V documents this variety as 18866 (officina Mark preceded by P or F - officina P not recorded).  Sear dates this coin to AD 353.

Roman Imperial Coins, DECENTIUS (Caesar, 350-353). Centenionalis. Lugdunum
Obv: DN DECENTIVS NOB CAES, bareheaded and cuirassed bust right.
Rev: SALVS DD NN AVG ET CAES / A - ω / S - *, Large Christogram (Chi-Rho), FSLC in exergue

 

Note: (Salus Dominorum Nostrorum Augusti et Cæsari) translates to (the Health of Our Noble August and Caesar)

Edited April 30, 2023 by Sulla80

[Severus Alexander]

Wow, above there are some amazing examples of what I think of as the classic Magnentian style portrait (@Pellinore, @Qcumbor-that eyebrow!, @Shea19, @Romancollector, I'm looking at you!). I love the more unusual portrait from Lugdunum that @John Conduitt posted too.  

Nobody posted a coin from Rome, which has quite a different and more realistic style.  My favourite portrait of Magnentius is on my Rome coin:

My Decentius is a Lugdunum:

[O-Towner]

Here's another Rome mint type of Magnentius. Bit of colorful red patina but tougher to find and an interesting reverse design:

Ae : Rome mint  (21mm, 4.1gms) 

Obv: IMP CAE MAGNENTIVS AVG; Bare bust right, N behind

Rev: VICTORIA AVG LIB ROMANOR; Victory standing right and Libertas standing left each with one hand on trophy between them, RP in exergue

Ref: RIC VIII 191

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

OK, it is 3 pm Eastern time and therefore the occasion for some Apostasy.

Julian II 361-363 C.E.

AE1 Double Majorina, bronze 28mm 8.1 grams

Mint: Cyzicus

Obverse: DN FL CL IVLIANVS PF AVG, Diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right

Reverse: SECVRITAS REIPVBLICAE, Bull standing right, star in field

While the coinage of Julian is most remarkable for its depiction of a bull, historians are uncertain of what the emperor actually intended to portray through this coinage. Was it an effort to link the emperor to the mysterious power of the APIS bull common amongst the Egyptians? Was it an attempt to portray the ritual sacrifice of bulls that Julian re-instated after decades of Christian-sympathizing rule? Or was it something else, perhaps a representation of the astrological sign Taurus? The chronicler Ammianus Marcellinus is the primary source on Julian's reign and unfortunately never commented on the coinage, whilst mostly praising Julian's actions, personality, and character.

Edited April 30, 2023 by Ancient Coin Hunter

[mc9]

My two favorite Julianus II portraits : 1 as caesar, 1 as augustus :

D N IVLIANV S NOB CAES : bareheaded r., draped and cuirassed

SPES REI PUBLICA // ANH : Emperor, helmeted and in military dress, stg. l., holding globe and spear

AE3, Antiochia, A.D.355 – 361, RIC VIII 194 p.528

D N FL CL IVLI-ANVS P F AVG : pearl diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right

SECVRITAS REI PVB/ -|-// *BSIRM ( palm ) : bull, head facing, standing right, above 2 stars

AE1, Sirmium, A.D.363, RIC VIII 107

Edited April 30, 2023 by mc9

[expat]

Julian II, "The Apostate": Caesar 355-360 AD, Augustus 360-363 AD. The last true "pagan" emperor who revered the ancient gods until the day he died in 363 from a javelin wound fighting the Persians

Julian II AE3. 355-361 AD struck under authority of Conatantine II.
 DN IVLIAN-VS NOB C, bare-headed, draped and cuirassed bust right /
SPES REI-PVBLICAE, emperor standing left, helmeted and in military dress, holding globe and spear. Mintmark dot ΔSISV.
RIC VIII Siscia 402
14mm, 2.25gr

 

[Severus Alexander]

One of the gems of my collection:

I don’t think I’ve seen a portrait of Julian that I like better. Though I’m a bit biased! 😁

[Qcumbor]

I should have posted before @Severus Alexander : now why would I ?.... Well, it's from Antioch and a greenie, so here it is :

Julian II, AE 1 - Double Maiorina, Antioch mint, 3 rd officina
D N FL CL IVLI ANVS P F AVG, Diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Julianus right
SECURITAS REIPUB, Bull to right, two stars above. ANT gamma between two branches at exergue
8.73 gr
Ref : Cohen #38, RC #4072, LRBC #2641

Q

[wittwolff]

One of my favorite emperors, I wish I had such a nice coin like the two posters before me 🥰

Here one as Caesar and one as Augustus from me:

 

[John Conduitt]

Julian II Siliqua, 361-363

Lugdunum. Silver, 17mm, 1.90g. Pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right; FL CL IVLIA-NVS P P AVG. VOTIS V MVLTIS X in laurel wreath; PLVG in exergue (RIC VIII, 227). From the Harptree (Somerset) Hoard 1887.

