★ Ex Collection of a Perfectionist; Arras Hoard of 1922 ★

Maximinus II, as Caesar, AV Aureus. Treveri, AD 305-306. MAXIMINVS NOB C, laureate head right / HERCVLI CONSER AVGG ET CAESS NN, Hercules, standing nude to right, his head turned to left, wearing lion’s skin over his left shoulder and quiver over his right shoulder; in his left hand he holds a bow, his right rests on his club, set on the ground; TR in exergue. RIC 621; Depeyrot 52, 11B/3P; Bastien and C. Metzger, Le trésor de Beaurains (1977), 144, 420 (this coin); Calicó 5012. 5.32g, 17mm, 6h.

Good Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare, one of only two examples known, both of which come from the Beaurains/Arras Hoard.

This coin published in P. Bastien & C. Metzger, Le Trésor de Beaurains (Wettern, 1977);
From the Long Valley River Collection;
Ex Claude Vaudecrane (1915-2002) Collection, Leu Numismatik AG, Auction 87 (Collection of a Perfectionist), 6 May 2003, lot 110;
Ex Numismatica Ars Classica AG, Auction 7, 1 March 1994, lot 805;
From the Beaurains (Arras) Hoard of 1922.

This coin was struck to commemorate the foundation of the Second Tetrarchy on 1 May AD 305. Born of Dacian peasant stock to the sister of Galerius, Maximinus rose to high distinction in the army thanks to his uncle’s influence as Caesar under Diocletian. In 305, according to Lactantius, Galerius forced Diocletian to abdicate, and through coercion and threats convinced Diocletian to fill the two vacated positions of Caesar with men compliant to his will. Thus, with the abdication of Diocletian and Maximianus, Galerius was raised to Augustus and immediately appointed his nephew Maximinus to the rank of Caesar along with an old friend, Severus. Portrayed by contemporary writers as vulgar, cruel and ignorant, Maximinus II gained eternal notoriety for his persecution of Christians in open defiance of the Edict of Toleration issued by Galerius.

In 313, having imprudently allied himself to Maxentius, the enemy of Constantine and Licinius, Maximinus found himself at war with Licinius, who marched against him and defeated him in a decisive battle at Tirizallum, despite Maximinus’ army being a veteran force that outnumbered Licinius by more than two to one. Pursued and besieged by Licinius, he poisoned himself at Tarsus in Cilicia in AD 313, eight years after being named Caesar, and five and a half after assuming the purple. His children were put to death and his wife was thrown into the Orontes at Antioch where by her orders a great number of Christian women had been drowned.

This extremely rare coin shows Maximinus before he had revealed his cruel and tyrannical nature, and gives him the stern countenance of one of the tried military emperors into whose company he was being elevated. The finely engraved, muscular figure of Hercules on the reverse is a further allusion to the militaristic responsibilities of the tetrarchic emperors, being employed here as Hercules ‘the Defender’, thus both emphasising Maximinus’ purpose as a guardian of Rome, and at the same time ennobling him by appointing Hercules to watch over him.