Roman Empire, Faustina I, +141, AR Denar

Obv.: Drap. bust r.

Rev.: Iuno standing left

Historical / Faustina the Elder

Annia Galeria Faustina (* 105; † 140), called Faustina the Elder to distinguish her daughter of the same name, was the wife of the Roman emperor Antoninus Pius.

Faustina was the daughter of the consul of the year 126, Marcus Annius Verus. Her mother Rupilia Faustina was the daughter of Emperor Trajan's niece Matidia and half-sister of Hadrian's wife Vibia Sabina. As Rome's richest heiress, Faustina brought a large fortune to Antoninus at the time of her marriage around the year 110, but Antoninus hardly touched it.

With her husband she had four children, two sons Marcus Galerius Aurelius Antoninus and Marcus Aurelius Fulvius Antoninus as well as the two daughters Aurelia Fadilla and Faustina the only child to survive her parents.

Faustina died before 24 October 140.
She was consecrated on this day and honoured with a funus censorium (a state funeral) before 13 November. She was buried in Hadrian's Mausoleum.

After her death, the Senate allowed the minting of numerous coins with her image and also endowed her with divine attributes. Antoninus had a Faustina temple built above the Forum Romanum, which was also dedicated to him after his death. In her memory, Antoninus also established a foundation for the alimentation of young girls, the puellae Faustinianae.

After Antoninus' death, Marcus Aurelius erected a triumphal column in his and Faustina's honour, of which only the base has survived.

Please note: You buy a coin of the respective ruler in the specified condition, not the piece shown in each case.

Roman Empire, Faustina II, +175, AR Denarius

Obv.: Drap. bust r.

Rev.: Concordia seated left

Historical

Annia Galeria Faustina (* 130; † 176 in Halala, Cappadocia), called Faustina the Younger to distinguish her mother of the same name, was the wife of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius.

Faustina was born to the later Emperor Antoninus Pius and the elder Faustina probably around the year 130. On the instructions of the Emperor Hadrian, she was betrothed to Lucius Verus on 25 February 138.

After Hadrian's death, this union was dissolved and Faustina was betrothed to Marcus Aurelius. The marriage followed in April 145 at the latest.

Coins with double portraits of the couple were minted for the occasion and the city Roman plebs received a congiarium. The couple had at least 14 children together in the following years (the last daughter was born in 170), though few of them survived their parents.
The empress's fecunditas (fertility) was praised on coins. After the birth of her first daughter (Domitia Faustina, * 30 November 147) she was raised to the rank of Augusta.

The daily life of the family was repeatedly the subject of correspondence between Marcus Aurelius and Fronto, so that many details about it are known to this day. Their daughter Lucilla was betrothed to her former fiancé Lucius Verus, co-regent of Marcus Aurelius, in 161, and their marriage finally took place in 164.

The best-known child of Marcus Aurelius and Faustina was the later Emperor Commodus. 

Please note: You buy a coin of the respective ruler in the specified condition, not the piece shown in each case.

Roman Empire, Julia Domna, +218, AR Denarius

Obv.: Drap. bust r.

Rev.: Diana standing left

Historical

Julia Domna († 217 in Antioch)
She was the second wife of the Roman emperor Septimius Severus (193-211) and the mother of the emperors Caracalla (211-217) and Geta (co-ruler 211).

Julia Domna came from Syria. After the death of her husband, she was unable to prevent the power struggle between her two sons.

Caracalla used her willingness to mediate to lure his brother into a trap; during a pretended reconciliation meeting he had Geta murdered in Julia's presence. Under Caracalla's subsequent autocratic rule she continued to be highly honoured; even during her lifetime she was worshipped like a goddess.

The name Domna is of Semitic origin. Its correspondence with the Latin word dom(i)na (mistress) is coincidental; it is not, as was previously assumed, a Latinisation of the Aramaic name Martha ("mistress").

Julia was very open to spiritual life. Already during her husband's lifetime, a circle of literati and philosophically interested people formed around her. Among them was the writer Flavius Philostratos, who wrote a biography of the neo-Pythagorean philosopher Apollonios of Tyana, which according to his information was done at Julia's request. However, he did not complete the novel-like work until after her death. Philostratos described the empress as a philosopher and mentioned that she appreciated and promoted rhetorical activity and attached particular importance to a cultivated literary style.

Please note: You buy a coin of the respective ruler in the specified condition, not the piece shown in each case.

Roman Empire, Julia Mamaea, +235, AR Denarius

Obv.Drap. bust r.

Rev.Of varying types

Historical

Julia Avita Mamaea († March 235 near Mogontiacum)

She was the mother of the Roman Emperor Severus Alexander, who ruled from 222 to 235.
Initially she was de facto regent because of her son's youthful age, but even after he reached adulthood she remained the dominant figure at court.

Her position of power was precarious, however, as she was unable to gain authority with either the praetorians or the army. Finally, Alexander and Mamaea were murdered in a soldier's revolt during a Germanic campaign. The Severan dynasty thus came to an end.

