These genuine from the second and third centuries CE offer a view of the roots of modern Western civilization evident in the .

The obverse side of each shows the portrait of the emperor at the time of mintage; on the reverse sides, images depict history, mythology, and military themes. Numerous pagan gods and goddesses dominated Roman life and were reflected in the popularity of these themes.

Coins were made by hand by inserting a hot metal blank between two dies and striking the upper die with a heavy hammer. Because of this crude process, the coins are not perfectly round.

The earlier coins in this collection are known denarii. The denarius, first minted circa 211 BCE, was the central unit of for over 400 years. The coin design changed little over the centuries until it was eventually replaced by the larger, but lower grade, double denarius () circa 211 CE. The older denarii disappeared from circulation as inflation and a shortage of precious metals gradually caused a steady decline in the silver content of the the antoninianus over the next four decades. By late in the reign of , in the middle of the third century, all that was left of the antoninianus was a diminished bronze coin with a thin silver wash. Despite some efforts to revive the “ant”, however, Roman silver coins never recovered prominence, reflecting the empire’s declining power and wealth.

The Coins

1. , the Ideal Emperor (98-117)

Country| Denomination Rome | Denarius

Material Silver

Weight | Diameter 2.5-3.5 g |17-19 mm

The reign of Trajan marks the zenith of Roman civilization. The borders were never as vast, the economy never as booming, the culture never as high. In an era of almost constant warfare, plague, and famine, it was a season of relative peace and prosperity within the empire’s borders. And those borders were Image shows typical coins, indeed vast, encompassing most of Britannia, all of Gaul and not to scale and are for Iberia, Eastern Europe to the Danube, all of Northern Africa, Greece, Anatolia, Mesopotamia, Palestine, and the Crimea. The illustration purpose only. historian Simon Sebag Montefiore writes, “Trajan, tall, athletic, Coins in the sets will vary. stern, was the ideal emperor, perhaps the greatest since .”

2. Antonius Pius, the Pacifist (138-161)

Country| Denomination Rome | Denarius

Material Silver

Weight | Diameter 2.5-3.5 g |17-18.5 mm

The adopted son and heir of the great emperor , Antonius was notable for one reason: his pacifism. Emperors of Rome tended to be brutal individuals, drawn from the ranks of the imperial army, and quick to take up arms. It was said of Antonius

Image shows typical coins, that, not only did he never command an army in his 23 years on not to scale and are for the throne, but he never so much as inspected a garrison. It is no illustration purpose only. accident that his choice of heir was , that most intellectual of emperors. Coins in the sets will vary.

3. , the Persecutor (193-211) Country| Denomination Rome | Denarius

Material Silver

Weight | Diameter 2-3 g |16.5 -19.5 mm

This hard-nosed emperor seized power in the fabled Year of the Five Emperors, deposing and killing the incumbent emperor and

defeating his rivals to the throne. A great builder, Septimius Severus oversaw much construction during his 18-year reign, including a renovation of Hadrian’s Wall in the colony of Image shows typical coins, Britannia. With respect to Christians and Jews, Septimius was as not to scale and are for severe as his name. He encouraged the persecution of both, illustration purpose only. forbade conversion to either religion on pain of death, and made Coins in the sets will vary. martyrs of many early saints.

4. , the Lady of the Camp (193-217)

Country| Denomination Rome | Denarius

Material Silver

Weight | Diameter 2.5-3.5 g |18 -20 mm

Born to a family of vast wealth, this future Empress and wife of Roman Emperor Septimius Severus was of Syrian descent, making her arguably the most powerful Arab woman who ever lived. An intelligent, talented and beautiful woman, Julia Domna exercised great influence during her husband's reign and practically administered the empire for her sons, the Image shows typical coins, future Emperors and . Unlike her predecessors, Julia not to scale and are for Domna accompanied her husband on his military campaigns, and was known as the Lady of the Camp. Septimius often sought her advice, as illustration purpose only. did Caracalla when he ascended the throne after his brother's murder. Coins in the sets will vary. Her two sons were joint rulers of Rome until Caracalla’s men killed Geta. Julia was a woman who was accustomed to power, but after the assassination of Caracalla in 217, she committed suicide by starvation.

5. Caracalla, the Good Citizen (198-217)

Rome | Denarius Country| Denomination

Material Silver

Weight | Diameter 2 -3 g |17 -19.5 mm

The son of Septimius Severus and Julia Domna, Caracalla

assumed sole control of Rome after murdering his brother Geta in 211 CE. A year later, he issued the famous Edict of Caracalla, granting full Roman citizenship, with all its attendant benefits, to

all free men in the Empire. The baths he constructed are one of the major tourist attractions in modern-day Rome. He was Image shows typical coins, not to scale and are for assassinated in 217.

illustration purpose only.

Coins in the sets will vary.

