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Probus – Roman Emperor: 276-282
A.D. –
Silvered Bronze Antoninianus 22mm (3.95 grams) Sisciamint: 279 A.D.
Reference: RIC 821c, C 937
IMPCMAVRPROBVSAVG – Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust
right.
VIRTVSPROBIAVG Exe: XXIVI – Trophy; seated captive on
either side.
You
are bidding on the exact item pictured, provided with a
Certificate of Authenticity and Lifetime Guarantee of
Authenticity.
A trophy is a reward for a specific achievement, and serves as
recognition or evidence of merit.
A tropaion (Greek:
τρόπαιον,
Latin
:
tropaeum), whence English “trophy”
is an ancient Greek
and later
Roman
monument set up to commemorate a victory
over one’s foes. Typically this takes the shape of a tree, sometimes with a pair
of arm-like branches (or, in later times, a pair of stakes set crosswise) upon
which is hung the armour
of a defeated and dead foe. The
tropaion is then dedicated to a
god
in thanksgiving for the victory.
A Roman tropaeum from the
Dacian Wars
(Trajan’s
Column 113 CE, note the tree trunk with arm-like
branches)
Greece
In the Greek city-states
of the
Archaic
period, the tropaion would be
set up on the battlefield itself, usually at the site of the “turning point”
(Gk. tropê) at which the routed enemy’s
phalanx
broke, turned and ran. It would be
dressed in the typical
hoplite
panoply
of the period, including (at different
times), a
helmet
,
cuirass
(either of
bronze
or
linen
), and a number of
shields
,etc, would be piled about the base. It
remained on the battlefield until the following season’s campaigns (since
battles were often fought in the same, relatively few plains amid Greece’s
numerous mountains), where it might be replaced with a new trophy.
In later eras in the Greek world, these tropaia might be vowed at the
battle-site, but in fact erected at
pan-Hellenic
sanctuaries such as
Olympia
or
Delphi
to further increase the prestige of the
victorious state.
The significance of the monument is a ritualistic notification of “victory”
to the defeated enemies. Since warfare in the Greek world was largely a
ritualistic affair in the archaic hoplite-age (see
Hanson
, The Western Way of War for
further elaboration of this idea), the monument is used to reinforce the
symbolic capital
of the victory in the Greek
community.
Ancient sources attest to the great deal of significance that early Greek
cities placed upon symbols and ritual as linked to warfare–the story involving
the bones of Orestes
, for example, in
Herodotus
1 which go beyond the ritualistic
properties to even magically ‘guaranteeing’ the
Spartan
victory, displays the same sort of
interest in objects and symbols of power as they relate to military success or
failure.
Rome
The tropaeum in Rome, on the other hand, would probably not be
set up on the battle-site itself, but rather displayed prominently in the city
of Rome. Romans were less concerned about impressing foreign powers or military
rivals than they were in using military success to further their own
political careers
inside the city, especially
during the later years of the
Republic
. A tropaeum displayed on the
battlefield does not win votes, but one brought back and displayed as part of a
triumph
can impress the citizens (who might
then vote in future elections in favor of the conqueror) or the nobles (with
whom most aristocratic Romans of the Republican period were in a constant
struggle for prestige).
The symbolism of the tropaeum became so well known that in later eras,
Romans began to simply display images of them upon sculpted reliefs (see image
and
Tropaeum Traiani
), to leave a permanent trace
of the victory in question rather than the temporary monument of the tropaeum
itself.
Originally the word trophy, derived from the Latin
tropaion
, referred to arms, standards,
other property, or human captives and body parts (e.g.
headhunting
) captured in battle. These
war trophies
commemorated the military
victories of a state, army or individual combatant. In modern warfare trophy
taking is discouraged, but this sense of the word is reflected in
hunting trophies
and
human trophy collecting
by
serial killers
.
Trophies have marked victories since ancient times. The word trophy
coined in English in 1550, was derived from the French trophée in 1513,
“a prize of war”, from Old French trophee, from Latin trophaeum,
monument to victory, variant of tropaeum, which in turn is the
latinisation
of the
Greek
τρόπαιον (tropaion),
the neuter of τροπαῖος (tropaios), “of defeat” or “for defeat”, but
generally “of a turning” or “of a change”,
from τροπή (tropē), “a turn, a change”
and that from the verb τρέπω (trepo), “to turn, to alter”.
In ancient Greece, trophies were made on the battlefields of victorious
battles, from captured arms and standards, and were hung upon a tree or a large
stake made to resemble a warrior. Often, these ancient trophies were inscribed
with a story of the battle and were dedicated to various gods. Trophies made
about naval victories sometimes consisted of entire ships (or what remained of
them) laid out on the beach. To destroy a trophy was considered a sacrilege.
The ancient Romans kept their trophies closer to home. The Romans built
magnificent trophies in Rome, including columns and arches atop a foundation.
Most of the stone trophies that once adorned huge stone memorials in Rome have
been long since stolen
Marcus
Aurelius Probus
(c. August 19,
232–September/October, 282) was a
Roman Emperor
(276–282).
A native of
Sirmium
(now
Sremska Mitrovica
,
Serbia
), in
Pannonia
, at an early age he entered the army, where
he distinguished himself under the Emperors
Valerian
,
Aurelian
and
Tacitus
. He was appointed governor of the East by
Tacitus, at whose death he was immediately proclaimed
his successor by the soldiers (276).
Florianus
, who had claimed to succeed his
half-brother Tacitus, was put to death by his own troops
after an indecisive campaign. Probus moved to the West,
defeated the Goths acquiring the title of Gothicus
(280), and saw his position ratified by the
Senate
.
The reign of Probus was mainly spent
in successful wars by which he re-established the
security of all the frontiers. The most important of
these operations were directed to clearing
Gaul
of German invaders (Franks,
Longiones
,
Alamanni
and
Burgundians
), allowing Probus to adopt the titles of
Gothicus Maximus and Germanicus Maximus.
One of his principles was never to allow the soldiers to
be idle, and to employ them in time of peace on useful
works, such as the planting of vineyards in Gaul,
Pannonia and other districts, in order to restart the
economy in these devastated lands.
In 279–280, Probus was, according to
Zosimus
, in
Raetia
,
Illyricum
and
Lycia
, where he fought the
Vandals
. In the same years, Probus’ generals
defeated the
Blemmyes
in
Egypt
; Probus ordered the reconstruction of bridges
and canals along the Nile, where the production of grain
for the Empire was centered.
In 280–281, Probus had also put down
three usurpers,
Julius Saturninus
,
Proculus
and
Bonosus
. The extent of these revolts is not clear,
but there are clues that they were not just local
problems.
In 281, the emperor was in Rome, where he celebrated his
triumph
.
Probus was eager to start his eastern
campaign, delayed by the revolts in the west. He left
Rome in 282, moving first towards Sirmium, his birth
city, when the news that
Marcus Aurelius Carus
, commander of the
Praetorian Guard
, had been proclaimed emperor
reached him. Probus sent some troops against the new
usurper, but when those troops changed sides and
supported Carus, Probus’s soldiers then assassinated him
(September/October 282).
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