Tetrarchy

CARUS. Antoninian. (Ae. 4.22g/22mm). 282 AD Ticinum. (ICR 82). Obv: radiated and cuirassed bust of Caro to the right, around legend: IMP CARVS PF AVG. Rev: Spes advancing to the left carrying a flower, in exergue: SXXI, around legend: SPES PVBLICA. Almost Extremely Fine. Nice specimen.
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ALLECTUS. Antoninianus. (Ae. 4.33g/23mm). 293-295 AD Camulodunum. (RIC 91). Obverse: Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust facing right, legend around: IMP C ALLECTVS PF AVG. Rev: Pax standing left holding flower and sceptre, between SP, in exergue: C, legend around: PAX AVG. Extremely Fine. Beautiful specimen, very rare as it is.

The usurper Electus ruled the provinces of Britain and northern Gaul between 293 and 296 AD until he was defeated by Constantius Chlorus. The narrow chronological and spatial range of his issues gives these coins a certain rarity that does not go unnoticed by the collector. As with the coins of Carausius, with which they share numerous similarities, the portraits suffer from the technical roughness of their execution, although they show great vigor in their representation.
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MAXIMIAN, Hercules. Medallion. (Ae. 40.99g/41mm). AD 297-298 Rome. Obv: VIRTVS MAXIMIANI AVG. Laureate bust in cuirass with Aegis of Maximian right carrying shield decorated by she-wolf suckling Romulus and Remus, behind a horse's head. Rev: MONETA AVGG. The three standing Moneta facing left, all three carrying scales and cornucopias. (Cohen 405; BPoor Medallions 4; Gnecchi 18). VF+. Obverse field refinished. Very rare.

Just as Diocletian did with Jupiter, Maximian is identified with Hercules in a magnificent portrait of great strength and realism. The intimate association of the ruler's person with the divine nature of the hero is part of the imperial propaganda programme, which found in coins and medals one of its best means of dissemination. This medal also includes another detail of great symbolic weight: the representation of Rome and its foundation in the images of the she-wolf, Romulus and Remus. On the reverse, and with the representation of the goddess Moneta, we find another scene with a powerful symbolic charge; it seems that the cult of this goddess was established due to the influence of the Greek religion and that this was the equivalent of the Greek cult of Mnemosyne. The allegory on the reverse of this medallion is therefore linked to the very origins of Roman civilisation. It is not the only reference to Greek culture present in this medallion. Back on the obverse we can see in the centre of the breastplate the mythological figure of Medusa, probably the most recognised villain in all of Greek mythology, capable of petrifying any living being with her simple glance.
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