Harry G Posted July 3 · Member Share Posted July 3 Hi all! I just thought I'd share my latest pickup, and was wondering if anyone recognised the type! Carausius - LEGIONIS [...] IMP CARAVSIVS P F AVG - Radiate, draped, cuirassed bust r. LEGIONIS [...] or LEGIO NI [...] - Bull standing right London (?) I am intrigued by the reverse of the coin. Legionary antoninianii of Carausius are quite rare, although I've never seen one spell out the full word "LEGIO" ("legion") on a coin before; normally they only use the abbreviation "LEG". The legend appears to read "LEGIONI[..]", but the letter after the second "I" could be an S to make the Latin word "LEGIONIS" ("of the legion"). Carausius minted coins after 9 legions from London and Colchester mint, with each legion operating in a specific area with a different symbol (usually an animal/creature) representing it. London: LEG I (Minerva) - Lower Rhine: Ram LEG II (Augusta) - Britain: Capricorn LEG II (Parthica) - Italy: Centaur LEG IIII (Flavia) - Upper Moesia: Lion LEG VII (Claudia) - Upper Moesia: Bull LEG VIII (Augusta) - Upper Rhine: Bull LEG IIXX (Primigenia) - Upper Rhine: Capricorn LEG XX (Valeria Victrix) - Britain: Boar LEG XXX (Valeria Victrix) - Lower Rhine: Neptune Colchester LEG IIII (Flavia) - Upper Moesia: Centaur LEG VII (Claudia) - Upper Moesia: Bull This would make my coin either Legion VII from London or Colchester mint, or Legion VIII from London mint, although that's as far as I can get with identifying it. I've check RIC, but couldn't see a match in their either. Does anyone have an idea? 12 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor Ancient Coin Hunter Posted July 4 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted July 4 (edited) Sorry I don't but very interested in the coin. Do you know how many legions Carausius had at his disposal? I guess just two unless there was one in Gaul. My understanding is that he only commandeered Britain. Edit: According to Wikipedia he had three legions in Britain and one in Gaul, where he maintained a nominal coastal rule. He had been commander of the Classis Britannica (navy) and perhaps controlled the forts along the coast known as the "Saxon Shore" later on in the Notitia Dignitatum. That last bit is my speculation. Edited July 4 by Ancient Coin Hunter 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry G Posted July 4 · Member Author Share Posted July 4 (edited) 13 hours ago, Ancient Coin Hunter said: Sorry I don't but very interested in the coin. Do you know how many legions Carausius had at his disposal? I guess just two unless there was one in Gaul. My understanding is that he only commandeered Britain. Edit: According to Wikipedia he had three legions in Britain and one in Gaul, where he maintained a nominal coastal rule. He had been commander of the Classis Britannica (navy) and perhaps controlled the forts along the coast known as the "Saxon Shore" later on in the Notitia Dignitatum. That last bit is my speculation. If I remember correctly, he was only under control of a small number of legions directly (3 sounds right). I think he minted coins for the other legions to try and gain the respect of the legions themselves and, more importantly, to try and gain favour with Diocletian and Maximian, which is also evidenced by his famous "Carausius and his Brother Emperors" coinage. (Not my coin sadly) Edited July 5 by Harry G 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thejewk Posted July 5 · Member Share Posted July 5 I took a look in Gilbert Askew's book, but found nothing relevant. He only lists the same types you do from RIC, with a mention that the mints other than London issued coins with 'similar legends', with no further useful detail. Have you contacted Sam Moorhead regarding the coin? That's where I would go next. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry G Posted July 5 · Member Author Share Posted July 5 (edited) 15 hours ago, thejewk said: I took a look in Gilbert Askew's book, but found nothing relevant. He only lists the same types you do from RIC, with a mention that the mints other than London issued coins with 'similar legends', with no further useful detail. Have you contacted Sam Moorhead regarding the coin? That's where I would go next. Thanks for checking! I just emailed Sam Moorhead after your reply, and he said: "This is an interesting coin. It does appear to have no mintmark. I think the reverse legend is LEGIONI V[ ] hence the dative case, honouring LEG VII or VIII. I have never seen the use of the dative like this. The legend is normally just LEG. I will try and enter it in a footnote of my forthcoming RIC volume." Looking closer, it does indeed look like a V after the last I of LEGIONI. So it seems the coin is unique as the only Carausius antoninianus to use the extended form "Legioni"! Edited July 5 by Harry G 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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