Numismatica Ars Classica
Auction 132 30-31 May 2022
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Constantius Chlorus augustus, 305 – 306
Aureus, Treveri 305-306, AV 5.37 g. CONSTAN – TIVS P F AVG Laureate head r. Rev. HERCVLI CONSE – R AVGG ET CAESS NN Hercules standing to front, head l., leaning l. hand over club, holding bow, quiver and lion's skin over shoulders. In exergue, TR. C 16 var. RIC 620a. Depeyrot 11b/1. Calicó 4837.
Very rare. A spectacular portrait; the work of a skilled engraver.
Wonderful reddish tone, virtually as struck and almost Fdc
Ex Leu 91, 2004, 678 and NAC 84, 2015, 1184 sales. Probably from the Beaurains/Arras hoard of 1922.
In AD 294, Diocletian is considered to have ended the Crisis of the Third Century by instituting a new form of imperial government known as the Tetrarchy. The third century had been a nightmare of constant usurpations by military commanders with a loss of dynastic stability and rule by individuals lacking in administrative training. Under the Tetrarchy, the Roman Empire was divided between two senior emperors, known as Augusti, who ruled, respectively, in the East and West. Each Augustus was assisted by a junior co-emperor, who held the title of Caesar. Together the Augusti and Caesares tackled the many problems that continued to assail the Empire in the late third and early fourth centuries with the assumption that the Augusti would ultimately retire and seamlessly pass on control to their Caesares. When the Tetrarchy was established Diocletian ruled as Augustus in the East and Maximian as Augustus in the West with Galerius and Constantius I Chlorus ("the Pale") serving as their respective Caesares. The present gold aureus celebrates Constantius' imperial relationship with Maximian, who had assumed the name of Herculius following his original appointment as Diocletian's Caesar in 285. The Hercules reverse here advertises Constantius as both the associate of and intended successor to Maximian in full compliance with the principles of the Tetrarchic system. In 305, those principles were put to the test when Diocletian and Maximian abdicated in favor of their Caesares. Constantius I fell ill and died a year later while campaigning in Britannia before he could fully exercise his authority as the Western Augustus.
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Aureus, Treveri 305-306, AV 5.37 g. CONSTAN – TIVS P F AVG Laureate head r. Rev. HERCVLI CONSE – R AVGG ET CAESS NN Hercules standing to front, head l., leaning l. hand over club, holding bow, quiver and lion's skin over shoulders. In exergue, TR. C 16 var. RIC 620a. Depeyrot 11b/1. Calicó 4837.
Very rare. A spectacular portrait; the work of a skilled engraver.
Wonderful reddish tone, virtually as struck and almost Fdc
Ex Leu 91, 2004, 678 and NAC 84, 2015, 1184 sales. Probably from the Beaurains/Arras hoard of 1922.
In AD 294, Diocletian is considered to have ended the Crisis of the Third Century by instituting a new form of imperial government known as the Tetrarchy. The third century had been a nightmare of constant usurpations by military commanders with a loss of dynastic stability and rule by individuals lacking in administrative training. Under the Tetrarchy, the Roman Empire was divided between two senior emperors, known as Augusti, who ruled, respectively, in the East and West. Each Augustus was assisted by a junior co-emperor, who held the title of Caesar. Together the Augusti and Caesares tackled the many problems that continued to assail the Empire in the late third and early fourth centuries with the assumption that the Augusti would ultimately retire and seamlessly pass on control to their Caesares. When the Tetrarchy was established Diocletian ruled as Augustus in the East and Maximian as Augustus in the West with Galerius and Constantius I Chlorus ("the Pale") serving as their respective Caesares. The present gold aureus celebrates Constantius' imperial relationship with Maximian, who had assumed the name of Herculius following his original appointment as Diocletian's Caesar in 285. The Hercules reverse here advertises Constantius as both the associate of and intended successor to Maximian in full compliance with the principles of the Tetrarchic system. In 305, those principles were put to the test when Diocletian and Maximian abdicated in favor of their Caesares. Constantius I fell ill and died a year later while campaigning in Britannia before he could fully exercise his authority as the Western Augustus.
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