Barbarians on the Coins of Trajan Decius (249–251)

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/2084-140X.10.16

Keywords:

Trajan Decius, Roman provincial coins, barbarians

Abstract

During Trajan Decius’s reign (249–251) in a number of provincial mints – Alexandria, Caesarea Maritima, Magnesia ad Sipylum and Nicomedia – coins were issued featuring the theme of the barbarian (an enemy or a captive) in reverse iconography. In this article, I discuss these coins, considering them in the context of the iconographic tradition and the activity of the particular mints during Decius’s reign, and also in relation to the ideology of victory and the dynastic ideology. They are interesting especially because the theme of the barbarian was not utilised in the parallel imperial coinage. Nevertheless, its presence in provincial coinage is also of a marginal nature. Moreover, the end of Decius’s reign also coincided with a time-related hiatus in the use of the theme in provincial coinage.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Aurélius Victor, Liber de Caesaribus. Livre des Césars, ed. et trans. P. Dufraigne, Paris 1975 [= Collection des Universités de France].
Google Scholar

Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum, ed. T. Mommsen et al., Berolini 1863–.
Google Scholar

Dattari G., Numi Augg. Alexandrini, Cairo 1901.
Google Scholar

Eutropius, Breviarium ab Urbe condita. Eutrope, Abrégé d’histoire romaine, ed. et trans. J. Hellegouarc’h, Paris 1999 [= Collection des Universités de France. Série latine].
Google Scholar

Head B.V., A Catalogue of the Greek Coins in the British Museum. Catalogue of the Greek Coins of Lydia, Bologna 1964 [repr.].
Google Scholar

Pseudo-Aurelius Victor, Epitome de Caesaribus. Abrégé des Césars, ed. et trans. M. Festy, Paris 1999 [= Collection des Universités de France. Série latine].
Google Scholar

Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum Deutschland. Sammlung von Aulock. Lydien, vol. II, ed. G. Kleiner et al., Berlin 1963.
Google Scholar

Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum. The Royal Collection of Coins and Medals Danish National Museum. Lydia, Copenhagen 1947.
Google Scholar

Amandry M., Burnett A., Mairat J., Metcalf W., Bricault L., Blet-Lemarquand M., Roman Provincial Coinage, vol. III, Nerva, Trajan and Hadrian (AD 96–138), London–Paris 2015.
Google Scholar

Burnett A., Amandry M., Ripollès P.P., Roman Provincial Coinage, vol. I, From the Death of Caesar to the Death of Vitellius (44 BC–AD 69), London–Paris 1992.
Google Scholar

Calomino D., Burnett A., Matthies S., Roman Provincial Coinage, vol. VI, From Elagabalus to Maximinus (AD 218–238) (online, with temporary numbers).
Google Scholar

Heuchert V., Roman Provincial Coinage, vol. IV.2, The Antonines (AD 138–192): Asia (online, with temporary numbers).
Google Scholar

Hostein A., Mairat J., Roman Provincial Coinage, vol. IX, From Trajan Decius to Uranius Antoninus (AD 249–254), London–Paris 2016.
Google Scholar

Howgego C., Roman Provincial Coinage, vol. IV.4, The Antonines (AD 138–192): Egypt (online, with temporary numbers).
Google Scholar

Mattingly H., Sydenham E.A., The Roman Imperial Coinage, vol. II, Vespasian to Hadrian, London 1968 [repr.].
Google Scholar

Mattingly H., Sydenham E.A., The Roman Imperial Coinage, vol. III, Antoninus Pius to Commodus, London 1968 [repr.].
Google Scholar

Mattingly H., Sydenham E.A., Sutherland C.H.V., The Roman Imperial Coinage, vol. IV.3, Gordian III – Uranius Antoninus, London 1968 [repr.].
Google Scholar

Birley A.R., Decius Reconsidered, [in:] Les empereurs illyriens, ed. E. Frézouls, H. Jouffroy, Strasbourg 1998, p. 57–80.
Google Scholar

Bursche A., The Battle of Abritus, the Imperial Treasury and Aurei in Barbaricum, “The Numismatic Chronicle” 173, 2013, p. 151–170.
Google Scholar

Christol M., L’empire romain du III siècle. Histoire politique (de 192, mort de Commode à 323, concile de Nicée), Paris 1997.
Google Scholar

Ferris I.M., Enemies of Rome. Barbarians through Roman Eyes, Stround 2000.
Google Scholar

Forrer L., The Weber Collection of Greek Coins, vol. III.1, London 1926.
Google Scholar

Grozdanova L., The Roman Emprerors against the Goths of Cniva. Political Mythology, Historical Documents and Retrievable Reality, Sofia 2019.
Google Scholar

Gysen P., Légende de revers au datif pour un antoninien de Trajan Dèce, “Bulletin du Cercle d’Etudes Numismatiques” 36.3, 1999, p. 75–77.
Google Scholar

Hannestad L., War and Greek Art, [in:] Essays on Warfare in Antiquity, ed. T. Bekker-Nielsen, L. Hannestad, København 2001, p. 146–154.
Google Scholar

