In the category of facts you probably didn't know <or care about> Maximinus Daza was the last person given the title of pharoah...though Maximinus didn't use the title as it was merely honorific. He was famously anti-Christian; which appealed to the priests of Egypt, and in Maximinus, they saw a small glimmer of hope in restoring some of the old greatness of Egypt. Maximinus is most commonly associated with the Great Persecution...even though he was merely a staunch conservative and only wanted to make Rome great again Maximinus II A.D. 310- 311 Ӕ follis 23mm 7.5g IMP C GAL VAL MAXIMINVS PF AVG; laureate head right. GENIO EXERCITVS; (Genius of the Army) Genius standing left, modius on head, naked except for chlamys over left shoulder, holding patera from which liquid flows over altar & cornucopiae; crescent in left field, Z in right. In ex. ANT RIC VI Antioch 147c The GENIO type is a common reverse and was issued by the Tetrarchic emperors for over a decade, but the seemingly peaceful scene depicted on the reverse was very contentious for many people in the years A.D. 303- 313. During this period, Christians were persecuted and many were killed because of what was depicted on the reverse. The design was modeled after a statue of the Spirit of the Roman People (GENIO POPVLI ROMANI) which used to stand in the Roman forum. The reverse on the coin below depicts Genius holding a patera and pouring a libation over an altar. Diocletian feared that Christians were weakening the Empire and in A.D. 303 declared that everyone must perform public sacrifices to demonstrate their loyalty to the Emperor and Rome. This was really just a conservative move to reaffirm traditional civic virtues. The act depicted on the reverse of the GENIO coin was one that Roman citizens were expected to perform; but many Christians refused and were martyred. The persecution was firmly enforced in the Eastern Empire by Maximinus, less so in the West. The persecution officially ended in A.D. 313. Something to think about the next time that you see a common GENIO coin. Anonymous pagan civic coinage under Maximinus II ca. A.D. 312 Æ quarter nummus 15mm 1.9g GENIO ANTIOCHENI; Statue of the Tyche of Antioch on rock, below the river god Orontes. APOLLONI SANCTO; Apollo, stg.l. holding patera and lyre, in right field Z. In ex. SMA Mint of Antioch Vagi 2954; Van Heesch 3a
I'm in the group of those who didn't know about the Pharaoh title, but who does care. Thanks for sharing! I'm adding this info to the documentation of my 2 "pagan" types, as well as this coin:
I, also, fall in the group that didn't know. But, because I love History, I very much enjoyed the information. Thanks for posting.
I am a big fan of GENIO types. They are very common and usually inexpensive. Here is a page about them: http://augustuscoins.com/ed/tetrarchy/GENIO.html Here is one of Maximinus II: GENIO AVGVSTI with Genius holding head of Serapis. Maximinus II 23 mm. IMP C GAL VAL MAXIMINVS PF AVG GENIO AVGVSTI X Γ ALE RIC VI Alexandria 149b "312"
I don't really collect the GENIO series; but have well over a hundred of them. two with the BONO GENIO PII IMPERATORIS legend Maximinus II A.D. 311 24mm 7.1g IMP C GALER VAL MAXIMINVS P F AVG; laureate head right. BONO GENIO PII IMPERATORIS; Genius standing left, holding patera & cornucopiae; crescent over K in left field, A over P in right. In ex. ALE RIC VI Alexandria 135b Maximinus II A.D. 311 26mm 6.8g IMP C GALER VAL MAXIMINVS P F AVG; laureate head right. BONO GENIO PII IMPERATORIS; Genius standing left, holding patera & cornucopiae; crescent over K in left field, Γ over X in right. In ex. ALE RIC VI Alexandria 144b and this engraver error-- no ties on the headdress Maximinus II A.D. 308- 310 25mm 7.0g IMP C GAL VAL MAXIMINVS P F AVG; laureate head right. GENIO IMPERATORIS; Genius standing left, holding patera & cornucopiae; crescent over K in left field, Δ over P in right. In ex. ALE RIC VI Alexandria 103
Fun thread Victor! Here is my Max Daia. Roman Empire Maximinus II Daia As Caesar Æ Follis, Alexandria mint, 5th officina. Struck late AD 308-309. Wt.: 7.12g Obv.: GAL VAL MAXIMINVS NOB CAES; Laureate head right Rev.: GENIO CA-ESARIS Genius standing left, holding patera from which liquor flows, and cornucopia; K-E/P//ALE. Ref.: RIC VI 100a. Ex Dr. Louis Naegeli Collection (1858-1951†), sold privately to Walter F. Stoecklin before 1951 per collector tag; Ex Walter F. Stoecklin Collection (1888-1975†), Obolos 9, March 25, 2018, Lot 437.
A lot of interest in Maximinus...I think he would approve. Here is my favorite coin of his and it is not a GENIO type. It has a bust worthy of the last Pharaoh (and I just noticed I had the A and O of Pharaoh in the title and original post switched...Maximinus would not approve ) Maximinus II A.D. 309- 310 Ӕ follis 26mm 6.4g MAXIMINVS NOB CAES; Helmeted (with gryphon crest) and cuirassed bust left, holding spear over his right shoulder and shield decorated with two horsemen with Draco standards riding to left, four enemies below them; on cuirass, gorgoneion; on helmet, Sol standing facing in quadriga, raising his right hand in salute and holding globe in his left, around, stars and crescent, crest ending in griffin. VIRTVS EXERCITVS; Mars standing front, head to left, resting right hand on decorated shield and holding spear in left; in field to left, lighted altar; B in right field. In ex. ANT RIC VI Antioch 125 The mint of Antioch struck this type for Galerius and Maximinus. Antioch was likely his principal residence from 309- 311, so not surprising this special type was struck there. This type may also have referenced the campaign against the Sassanids (not only the martial bust, but also battle scene on shield) waged by Maximinus (late 309-early 310) and perhaps also his desire to be named Augustus; which may have happened during the same campaign-- “at the last general muster he had been saluted by his army under the title of Augustus.” (Lactantius XXXII) Galerius recognized him as Augustus (mid 310) but since the troops of Maximinus had already raised him up, this was probably just a formality. a bit from Ammianus Marcellinus on the draco standards carried by the horsemen on the shield- "Behind the motley cavalcade that preceded him the emperor's person was surrounded by purple banners woven in the form of dragons and attached to the tops of gilded and jewelled spears; the breeze blew through their gaping jaws so that they seemed to be hissing with rage, and their voluminous tails streamed behind them on the wind." The Later Roman Empire book 16 10:7
Some Maximini... A Maximinus Caesar, from Alexandria A Maximinus Augustus, from Antioch and a Genio Antiocheni small bronze
