Maximian's name

Coins of the Roman emperor Maximian, co-Augustus from 286 to 305 with Diocletian, often have the simple legend "IMP MAXIMIANVS PF AVG".  After Maximian retired May 1, 305, Galerius, whose full name also included "MAXIMIANVS," began to use that exact same legend previously used by Maximian. So, when Maximian returned to power during his "second reign" (late 306-late 308) that legend referred to Galerius, no longer to Maximian. In order to distinguish Maximian from Galerius, Constantine minted for Maximian using a longer version of his name. The first coin shows the longer version and the rest of this page explains how this all happened.

        (For an overview of the coins of this time period, see the beginning page "Introduction to Coins of the First Tetrarchy.")

What's new?  2021, Feb. 16. Most of this page, including coins 3, 4, and 6 through 11. 
    
Maximian's full name was 
Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maximianus. 
     His coin legends always include "MAXIMIANVS" and sometimes include "M A" for Marcus Aurelius or "M A VAL" or "M AVR VAL" for Marcus AVRelius VALerius (Coin 7). During his second reign (late 306 - late 308) Constantine minted for him with the remarkably long version "M AVREL  VAL MAXIMIANVS." 

Coin  1:
Maximian. 
27-25 mm. 7.18 grams.
IMP C M AVREL VAL MAXIMIANVS P F AVG
Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maximianus Pius Felix Augustus
Genius standing with loins draped.
S  A in fields
PTR in exergue
RIC Trier 766 "autumn 307 - end of 308."

This is a "second reign" coin from Trier, a mint of Constantine, after Constantine recognized Maximian as Augustus, which has a lot to do with why such a long version was used. 



Full names. The Roman emperors we call Maximian and Galerius had similar names, both of which include "MAXIMIANVS". Maximian was
Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maximianus (much of which can be seen on Coin 1 above). Galerius was
Gaius Galerius Valerius Maximianus.
We use "Maximian" or "Maximianus" for the first emperor, so modern scholars have chosen to use a different name, Galerius, for the second. (Maybe we could call him Maximianus II, but we do not. Maximian is sometimes distinguished as "Maximianus Herculius")

Maximian became Augustus in 286, long before Galerius was elevated to Caesar in 293, so Maximian had first dibs on the name "Maximianus" (Coin 6). To distinguish them, legends of Galerius as Caesar say Caesar (Coin 8) and often also include "GAL".  After Maximian retired in 305, the name MAXIMIANVS for an active emperor was freed up to be used by the new Augustus whom we call Galerius (but he called himself Maximianus, Coin 9). Here is an example:

Coin 2: Here is the corresponding type for Galerius in the same issue from Trier with the same control marks (S A in the fields).

Galerius as Augustus, autumn 307- end of 308.
26 mm. 6.63 grams 
IMP MAXIMIANVS PF AVG
Same reverse and control marks as above. 
RIC VI Trier 714 "autumn 307- end 308"

How do we know this isn't also Maximian? 

There are several contributing considerations. One is that it doesn't look like Maximian, who had a distinctive nose. Another is the depiction of Genius with draped loins, an innovation of Constantius as Augustus after Maximian's retirement. Galerius was Augustus at that time and had the titles "IMP" and "AVG".  A third is that the next pair of coins (Coins 3 and 4) proves that an earlier issue has this legend for Galerius at a time when it could not be for Maximian because the coins for Maximian were all retirement types.


After Diocletian and Maximian retired on May 1, 305, all across the empire retirement issues were minted for them with titles "DN ..... SEN AVG" for "Dominus Noster" ("Our Lord") and "Senior Augustus," where "senior" meant something like "emeritus" means for professors.

Coin 3: 
Maximian, retirement issue, after May 1, 305.
27 mm. 9.46 grams.

DN MAXIMIANO FELICISSMO SEN AVG 
PROVIDENTIA DEORVM QVIES AVGG 

S   F in fields  (Saeculi Felicitas?) [We don't know what "S A" refers to on Coins 1 and 2.]
PTR in exergue

RIC VI Trier 676b, "1 May 305 - early 307"


 

Since in this issue Maximian is retired, and the Augustus named "MAXIMIANVS" on the next coin is not retired (from the same issue from Trier with S F in the fields), the legend must be for Galerius (Besides, he looks like Galerius).

Coin 4:

Galerius (not Maximian, in spite of the obverse legend)
Struck at Trier, a mint of Constantius and then of Constantine.
28-27 mm. 9.19 grams.
IMP MAXIMIANVS P F AVG
This is a coin of Galerius, not Maximian. This is clear from both the portrait (which does not have the distinctive nose of Maximian) and the co-rulers in the same issue.
GENIO POPVLI ROMANI
Genius with loins draped.
S  F in fields
PTR in exergue
RIC VI Trier 652b. "1 May 305 - early 307".

This group is shared by Galerius as Augustus with Constantius as Augustus, Constantine as Caesar, Maximinus II as Caesar, and, retirement issues of Diocletian and Maximian (above).

                                               (Go to a page on how to distinguish coins of Maximian and Galerius. It overlaps this page.) 

