Maximus of Spain, Usurper (409-411). AR Reduced Siliqua, Barcino (Barcelona) mint.

Lot # 2448

Maximus of Spain, Usurper (409-411). AR Reduced Siliqua, Barcino (Barcelona) mint. Obv. DN MAXIMVS PF AVG. Pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right. Rev. VICTOR-A AAYGGG. Roma seated left on cuirass, holding Victory on globe and reversed spear; in exergue, SMBA. RIC X 1601. C. 1 (Fr. 300). AG. g. 1.14 mm. 14.00 RRR. Area of weakness on obverse, otherwise VF/Good VF. Maximus was the most obscure and perhaps the most fortunate of the rebels against Honorius. He was the household (domesticus) of Constantine III's general, the dour but capable Gerontius, and when Gerontius turned against his master he proclaimed Maximus augustus at Tarragona. Gerontius sustained his rebellion for two years, but in 411 he failed to reduce Arles, where Constantine was holding out, and on the approach of the imperial army under the future emperor Constantius III, his troops turned against him and he committed suicide. Maximus was pardoned, and in 417 was living in obscure exile 'inter barbaros in Hispania'. He was not fortunate, however, if he is to be identified with the Maximus tyrannus who tried to seize power in Spain in ca. 420, for this Maximus was captured and subsequently executed at the public games that graced the celebration of Honorius' tricennalia at Ravenna in 422. Maximus' coins of 409-11, on which there now exists a detailed study with a corpus of known specimens (Balaguer 1980), were in the sometimes attributed to Petronius Maximus.They were till recently thought to be limited to siliquae minted at Barcelona (mint-mark SMBA), but specimens of AE 4 were found at Tipasa in 1957 (Turcan 1961, 204-5) and at Barcelona in 1959 (Calico 1960) and, more unexpectedly, an AE 2 came to light at Tarrasa in 1975 (Nuix 1976). More specimens of both denominations have since been discovered (cf. especially Lafaurie and Lafont 1979).(...) The AE 2 have on the reverse the legend VICTORIA AVCCC with a standing figure of the emperor giving his hand to a woman kneeling at his right. The mint-mark is SMBA. Only two specimens have been recorded. The AE 4 has as reverse type a Victory advancing left with crown and palm (...). (P. Grierson and M.Mays, Late Roman Coins, 1992, p.219).

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