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Posted

I always enjoyed Usurpers among the Roman Emperors.  Makes for interesting reading, but sometimes you could imagine some horrible repercussions among the general populations as these narcissists forced their ways onto Humanity.  Sometimes, most people did not get hurt, just the folks in the top rungs of politics.

POST YOUR USURPERS!

EUGENIUS

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RI Eugenius 392-394 CE AE 12mm 1.0g Aquileia SPES wreath palm Victory RIC59


POEMENIUS:

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RI Poemenius in name of Constantius II summer 353 Trier XP RIC VIII Trier 332 RARE
(mixes bust of Constantius II with Chi Rho of Magnentius - enemy of CII)
Ex: @seth77

 

POST YOUR USURPERS!  Even usurpers of OTHER Empires or Kingdoms...

  • Like 20
Posted

Clodius Albinus as Augustus

Obv:- IMP CAES D CLO SEP ALBIN AVG, Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right
Rev:- GEN LVG COS II, Genius of Lugdunum, standing facing, towered head left, vertical scepter in right hand, cornucopiae in left, eagle at feet to left and looking upward right
Minted in Lugdunum. November A.D. 195 to 19th February A.D. 196
Reference:- RIC 23d (R2)

RI_063e_img.jpg

Pescennius Niger

Pescennius Niger denarius - RIC -. cf. RIC IV 70d
Obv:- IMP CAE PESCEN NIGER IVST A, laureate head right
Rev:- ROMAE AETERNAE, Roma in military attire seated left on cuirass, no shield at side or feet, Victory offering wreath in right hand, long scepter vertical behind in left hand
Minted in Antioch. Apr 193 - May 194 A.D
Reference:- Unpublished in primary references, cf. RIC IV 70d, RSC III 62b, BMCRE V p. 80 note, SRCV II 6121, Hunter III -,

Scratches and scrapes, small edge test cut, hard edge bump on reverse resulting in crack on obverse, slightly off center cutting off parts of legends

2.690g, maximum diameter 17.1mm, die axis 15o
RI_062a_img.jpg

 

  • Like 17
Posted

Macrianus. 260-261 AD. AE Antoninianus (3.31 gm, 22mm). Antiochia mint.
Obv. IMP C FVL MACRIANVS P F AVG, radiate, cuirassed bust right.
Rev.: SPES PVBLICA, Spes, draped, standing left, holding flower in her outstretched right hand, raising skirt with her left hand. RIC V 13; MIR 44, 1743b; RSC 13.

normal_macrianus.jpg.c5c7c739f3b7b040851ee3075b03c7e0.jpg

  • Like 13
Posted

MAGNENTIUS
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RI Magnentius 351-352 CE AE 1 CHI RHO

MAGNUS MAXIMUS
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RI Magnus Maximus 383-388 CE AE Follis

VETRANIO
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RI Vetranio 350 CE AE3 17mm Siscia mint Emp stdng hldg Standard and Spear

DECENTIUS
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RI Decentius 350-353 CE AE19 VOT V

VABALATHUS
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RI Vabalathus 271-272 CE and Aurelian

POSTUMUS
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RI Postumus 259-268 CE Antoninianus Cologne Oriens ex tif

AUREOLUS?
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RI Postumus struck by Aureolus 268 CE Revolt of Milan Concordia

LAELIANUS
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RI Laelianus CE 269 AE Ant 19mm 3.4g Moguntiacum mint Radiate cuirassed Victory RIC Vb 9 p373 black

CLODIUS ALBINUS
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RI Clodius Albinus 193-197 CE AR Denarius ROMAE AETERNAE Roma seated

  • Like 12
  • Heart Eyes 1
Posted

Not a great coin and not even of the issuer, but a different usurper...

Maxentius 'Divus Constantius I' Follis, 307-308

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Ticinum. Bronze, 26mm, 5.18g. Veiled head of Constantius I right; DIVO CONSTANTIO AVG. Domed shrine with double doors surmounted by eagle; MEM DIVI CONSTANTI; mintmark ST below (RIC VI, 96). Found in Thoroton, Nottinghamshire 2010 (PAS: LEIC-E90BD6).

  • Like 14
  • Benefactor
Posted

I guess these two count:

Postumus, silvered billon Antoninianus, Cologne or Trier Mint, 265-268 AD. Obv. Radiate & draped bust right, IMP C POSTVMVS P F AVG / Rev. Serapis, crowned and draped, standing left, raising right hand and holding transverse sceptre in left hand; in background, prow of galley right, SARAPI COMITI AVG. RIC V-1 329, RSC IV 358, Sear RCV III 10992 (ill. p. 364). 21 mm., 3.80 g.

