Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Electronic Auction 334 3 September 2014
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temp. Maximinus II. AD 310-313. Æ Follis (15mm, 1.87 g, 12h). Nicomedia mint. DEAE SANC CERERI, veiled and draped bust of Ceres left, holding grain ear and poppy in raised right hand / GEN CIVI–T NICOM, Fortuna standing left, holdingrudder and cornucopia; OPA. Van Heesch, Last 1. VF, dark green patina, light smoothing. Rare.
Following the death of Galerius in AD 311, his Caesar, Maximinus II, who had declared himself Augustus the previous year, took control of Asia Minor and the Levant. Apparently a strident persecutor of the Christian minority (Lactant. De mort. pers. 36-49; Euseb. Hist. eccl. 9), he was compelled under the dictates of the edict of toleration to relax the persecutions. At the same time, he was approached by embassies of various cities now under his control. Among these were delegations from the major cities of Nicomedia and Antioch, who requested that in no way should Christians be permitted to continue to live in their cities and districts. Antioch went so far as to erect a statue of Zeus Philios, which delivered oracles condemning the Christians (Euseb. Hist. eccl., op. cit.). Encouraged by this apparent groundswell of popular support, Maximinus personally appointed pagan priests and sent copies of a document relating the memoirs of Pontius Pilate (cf. Euseb. Hist. eccl., 2.2). He sentenced some of the most notable preachers in his districts to death.
Following the death of Galerius in AD 311, his Caesar, Maximinus II, who had declared himself Augustus the previous year, took control of Asia Minor and the Levant. Apparently a strident persecutor of the Christian minority (Lactant. De mort. pers. 36-49; Euseb. Hist. eccl. 9), he was compelled under the dictates of the edict of toleration to relax the persecutions. At the same time, he was approached by embassies of various cities now under his control. Among these were delegations from the major cities of Nicomedia and Antioch, who requested that in no way should Christians be permitted to continue to live in their cities and districts. Antioch went so far as to erect a statue of Zeus Philios, which delivered oracles condemning the Christians (Euseb. Hist. eccl., op. cit.). Encouraged by this apparent groundswell of popular support, Maximinus personally appointed pagan priests and sent copies of a document relating the memoirs of Pontius Pilate (cf. Euseb. Hist. eccl., 2.2). He sentenced some of the most notable preachers in his districts to death.