Watch List notes:

The Roman Empire

Pacatianus, 248-249. Antoninianus, Viminacium 248-249, billon 4.47 g. [IM]P TI CL MAR PACATIANVS P F AVG Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust r. Rev. CONCORDIA MILITVM Concordia seated l., holding patera and double cornucopiae. C 1. RIC 1.
Very rare and in unusually fine condition for the issue.
Light iridescent tone and good very fine
Ex Hess-Leu 36, 1968, 526; Leu 28, 1981, 543 and Sotheby's 19-20 June 1991, Hunt part IV, 861 sales. From the George C. Hopkins collection.
The year 248 marked what Romans believed was the thousandth anniversary of their capital city – a milestone by any standard. While the games went on in Rome the empire was sinking ever deeper into danger from its enemies on the borders, and these concerns were taking their toll in the provinces. One particularly vulnerable region was the Balkans, which existed under the ever-present threat of barbarian invasion across the Danube. Finally, in the spring or early summer of 248 the legions on the Danube supported their commander Pacatian in a rebellion against the reigning emperor Philip I 'the Arab, who sent his prefect Decius to put down the uprising. The revolt lasted a few months at the most, and sometime between the spring of 248 and early 249 Pacatian was murdered by his own men. Though it had ended, Pacatian's revolt indirectly caused the downfall of Philip, for the soldiers brought their complaints forth to Decius, who in the meantime had won his men's respect by cleaning the region of Goths, Germans and Dacian Carpi who had invaded Roman territory during the rebellion. In about June, 249 the same soldiers who had sponsored Pacatian hailed Decius their emperor, and encouraged him to march on Rome. Philip brought a large army against him, but was defeated in September or October, 249, thus ending his bashful and ineffective reign of five years.