Maximianus as Hercules
Farnese Hercules
The Roman Emperors Diocletian and
Maximianus claimed lineage with the gods.
In the East, Diocletian was in the family
of Jupiter and in the West, Maximianus was
in the family of Hercules. These coins
below reference the relationship of
Maximianus with Hercules. You frequently
see him referred to as Maximianus
Herculius.
There is a theory that Diocletian and
Maximianus started to proclaim their
relationship with Jupiter and Hercules
because of the revolt of Carausius. It was
"an attempt to impose a divine order on
the administering of the Empire, a "cosmic
unity" that would automatically exclude
any usurper from a place within the
Empire." (In Praise of Later Roman
Emperors pg 48) It is impossible to
prove, but an interesting idea.
Here is a quote from Lactantius, a Christian author of the 4th century, who mocks the Tetrarchy for their affiliation with the pagan gods--
“Where now are the surnames of the Jovii and the Herculii, once so glorious and renowned among the nations; surnames insolently assumed at first by Diocles and Maximian, and afterwards transferred to their successors?” Lactantius LII
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Maximianus
A.D. 307 26mm 7.2g D N MAXIMIANO P F S AVG; laureate and cuirassed bust. HERCVLI CONSERVATORI; Hercules standing facing, head left, right leaning on club, left holding bow, lion's skin over left shoulder. In ex. PLN RIC VI London 91; LMCC 5.04.006; RML 201 |
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Trier
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Maximianus A.D. 296- 297 Ӕ follis 27mm 10g IMP MAXIMIANVS P F AVG; laureate head right, H under bust. GENIO POPVLI ROMANI; Genius standing left, modius on head, naked but for chlamys over left shoulder, right holding patera, left cornucopiae; B in left, Γ in right. In ex. TR RIC VI Trier 171b This coin from Trier has an H under the bust, which honors the family members of Hercules-- Maximianus and Constantius. RIC says it was issued when "Constantius' British campaign was successfully concluded" This is his campaign against Carausius and Allectus. It also commemorates the beginning of the campaign of Maximianus against the Quinquegentiani in North Africa which started the minting of coins at Carthage. |
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Lugdunum
Lyon |
Maximianus
A.D. 289 Ӕ Antoninianus 21mm 3.7gm IMP C MAXIMIANVS P AVG; Radiate and cuirassed bust right. HERCVLI INVICTO AVGG; Hercules stg. l., holding Victory on globe, club and lion’s skin; in left field S. RIC Vii Lugdunum 369 |
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| Maximianus A.D. 289 Ӕ Antoninianus 22x23mm 3.8g IMP C MAXIMIANVS P AVG; Radiate and cuirassed bust left, holdig spear and shield. HERCVLI INVICTO AVGG; Hercules stg. l., holding Victory on globe, club and lion’s skin; in left field S. RIC Vii Lugdunum 369 Ex Grohs-Fligely collection 1875-1962 |
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Maximianus
A.D. 287-289 Ӕ Antoninianus 21mm 3.9g IMP C VAL MAXIMIANVS P F AVG; radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. HERCVLI PACIFERO; Hercules standing left, holding olive branch, club and lion-skin; B in left field. In ex. SML RIC Vii Lugdunum 372 |
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Maximianus
A.D. 288 silvered Ӕ Antoninianus 21x22mm 3.6g IMP MAXIMIANVS P AVG; Radiate, bare bust wearing baldric, lion’s skin across shoulder and carrying club. HERCVLI PACIFERO; Hercules stg. l., holding branch, club and lion’s skin; in left field B. In ex. SML RIC Vii Lugdunum 375; Bastien 130 (2 ex.) Spelling error on reverse— I instead of L in HERCVLI |
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Maximianus
A.D. 289 Ӕ Antoninianus 22mm 3.6g IMP C MAXIMIANVS P F AVG; radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. VIRTVTI AVGG; Hercules stg. r., strangling lion, club thrown behind him. RIC Vii Lugdunum 454 |
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| Maximianus A.D. 289 Ӕ Antoninianus 21x23mm 3.7gm IMP MAXIMIANVS AVG; radiate and cuirassed bust right. VIRTVTI AVGG; Hercules stg. r., strangling lion, club thrown behind him. In ex. T RIC Vii Lugdunum 456 variation; Bastien 226 footnote This coin is not in RIC for the T in exergue. It is not listed in Bastien either, though he does mention in a footnote for #226 that an example was noted in the Nieder-Rentgen hoard (pg 42) |
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Maximianus
A.D. 289 Ӕ Antoninianus 22mm 4.5g IMP C MAXIMIANVS P F AVG; radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. VIRTVTI AVGG; Hercules stg. r., with lion’s skin and holding club resting on rock; S in left field. RIC Vii Lugdunum 463 |
