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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.
Maximinus’ battlefield promotion was advertised on coins, including this denarius struck in Rome circa 236 AD. By this time, Rome's coin engravers must have had at least some idea what their new Emperor looked like, since Maximinus' portrait bears some barbarian features such as a protruding chin. On earlier coins, Rome's engravers had to improvise (after all, Maximinus had never set foot in Rome), namely they mimicked Alexander’s physiognomy, in particular his refined features, including his aquiline nose and small chin. Encircling the new Emperor’s laureate, draped, and cuirassed right-facing bust is the epithet IMP MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG, “Imperator (supreme commander) Maximinus, the pious Augustus.” Over time, knowledge of Maximinus’ appearance spread, and his numismatic depiction became bit by bit more barbaric. The transformation can be appreciated through examination of all three coins in this NGC Custom Set struck in Maximinus’ name.
Returning to the current coin, the reverse depicts Pax, the Romans' goddess of peace. On this coin, the goddess is replete with branch and scepter (to this day, "extending an olive branch" conveys an offering of peace and goodwill to deflect conflict). Encircling the scene is the inscription PAX AVGVSTI, “Peace of the Augustus.” Earlier imperial regimes, starting from Augustus himself, promoted Pax worship to promulgate calm and stability in the face of turmoil and civil war.
Rather than Pax, Maximinus seemed to favor Mars, the god of war, so much so that his 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 235-238 AD, AR Denarius (2.55g), Rome mint, Struck circa 236 AD, NGC Grade: MS, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 5/5, Obverse: Laureate, draped & cuirassed bust right, IMP MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG, Reverse: Pax standing left with branch & sceptre, PAX AVGVSTI, References: RIC 12, RSC 31a, BMC 68.
Image: Sony ɑ 7R Ⅴ camera / Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS lens.