The era of the soldier emperors followed. 

Please note: You buy a coin of the respective ruler in the specified condition, not the piece shown in each case.

Roman Empire, Herennia Cupressenia Etruscilla, +251, AR Antoninianus

Obv.: Drap. bust r.

Rev.: Prudicitia standing left

Historical

Herennia Cupressenia Etruscilla († c. 251) was the wife of the Roman Emperor Decius.

Herennia Etruscilla came from an old Etruscan senatorial family. Little is known about her youth, except that she married the aristocrat Decius, who came from Illyria, before 230. Her eldest son Herennius Etruscus was born around 227, her second son Hostilian after 230. 

Please note: You buy a coin of the respective ruler in the specified condition, not the piece shown in each case.

Roman Empire, Salonina, +268, AR Antoninianus

Obv.Drap. bust r.

Rev.Of varying types

On the designation Antoninian

The Antoninian was an ancient Roman silver coin introduced as official currency under Emperor Caracalla (211-217) around 214 AD.

The ancient name of the coin has not been handed down. The name Antoninian is derived from Caracalla's actual name, Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, and was introduced in the Middle Ages. According to recent research, the ancient name of the Antoninian is thought to have been Bicharactus.

Historical

Iulia Cornelia Salonina Chrysogone († 268 near Milan)
She was the wife of the Roman Emperor Gallienus and the mother of Valerianus Caesar, Saloninus and Marinianus.

Salonina's origin is unknown. Because of her surname Chrysogone, which is attested on coins, it is assumed that she was a Greek from Bithynia, but her origin from the city of Salona in the province of Dalmatia (today Solin in Croatia) is also possible.

Possibly as early as the elevation of Gallienus to co-regent with his father Valerian and the conferring of the title Augustus on him in the autumn of 253, Salonina received the title Augusta, which she used at the latest in 254.

It can be assumed that she had already been married to Gallienus for several years at that time and that her two eldest sons were already alive in 253; her first coin portraits show a woman who was no longer young.

Her eldest son, Valerianus, died in 258, the second, Saloninus, was killed by the usurper Postumus in 260. The third son, Marinianus, was probably not born until 265/266.

Please note: You buy a coin of the respective ruler in the specified condition, not the piece shown in each case.

Roman Empire, Helena, +330, AE Follis

Obv.Drap. bust r.

Rev.Of varying types

Historical

Flavia Iulia Helena (* 248/250 in Bithynia; † around 330 in Nicomedia, today İzmit).

She was the mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine, by whom she was appointed Augusta. She is venerated as a saint in the Catholic and Orthodox Churches.

Helena probably came from a very humble background. The church father Ambrose of Milan writes that she was a good innkeeper. (Ambrose of Milan, De obitu Theodosii 42).

She carried on a relationship with the Roman officer Constantius and gave birth to their son Constantine between 272 and 280. Whether Constantius and Helena were also married is disputed. The two may have lived in a long-term concubinage.

Constantius Chlorus separated from Helena in 289 to marry Flavia Maximiana Theodora, the stepdaughter of the Emperor Maximian. He was adopted by Maximian and made Caesar (sub-emperor) in 293 as part of the Tetrarchy.
 

After the death of Constantius Chlorus, his son Constantine took over his father's army and was proclaimed Augustus (supreme emperor) by the army in what is now York on 25 July 306. After his accession to power, he brought his mother to Trier. While Constantius Chlorus remained a pagan, Helena was baptised. Their son Constantine, under the banner of Jesus Christ, was victorious over his opponent Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312 and issued the Edict of Toleration of Milan the following year.

Please note: You are purchasing a coin of the respective ruler in the indicated condition, not the piece depicted in each case.

Byzantine Empire, Mauricius Tiberius, 582-602, AV Solidus

Obv.Helm. bust facing, in hands globus cruciger and shield

Rev.Standing angel facing, in hands staurogram-staff and globus cruciger

Historical

Mauricius (* 539 in Arabissos; † 27 November 602 in Chalcedon) was emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire from 13 August 582 to 27 November 602 and one of the most important Late Antique or Early Byzantine rulers. His reign was marked above all by defensive battles on the borders.

Mauricius Tiberius is one of the most important, but also one of the most tragic Byzantine rulers.

Before coming to power in 581, Mauricius achieved an important victory over the Persians and was confronted with an empty treasury and very uncertain conditions at the empire's borders. Consequently, his policy was aimed at reorganising the state finances and consolidating power in foreign policy.

In 591, a peace was agreed with the Persians after he had skilfully exploited the Sassanid throne turmoil.
In the Balkans, too, concessions and wars against Avars and Slavs seemed to promise a stabilisation of Byzantine supremacy.
The establishment of the exarchates of Ravenna (584) and Carthage (590) brought a temporary peaceful situation in Italy and North Africa.

Domestically, Mauricius not only pursued plans for a renewed division of the empire, reminiscent of the partition of 395 and Diocletian's tetrarchy (293), but also a rigid austerity policy, which was very detrimental to his popularity.

