Flavius Victor AR Siliqua

[Magnus Maximus]

Flavius Victor, son of Magnus Maximus and his wife (Helena?), was born before his father's claim to the purple in A.D. 383. Magnus Maximus, who lacked Flavius as a praenomen, seems to have risen from the lower classes. However, by the time Victor was born, Maximus was a high-ranking general in the Western Roman army, hence the name "Flavius" Victor for his son. The precise date of Victor's elevation to Augustus by his father is unknown, but it is likely that Maximus elevated his son in 387, as most of Victor's coins were manufactured in Italy, and he is not mentioned in any imperial capacity from 383 to early 387. It is also likely that Maximus left his son in Trier with the generals Nanninus and Quintinus, along with a small contingent of crack troops from the Ioviani legion, to ensure that his flank was shored up and an imperial presence was left on the volatile Rhine frontier.

This decision proved to be a smart move, as around the time of Maximus's defeat by Theodosius I at the Battle of the Sava River in late 388, the Franks, under a warlord named Marcomer, began a series of raids on the northern Rhine frontier. Roman forces were able to kill a number of the raiders before they crossed the Rhine, but the Roman forces endured heavy casualties after they tried to pursue the Franks across the river.

After Maximus's death in August of 388, an army led by Theodosius's general, Arborgast, arrived at Trier. The city surrendered without a fight, and Flavius Victor was subsequently strangled to death. Victor was the last Roman emperor to base his headquarters at Trier.

Flavius Victor, 387-388.

AR-Siliqua, Aquileia; 1.2 g. Draped bust to the right with a pearl diadem//Victoria walking to the left with a wreath and palm branch. Paolucci/Zub 802; RIC 53 b. Fine toning, small scratches very fine.

 

Edited April 17, 2023 by Magnus Maximus

[John Conduitt]

Great coin. They're not easy to come by. Mine has been got at by the Britons or Saxons.

Flavius Victor Clipped Siliqua, 387-388

Milan. Silver, 10mm, 0.68g (cut down from 16-17mm, 1.25-1.8g). Pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right; D N FL VIC-(TOR P F AVG). Roma seated left, holding globe in right hand, reversed spear in left, (VIRTVS RO-M)ANORVM; mintmark MDPS (RIC IX, 19b). From the South Ferriby (Lincolnshire) Hoard 1909. Portable Antiquities Scheme IARCH-1C7D3F.

[ValiantKnight]

Wasn’t Flavius Victor still a child when he was murdered? I don’t care what century it is; it takes a very despicable, special kind of a**hole to strangle a child to death, even if its your enemy’s.

Also, I’ve been recently more interested in possibly obtaining a FV siliqua. What’s the typical price range of them?

[John Conduitt]

1 hour ago, ValiantKnight said:

Wasn’t Flavius Victor still a child when he was murdered? I don’t care what century it is; it takes a very despicable, special kind of a**hole to strangle a child to death, even if its your enemy’s.

Also, I’ve been recently more interested in possibly obtaining a FV siliqua. What’s the typical price range of them?

A nice one, $1000+. Any one, $300+.

[Magnus Maximus]

1 hour ago, ValiantKnight said:

Wasn’t Flavius Victor still a child when he was murdered? I don’t care what century it is; it takes a very despicable, special kind of a**hole to strangle a child to death, even if it’s your enemy’s.

 

Yes, he likely was younger than 10 years old by the time he died.