Heitz C., Alles bare Münze? Fremdendarstellungen auf römischem Geld, “Bonner Jahrbücher” 206, 2006, p. 159–230.
Google Scholar

Heitz C., Die Guten, die Bösen und die Hässlichen. Nördliche ‘Barbaren’ in der römischen Bildkunst, Hamburg 2009 [= Schriftenreihe Antiquitates, 48].
Google Scholar

Huttner U., Von Maximinus Thrax bis Aemilianus, [in:] Die Zeit der Soldaten-Kaiser. Krise und Transformation der Römischen Reiches im 3. Jahrhundert n.Chr. (235–284), ed. K.-P. Johne, U. Hartmann, T. Gerhardt, Berlin 2008, p. 161–221.
Google Scholar

Kellner W., Die Münzstätte Alexandria in Ägypten von Kleopatra bis Arcadius, Wien 2009.
Google Scholar

Kluczek A.A., Empereur invaincu et barbares. Les représentations des barbares dans le monnayage romain de l’époque impériale (235–284 apr. J.-C.), [in:] Rzym antyczny. Polityka i pieniądz. The Ancient Rome. Politics and Money IV, ed. W. Kaczanowicz, Katowice 2008, p. 104–134.
Google Scholar

Kluczek A.A., VNDIQVE VICTORES. Wizja rzymskiego władztwa nad światem w mennictwie złotego wieku Antoninów i doby kryzysu III wieku – studium porównawcze, Katowice 2009.
Google Scholar

Kluczek A.A., Wizerunek „obcego-wroga” w ikonografii monetarnej. Przykład mennictwa cesarza rzymskiego Aureliana (270–275), [in:] Grecy, Rzymianie i ich sąsiedzi, ed. K. Nawotka, M. Pawlak, A. Pałuchowski, A. Wojciechowska, Wrocław 2007, p. 305–326.
Google Scholar

Kotula T., Barbarzyńcy i dworzanie. Rzym a barbarzyńcy w dworskiej literaturze późnorzymskiej, Kraków 2004.
Google Scholar

Kotula T., Cesarz Klaudiusz II i Bellum Gothicum lat 269–270, Wrocław 1994 [= Acta Universitatis Wratislaviensis. Antiquitas].
Google Scholar

Kotula T., Kryzys III wieku w zachodnich prowincjach cesarstwa rzymskiego, Wrocław 1992 [= Acta Universitatis Wratislaviensis. Antiquitas].
Google Scholar

Kraft K., Das System der kaiserzeitlichen Münzprägung in Kleinasien. Materialien und Entwürfe, Berlin 1972 [= Istanbuler Forschungen, 29].
Google Scholar

Krzyżanowska A., Monnaies coloniales d’Antioche de Pisidie, Warszawa 1970.
Google Scholar

Levi A.C., Barbarians on Roman Imperial Coins and Sculpture, New York 1952.
Google Scholar

Levine L., Some Observations on the Coins of Caesarea Maritima, “Israel Exploration Journal” 22.2/3, 1972, p. 131–140.
Google Scholar

Loriot X., Un sénateur illyrien élevé à la pourpre: Trajan Dèce, [in:] Les empereurs illyriens, ed. E. Frézouls, H. Jouffroy, Strasbourg 1998, p. 43–55.
Google Scholar

Manders E., Coining Images of Power. Patterns in the Representation of Roman Emperors on Imperial Coinage, A.D. 193–284, Leiden–Boston 2012 [= Impact of Empire, 15], https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004224001
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004224001

Mattern S.P., Rome and the Enemy. Imperial Strategy in the Principate, Berkeley–Los Angeles–London 1999, https://doi.org/10.1525/9780520929708
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1525/9780520929708

Ostrowski J.A., „Cum restrictis ad terga manibus”. Wizerunki jeńców wojennych jako element rzymskiej propagandy politycznej, [in:] Niewolnictwo i niewolnicy w Europie od starożytności po czasy nowożytne, ed. D. Quirini-Popławska, Kraków 1998, p. 41–47.
Google Scholar

Ostrowski J.A., Les personnifications des provinces dans l’art romain, Varsovie 1990.
Google Scholar

Peachin M., Roman Imperial Titulature and Chronology, A.D. 235–284, Amsterdam 1990.
Google Scholar

Picard G.C., Les trophées romains. Contribution à l’histoire de la Religion et de l’Art triomphal de Rome, Paris 1957.
Google Scholar

Salisbury J.F., Mattingly H., The Reign of Trajan Decius, “Journal of Roman Studies” 14, 1924, p. 1–23, https://doi.org/10.2307/296323
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/296323

Vitale M., Das Imperium in Wort und Bild. Römische Darstellungsformen beherrschter Gebiete in Inschriftenmonumenten, Münzprägungen und Literatur, Stuttgart 2017.
Google Scholar

Downloads

Published

2020-12-23

How to Cite

Kluczek, A. (2020). Barbarians on the Coins of Trajan Decius (249–251): . Studia Ceranea, 10, 337–359. https://doi.org/10.18778/2084-140X.10.16

Issue

Section

Articles

Similar Articles

1 2 3 4 5 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.