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The Roman Age of Chaos: Crisis of the Third Century

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The Roman Age of Chaos: Crisis of the Third Century The Roman Age of Chaos: Crisis of the Third Century Six Silver Coins Collection, 235-253 Third-century Roman soldiers battling Gothic troops All coins in each set are protected in an archival capsule and beautifully displayed in a mahogany-like box. The box set is accompanied with a story card, certificate of authenticity, and a black gift box. The Age of Chaos, also known as Military Anarchy and the Crisis of the Third Century, was a fifty-year period of extreme volatility that almost saw the disintegration of the mighty Roman Empire. No fewer than 50 would-be emperors claimed the throne, a veritable parade of usurpers, most of whom were dead within a year or two. The empire splintered into three rival states vying for ultimate power, barbarians of every stripe invaded almost constantly, and the so-called Plague of Cyprian killed off those emperors (and soldiers) who did not meet a violent end. The Crisis began in 235 CE, when the Emperor Alexander Severus was set upon by his own troops, who replaced him with Maximinus I—Max Thrax, as he is sometimes known. By the time Gordian III assumed the throne in 238, at the ripe old age of 13, there had already been five rulers after Alexander Severus. The youthful, good-natured Gordian managed to survive for six years, among the longest reigns of any emperor during the Crisis, before being killed. His successor Philip I attempted to solidify his position by naming his son Philip II as co-Caesar, but their reign lasted just five years. Trajan Decius, who defeated the two Philips in 249, was dead two years later. Trebonianus Gallus attempted to restore peace to the Empire, ending the wars with the Goths, but he too was killed by his own men after just two years on the throne. The Age of Chaos did not end until Diocletian assumed command in 284, ushering in the Tetrarchy and closing the book on five decades of near-anarchy. This collection features coins from six of the emperors in the tumultuous Age of Chaos. Portrait and legend are on the obverse; reverses vary, but tend to feature personifications or military themes. The instability at the top had a dismal impact on the economy, a downward spiral of hyperinflation and currency devaluation that was reflected in the coinage. The silver fineness was debased further with each succeeding emperor. The Coins Ruler 1. Maximinus I Year of issue 235-238 AD Country Rome Denomination Denarius Material Silver Weight 1.9-3 g Diameter 18.5-20 mm Obverse Portrait and legend Reverse Various personifications or military themes Ruler 2. Gordian III Year of issue 238-244 AD Country Rome Denomination Antoninianus Material Silver Weight 4-5.6 g Diameter 21-23 mm Obverse Portrait and legend Various personifications or military themes Reverse Ruler 3. Philip I Year of issue 244-249 AD Country Rome Denomination Antoninianus Material Silver Weight 2.9-4.2 g Diameter 21.8-23.6 mm Obverse Portrait and legend Reverse Various personifications or military themes Ruler 4. Phillip II Year of issue 244-249 AD Country Rome Denomination Antoninianus Material Silver Weight 2.9-4.5 g Diameter 21-23 mm Obverse Portrait and legend Various personifications or military themes Reverse Ruler 5. Trajan Decius Year of issue 249-251 AD Country Rome Denomination Antoninianus Material Silver Weight 3.0-4.5 g Diameter 21.2-23.3 mm Obverse Portrait and legend Various personifications or military themes Reverse Ruler 6. Trebonianus Gallus Year of issue 251-253 AD Country Rome Denomination Antoninianus Material Silver Weight 3-3.8 g Diameter 20.5-23.5 mm Obverse Portrait and legend Reverse Various personifications or military themes Box data: Box measures: 7.25” x 5.5” x 1.25” Order code: 6AGEOFCHAOSSLBOX Image shows typical coins, not to scale. .
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