PROBUS “VIRTVS” Rare Ancient Roman Coin Ticinum mint Security Cult i55476

Item: i55476

Authentic Ancient Coin of:

Probus
–
Roman Emperor
: 276-282
A.D. –

Bronze Antoninianus 22mm (4.16 grams) Ticinum
mint: 282 A.D.
Reference: RIC 526g
VIRTVSPROBIAVG – Helmeted, radiate, cuirassed bust left,
holding spear over shoulder and shield.
SECVRITPERP Exe: I/VIXXI – Securitas standing left,
leaning on column and with legs
crossed, touching head.

You

Authenticity.

Securitas – Security, as a goddess worshipped by the Romans, is delineated in

a great variety of ways on their imperial coins. She appears for the most part

under the form of a woman in matronly costume; though in some few instances she

is but half clothed, having a veil thrown over the lower extremities. Sometimes

she is quietly seated, as if perfectly at her ease and having nothing to fear.

That is to say, her right or her left elbow rests on her chair, and the hand

supports her head, as in Nero. Or else one of her arms is placed above the head;

an attitude which ancient artists regarded as characteristic of repose. She

holds in one or other of her hands either a sceptre, or a scipio, or the hasta

pura, or a cornucopia, or a patera, or a globe. On some medals there is near her

a lighted altar; on others she stands leaning against, or with her arm upon, a

column or cippus, having sometimes the legs crossed in a tranquil, easy posture,

carrying one of the above-mentioned symbols, or otherwise holding before her a

branch or a crown of olive, or a palm branch. The meaning of these various

attitudes and attributes is on the whole too evident to require explanation.
There are medals of nearly all the emperors (with flagrant inappropriateness to
most of the reigns) from Otho and Vitellius to Constans and Constantius jun.,
which have for the type of their reverses this figure of Security, and present
for their legend the word SECVRITAS, with the addition of the words, AVGVSTI, or
AVGVSTORVM (security of the emperor or of the emperors); ORBIS (security of the
world) ; PVBLICA (public security) ; PERPETVA (perpetual security) ; POPVLI
ROMANI (security of the Roman people) TEMPORVM (of the Times) ; IMPERII (of the
empire) SAECVLI (of the age) ; REPVBLICAE (of the republic), etc.

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).