Valentinian Posted June 12 · Member Share Posted June 12 Which Roman imperial coin reverse types carry the message that "I am the new emperor!" (and the decision is settled, so accept me and get on with it). It is often said that Roman imperial coin types carry messages. Surely this is one of the most important messages. I solicit your thoughts (and examples if you have one) of types that carry this message. 5 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nerosmyfavorite68 Posted June 12 · Member Share Posted June 12 The Didius Julianus 'RECTOR ORBIS' Sestertius certainly conveys that message. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octavius Posted June 12 · Supporter Share Posted June 12 (edited) I think both of these coins, aureus and denarius of Claudius, speak to your point. With the Praetorian camp on the reverse, they make it quite clear that "I Claudius am the emperor and look at who's backing me up. So fall in line or else!" Edited June 12 by Octavius 11 4 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julius Germanicus Posted June 12 · Member Share Posted June 12 (edited) What about Hadrian on his very first Sestertius design (likely a presentation piece due to it´s medallic flan) proclaming: "I am now your new legitimate Emperor because my father Trajan in person transferred imperial power to me in the shape of this heavenly globe". IMP CAES DIVI TRAIAN AVG F TRAIAN HADRIAN OPT AVG GER - Laureate bust right (three-quarter-view), slight drapery over left shoulder/ DAC PARTHICO P M TR P COS P P - Trajan and Hadrian, both laureate and togate, standing facing one another, Trajan (on right) holding roll and handing heavenly globe with equatorial band to Hadrian (on left), SC in exergue Sestertius, Rome 117 A.D. 38,0 mm / 29,07 g RIC 30 R; BMCRE 1101 (note); Banti 232 (3 Specimens); Cayon 206; Sear 3589 Edited June 12 by Julius Germanicus 16 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heliodromus Posted June 12 · Member Share Posted June 12 Trying too hard to claim authority and legitimacy is a sign of weakness. Something like Severus II's "FIDES MILITVM" reverses ("I've got the army's loyalty") comes to mind as a wishful claim that did not end well ! Perhaps the best show of strength/legitimacy would just be to to continue generic coin types and not be on the defensive about it ! Not exactly what you were looking for (not a reverse type, nor emperor), but Caesar's "DICT PERPETVO" is perhaps the ultimate strong-man declaration of "I'm the new (first) emperor, whether you like it or not", although that didn't end well either - too confrontational of an approach (although no doubt it was his actions not coins that were paid attention to). 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anaximander Posted June 12 · Member Share Posted June 12 (edited) Nothing says L'etat, c'est moi quite like the ADVENTVS types, my favorite entry into these sweepstakes. Here's two, Philip I and Trajan Decius. Roman Empire. Philip I. 244-249 AD. AR Antoninianus (21.5ᵍᵐ 4.44ᵐᵐ 7ʰ) of Rome, 2ⁿᵈ officina. 4th emission, AD 245. Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right. IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG. / Philip on horseback riding left, raising hand and holding spear. ADVENTVS AVGG. EF. CNG EA 546 #411. Attractive light and golden toning. Ex Künker 318 (11 March 2019) #1559; Münzzentrum 171 (14 January 2015); Dr. Klaus Berthold Collection (Lanz 22, 10 May 1982) #811. RIC IV.3 #26b (pl. 5 #12); RSC IV #3. Roman Empire. Trajan Decius. 249-251 AD. AR Antoninianus (5.05ᵍᵐ 21.9ᵐᵐ 6ʰ) of Rome, 4th officina, AD 250. Radiate and cuirassed bust right. IMP C M Q TRAIANVS DECIVS AVG. / Trajan Decius on horseback prancing left, raising hand and holding scepter. ADVENTVS AVG. VF. CNG EA 520 #431. Ex-CNG Auction XII (26 September 1990) #1023. RIC IV.3 #11b; RSC IV #4; Robinson HCC 6; SRCV III #9366. Edited June 14 by Anaximander Added link to Wikipedia for ADVENTVS. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salomons Cat Posted June 12 · Member Share Posted June 12 Elagabal and the Stone of Emesa. This coin seems to proclaim, "I am the new emperor, and I will behave as I please. This stone is your new deity!" 😃 At least, that's my interpretation. 13 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alegandron Posted June 12 · Supporter Share Posted June 12 😄 I like this one that I obtained from you, @Valentinian... SAVIOR OF MANKIND ( SALVS GENERIS HVMANI ) RI Civil War VINDEX 68-69 CE AR Denarius 3.22g Gallic mint SALVS GENERIS HVMANI Victory l globe - SPQR in wreath RIC 72 BMCRE 34-36 RSC 420 R 8 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor Victor_Clark Posted June 13 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted June 13 Gratian was born 18 April 359 and in August of A.D. 367 his father Valentinian invested him with the purple proclaiming him a co-ruler, albeit quite junior at only 7 years old! The GLORIA NOVI SAECVLI [glory of the new age] type was only issued in bronze at Arelate and presented him to the Gauls "as the boy destined to fulfil the Messianic prophecy of the Sibylline books and to usher in a Golden Age of justice and plenty." (RIC IX) The unusual obverse legend (AVGG AVG) reminded the people of Gratian's right of succession. Some scholars have interpreted this legend as "Augusti Gener Augustus" which translates roughly as "Emperor, son-in-law of an Emperor." The author of RIC IX believes that the legend probably translates as "Augustorum Augustus." Gratian had the right of succession not only because his father was Emperor, but also because he married Constantia, who was the posthumous daughter of Constantius II. Gratian A.D. 367-375 18x19mm 2.2g DN GRATIANVS AVGG AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right GLORIA NOVI SAECVLI, Emperor standing facing, head left, holding labarum in right hand and resting left hand on shield In ex: TCON RIC IX Arles 15, type xiv(c) 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valentinian Posted June 14 · Member Author Share Posted June 14 No one yet mentioned one of my candidates for a reverse type that says, "I am the new emperor. Back off. You can't do anything about it now." The closest was by @Octavius On 6/11/2024 at 9:04 PM, Octavius said: think both of these coins, aureus