Postumus - Serapis jpg.jpg

Magnus Maximus [Emperor in West AD 383-388 by usurpation from Gratian], AR reduced Siliqua*, AD 383-388, Trier Mint. Obv. Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right, DN MAG MAX-IMVS PF AVG [AV ligatured] / Rev. Helmeted Roma seated facing on throne, head left, holding globe in right hand and reversed spear in left hand, VIRTVS RO-MANORVM; in exergue, TR PS [TR = Trier Mint; PS = Pvsvlatvm (struck from refined, purified silver; see Sear RCV V, Introduction p. 7)]. 1.90 g., 16.32 x 16.08 mm., 12 h. RIC IX 84(b)(1) (p. 29), RSC V 20b (ill. p. 176), Sear RCV V 20644 (p. 422); Ghey 56f (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 82; 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).**   (Footnotes omitted.)

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  • Like 17
Posted

I'm surprised nobody posted a Procopius, so I can post my poor excuse for a Procopius coin (just kidding, it's horrible but at least I ticked another name)

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Procopius AD 365-366. Nicomedia
Follis Æ
20 mm, 2,38 g
D N PROCO-PIVS P F AVG, bust of Procopius, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed, left / REPARATI-O FEL TEMP, emperor, head right, standing facing, holding labarum in right hand and resting left on shield. At foot, left, a small indeterminate object; above, in field right, ☧
RIC IX Constantinople 17B

 

And the most popular usurper because everybody likes his portrait. Same coin type and reference as posted by @DonnaML but without the prow in background.

image.png.b76070e34d3c1f34ee418a15037d0774.png

 

  • Like 13
Posted (edited)

MACRIANUS
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RI Macrianus 260-261 CE Usurper AR 22mm 4.4g BI Ant Spes Publica star Sear 3.10811. RIC 13 pg 581 R2 Rare

QUIETUS
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RI Quietus usurper 260-261 CE Ant 3-74g Samasota mint Indulgentia patera scepter RIC V 5

GALLIC EMPIRE
- (POSTUMUS prior post)

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RI Postumus 259-268 CE Antoninianus Cologne Oriens ex tif

- MARIUS
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RI Marius 269 Gallic Usurper BI Ant CONCORD MILIT Clasped Hands

- VICTORINUS
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RI Victorinus 269-270 CE BI Ant Gallic Empire Salus

- TETRICUS I
[IMG]

RI Tetricus I 271-274 CE Ant LAETITIA

- TETRICUS II
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RI Tetricus II 273-274 CE BI Ant SPES w Flower

ALLECTUS
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RI Allectus 293-296 CE AE Ant PAX

CARAUSIUS
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RI Carausius usurper in Britain CE 287–293 BI Ant 4.7g 24mm London radiate cuirassed - PAX AVG Pax stndg l branch scepter S—P RIC V 475

SATURNINUS
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RI Probus Æ Ant 22mm 3.75g 280CE CLEMENTIA TEMP XXI Emperor receiving Victory from Jupiter UNKNOWN EASTERN MINT - fight Saturninus 

PROCOPIUS
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RI Procopius 365-366 AE3

 

47 minutes ago, ambr0zie said:

I'm surprised nobody posted a Procopius, so I can post my poor excuse for a Procopius coin (just kidding, it's horrible but at least I ticked another name)

Ah!  Thanks for the reminder!  I was able to edge in MY grody version, too!!!  😄 

Edited by Alegandron
  • Like 12
Posted

This thread is overdue for a non-Roman-world usurper.

The two decades of the so-called Early Kamnaskirid Dynasty in Elymais was a time of political flux, when leadership seemed to constantly change hands. At times the Seleucids ruled, while at other times Parthia controlled the area. During some periods the indigenous Kamnaskirids ruled. And, on perhaps three occasions, it seems, usurpers took control. The first usurper, Okkonapses, ruled for a short time around 140 BC before Parthia's Mithradates I took control of the region. Another usurper, Dareios, may have ruled around 127 BC - although some have speculated his rule was earlier.

One of the three usurpers, Tigraios (below), was likely a local king. He conquered the Elymaean capital Susa in 138/7 BC. In doing so, he seized power from the Parthian viceroy to Elymais, Phraates II, who was the son of Parthia's King Mithradates I.

