Description
1,700 year old original ancient Roman bronze coin minted during the reign of Emperor Maximianus (Maximian), between 286 & 305 AD. Maximian's full name was Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maximianus. He was nicknamed Herculius (Hercules), a name given to him by his co-ruler, Diocletian. Maximian was a very talented military commander as well as civilian administrator. He was one of the original four rulers of the Tetrarchy, a system of governance established by Emperor Diocletian, which stabilized the late Roman Empire. He briefly retired (an extremely rare thing in Roman imperial history but then returned to co-rule alongside Constantine the Great in the first contentious years of his long reign. This coin is a denomination known as an 'antoninianus' or more specifically as an 'aurelianianus' (the spelling is not a typo). The antoninianus & aurelianianus denominations were uniquely minted from 215 to 293 AD. Both are recognizable by the radiate crown that the emperor is shown wearing on these coins. From 215 to 274 AD they are called 'antoninianus', & from 274 to 293 AD they are called 'aurelianianus'. The silver content & purchasing power of these coins varied significantly during the 78 years that these coins were struck. The earliest were about half silver, while the ones struck after 274 AD were silver plated, with a total of about 5% silver in the mostly copper coins. The silver plating is almost always worn away completely. Coin: Bronze Antoninianus (denomination) of Maximianus. Obverse: Bust of Maximian facing right wearing radiate crown & cuirass (chest armor), with inscription, IMP C M AVR VAL MAxIMIANVS PF AVG (Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Maximianus Pius Felix Augustus). Reverse: IOV ET HERCV CONSER AVGG (Jupiter & Hercules Protect our Emperors), with depiction of Jupiter standing right holding scepter & orb & Hercules standing left holding Victory & club. This is an original coin, not a reproduction. Certificate of Authenticity included. - About the Seller: I have been designing & hand crafting silver & gold jewelry for over 25 years, & generally work from my small studio in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. I've made thousands of pieces of jewelry in my lifetime, continuing an artisan tradition in wood, fabric, & metal that goes back many generations in my family, to my Irish & Scottish ancestors. My work has appeared in many galleries & several publications over the years. Gems, metalwork, & artistry are passions for me. When not making jewelry, I write educationally about rocks & history, drawing upon a degree in archeology from SMU in Texas & a PhD in Space & Planetary Science from the U. of Arkansas. I also still do occasional scientific work in earth science fields. 286-305 Ad Maximianus, Augustus - Ancient Roman Bronze Coin With Hercules & Jupiter On The Back
