Pupienus Antoninianus

Marcus Clodius Pupienus Maximus, who had been a successful military leader during the Severan Dynasty, came to power along with Decimus Caelius Calvinus Balbinus in the chaotic year 238 AD, which went down in history as the "Year of the Six Emperors".

This coin's reverse motif, proclaiming mutual affection between the co-emperors, is ironic in the extreme, as Balbinus was highly suspicious of Pupienus' retention of a cohort of German bodyguards, and refused to allow it to protect them both. This left the co-emperors vulnerable to the machinations of a disaffected Praetorian Guard, members of which were able to surprise and murder them, reportedly while they were engaged in an argument over the matter. Thus the pair's rule came to an end after a mere 99 days.

This specimen's diameter is variable, from around 21 mm to over 22 mm. Its weight comes in at 5.2 grams. I have it as RIC 9b (Sear 8518).





Another aspect of this coin that is noteworthy is that the effigy is apparently pretty lifelike, as evidenced by surviving sculptures of Pupienus, such as the one below.