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RIC VIII Arelate 137

DocumentedSupported by at least one credible specialist source.

Record status

Individual type · research required

Issuing entity

Roman Empire

RIC VIII Arelate 137. Denomination: Large AE2. Authority: Magnentius. Mint: Arelate. The obverse shows bust of Magnentius, laureate, rosette-diademed, draped, cuirassed, right, with the legend D N MAGNEN-TIVS P F AVG.

The reverse shows magnentius, draped, cuirassed, standing left, holding Victory on globe in right hand and standard in left hand, with the legend FELICITAS - REI PVBLICAE.

Evidence at a glance

Linked sources
2
Photograph views
2
Catalogue references
1

Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.

Historical context

Magnus Magnentius was a Roman general acclaimed Augustus on 18 January 350 by the army in Gaul to replace the unpopular emperor Constans. After quickly killing Constans, Magnentius secured control across most of the Western Empire. Because he possessed no dynastic connection to Constantine the Great, Constantius II refused to recognise his legitimacy, sparking three years of civil war that ended with Magnentius's suicide on 10 August 353.

This Large AE2 billon or bronze piece was struck at the mint of Arelate during Magnentius's rule. Unrelated to the Constantinian dynasty, Magnentius concentrated much of his short reign on asserting his legitimacy, modelling himself as a liberator who delivered the West from tyranny. The reverse legend "FELICITAS - REI PVBLICAE" and its imagery of the emperor holding Victory on a globe and a standard accompany the obverse style presenting Magnentius under the legend "D N MAGNEN-TIVS P F AVG".

Physical characteristics

Material
Billon; Bronze
Denomination
Large AE2

Technical characteristics

Mint
Arelate
Authority
Magnentius

Design

Obverse
Bust of Magnentius, laureate, rosette-diademed, draped, cuirassed, right
Reverse
Magnentius, draped, cuirassed, standing left, holding Victory on globe in right hand and standard in left hand
Obverse legend
D N MAGNEN-TIVS P F AVG
Reverse legend
FELICITAS - REI PVBLICAE

Identification

Type reference
RIC VIII Arelate 137
Denomination and metal
Large AE2, Billon; Bronze
Obverse legend to match
D N MAGNEN-TIVS P F AVG
Reverse legend to match
FELICITAS - REI PVBLICAE
Source note
Type description from the American Numismatic Society's Online Coins of the Roman Empire (OCRE); individual specimens differ in die, flan size, weight and wear, and legend breaks may vary.

Documentation checklist

Denomination
Recorded
Issue or mint date
Recorded
Material
Recorded
Weight
Research required
Mint or printer
Recorded
Mint or printer mark
Research required
Catalogue reference
Recorded
Attached photograph (check rights)
Recorded

Recorded means a field is present, not independently verified. Read its wording, supporting source and the entry’s confidence level.

Catalogue references

Varieties

  • RIC VIII Arelate 136

    Near-identical catalogue variant (same obverse and reverse legends, type and denomination, differing only in minor marks or bust detail); consolidated into this entry.

  • RIC VIII Arelate 139

    Near-identical catalogue variant (same obverse and reverse legends, type and denomination, differing only in minor marks or bust detail); consolidated into this entry.

Research required

  • Editorial verification required.
  • Weight, diameter and mint marks require specimen-level evidence.
  • Museum specimen photographs are linked by the source; local photographs and reuse rights remain unverified.
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