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Roman Emp., Petronius Maximus, Solidus ca. 455

Currency:CHF Category:Coins & Paper Money / Coins: Ancient Start Price:20,000.00 CHF Estimated At:25,000.00 - 31,250.00 CHF
Roman Emp., Petronius Maximus, Solidus ca. 455
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The Roman Empire, Petronius Maximus, 16th March – 31st May 455, Solidus ca. 455, AV 4.39 g. D N PETRONIVS MA – XIMVS P F AVG Pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust r. Rev. VICTORI – A AVGGG Emperor standing facing holding long cross and Victory on globe, foot on man-headed serpent; in field, R – M. In exergue, COMOB. C 1. RIC 2201. Lacam FIN pl. 4, 6 (this coin). LRC 874. Extremely rare. Usual weakness on cheek and a graffito on obverse, otherwise good very fine Ex Maison Platt 1970, Longuet collection, 271; Leu 25, 1980, 461 and NAC 33, 2006, 626 sales. The 76-day reign of Petronius Maximus was anything but a success. Much to his credit, though, Petronius Maximus was one of the wealthiest senators in Rome, who after having twice served as consul, prefect of Italy, and prefect of Rome, rose to the grand position of chamberlain to the emperor Valentianian III. More powerful still was the Master of Soldiers Aetius, who controlled the army. Tensions increased, and in a surprisingly courageous move the emperor himself murdered Aetius. This solved one of the Valentinian’s problems, but had he lived long enough, he no doubt would have realized his mistake, for Aetius was the best commander in the Western empire. But Valentinian’s end came soon, as his chamberlain Petronius Maximus encouraged two of Aetius’ former bodyguards to seek revenge by murdering the emperor. Now that the palace was cleared of both general and emperor, Petronius Maximus seized the throne himself, and with it demanded the hand of Valentinian’s beautiful 33-year-old widow, Licinia Eudoxia. Desperate for help, she sent a plea to the Vandal king Gaiseric, who quickly landed an army outside of Rome. Petronius Maximus tried to flee on horseback, but instead was pelted with stones by an angry mob that dragged him off his horse, beat him to death and tossed his mutilated body into the Tiber. The Vandals breached the walls of Rome on June 1, 455 and sacked the Eternal City for fifteen days before they departed with untold treasures and three Imperial hostages, Licinia Eudoxia and her two daughters, for whom they eventually receive a king’s ransom.