Licinius I (AD 308-324). AV aureus (20mm, 5.32 gm, 11h). NGC Choice AU 5/5 - 4/5. Antioch, AD 317-319. LICIN-IVS P F AVG, laureate head of Licinius I right / CONSVL P P-PROCONSVL, Licinius I standing facing, left head, wearing ornate toga, with globe in outstretched right, short scepter in left; star above crescent in left field, ANT in exergue. Calicó 5090 (same obv. die). RIC VII 19. Extremely rare, only example of the type on sales archives. A gorgeous example with subtle toning on matte surfaces. Ex Maison Palombo, Auction 14 (21 November 2015), lot 40; Maison Palombo, Auction 13 (13 December 2014), lot 119. Gaius Valerius Licinianus Licinius was born in the early AD 260s. Like many other young men of low birth, he joined the Roman Army and rose quickly through the ranks. During his career he befriended Galerius, who became Caesar in AD 293, and then Augustus upon Diocletian's retirement in AD 305. At the Conference of Carnuntum in November AD 308, Galerius appointed him as Augustus in place of the deceased Severus II, thus leapfrogging the legitimate Caesars Constantine I and Maximinus II. The death of Galerius in AD 311 left four men claiming the supreme title of Augustus: Licinius in the Balkans, Maxentius in Italy, Constantine I in Gaul and Britain, and Maximinus II in Asia Minor and Egypt. Another round of civil wars in AD 312-313 saw Constantine defeat Maxentius and Licinius victorious over Maximinus. Licinius launched a massacre of all potential rivals, including Maximinus' children, Galerius' son, and Diocletian's daughter. Yet he grudgingly accepted Constantine's edict of toleration toward Christians and came to a modus vivendi with his western counterpart. Tensions rose, with a final civil war erupting in AD 324. Constantine landed a series of crushing blows, and Licinius retreated with the remnants of his army to Nicomedia for a final stand. His wife Constantia intervened and negotiated an honorable surrender. Constantine at first allowed him to retire to Thessalonica, but executed him in AD 325. Although Licinius was a competent soldier and administrator, his many murders paint him as an unattractive character. HID09801242017 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved

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