Born to a family of low status in the Roman province of Dalmatia, Diocletian rose through the ranks of the military to become cavalry commander to the Emperor Carus. After the deaths of Carus and his son Numerian on campaign in Persia, Diocletian was proclaimed emperor. The title was also claimed by Carus' other surviving son, Carinus, but Diocletian defeated him in the Battle of the Margus.
Diocletian's reign stabilized the empire and marks the end of the Crisis of the Third Century. He appointed fellow officer Maximian as Augustus, co-emperor, in 286.
He reigned twenty-one years and then abdicated voluntarily. He lived out his retirement in his palace on the Dalmatian coast, tending to his vegetable gardens.
Reverse: Elpis standing left, holding flower and raising skirt; LA
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 7.12 g
Reverse: Dikaiosyne (Aequitas) standing half left, holding scales and cornucopia; L_B
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 7.3 g
Reverse: Zeus standing half left, wearing chalmys, holding patera and scepter. eagle at feet; L_Z
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 8.2 g
Reverse: GENIO POPVLI ROMANI, Genius standing left, holding patera and cornucopia
Die Orientation: 0 H
Weight: 0 g
Reverse: HERCVLI CONSERVAT, Hercules standing right, holding lion-skin
Die Orientation: 0 H
Weight: 3.1 g
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Reverse: VOT-XX-FK in three lines within wreath. (FK is the mintmark).
Die Orientation: 0 H
Weight: 2.2 g
Reverse: MARS VICTOR, Mars walking left, holding spear and trophy. Mintmark VIXXIT
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 3.11 g
Reverse: IOVI CONSERVAT, Jupiter standing left, holding thunderbolt and sceptre.
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 2.8 g
Reverse: Diocletian standing right, holding parazonium, receiving Victory on globe from Jupiter standing left holding long scepter; CONCORDIA MI_LITVM / KΓ
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 3 g
Reverse: Genius standing left, pouring out patera and holding cornucopia; GENIO POPV_LI ROMANI / KΓ
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 9.66 g
Reverse: Jupiter standing half left, wearing chalmys, holding thunderbolt and long scepter; IOVI CONSER_VAT AVGG / XXIΓ
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 3.59 g
Reverse: Diocletian right receiving Victory on globe, holding parazonium; Jupiter left giving Victory on globe, holding long scepter; IOVI CONSERVATOR_I AVG / TR / XXI•
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 3.7 g
Reverse: Quies standing left extending hand against Providentia who is holding scepter and branch; PROVIDENTIA DEORVM QVIES AVGG / T_F / PLG
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 9 g
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Reverse: tetrarchs wearing military dress, sacrificing over tripod in front of turreted enclosure with gate; VIRTVS__MILITVM / A
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 1.96 g
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Reverse: GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI, Genius standing left, holding patera and cornucopiae
Die Orientation: 7 H
Weight: 9.14 g
Reverse: Genius standing left, holding patera and cornucopia, modius on head, chalmys over shoulder; GENIO POPV_LI ROMANI / A _ * / TR
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 8.72 g
Reverse: Diocletian standing right, holding parazonium, receiving Victory on globe from Jupiter standing left, holding Victory on globe and long scepter; CONCORDIA MILITVM • / B / XXI•
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 3.4 g
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Reverse: GENIO POPVLI ROMANI, Genius standing facing left, pouring libation from patera and holding cornucopia; HTB in exergue
Die Orientation: 12 H
Weight: 9.29 g
Reverse: PROVIDENTIAE AVGG, the four Tetrarchs (Diocletian, Maximianus, Galerius and Constantius) sacrificing over tripod before campgate with six turrets
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 2.8 g
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Reverse: GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI, Genius standing left, holding patera and cornucopiae
Die Orientation: 7 H
Weight: 9.31 g
Reverse: IOVI CONSERVAT / Jupiter standing left, holding thunderbolt and sceptre
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 3.4 g
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Reverse: GENIO POPVLI ROMANI, Genius standing left, holding patera and corncopiae
Die Orientation: 6 H
Weight: 10.38 g
A very unusual style of bust on this wonderful medallic coin from the London mint. After consulting with Lee Toone i'm going with CT 2.01.003 (8), but there are so many subtle variations in style during this period. "A fine example of this coarser style probably engraved by an Allectan engraver learning how to adapt to the larger canvas of the new (for Britannia) nummi" (Lee Toone - 20.07.20). Ex. Brian Henry Grover Collection (Roma Numismatics E-Sale 72; Lot 1394)
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Reverse: PROVIDENTIA DEORVM QVIES AVGG, Providentia standing right, extending right hand to Quies who stands to left holding branch and sceptre
Die Orientation: 6 H
Weight: 11.02 g
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Reverse: GENIO POPVLI ROMANI, Genius standing left, holding patera and cornucopiae
Die Orientation: 5 H
Weight: 9.85 g
Reverse: GENIO POPVLI ROMANI, Genius standing left, holding patera and cornucopiae; LON in exergue
Die Orientation: 7 H
Weight: 9.79 g
This coin came from the ‘Rauceby hoard’ that was uncovered on 9th July 2017 by two metal detectorists in Lincolnshire, UK. Interestingly, the pot that the coins were found in was buried in the centre of a large oval pit that had been lined with quarried limestone. The pot appeared to have been carefully placed onto the limestone base, and then packed all around with additional pieces of limestone all the way to the top of the pit. The Finds Liaison Officer (FLO) in Lincolnshire at the time (Dr Adam Daubney) has described this as being evidence of so-called ‘ritual’ hoarding, where the coins were used as part of a ceremonial or votive offering. The majority of the coins in the hoard cover the rule of the first tetrarchy of Diocletian/Maximian as Augusti and Constantius/Galerius as Caesars. The hoard ends with the second and third tetrarchies and does not contain any coins of Constantine I issued after he was elevated to the rank of Augustus in December 307. Therefore this would date the burial of the hoard to around AD 307. There are similarities between the Rauceby hoard and the Wold Newton hoard that was discovered near York and was deposited at a similar time. It has been said that both hoards could possibly be tied to the ascension of Constantine as Emperor in York around 307. The British Museum catalogued the coins and disclaimed 2,734 of these in January 2020. This coin was one of 14 LON coins in the hoard (of which the British Museum kept three) and one of five Diocletian LON coins. It weighed 10.77g prior to being cleaned. It is hoped that the British Museum will publish a catalogue of the coins in the near future. For further details & images of the hoard in situ go to: http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/55136