Licinius                  308 - 324 A.D.

 

Licinius was a soldier and friend of Galerius. When Diocletian effected the Tetrarchy, Galerius became emperor of the East and he named his friend emperor of the West. Licinius cohabited the west with the usurper Maxentius whom he was unable to expel; his own rival Constantine I later getting the job done. When Galerius died in 311 Licinius moved out East becoming Galerius's successor and leaving the West to be squabbled between Maxentius and Constantine. Within another year Constantine would defeat Maxentius and Licinius the usurper Maximinus Daia. From then on Licinius and Constantine would be on-again off-again enemies partly because Constantine was Christian while Licinius pagan and partly simply because each wished to be sole emperor. In the end several battles fought and lost to Constantine had him on the run until he could gather no more armies, abdicated and though pardoned executed anyway some time afterwards on trumped-up conspiracy charges. But hardly any tears were shed for Licinius was a cruel ruler with few redeeming qualities, in contrast to Constantine.

 

AE3 308--324 A.D.

18 mm.

Obv. IMP LICINIVS AVG: Laureate, draped bust right

Rev. DN LICINI AVGVSTI: Laureal wreath enclosing VOT XX

Van Meter 20

AE Follis 308--324 A.D.

Antioch, Officina 1

26 mm.

Obv. IMP C VAL LICINIVS PF AVG: Laureate and draped bust right

Rev. IOVI CONSERVATORI: Jupiter standing left, holding scepter and globe,. a wreath at his feet, left

Sear 3798v., Van Meter 15v.

AE Follis 308--324 A.D.

Siscia, Officina 3

20 mm.

Obv. IMP LIC LICINIVS PF AVG: Laureate head right

Rev. IOVI CONSERVATORI: Jupiter standing left and holding Victory on a globe, an eagle bearing a wreath in his beak standing at his feet

Van Meter 22

AE Follis 308--324 A.D.

Siscia, Officina 2

21 mm.

Obv. IMP LICINIVS PF AVG: Laureate head right

Rev. IOVI CONSERVATORI AVGG NN: Jupiter standing left and holding Victory on a globe, an eagle at his feet

Van Meter 16

AR Half-follis 308--324 A.D.

Antioch, Officina 5

18 mm.

Obv. IMP VAL LICIN LICINIVS PF AVG: Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right

Rev. IOVI CONSERVATORI: Jupiter standing left, holding a globe surmounted by Victory presenting a wreath, an eagle with a wreath in its beak stannding right; a captive seated right with X/ III above

RIC VII 34

AE Follis 308--324 A.D.

Londinium

3.6 g., 24 mm.

Obv. IMP LICINIVS PF AVG: Laureate and cuirassed bust right

Rev.: GENIO POP ROM: Genio standing left, wreath in right hand, cornucopiae in right, drapery over left shoulder and across hips

RIC vi 146c, Van Meter 13

Roman Imperial Licinius

AE 3 308-324 A.D.

18 mm.

Nicomedia

Obv. IMP LICINIVS AVG

Laureate and draped bust left

Rev. IOVI CONSERVATORI AVGG

Jupiter standing left, holding Victory, palm in left field and B in right field; SMN in exergue

Van Meter 27