Quattro incredibili aurei di Probo in asta Leu

[Vel Saties]

Trovo nell’ultima newsletter di Leu e giro a tutti voi la presentazione di quattro aurei nella prossima asta 

four spectacular aurei of Probus. All of them are extremely rare, and the magnificent first piece even unpublished. What makes these aurei stand out even more, however, is their incredible quality and their interesting bust and reverse types. They form a highly important group of gold coins from one of the most fascinating emperors of the troubled 3rd century, and rank among the most impressive Roman aurei in general.
 

Lot 345  |  40,000 CHF
Probus, 276-282. Aureus (Gold, 20 mm, 7.00 g, 6 h), Siscia, early 279. IMP C M AVR PROBVS P F AVG Laureate, helmeted and cuirassed bust of Probus to left, seen from behind, holding spear in his right hand and shield decorated with gorgoneion on aegis with his left. Rev. P - M TRI - P / COS III Probus, laureate and togate, standing in slow quadriga right, extending his right hand and holding eagle-tipped scepter in his left. Calicó -. Cohen -. Helios 3 (2009), 231 (same dies). NAC 25 (2003), 567 (same dies). RIC -. Very rare, apparently the fourth known example. A magnificent coin, lustrous, perfectly centered, and with an impressive military bust type. Very minor deposits and a few faint marks in the fields, otherwise, virtually as struck.


Born in 232 of humble origin in Sirmium,M. Aurelius Probus was one of the many Illyricani to successfully climb the ranks of the Roman army of the mid to late 3rd century. We do not know much of his earlier career, for the information derived from Aurelius Victor and the highly problematic Historia Augusta appears to be largely fictitious (and at least some of it stems from a confusion with Tenagino Probus, a highly decorated officer serving under Valerian, Gallienus and Claudius II), but when he enters the spotlight of history in the summer of 276, he commanded the Roman army in the East, perhaps as dux Orientis. In this crucial position, he was awarded the purple by his troops when Tacitus died and became the sole ruler of the empire after the latter's praetorian prefect and successor Florian was murdered by his own troops in late summer or early fall of 276.



Lot 346  |  30,000 CHF
Probus, 276-282. Aureus (Gold, 20 mm, 7.00 g, 6 h), Siscia, early 279. IMP C M AVR PROBVS P F AVG Laureate, helmeted and cuirassed bust of Probus to left, seen from behind, holding spear in his right hand and shield decorated with gorgoneion on aegis with his left. Rev. P - M TRI - P / COS III Probus, laureate and togate, standing in slow quadriga right, extending his right hand and holding eagle-tipped scepter in his left. Calicó -. Cohen -. Helios 3 (2009), 231 (same dies). NAC 25 (2003), 567 (same dies). RIC -. Very rare, apparently the fourth known example. A magnificent coin, lustrous, perfectly centered, and with an impressive military bust type. Very minor deposits and a few faint marks in the fields, otherwise, virtually as struck.


According to historiographical sources, the military man Probus soon set to work on restoring order in the troubled empire,cracking down on Gothic, Frankish, Alemannic, Burgundian and Vandal incursions on the Danube and Rhine frontiers in 277-279, which earned him the victory titles Gothicus, Gothicus Maximus, Germanicus Maximus, and Restitutor Illyrici. With the western frontiers secured, the emperor then moved east again, dealing with rebel Isaurian tribes and the Blemmyes in Egypt in 279. In 280/1, however, Probus was forced to conclude an armistice with the Sasaniansto deal with the rebellions of Saturninus in Syria, Proculus in Gaul, Bonosus in Cologne, and an unnamed rebel in Britain.Even in the troubled 3rd century, such a series of revolts was unusual, and should caution against idealizing Probus' reign too much. Much of the accolades bestowed on Probus by the late Roman senatorial historiography likely stem from the emperor's favorable treatment of the Roman Senate, and it is certainly no coincidence that the highly praised Probus was the last emperor to seek the Senate's acknowledgement of his accession to power.