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| Maximianus A.D. 301-303 Ӕ follis 26x28mm 9.7g IMP MAXIMIANVS AVG; Laureate and cuirassed bust left, holding club over his right shoulder and wearing lion skin over left. GENIO POPVLI ROMANI; Genius standing left, modius on head, naked except for chlamys over left shoulder, holding patera and sacrificing over lit altar, cornucopiae in left; In right field A. In ex. PLG RIC VI Lyon 120; Bastien 155 (2 ex.) |
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Ticinum
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Maximianus A.D. 285- 288 Ӕ Antoninianus 23x24mm 3.6gm IMP M AVR VAL MAXIMIANVS AVG; Radiate, cuirassed and draped bust right. HERCVLI CONSERVAT; Hercules stg. r., holding club with lion’s skin, on rock. In ex. VIXXIT RIC Vii Ticinum 547 |
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Rome
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Maximianus A.D. 291 Ӕ Antoninianus 23mm 3.9g IMP MAXIMIANVS P F AVG; radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. VIRTVS AVGG; Hercules stg. l., head left, holding club,trophy and lion’s skin. In ex. XXIA RIC Vii Rome 515 |
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Carthage
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Maximianus A.D. 297- 298 27x28mm 8.3g IMP MAXIMIANVS P F AVG; laureate head right. FELIX ADVENT AVGG NN; Africa standing left, holding labarum and tusk; at feet, lion with captured bull, in left field H. in ex. PKS RIC VI Carthage 23b the H in left field is for Hercules constantinethegreatcoins.com/Carthage/ |
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Siscia
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Maximianus A.D. 289- 290 Ӕ Antoninianus 23mm 3.2g IMP C M A VAL MAXIMIANVS P F AVG; radiate and cuirassed bust right, seen from rear. CONSERVATOR AVGG; Maximianus holding sceptre, and Hercules, leaning on club; standing face to face, sacrificing at altar; Γ in right. In ex. •XXI•ΛI• RIC V Siscia 580 var. (bust type) bust type not listed in RIC this coin has a secret code in Greek that spells Hercules-- workshop A= HP, workshop B= KOY and workshop Γ = ΛI HP/KOY/ΛI for Hercules constantinethegreatcoins.com/CONSERVATOR/ |
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| Maximianus A.D. 289- 290 Ӕ Antoninianus 22x23mm 3.6g IMP C M A VAL MAXIMIANVS P F AVG; radiate head right. CONSERVATOR AVGG; Maximianus holding sceptre, and Hercules, holds club, with lion skin draping down; stg. face to face, sacrificing at altar; B in right field In ex. XXIKOY RIC V Siscia -- Not in RIC…normally Hercules leans on the club |
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| Maximianus A.D. 287 Ӕ Antoninianus 22x23mm 3.7g IMP C M A VAL MAXIMIANVS P F AVG; Radiate and cuirassed bust right. VIRTVS AVGVSTORVM; Hercules stg. r., leaning on club holding lion’s skin and bow; A in left field. In ex. XXI RIC Vii Siscia 591 |
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Cyzicus
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Maximianus A.D. 292 Ӕ Antoninianus 22mm 3.7g IMP C M A MAXIMIANVS P F AVG; radiate, bare-chested (Herculean) bust right, slight drapery on shoulders. VICTORIA AVGG; Victory standing between Diocletian and Maximianus extending hands to one another. In ex. XXI•B• RIC Vii Cyzicus 588 this mintmark is not recorded in RIC; but there is a lot of variation in these RIC Vii coins |
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Antioch
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Maximianus A.D. 285- 295 Æ Antoninianus 22x23mm 3.4g IMP C M AVR VAL MAXIMIANVS P F AVG; radiate and cuirassed bust right. IOV ET HERCV CONSER AVGG•; Jupiter standing right, holding globe and sceptre, facing Hercules standing left, holding victory, club and lion's skin; between them Z. In ex. XXI RIC Vii Antioch 622 |
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Alexandria
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Maximianus A.D. 304- 305 Ӕ follis 28mm 10.9g IMP C M A MAXIMIANVS P F AVG; laureate head right. HERCVLI VICTORI; Hercules stg. facing, hd. l., r. leaning on club, l. holding apples of Hesperides and Nemean lion’s skin; across fields S-P and B in left field. in ex. ALE RIC VI Alexandria 38 |
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| Maximianus A.D. 290- 291 Alexandria, Egypt Ӕ Tetradrachm 19x20mm 6.6g MAΞIMIANOC CЄB; laureate and draped bust right. Reverse: Herakles standing facing, head to left, holding club in his right hand and the Golden Apples of the Hesperides in his left; to upper left, star; L-S (year 6) across fields. Emmett 4131 Ex- Keith Emmett |
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modified on 19 Feb 2025