Roman Coins

Roman Historical Notes
Portrait of Licinius
Iovi (Jupiter) Standing, Holding Globe and Victory

Early Life
Gaius Valerius Licinianus Licinius was born in Dacia to a peasant family in around 263 A.D. He was a close childhood friend of the future Emperor Galerius. Both Licinius and Galerius rose above their humble origins by serving with distinction in the army and rising through the ranks. Galerius eventually became Emperor, and in 308, he elevated his old friend to the rank of Augustus (leaving out the more usual intermediary rank of Caesar, which most Augustii held before being promoted to Augustus).

Early Reign
Licinius was given responsibility for overseeing the provinces of Illyricum, Thrace and Pannonia. He led an army to a crushing victory over the Samaritans in 310, and earned the respect of his troops. In 311, his friend and colleague Galerius died. Licinius subsequently divided the territories of Galerius between himself and Galerius' Caesar and half-nephew, Maximinus II Daia. In 312, Constantine defeated the usurper Maxentius in the face of superior numerical odds. Licinius allied himself with Constantine by marrying his sister, Constantia, in order to defeat Daia and secure his own position.
Licinius subsequently succeeded in crushing Daia's numerically superior army at the Battle of Tzirallum. Licinius pursued the defeated Daia all the way to Tarsus, where Daia died, either of natural causes or by assassination. Licinius was now the undisputed master of the East, whilst Constantine ruled the West.

Conflict with Constantine
It did not take too long for the alliance between Constantine and Licinius to break down as they began to covet each other's territories. In 314, Constantine accused Licinius of harbouring a man named Bassianus, whom Constantine believed had been plotting against Constantine. Constantine invaded Licinius' territories and beat Licinius' forces at the Battle of Cibalae. Licinius retreated, raised a new army, and confronted Constantine again, but was defeated in another bloody battle at Mardia in 316/17 which resulted in heavy losses on both sides. Licinius retreated towards Byzantium, hotly pursued by Constantine. Although Constantine seemed to be gaining the upper hand, he over-reached himself by marching too far into Licinius' territory, and Licinius succeeded in placing his army near Constantine's supply lines and capturing his baggage train. With the potential outcome of the war still uncertain, both sides negotiated a settlement, which was more favourable to Constantine, but which still left Licinius in a strong enough position to recover from the war well enough to challenge Constantine again in the future.

The War Resumes
The truce proved to be an uneasy one, and Licinius protested when in 321 Constantine crossed over into Licinius' territory to pursue an army of Goths in he had driven out of his own territory. When Constantine repeated this in 322, Licinius declared war.
Once again however, the war went badly for Licinius. In 323, Licinius' fleet was defeated. After a brief respite until the following year, Constantine once again marched against Licinius, whose army was defeated at Adrianople, followed shortly afterwards by his fleet at Hellespont, by a Constantinian fleet commanded by Crispus. Having made a desperate last stand at Chrysopolis in September of 324, Licinius was once again defeated and forced to flee with the remains of his army. Realising that what was left of his forces was now too weak to resist Constantine's victorious legions, he decided to submit. Thanks to the pleas of his wife, Constantine initially decided to spare the life of Licinius and his son, Licinius II, but later reneged on this when he accused them of being the centre of a new plot against him. Licinius was subsequently strangled to death a few months later along with his son on Constantine's orders.

This particular specimen still retains much of its original silvering. Iovi (Jupiter) holding a globe and Victory, with an eagle at his feet.

Price & Availability:-

Description	Grade	Price £	Price $	Availability
Silvered Fractional Follis of Licinius 3.04g	gVF	£45	$Ask	Yes

Roman Historical Notes
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