[DonnaML]

Julian II (nephew of Constantine I), AR reduced Siliqua*, AD 360-361, Arles [Constantina/Arelatum] Mint, 1st Officina. Obv. Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right, DN IVLIAN-VS P F AVG / Rev. VOTIS/V/MVLTIS/X in four lines within wreath. In exergue: PCON [PRIMA CONSTANTINA = First officina in Arles]. RIC VIII Arles 295, RSC V 16, Sear RCV V 19132. 17 mm., 2.2 g.

Julian II (nephew of Constantine I), AR reduced Siliqua*, AD 362-363, Antioch Mint. Obv. Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right, bearded, FL CL IVLIA-NVS PF AVG / Rev. VOT X MVLT XX in four lines within wreath; in exergue, ANT [Antioch]. 2.17 g., 19.33 x 18.40 mm., 6 h. RIC VIII 213 (p. 531), RSC V 147a, Sear RCV V 19128 (p. 279), Ghey 22 (this coin) [Ghey, E., “Vale of Pewsey, Wiltshire,” unpublished catalogue held by British Museum]. Purchased 17 May 2022 from Noonans (f/k/a Dix Noonan Webb) Auction, “The Vale of Pewsey Hoard of Late Roman Silver Coins,” Lot 11; ex Vale of Pewsey Hoard, discovered in Wiltshire 12-13 Sep. 2020, Portable Antiquities Scheme Hoard ID BM-7D34D9 (see https://finds.org.uk/database/hoards/record/id/3305).**

*See Sear RCV V at p. 271: “in AD 357 the weight of the [siliqua] denomination was reduced by one-third to 2 scripula or 2.25 grams.”

**See Noonans Auction Catalogue, at https://www.noonans.co.uk/media/auction_catalogues/Coins 17 May 22.pdf, p. 3:

"Presented here for sale is a hoard of fourth and early fifth century Roman silver coins, recovered in September 2020 from farmland in the Vale of Pewsey, Wiltshire, by a team of three avid metal detectorists. Over the course of two days Rob Abbott, Dave Allen and Mick Rae discovered a total of 160 silver coins and coin fragments, which were subsequently submitted to the relevant authorities for processing according to the Treasure Act 1997
(PAS BM–7D34D9, BM 2020 T702).

No container has been recovered from the site and the coins’ dispersal over an area of around 30 metres across the field suggests that the original parcel was disrupted in recent times by agricultural activity. A few of the recovered coins were badly chipped, broken or fragmentary. Most of these breaks look fresh and it would seem that this unfortunate damage has resulted from regular ploughing of the field for agricultural purposes.

We should be enormously grateful, therefore, that the hoard was recovered when it was before more coins succumbed to a similar fate. Numismatists and historians alike should appreciate the diligent efforts of these three finders in rescuing the Vale of Pewsey Hoard and ensuring that this important group was properly recorded for future study.

Following assessment and appraisal the British Museum decided to acquire two Miliarensia from the group for the Nation’s collection. The remaining coins were disclaimed and returned to the original finders, who have now chosen to sell the hoard so that private scholars and numismatists may have the opportunity to acquire examples for their own collections. Only those pieces in fragmentary state have been retained by the finders, and all 142 complete, or near complete, coins are listed in this catalogue; eighteen Miliarensia and 124 Siliquae.

Amongst them are numerous rare and beautifully preserved specimens which will appeal to specialist Roman collectors and general numismatists alike."

The breakdown of the 142 lots is as follows (see id. p. 10):

CONSTANS (337–350) 1
CONSTANTIUS II (337–361) 2–7
JULIAN II (360–363) 8–11
VALENTINIAN I (364–375) 12–14
VALENS (364–378) 15–33
GRATIAN (367–383) 34–49
VALENTINIAN II (375–392) 50–59
THEODOSIUS I (379–395) 60–74
MAGNUS MAXIMUS (383–388) 75–92
FLAVIUS VICTOR (387–388) 93–95
ARCADIUS (383–408) 96–118
EUGENIUS (392–394) 119–133
HONORIUS (393–423) 134–142

See also https://finds.org.uk/database/hoards/record/id/3305, noting that “Most of the coins have been only lightly clipped to remove silver from the edges of the coins, unlike many hoards with a deposition date into the fifth century AD. There are also few obviously irregular coins in the group. The total weight in silver of the late Roman coins submitted is 328.76g, remarkably close to a Roman pound in silver.”

