Diocletian (AD 284-305). AE reduced sestertius (23mm, 5.54 gm, 1h). NGC Choice XF S 5/5 - 3/5. Rome, ca. AD 285. IMP DIOCLETIANVS AVG, laureate, draped bust of Diocletian right, seen from behind / IOVI CO-NS-E-RVAT AVGG, Jupiter standing facing, head left, thunderbolt in outstretched right hand, grounded scepter in left. Cf. RIC V.II 202 (semis) var. (rev. legend). Cleanly struck with sharp remnant detailing and a lovely forest patina. Although he reached the Roman throne via the path of coup and civil war, Diocletian turned out to be a far-sighted statesman of rare ability. Achieving undisputed power in AD 285, he came in with a detailed blueprint for Roman revival. Recognizing the task of governing the Empire had grown too great for one man, he divided supreme power with three old military colleagues and devised a formula for renewing this "Tetrarchy" every 20 years. The arrangement worked surprisingly well and by AD 300 the ceaseless revolts and civil wars that had nearly destroyed the Roman Empire over the latter third century had stopped, allowing Roman economic life to slowly and painfully recover. HID09801242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved

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