Description
Majestic Roman AE Follis (a type of bronze coin) from the reign of Emperor Maximianus, who ruled from 286 to 305 AD.
Obverse (Front):
Bust: The coin shows a right-facing bust of Maximianus wearing a radiate crown, which signifies his status as an Augustus (senior emperor).
Inscription:
IMP C M A MAXIMIANVS P F AVG
This stands for “Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Maximianus Pius Felix Augustus”, translating to:
Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Maximianus, Dutiful and Lucky Augustus.
Reverse (Back):
Scene: Two emperors standing facing each other, holding a globe together – a symbol of joint rule or unity of the empire.
Above: Possibly the figure of Victory or Jupiter standing above or between them.
Diameter: 21 mm
Weight: 3.32 g
Inscription:
CONCORDIA MILITVM
This means “Harmony of the Soldiers” – a common propaganda message indicating loyalty and unity within the army.
Mint mark: Below the figures, you can see:
“TR” in the exergue (bottom field), indicating this coin was minted in Trier, a major Roman mint in modern-day Germany.
“XXI” might represent the silver content standard (20 parts bronze, 1 part silver), common in Tetrarchic coinage.
Historical Context:
Maximianus was co-emperor with Diocletian and played a key role in the Tetrarchy, a system designed to provide stable succession and administration by having two senior and two junior emperors. This coin celebrates that cooperative rule and the support of the military.