Julian II, AE Double Maiorina, 361-363 AD, Sirmium [Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia] Mint, 2nd Officina.  Obv. Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right, FL CL IVLI-ANVS PF AVG / Bull (prob. Taurus) standing right, two stars above, SECVRITAS REIPVB; in exergue: mintmark star-BSIRM-palm branch. RIC VIII Sirmium 107B (p. 392), Sear RCV V 19152 (ill.), Cohen 38. 28 mm., 8.48 g. Purchased from Frank S. Robinson, Auction 113, Sep 2, 2020, Lot 315.

Julian II, AE Centenionalis, 361-363 AD,  Sirmium [Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia] Mint, 2nd Officina. Obv. Pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust left, spear in right hand, shield in left, D N FL CL IVLIANVS P F AVG / Rev. VOT/X/MVLT/XX in four lines within wreath. In exergue: BSIRM [BETA SIRMIUM = Second officina in Sirmium] RIC VIII Sirmium 108, Cohen VIII 151, Sear RCV V 19172. 20.3 mm, 3.393 g.

[Octavius]

 Double maiorina of Julian...

[dougsmit]

Sorry I missed Constantius II and Gallus as well as Magnentius/Decentius.  I've been busy in the yard and forgot to watch.  Meanwhile, Julian. Nothing special but the first (Spes) always struck me as better than most you see of this usually trashy period.  His Augustus coins tend to be better.

 

With eagle is harder to find.

Withouts are usually nicer than mine but are  popular and can get pricy. 

The two bulls here illustrate the need to distinguish between the mint at Constantia (Arles) where the officina precedes the city and Constantinople. where it follows.

[Pellinore]

Julian the Apostate! I read a fascinating historical novel about him a long time ago. It was in German, by Wolfgang Cordan. Though I resolved to bring a nice collection together, it never really worked out. My (official) bull maiorina and bearded Harptree siliqua need improvement. There's still a lot to be achieved in the Julian line.

But there's this: 

AR siliqua Julian II. Lyon, 361. Obv. Diademed bust t.r. Rev. VOTIS V MVLTIS X. 17 mm, 1.51 gr. RIC viii, p. 195.

AE Julian II (360-363). Obv. helmeted bust t.l. with shield and spear/ DNFLCLIVLI ANVSPFAUG. Rev. VOT X MVLT XX in wreath/ BSIRM. RIC Sirmium VIII 108.

AE maiorina Julian II. Obv. Diademed and cuirassed bust t.r. Rev. Bull t.r. under two stars. VZT in exergue. (‘NIKB’ according to Lanz description!) Barbarous. 23.5 mm, 7.74 gr. ‘From the E.E. Clain-Steffanelli collection, former curator of the Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Museum, Washington’. With an old penciled little envelope.

AE maiorina Julian II. Obv. Diademed and cuirassed bust t.r. Rev. Bull t.r. No texts. Barbarous style. 26 mm, 6.04 gr. Auction Frank Robinson, November 2019.

Edited May 2, 2023 by Pellinore

[Jims,Coins]

Bronze coin (AE 3) minted at Heraclea during the reign of Julian II, as Caesar, between 361 - 363 A.D. Obv. D.N.FL.CL.IVLI-ANVS.P.F.AVG. Helmeted, cuirassed, bust l., spear across right shoulder. Rev. VOT.X.MVLT.XX. in laurel-wreath. RCS #4074. RICVIII #105 pg.438. DVM #28.

 

Bronze coin (AE 3) minted at SIS during the reign of Julian II, as Caesar between 355 - 360 A.D. Obv. D.N.IVLIANVS.NOB. C. Bareheaded, draped & cuirassed bust r. Rev. FEL.TEMP. REPARATIO. Soldier advancing l., spearing fallen horseman. RCS #4063. DVM #26 C163

 

I had to include this one, no one posted this one.

Edited May 3, 2023 by Jims,Coins

[Jims,Coins]

Tick tock