Lot 347  |  25,000 CHF
Probus, 276-282. Aureus (Gold, 21 mm, 6.52 g, 12 h), Serdica, 2nd half of 280-early 281. IMP C M AVR PROBVS PIVS AVG Laureate and cuirassed bust of Probus to right, wearing aegis on his left shoulder. Rev. VICTORIAE / AVG Victory in slow quadriga to left, holding wreath in her right hand and palm frond in her left. Calicó 4228. Cohen -. Numismatica Ars Classica 52 (2009), 573 (same obverse die). RIC 833. Extremely rare, apparently the third known example. A beautiful piece, perfectly centered, sharply struck and fully lustrous. Virtually as struck. 


Still, Probus was a capable ruler who succeeded in further stabilizing the empire after decades of turmoil, building upon the efforts of his Illyrian predecessors, and laying the groundwork with them for the tetrarchic Renaissanceunder Diocletian and Maximian. It is unfortunate that we know virtually nothing about his career before his accession to power, and only few details about his reign other than broad listings of his military achievements - but that is true for so many of the barracks emperors, and Probus thus no exception. What it means, in any case, is that Probus’ incredibly diverse coinage is crucial in reconstructing and dating his itinerary and military achievements. In his six years of reign, Probus issued a myriad of differing bust and reverse types, legends and mintmarks, rendering his coinage very likely the most copious of any Roman emperor in terms of individual varieties.The extent of Probus' coinage has so far prevented a comprehensive publication of all the thousands of large and small varieties, a desideratum that will hopefully soon be overcome by the upcoming publication of Sylviane Estiot’s monumental treatise. We would also expressly like to thank her for her valuable contributions to this catalogue.



Lot 348  |  20,000 CHF
Probus, 276-282. Aureus (Gold, 21 mm, 6.73 g, 6 h), Rome, end of 281. IMP PROB-VS P F AVG Laureate and cuirassed bust of Probus to left, holding spear over his far shoulder in his right hand; breastplate decorated with aegis. Rev. VBIQVE PAX Victory driving biga galloping to right, holding olive branch in her right hand and reins in her left. Calicó 4209. Cohen -. S. Estiot: Les émissions festives de l’atelier de Rome sous le règne de l’empereur Probus, in: NZ 2019, pl. 12, 67.3 (D15/R28). RIC 139. Very rare. A beautiful coin with an attractive portrait of fine style and a very interesting reverse. Small scuff on the reverse edge, otherwise, good extremely fine.


Ever popular amongst numismatists and collectors for his wonderful bust and reverse types, Probus is also one of the few barracks emperors to have found its way into public awareness in the modern era.This is mainly due to a claim found in the Historia Augusta, namely that the emperor permitted all inhabitants of Britain, Gaul, and Spain to cultivate vineyards and produce wine (H.A. Probus 18.8). Like the rest of the information provided in Probus’ vita in the Historia Augusta, this is probably fictitious, but it has led many wine-growing regions north of the Alps to name wines after him.

Despite his military successes, Probus was killed by his troops in his home town of Sirmium in September or October 282.Our sources tell us that the soldiers rebelled against being employed in civic duties such as draining marshes, with the Historia Augusta even claiming that Probus planned to dissolve the army entirelyafter peace had been established by him throughout the empire. This is perhaps the most blatant invention by the senatorial author(s), who was clearly more interested in portraying his hero’s reign as an era of prosperity than in recording actual events. If there is any truth at all to the reports surrounding Probus’ downfall, it is perhaps that the Roman military of the time had become accustomed too much to being constantly at war, and more crucially, to being rewarded in honors and donativa for its successes. Thus, if Probus in 282 indeed scaled down military expenses in anticipation of peace, and even had the soldiers take part in civic construction projects, this might have sufficed to spark the plot that led to his assassination.