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Born of a common family and provincially reared, Maximinus I (c. 173-238 AD) achieved notoriety as a Roman military commander amidst Rome’s Crisis of the Third Century. During the reign of Septimus Severus, Maximinus joined the imperial army in a Thracian unit, earning the nickname, Thrax, even though he probably born in Moesia. Among the troops, he earned fame for his exceptional size and strength, one account even claiming he stood eight-and-a-half-feet tall and could pull an ox cart. Such tales have led to speculation of acromegaly, a pituitary disorder resulting in excess growth hormone during puberty. In any case, Maximinus was big, brave, and brash, all highly beneficial traits for an up-and-coming Roman military commander. By the time of Severus Alexander's ascension, Maximinus led his own legion.
In 235 AD, Maximinus and his soldiers joined Emperor Alexander in his campaign against the Germanic tribes at the Danubian front. On the advice of his mother, Augusta Julia Mamaea, the young Emperor sought to settle things by bribing the barbarians and subsequently focus Rome’s military efforts elsewhere. Unfortunately, this strategy did not sit well with the humiliated legions, mostly local recruits unwilling to redeploy. The disgruntled troops murdered Alexander and Mamaea. Looking for a new leader, it was hard to miss the giant Maximinus.
When the news reached Rome, the Senate confirmed the ascension, even though they considered the oafish Maximinus nearly a barbarian himself, and not truly Roman (despite Caracalla’s previous grant of citizenship to all free-born subjects throughout the Empire’s territories). For his part, Maximinus focused on what he knew best, i.e., leading his troops. He ruthlessly put down several military revolts against him, and afterwards removed all senators from the army, promoting loyal soldiers in their stead. He scored military successes against hostile Germanic tribes, albeit with very high casualties. To bolster his cause and establish his succession, he declared his son, Maximus, as his Caesar.
On his earliest Roman denarii, Maximinus’ visage strongly resembles his predecessor. Since the new Augusts never set foot in Rome, perhaps the local engravers figured it safe to mimic Alexander’s physiognomy. This denarius, minted sometime in 237 AD, shows the evolution when more information was available. Maximinus' barbarically strong chin, protruding nose, and furrowed forehead contrast the relatively soft features typically depicted on Alexander’s coinage. On the coin’s reverse, the Emperor appears again, proudly standing between two standards, one hand holding a scepter and the other hand raised in an imperial salute. The skillfully executed numismatic imagery (earning NGC’s prestigious Fine Style designation) promulgates the message that, despite any concerns over his barbarian bearing, Maximinus firmly controlled Rome's formidable military forces.
As it happened, Maximinus' extensive military campaigns strained the Roman economy, in particular its wealthiest citizens. This led to revolts, as Rome’s aristocrats fought to place one of their own on the throne. In response, the giant general hastily gathered his legions and marched off to confront the Roman Senate that now dared to contest his imperial appointment.
When Maximinus reached northern Italy, he found it intentionally deserted and burned; there was no food to be found. This represented a serious problem for an Emperor whose prodigious dietary consumption was the stuff of legend (an unbelievable diet of forty pounds of meat and six gallons of wine per day). The combination of strict discipline, fatigue, and starvation was too much for his increasingly disaffected troops. They assassinated their commander and continued on to Rome, presumably in search of food.
Additional Reading: “Transitional Portraits on Roman Coins in the Third Century A.D.,” J. Illingworth, NGC Ancients on 9/11/2012.
Coin Details: ROMAN EMPIRE, Maximinus I, AD 235-238, AR Denarius (2.57 g), Struck in Rome 237 AD, NGC Grade: MS, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 5/5, Fine Style, Obverse: Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right, MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG GERM, Reverse: Emperor standing left between two standards, raising right hand and holding scepter in left, PM TR P III COS P P, References: RIC 5; RSC 64; BMCRE 161.
Image: Sony ɑ 7R Ⅴ camera / Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS lens.