Smackdown XxXVIII, An Ancient Coin You Can Date

This coin was minted between March 1 and December 25th A.D. 350 during the very short reign of Vetranio.

AE Centenionalis, A.D. 350, Siscia, 25.0mm, 5.27g, 180°, RIC VIII 281; scarce.
Obv: D N VETRANIO P F AVG. Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Rev: CONCORDIA MILITVM. Vetranio standing, facing left, holding labrum in each hand; star and A in field; ASIS* in ex.


This coin minted between the summer of A.D. 306 and March of April of A.D. 307 during the short reign of Severus II.

With my announcement of the Smackdown, I forgot to pick an end time and voting time. Let's post coins until Tuesday at 10:00 pm CCF time (on the upper right of the page) and then vote for two days until Thursday at 10:00 pm.

You can't keep a 'good' man down !
On May 1 AD305 the two senior Augusti of the Empire, Diocletian and Maximian abdicated their office and a peaceful transfer of power to their respective Caesars, Galerius and Constatius took place.
By July AD306 Constantius expired at Eboracum setting in motion the events that led to Maximian making himself (temporarily) indispensable to both his son Maxentius and his future son inlaw Constantine. Both of whom soon began minting coin in the name of 'Maximianus Augustus'. Part Deux had begun !
From the abdication in spring 305 until the 'reinstatement' in late 306 a series of folli honoring the retired Maximian were minted at several mints across the Empire.

Maximianus Billon Follis
Obv. Laureate bust of Maximianus right, wearing consular robes holding branch and mappa
D N MAXIMIANO BAEATISSIMO SEN AVG
Rev.Providentia standing right extending right hand to Quies standing left holding branch resting on scepter.
PROVIDENTIA DEORVM QVIES AVGG ANT in exergue
SEAR 13413
27mm 10.61 grams






This coin came from a mint (Antioch) under the control of the senior Augustus Galerius. One can assume that the minting ceased shortly after the events of the summer of AD306 (the 'illegal' election of Constantine and the open rebellion of Maxentius) reached the Emperors ears.
It is certain that the coin was produced between May AD305 and no later than fall of AD306.
More than a single year but certainly less than two

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Back in the last 'millenium' I read a book by a Brit named David Rohl .... "Pharoahs and Kings" (I believe overseas it was titled "A Question of Time"). While the mainstream Biblical scholars have accepted chronologies first formulated in the early 19th century, Mssr Rohl challenged these and pointed out many of the problems in precisely 'dating' actual events. Lacking the modern calendar system we are all familiar with the ancients usually placed events in context with a regnal system. Events were said to have occurred in the 4th year of King so and so. All very good but as we know some rulers were 'co' rulers and when a new "fearless leader" assumed the throne often depended very much on when the last guy went to 'his reward' so to speak.

So if the new regime began on May 1 AD305 by the following years June year 2 was the date. All good and well but you can see how over centuries events might drift about as we view them. Add to this the fact that challenges are created when changes are made to the prevailing system. We know that 'May 1' was chosen for the abdication of Diocletian and Maximianus. It always has been an 'auspicious' day. But they were using the Julian Calendar and after 3 plus centuries some 'drift' had occured which puts event on a different day by our own system (Gregorian).

When Great Britain adopted the Gregorian calendar George Washington is said to have lamented that they not only changed the day of his birth but the year as well. Up until then (1751?) New Years Day was celebrated on March 25. To keep things interesting Czarist Russia continued with the Julian calendar and celebrated the New Year on September 1 !

Entry #2 Shows how these systems might 'collide'

Antoninus Pius Sestertius
Obv Bust of Antoninus right
ANTONINUS AVG PIVS P P TR P COS IIII
Rv. Antonius togate standing left holding scroll and placing tiara on head of King of Armenia (Sohaemus)
REX ARMENIIS DATVS S C
SEAR 4209 RIC 619
22.08 grams 30-31mm






By the conventional system of dating Imperial coins (the TR P) we might think it could be year one for Antoninus. But as the COS is indicated as IIII the 'book' puts the year as AD143. The 'book' also give the reign of Sohaemus as AD144-161. So we have already a 'disagreement'. How they compiled the Armenian Kings list I do not know. I assume it was by 'regnal' year. One could suppose that he was physically installed in AD144 but who knows ! By the way Gaius Julius Sohaemus had been a Roman Senator and even served as a Consul ! All of which demonstrates how the closer you look at something the 'fuzzier' it can become. Sort of a Quantum effect

If you have a denarius with a "TR P" date you can date it to within a year. If you have a coin with both TR P and COS dates you can sometimes fix it within less than a month, from Dec. 10 (when the TR P number changed ) to Jan. 1, when the COS number changed, although most such coins are in the other 11 months. If you have a coin of a short-reign emperor (e.g. Macrinus) you can date it to within the period of his reign. If you consult RIC you can usually date late Roman coins to within a year or two.

Learning how scholars can pin down dates is lots of fun. If you just have a coin of an emperor, you can add to your appreciation of it if you can figure out when it was minted, more precisely. So, show us a coin you can date!

Gold - malamute67 - Balbinus
Silver - DavidUK - Justin II & Sophia folles, one of the nicest examples I've seen.
Bronze - Eddop - Carus

Gold - Severus II 'Emperor giving barbarian the shaft' right between the eyes too !
Silver - Balbinus .... nice !
Bronze - Carus with a 'K'

Gold: Eddop Carus with a K dated to a month!
Silver: Malamute67 Balbinus dated to his short reign
Bronze: DavidUK Marcus Aurelius VIC PAR dated by TRP to a year and with a historical victory reference