Watch List notes:

THE ROMAN EMPIRE
Maxentius caesar, 306-307

Aureus, Carthage 306-307, AV 5.13 g. MAXENT – IVS NOB C Laureate head r. Rev. FELIX KA – RTHAGO Carthago standing facing, head l., holding fruits in both hands. C 66. RIC 47. Calicó 5056 (this coin). Carson, Melanges Lafaurie, 116. Mazzini 66 (this coin). Biaggi 1911 (this coin). Drost 4.5 (this coin).
Extremely rare and the finest specimen known of this intriguing issue. An impressive
portrait struck on an exceptionally large flan and. Good extremely fine


Ex NAC sale 33, 2006, 594. From the Mazzini and Biaggi collections.
This rare and impressive aureus belongs to a period when relations between the rebel Maxentius in Rome and his supporters in Carthage were still strong. Maxentius was in a difficult position from the outset of his rebellion for he was headquartered in Rome, an enormous city with a population that was largely dependent on government subsidies for their day-to-day survival and entertainment. This meant Maxentius had to generate large sums of money for rent subidies, chariot races and dozens of annual festivals, all the while assuring enough grain came into Ostia to prevent starvation of the masses. Here Maxentius celebrates what was perhaps the greatest asset in his empire, for his allies in North Africa provided tax revenues and a bounty of grain each year, all at a minimal cost, for Maxentius had only a skeletal army stationed there. The cooperation between Rome and Carthage lasted for eighteen to twenty-four months before Maxentius turned his wrath upon the people of Carthage, demanding more tax money and grain to subsidize his fragile regime in Italy. These unreasonable demands caused the Carthaginians to stage a counter-rebellion against Maxentius in the summer of 308. It was led by a certain Alexander and probably was inspired or supported by Constantine, who had much to gain as a result. They denied Maxentius all grain and money, nearly causing his regime to topple in the winter of 308/309. Starving Romans rioted in the capital and Maxentius responded by sending out the praetorian guardsmen, who killed about six thousand of the rioters. Maxentius responded with an expedition against Carthage late in 309 or early in 310. This was no simple task since his regime already was unstable, it required valuable naval resources, and he still had to protect himself from possible invasions by Galerius or Constantine. Maxentius entrusted the campaign to his praetorian prefect Rufius Volusianus, who captured and killed Alexander, and then ravaged North Africa, confiscating a vast amount of wealth which he brought back to Rome in triumph.