Just wanted to show off my latest Roman silver:
Trajan Decius, AD 249-251
Antoninianus
Obv: IMP C M Q TRAIANVS DECIVS AVG, radiate, draped & cuirassed bust right
Rev: PANNONIAE, two Pannoniae standing, facing, each raising hand and holding a standard.
RIC 25 (or 21b?)
Decius reigned right in the middle of the great Crisis of the third century AD, marked by a short and tumultuous reign, and a violent death.
A career politician, Decius was entrusted by Philip I to quell the rebellion of usurper Pacatianus in 249 in Moesia and Pannonia. He won a resounding victory and accepted the title of emperor from his troops. He then marched on Rome and defeated the forces of Philip I, who was killed in battle or assassinated shortly thereafter. This secured Decius as the legitimate emperor of Rome.
He attempted to stabilize Rome by initiating several public construction projects, and by strengthening the imperial religion by passing an edict to make sacrifice mandatory for all Roman citizens on behalf of the emperor, on penalty of torture and death. The latter earned Decius a pretty scathing mention among most of the Christian writers of this time.
The Germanic tribes were growing increasingly bold at this time, and in 251 Decius and his son and newly appointed co-emperor Herennius Etruscus marched to the border to give battle. The Roman legions met the forces of Cniva and pushed them back at great cost, losing Philippopolis. Decius and his forces attempted to push further to recover the plunder and captives from that city, engaging a superior force of Goths at Abritus in the late summer of 251. The Romans suffered heavy losses in the initial assault, including Etruscus. Decius rallied his troops for another assault, but his forces were divided and utterly defeated. Decius was killed by a Gothic soldier in this final assault.
Posted 05/03/2016 6:06 pm