and denarius of Claudius, speak to your point. With the Praetorian camp on the reverse, they make it quite clear that "I Claudius am the emperor and look at who's backing me up. So fall in line or else!" I propose, given the importance of force in the ancient world, that nothing was more important than the support of the military, as stated by "CONCORDIA MILITVM." (Septimius Severus, on his deathbed, is reported to have advised his sons to enrich the soldiers and disregard everyone else.) The above coin is of Nerva, who did not have a strong power base when Domitian was killed. But, he took over and claimed approval of he army and navy. Elagabalus, 218-222, had relatively little to recommend him. But, if he could claim "FIDES MILITVM" who was to dispute his claim? This early portrait of Maximinus (235-238) shows he put "FIDES MILITVM" out as one of his first claims. Gordian III (238-244) had a weak claim to the throne. He was just a child, not the son of an established emperor, and a year before no one had heard of him. But, FIDES MILITVM was enough. There are more examples. I think if a new emperor had a strong claim to the throne by being the son of an established ruler the new emperor did not need to emphasize that the military supported him. But, I think if a new emperor is really new to the scene, then this is the way to say "It's a done deal. I am the emperor now. With the support of the military there is no question who is emperor." I am still soliciting other examples and reasoning about types that assert "I am the new emperor!" 7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor Ancient Coin Hunter Posted June 15 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted June 15 I'll go with two FIDES MILITVM types, one of Maximinus and one of Gallienus. With regard to Gallienus, these were only struck (sestertii) in the first part of his reign. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valentinian Posted June 16 · Member Author Share Posted June 16 I will add another type that might say "I am a new emperor!" 23-22 mm. 3.63 grams. This is an aurelianus (some still call it an antoninianus) of Constantius issued shortly after he became Caesar (with Galerius, next) March 1, 293, under Diocletian and Maximian. PROVIDENT DEOR "Foresight of the gods". RIC V.II 635 Lugdunum, struck 293-4. Bastien 506 "1 March 293 - 20 Nov. 293" I interpret the message as "The gods support Constantius (so he is entitled to rule)." The next coin is the corresponding type for Galerius: 23-22 mm. 3.60 grams. Galerius PROVIDENT DEOR Struck 294 according to RIC (RIC V.II 690, Lugdunum) and 293 according to Bastien (Bastien 559, p. 217) as for the Constantius above. I don't think the support of the gods is as good as the support of the army, but I don't know how well this type of message worked in Roman times. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sulla80 Posted June 16 · Supporter Share Posted June 16 (edited) Although I am late to guess and can only agree with @Valentinian "I have the support of the military" is a good signal of "I am emperor". I will highlight the question about this coin, with a very masculine portrait of Severina wife of Aurelian, and with CONCORDIAE MILITVM on the reverse. Severina is the only empress who has this legend on a reverse. Could this have been issued after Aurelian's death? Did Severina retain control with the support of the military for a few months during an interregnum? See The Celator Vol.20 No.03 Mar 2006 Severina - An Empress in Her Own Right? by John C. Christiansen My notes on this coin can be found here: https://www.sullacoins.com/post/severina-empress I will also add this coin, that predates any emperors in Rome, and reinforces an important tool in building the support of the military. Establishing familial and political legitimacy on coins and paying the military legions that are backing you. Hadrian proclaims his legitimacy on the coin of @Julius Germanicus. Octavian, who later became Augustus, emphasizes on this coin his connection to Julius Caesar. Roman Republican, The Triumvirs, Octavian, Spring-summer 42 BC, AR Denarius, military mint traveling with Octavian in Italy Obv: Bare head of Octavian, right, wearing slight beard; CAESAR upward to left, III • VIR • [R • P • C] Rev: Wreath set on curule chair inscribed CAESAR • DIC • PER Ref: Crawford 497/2d The sella curulis depicted on this coin symbolizes the authority of Roman magistrates, including Caesar during his dictatorship. Julius Caesar's appointment as dictator perpetuo by the Senate in early 44 BC was a contentious move, setting the stage for his assassination. Posthumously, in January 42 BC, the Senate recognized Caesar as divine, an act that politically legitimized Octavian's claim to power as Caesar's heir. Julius Caesar was recognized as divine by the senate in January of 42 BC - shortly before this coin was issued by Octavian. Octavian, Mark Antony, and Marcus Aemilius Lepidus formed the Second Triumvirate ('III VIR RPC') with the goal of restoring order to the Republic, which had been destabilized by political infighting and the assassination of Caesar. "III VIR RPC" expands to tresviri rei publicae constituendae. Their restoration of order was bloody with proscriptions to eliminate political enemies and secure funds. This was followed by military campaigns against Caesar's assassins, "the liberators": Brutus, Cassius, Sextus Pompey, and their allies. Rather than restoring the Republic, the triumvirs' actions led to civil war between the them. Octavian eventually triumphed, consolidating his power and reforming the republic into the Principate, with Augustus as princeps (first citizen - a name for emperor, dictator or king that maintained some harmony with values of the republic from which the empire emerged). Edited June 17 by Sulla80 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sulla80 Posted June 29 · Supporter Share Posted June 29 Roman Imperial, Aurelian (270-275), Antoninianus, Siscia. Obv: IMP AVRELIANVS AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right. Rev: CONCORDIA MILITVM, Emperor and Concordia standing facing each other, clasping hands. / (star) Q in exergue Ref: RIC 216. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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