Antoninianus - Probus Draped and cuirassed, right; MARTI PACIFERO; Mars
280 year| Silver | 4.80 g | 21.86 mm |
| Issuer | Rome › Roman Empire (27 BC - 395 AD) |
|---|---|
| Emperor | Probus (Marcus Aurelius Probus) (276-282) |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
| Year | 280 |
| Value | Antoninianus (1) |
| Currency | Antoninianus, Reform of Caracalla (AD 215 – 301) |
| Composition | Silver |
| Weight | 4.80 g |
| Diameter | 21.86 mm |
| Shape | Round (irregular) |
| Technique | Hammered |
| Orientation | Variable alignment ↺ |
| Demonetized | Yes |
| Updated | 2024-10-05 |
| Numista | N#393172 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 97% |
Reverse
Mars, helmeted, standing left, holding olive-branch in right hand and spear and shield in left hand.
Mintmark of the 7the officina (VII) in right field. XXI in exergue.
Script: Latin
Lettering: MARTI PACIFERO
Translation: To Mars, the peacemaker.
Comment
About RIC 699
RIC 699 was minted by the 7th officina (-/VII//XXI) of the Siscia mint. The original RIC text mentions 3 different variations/different bust types (bust types according to Pierre Bastiens grouping of bust types; see illustrated: probvs.net), and there are also two variants known:
- radiate, draped, right (A bust (*)) (Numista #293055);
- radiate, cuirassed, left (B1 bust) (Numista #293726; Alföldi 038.006 (**); example: probuscoins.fr #5032);
- radiate, cuirassed, left, with spear and shield (F bust; could also be F8 bust) (not in Numista);
- [var] radiate, draped and cuirassed, right (A2 bust) - missing "C M AVR" (this coin);
- [var] radiate, cuirassed, right (B1 bust) - missing "C M AVR" (example: probuscoins.fr #1528);
(*) RIC seems to mistakenly not list the A2 bust (Probus, draped and cuirassed, right) but the A bust (Probus, draped, right). See for example RIC 651 where the A2 and A bust are separately listed. There are no published examples of the A bust. There is one published image of an example with the A2 bust: probuscoins.fr #4227 and also Alföldi only lists the A2 bust (#038.005 in (**) Andreas Alföldi, Vorarbeiten zu einem Corpus der in Siscia geprägten römischen Kaisermünzen. Heft V. Verzeichnis der Antoniniane des Kaisers Probus, Budapest, 1939).
According to Pink, RIC 699 is part of the 7th emission, which was in the year 280 (Karl Pink, Der Aufbau der römischen Münzprägung in der Kaiserzeit VI/I, Wien, 1949, p. 41).
About this variant of RIC 699
This coin differs from RIC 699 because it is missing the letters "C M AVR" from the obverse legend (IMP C M AVR PROBVS PF AVG). This variant is listed as a variant of RIC 699 on probuscoins.fr and probvs.net. The only coins from Siscia listed in RIC with "MARTI PACIFERO" is RIC 699. Alföldi lists two bust versions:
- Bust of Probus, radiate, draped and cuirassed, right (bust A2; Alföldi 038.001);
- Bust of Probus, radiate, cuirassed, right (bust B; Alföldi 038.002-003).
On probuscoins.fr and probvs.net, with reference to Pink, this variant is also listed as part of the 7th emission (year 280).
Published examples of the variant on probuscoins.fr:
Interesting fact
The Antoninianus - Probus coin was part of a series of coins issued during the reign of Emperor Probus (276-282 AD) to celebrate the Roman Empire's military victories and to promote the cult of the Roman gods. The coin features Mars, the Roman god of war, on the reverse, which symbolizes the empire's military prowess and the emperor's role as the leader of the Roman army. The coin's design and symbolism reflect the propaganda efforts of the Roman Empire to promote its power and influence, and it provides a glimpse into the political and cultural climate of the time.
