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: 3.75 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: 0 H
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
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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