 

An ugly coin, but it seems that none of these rarities have survived in great shape:

Tigraios_Forum.jpg.c4c3b5a0bd56cb56695ea7e96304be66.jpg

Tigraios
Usurper in Elymais, c. 138/7 - 133/2 BC
AE unit
14 mm, 1.6 g
Obv: Helmeted, youthful male bust facing right, pellet border
Rev: Eagle standing right, wings open, legend (BAΣIΛEΩΣ on right, TIΓPAIOY on left) largely obscured and partially off-flan on this example
Van't Haaff 5.5.1-1

 

  • Like 13
Posted

Emperor Chadicus Maximus himself. To my knowedge he is the only usurper to get Imperial recognition from an Emperor. 

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Magnus Maximus, 383-388 Siliqua Treveri circa 383-388, AR 18.5mm., 1.84g. D NMAG MAXIMVS P F AVG Pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust r. Rev. VIRTVS ROMANORVM Roma enthroned facing, head l., holding globe and spear; in exergue, TRPS. RIC 84b. C20. 

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This coin was struck in the 18 month period of time that Magnus Maximus occupied Milan and the entire Western Roman Empire. Magnus Maximus AR Siliqua 387-388 CE 1.84 Grams Mediolanum mint 

 

  • Like 13
Posted

It's ugly, but ...

Domitius Domitianus. Usurper, (296-297 AD); Ae Follis

Obv: IMP CL DOMITIVS DOMITIANVS AVG; Laureate bust right

Rev: GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI; Genius standing facing, head left, holding patera over eagle at feet to left, and cornucopiae

Ref: RIC 20

307258918_DomitianDomitianusAe1.jpg.20c8f95cb364689720a00f3b6d2c7b78.jpg

  • Like 13
Posted

...i have more from other from other eras, but  3rd century emperors which all, save for a very few, were usurpers or usurpers- turned -emperors...:D

IMG_1166.JPG

  • Like 10
Posted
27 minutes ago, TheTrachyEnjoyer said:

CBA57488-7A69-49A4-AED1-ACB6FF775CEA.jpeg.2c0d90e6ac364ba155e80f22e7e03a02.jpeg

Michael VIII Palaeologus - the legitimate emperor was blinded and deposed (as a child) by his regent Michael on Christmas day! And a happy new years to you as well, John Lascaris 

The Byzantines sure loved their blinding didn't they?

  • Like 3
Posted

Pescennius Niger's claim to the throne lasted a mere 12 months hence the scarcity and cost of his coins.
Pescennius Niger. AD 193-194. AR Denarius. Antioch mint.
Obverse..IMP CAES C PESC NIGER IVST AVG, Laureate head right.
Reverse...FORTVNAE REDVCI, Fortuna standing left, holding rudder and cornucopiae. RIC IV 26d.20201103_Pescennius-Niger.jpg.87d0e830d8eda1fb6d619e91c011c75d.jpg

  • Like 12
  • Benefactor
Posted (edited)

Great post, @Alegandron

Here’s my Alexander I Balas. I was preparing to post some coins and exonumia of my all time favorite usurper — Napoleon Bonaparte but since he’s not ancient — I’ll do that in the World Forum a little later. 

 

image.jpeg.ffd0aecccc4b516acce5bb6b37d1d34a.jpeg

 

 

— LONGINUS aka Deacon Ray

Edited by LONGINUS
  • Like 9
Posted
2 hours ago, LONGINUS said:

Great post, @Alegandron

Here’s my Alexander I Balas. I was preparing to post some coins and exonumia of my all time favorite usurper — Napoleon Bonaparte but since he’s not ancient — I’ll do that in the World Forum a little later. 

 

image.jpeg.ffd0aecccc4b516acce5bb6b37d1d34a.jpeg

 

 

— LONGINUS aka Deacon Ray

Hmmm... good point about Napoleon... I captured mine from an ANCIENTS COLLECTOR who is from FRANCE?  Maybe that helps???  😄 

I believe this one is considered harder-to-get...

upload_2021-1-17_11-11-43.png
upload_2021-1-17_11-12-20.png
France
Napoleon Emperor
AR 2 Francs
1808-I Limoges mint
Republic Rev
AU55
Ex: @Cucumbor / @Qcumbor

  • Like 7
  • Clap 1

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