The cuts in the pay of the soldiers, who were subjected to great and constant hardship during the countless warlike conflicts, brought discontent and annoyance. In 602, there was finally a rebellion and ultimately the proclamation of the officer Phocas as the new emperor.

With the help of the circus parties of the Greens (so-called racing stables that were politically organised), Phocas succeeded in capturing Constantinople.
Mauricius and his family were cruelly killed at the behest of the new ruler.

Byzantine Empire, Phocas, 602-610, AV Solidus

Obv.Bust with crown cruciger facing, in hands globus cruciger

Rev.Standing angel with staurogram-staff and globus cruciger

Historical

Phocas (* after 547 in Thrace; † 5 October 610 in Constantinople).
He was emperor of the Eastern Roman or Byzantine Empire from 602 to 610.

The first successful usurper in Byzantine history, he is traditionally regarded as a despotic ruler whose rule is said to have shaken the Eastern Roman Empire.

The reign of Emperor Phocas is considered the nadir of Byzantine history. In October 610, Herakleios (575; † 641) put an end to his reign of terror and executed a horrific sentence. But he did not leave it at that.

As a centurion, Phokas had belonged to the non-commissioned officer corps. He is said to have owed his election to his biting criticism of the conditions in the camp. Authors of the upper and educated classes portray him as a boorish figure who was also disfigured by a scar across his face. He is said to have been vicious, addicted to drink and morbidly brutal. The mocking verse "Once again you got into the jug,/ Once again you are no longer clever" made the rounds about him. Others reported that nothing excited the emperor more than the sight of blood.

However, Phokas did not so much gush blood on campaigns against foreign enemies, but rather among domestic opponents or those he considered to be such. He is said to have used the gallows and the torture rack, blindings and mutilations intensively, executions were as much a daily occurrence as debauched revelries and brutal police actions against unruly subjects, especially in Constantinople.

In addition, foreign policy disasters proved the incompetence of the emperor. The Sassanid Khosrau II, who owed his throne to the support of Maurikios, had taken the latter's assassination as an opportunity to wage war on the eastern provinces of the empire. In the end, the Sassanid troops even advanced as far as western Asia Minor. On the Danube, the Avars finally broke through the Byzantine defences. In their wake, the Slavs proceeded to firmly seize land in the Balkans.

The exarch (governor) of Carthage, Herakleios, saw this as a task or an opportunity. He sent his son of the same name with a squadron to the capital, which he reached on 3 October 610. The executed again a bloody court of punishment. Two days later, Phocas was beheaded. The head was put on a stick and carried through the streets of Constantinople.

Source: Abridged:
https://www.welt.de/geschichte/article217065006/Byzanz-610-Der-Koerper-des-Kaisers-wurde-ausgeweidet.html / Author: B. Seewald

Byzantine Empire, Heraclius, 610-641, AV Solidus

Obv.Busts of the emperor and his son Heraclius Constantinus facing, Inscription: ddNN hERACLIUS ET hERA CONST PP

Rev.Cross potent on three steps, Inscription: Victoria AUC Offizin, Gammar

Historical

Herakleios (* around 575; † 11 February 641)
He was Eastern Roman or Byzantine emperor from 5 October 610 until his death. He was one of the most important Byzantine rulers and can at the same time be considered the last ruler of Late Antiquity and the first emperor of the Middle Byzantine Empire.
The dynasty he founded ruled until 711.

Herakleios' entire reign was marked by a military defensive struggle against external aggressors, first against the Persians and the Avars, and later against the Arabs. Internally, the transformation to a now completely Graecianised empire took place, whereby state and society were subjected to profound changes.

Domestically, Herakleios had to struggle hard with the unsolved problem of Miaphysitism ("Monophysitism"), trying in vain to unify the Church in the Empire: In order to get around the problem of the central question of whether Jesus had only one (divine, as the Miaphysites thought) or two unmixed natures (human and divine, as advocated by the Orthodox since the Council of Chalcedon), the formula of ekthesis (see also monotheletism) was devised, according to which Jesus in any case had only one will.
Nevertheless, this compromise solution also failed, since the majority on both sides remained intransigent and rejected this draft. In a way, the problem of religious unity was then solved from the outside when the Arabs conquered those provinces that did not adhere to orthodoxy.

Herakleios consequently implemented far-reaching reforms within the empire, which were to be formative for the Byzantine Empire until its downfall and marked the end of the late antique phase of the empire. Under him, the Eastern Roman or early Byzantine Empire also largely lost its late Roman character through the Greekisation of the state.

Herakleios was obviously a competent military man. He was able to save the empire from the Sassanids, but not from the onslaught of the Arabs. With the loss of the most important provinces and the restriction to Asia Minor, southern Italy and the Balkans, the late Roman Empire ended and the Byzantine Empire of the Middle Ages began.

Please note: You order the shown type of coin in similar grade, not the shown coins(s). If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.