Maximianus Herculius augustus, first reign 286 – 305
Aureus, Antiochia 290, AV 5.43 g. MAXIMIANVS AVG COS III P P Laureate and cuirassed bust l., wearing imperial mantle and holding eagle-tipped sceptre. Rev. HERCVLI VLTORI Hercules standing l., holding club and apples, lion’s skin on l. arm; in l. field, Z and in exergue, SMA. C –. RIC –. Depeyrot 5/2. Calicó 4666a (these dies). Of the highest rarity, the finest of only three specimens known. A very interesting portrait struck in high relief on an extremely large flan. Virtually as struck and almost Fdc Ex Tkalec 25 October 1996, 265 and NGSA 4, 2006, 253 sales. The impressive portrait of Maximian on the obverse of this gold aureus makes it abundantly clear that it was produced as a donative for distribution to the army at the New Year festival in January 290. He is shown wearing heavily decorated robes and carrying an eagle-tipped scepter—both insignia of a consul—and therefore the coin celebrates Maximian’s assumption of the consulship. The surrounding legend informs us that it was his third time holding the consulship. It was also his second time sharing the consulship with Diocletian, his superior colleague in the imperial Dyarchy that lasted until 293. In that year, Diocletian divided the Empire and established the Tetrarchy with Maximian serving as Augustus in the West.The reverse features Hercules Ultor (”the Avenger”) and refers to Maximian’s role in the Dyarchy. When Diocletian first conceived of the Dyarchy as a means of restoring order in the Roman Empire, he understood himself in terms of Jupiter, the wise and powerful ruler of the gods, while he viewed Maximian as Hercules, the agent of Jupiter on earth endowed with the strength to enforce the dictates of his divine father. In short, Diocletian was the brains and Maximian was the brawn of the Dyarchy. This relationship became codified already in 286, when Diocletian appointed Maximian to serve as his Caesar. At the time, Diocletian assumed the name Jovius while Maximian became Herculius. Hercules subsequently became an emblem used by other individuals raised to the rank of Caesar in the Tetrarchic system of 293-305.