The sequence of events. Maximian became an Augustus in 286 and Galerius became a Caesar in 293. 
The events critical to these issues were:
1)  May 1, 305, Maximian retired and Galerius was promoted to Augustus. Maximian's titles "IMP" and "AVG" lapsed. Galerius, who had been a Caesar, assumed those titles, so his legends had those titles in common with the legends Maximian had used. Coins for the retired Maximian had "retirement" legends with the new inferior titles "DN" (Dominus Noster = Our Lord) and "SEN AVG" (Senior Augustus) (Coin 3). 
2) Late in 306 Maximian came out of retirement (his "second reign") and assumed the titles "IMP" and "AVG" again. Constantine, who was only Caesar, at first not want to acknowlege Maximian as an active Augustus above him (Coin 5 below).
3) In summer 307 Constantine and Maximian came to an agreement where each recognized the other as (active) Augustus. This was awkward for mints of Constantine who was trying to remain on good terms with both Maximian and Galerius. Constantine was already using the name "MAXIMIANVS" for Galerius (Coins 2 and 4), so what name could he use for Maximian? Constantine solved this conundrum by minting for Maximian with the long version of his name (Coin 1) and using the short version for Galerius (Coin 2).
 

Maximian's second reign.  In late 306 Maximian was invited out of retirement by his son Maxentius who had usurped power in Rome (Coin 10). Constantine, at the time only Caesar, did not want to be ranked below an Augustus, so at first he went only half way to recognizing this event by minting for Maximian with his retired titles "DN" and "S AVG" on the obverse but with the GENIO POP ROM reverse which was not a retirement type.

Coin 5: A coin minted by Constantine for Maximian that splits the difference between recognizing him as fully retired (Coin 3) or as fully active (Coin 1). 

Maximian2GENIOPOPROMmmPLN96100.jpgMaximian
25-24 mm. 6.61 grams.
DN MAXIMIANO P F S AVG (notice the distinctive nose and the retired titles in the dative case)
GENIO POP ROM
PLN
RIC London 90 "c. summer 307," i.e. before Constantine recognized Maximian as an active Augustus.


Conclusion. Maximian and Galerius had similar names. Coins of both included MAXIMIANVS in their legends. On some coins parts of the first three names of "Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maximianus" are used to distinguish them. 

 


That is a summary of the story of Maximian's long legend. Continue only if you would like to see the related coins cited above.

Go to the page of links to other pages about the tetrarchal period.   Go to the main Table of Contents of this whole educational site. 

 

Additional related coins. 
 

Coin 6: Maximian with the legend "IMP MAXIMIANVS PF AVG" later used by Galerius (Coins 9 and 2).


Maximian
28-25 mm. 9.11 grams.
IMP MAXIMIANVS PF AVG
Note the distinctive nose.
GENIO POPVLI ROMANI
Genius standing left, naked, with flaming altar left
AQS in exergue
RIC Aquileia 27b "c. 299"

 



Coin 7: An early issue of Maximian with a long version of his name. 


Maximian 
Radiate, a.k.a. "aurelianus" a.k.a "antoninianus".
21 mm. 4.21 grams.
IMP C M AVR VAL MAXIMIANVS PF AVG
IOV ET HERCV CONSER AVGG
  TR   in the middle field
 XXI  in exergue
RIC VI 624 Tripolis mint. "285-290," but likely 286-287. 


 



Coin 8: Galerius as Caesar with the name MAXIMIANVS. Maximian was never just Caesar on coins--he was already Augustus on his first coins--so this must be of Galerius. 


Galerius as Caesar
28-26 mm. 9.66 grams.
MAXIMIANVS NOBIL C  (C for Caesar)
GENIO POPVLI ROMANI
S in left field, F in right field
PTR in exergue
RIC Trier 594b "c. 303- 1 May 305" (i.e. the last issue before becoming Augustus)

 



Coin 9: After Galerius became Augustus some of his coins used a legend used previously by Maximian.   

Galerius as Augustus
29 mm. 10.21 grams.
IMP MAXIMIANVS PF AVG
This obverse legend had been used by Maximian
FIDES MILITVM
     VI  in the right field
  AQS  in exergue
Not in RIC, but it would be Aquileia 56b. The issue is shared with Constantius as Augustus, that is, when Maximian was retired. 

 



Coin 10:  A coin minted by Maxentius for Maximian as Senior Augustus.

Maximian
24 mm. 7.48 grams.
IMP MAXIMIANVS SEN AVG
CONSERVATORES KART SVAE
Six-column temple, Carthage standing within holding fruits.
PKA in exergue
RIC VI Carthage 59 "summer 307".
 



Coin 11. Rare "third reign" coins of Maximian are only from eastern mints. 

Maximian
25-24 mm. 7.21 grams.
IMP C M AVR VAL MAXIMIANVS PF AVG
GENIO IMPERATORIS
     O
     Є
 ANT • 
RIC VI Antioch 112c. "Early to later 309". 

 

 
 

                         The End

Go to the page of links to pages on coins of the tetrarchies.

Go to the Table of Contents of this entire eductional site.