653 654
653
Philip I (AD 244-249), Billon Tetradrachm, 8.13g, 1h. Mint of Seleucis & Pieria, Antioch, struck AD 244.
Bust facing right, radiate, draped and cuirassed. Rev. eagle standing facing on a palm, its wings open, head
left, a wreath held in its beak,
SC
in exergue (Prieur 318-9; McAlee 887). Small corrosion spot on obverse,
otherwise good very fine.
$ 80
ex Gordon Parry Collection, purchased from Imperial Coins & Antiquities, Visalia, California
654
Otacilia Severa (wife of Philip I), Æ Sestertius, 20.23g, 12h. Mint of Rome, struck AD 245-247.
MARCIA
OTACIL SEVERA AVG
, bust facing right, diademed and draped. Rev.
CONCORDIA AVGG / S C
, Concordia
seated left, holding a patera and a double cornucopiae (RIC 203a; C 10; RCV 9164). Dark green patina, very
fine.
$ 250
Very Desirable Gold Aureus of Trajan Decius
655
Trajan Decius (AD 249-251), Gold Aureus, 3.80g. Mint of Rome, AD 249/50.
IMP C M Q TRAIANVS DECIVS
AVG
, laureate and cuirassed bust facing right. Rev.
ABVNDANTIA AVG
, Abundantia standing right, emptying
contents of cornucopiae (cf RIC 10; Calicó 3282b). Lustrous, superb extremely fine.
$ 12,500
Oneof thefirstRomanemperorstohailfromIllyricum,Deciuswasanableadministratorandsenatorwhohadheldseveralhighcommands
under his predecessors, including the consulship in AD 232. Under Philip I he was sent to quell the revolt of the usurper Pacatian, and
after doing so allowed his troops to proclaim him emperor. This led to an engagement against Philip near Verona, where the latter was
killed. The Senate in Rome subsequently recognized Decius’s acclamation by his troops, and further bestowed upon him the name
Traianus in reference to his predecessor of the same name, who was regarded as the best and greatest of all Roman emperors.
Decius’s short reign was primarily concerned with fighting the Goths along Rome’s Balkan frontier, as they had begun to cross the
Danube in mass and raid the provinces of Moesia and Dacia. Otherwise Decius spent some effort in restoring public monuments,
and revitalizing the Empire by restoring public morality. In this latter regard, he revived the office of censor, although with his short
reign nothing really came of it, and he also required all citizens to sacrifice to the well being of the emperor and the Empire. This, of
course, led to the first great persecutions of the Christians.
Both Decius and his son and co-ruler, Herennius Etruscus, were killed while valiantly fighting the Goths, and his general Trebonianus
Gallus assumed the emperorship after their deaths.