6. Alexander Severus, the Steady (222-235)

Country| Denomination Rome | Denarius

Material Silver

Weight | Diameter 2 -3 g |18 -19.5 mm

Cleaning up the decadent mess left behind by his cousin , Alexander Severus was as kindly as he was effective. The 13 years of his reign were marked by general peace and prosperity. He checked the Sassanids in the East, and manipulated the Germanic tribes through diplomacy and bribery. None of this prevented him

Image shows typical coins, from being assassinated, however, and the lack of a viable heir plunged Rome into the so-called Crisis of the Third Century, a 50- not to scale and are for illustration purpose only. year period of intense chaos and upheaval.

Coins in the sets will vary.

7. Gordian III, the Boy Emperor (238-244)

Country| Denomination Rome | Denarius

Material Silver

Weight | Diameter 4.5-6 g |21-23 mm

Gordianus was proclaimed Augustus by the army at the age of 13, making him the youngest emperor to rule by himself. During his reign decrees were published indicating efforts to remedy the weakness of the economy and the decline of civil law. Throughout the Empire the borders were becoming weaker, the

Image shows typical coins, Danube frontier was invaded by the Goths, Istros was invaded, not to scale and are for and revolts broke out in Africa. In the year 242, Gordian left for illustration purpose only. Persia to direct campaigns in the East. He never returned, as he Coins in the sets will vary. was assassinated far away from home.

8. Philip I, the Arab (244-249)

Country| Denomination Rome | Denarius

Material Silver

Weight | Diameter 3-4 g |22-24 mm

A Syrian by birth, the former prefect assumed

the throne after the death of Gordian III, although he himself had no hand in the assassination. Philip negotiated a peace treaty with

the Persian king Shapur I, and presided over Rome’s millennial celebration—the city was founded, legend had it, on April 21, Image shows typical coins, 753 BCE by Romulus. After a series of insurrections and not to scale and are for invasions, Philip was assassinated by his successor, Decius. illustration purpose only.

Coins in the sets will vary.

9. Trajan Decius: the Persecutor (249-251)

Country| Denomination Rome | Denarius

Material Silver

Weight | Diameter 3-4.5 g |21-23.5 mm

A senator from a noble family, Decius holds two distinctions. His edict of 250, ordering all Roman citizens to perform the proper sacrifices to the Roman gods in front of official witnesses, marked the first time Christians had to choose between their religious beliefs

and death—with the result being a mass persecution of Christians. Image shows typical coins, When he died fighting the Goths, he became the first Roman not to scale and are for emperor killed in battle by a foreign enemy. illustration purpose only.

Coins in the sets will vary.

10. Trebonianus Gallus: the Conspirator (251-253)

Country| Denomination Rome | Denarius

Material Silver

Weight | Diameter 2.9-4 g |20-22 mm

It may have been that Gallus, a provincial governor, was not complicit in the death of his predecessor, Trajan Decius. But no less an authority than the Thirteenth Syballine Oracle believed that he was, in fact, responsible for the death of Decius by virtue of a conspiracy. Gallus was never able to completely shake these Image shows typical coins, rumors. He was killed by his own soldiers in the summer of 253. not to scale and are for illustration purpose only. Coins in the sets will vary.

11. Valerian I, the Captive (253-260)

Country| Denomination Rome | Denarius

Material Silver

Weight | Diameter 3-5 g |22-23 mm

Upon taking the throne with his son Gallienus, he headed East, to take on the Persians and their nefarious ruler, Shapur I. At first, the campaign went well. Valerian succeeded in securing Antioch and the province of Syria. Then plague struck his army before the Battle of Edessa, which he lost to the Persians. He arranged a meeting with Shapur, to negotiate terms of a truce, but his rival violated the spirit of the meeting by taking him captive. Far from treating him Image shows typical coins, with the dignity befitting his office, Shapur delighted in humiliating him. Valerian was paraded around Persia in chains, and used as a footstool every time Shapur not to scale and are for needed to mount his horse. The details of his death vary, depending on the source. illustration purpose only. Some say that when he offered a ransom for his release, Shapur had him swallow Coins in the sets will vary. molten ; others, that he was flayed alive. What seems certain is that his body was skinned, tanned, stuffed, and mounted on the wall in Shapur’s palace, like a trophy fish, where it remained for generations.

12. Gallienus, the Egalitarian (253-268)

Country| Denomination Rome | Denarius

Material Silver

Weight | Diameter 2.9-4 g |20-22 mm

While this hard-nosed emperor, who assumed sole control of the empire after the death of his father, Valerian I, in 260, believed sincerely that he was a demigod come down to earth, he still managed to implement important reforms in the military. His decision to bar senators from serving as military commanders Image shows typical coins, allowed more equestrians to fill those positions, encouraging a not to scale and are for meritocracy that would continue when the seat of the empire illustration purpose only. moved from Rome to Constantinople. Before his assassination, Coins in the sets will vary. Gallienus lost a chuck of the empire, including Gaul—lands it would never recover.

Each coin is protected in an archival capsule and beautifully displayed in a deluxe case. Each collection comes with an informational booklet, certificate of authenticity, and a plaque inscribed with a list of the coins. The box set is packaged in an attractive black gift box. Box measures approximately: Box measures: 11 13/16" x 4 23/32" x 1 3/8" Order code: 12SILROMBOX-D