|
Quintillus – Roman Emperor: 270 A.D. –
Bronze Antoninianus 21mm (3.05 grams) Rome mint: 270 A.D.
Reference: RIC 26
IMPCMAVRCLQVINTILLVSAVG – Radiate, draped bust right.
PAXAVGVSTI – Pax standing left, holding branch and scepter.
You are bidding on the exact item pictured,
provided with a Certificate of Authenticity and Lifetime Guarantee of
Authenticity.
Eirene, or Irene Greek for “peace”; the
Roman
equivalent was
Pax
, one of the
Horae
, was the personification of peace, and
was depicted in art as a beautiful young woman carrying a
cornucopia
,
sceptre
and a torch or
rhyton
. She is said sometimes to be the
daughter of Zeus
and
Themis
.
She was particularly well regarded by the
citizens of Athens
. After a naval victory over
Sparta
in 375 BC, the Athenians established a
cult for Eirene, erecting
altars
to her. They held an annual state
sacrifice to her after 371 BC to commemorate the
Common Peace
of that year and set up a votive
statue in her honour in the
Agora of Athens
. The statue was executed in
bronze by
Cephisodotus the Elder
, likely the father or
uncle of the famous sculptor
Praxiteles
. It was acclaimed by the Athenians,
who depicted it on vases and coins.
Although the statue is now lost, it was copied in marble by the Romans; one
of the best surviving copies (right) is in the
Munich
Glyptothek
. It depicts the goddess carrying a
child with her left arm –
Ploutos
, the god of plenty and son of
Demeter
, the goddess of agriculture. Eirene’s
missing right hand once held a sceptre. She is shown gazing maternally at
Ploutos, who is looking back at her trustingly. The statue is an allegory for
Plenty (Ploutos) prospering under the protection of Peace (Eirene); it
constituted a public appeal to good sense. The copy in the Glyptothek was
originally in the collection of the
Villa Albani
in Rome but was looted and taken
to France by
Napoleon I
. Following Napoleon’s fall, the
statue was bought by
Ludwig I of Bavaria
.
In
Roman mythology
, Pax (Latin
for peace
) (her
Greek
equivalent was
Eirene
) was recognized as a
goddess
during the rule of
Augustus
. On the
Campus Martius
, she had a temple called the
Ara Pacis
, and another temple on the
Forum Pacis
. She was depicted in art with
olive
branches, a
cornucopia
and a scepter. There was a festival
in her honor on January 3. Daughter of
Jupiter
and
Iustitia
. Pax was often associated with spring.
Marcus Aurelius Claudius Quintillus (ca 220 – April 270) was born
in Sirmium
(now
Sremska Mitrovica
,
Serbia
)in
Illyricum
.
He was brother of
Roman
Emperor
Claudius II
, and became
Emperor
himself in 270. Quintillus’ origin is uncertain. He was either from
Sirmium
(Syrmia;
in Pannonia
Inferior) or from Naissus
Dardania
(in
Moesia Superior
); both areas are located in
Serbia
. His
parents were Flavius Numerius and wife Claudia (b. ca 190), and his brothers
were Flavius Crispius (b. ca 210), married to Aurelia Pompeiana (b. ca 210) with
whom he had children, and
Claudius II
. His maternal grandparents were
Claudius Apellinus
,
Governor
of
Britannia Inferior
, and wife Bassina (b. ca 170).
Historia Augusta
reports that he became Emperor in a
coup
d’état
. Eutropius
reports Quintillus to have been elected by
soldiers
of
the Roman
army
immediately following the death of his brother. The choice was
reportedly approved by the
Roman
Senate
.
Joannes Zonaras
however reports him elected by the Senate itself.
Records however agree that the
legions
which had followed Claudius in campaigning along the
Danube
were
either unaware or disapproving of Quintillus’ elevation. They instead elevated
their current leader
Aurelian
to
the rank of Augustus
. Historia Augusta reports Aurelian to have been chosen by
Claudius himself as a successor, apparently in a deathbed decision.
Reign of Quintillus
The few records of Quintillus’ reign are contradictory. They disagree on the
length of his reign, variously reported to have lasted as few as 17 days and as
many as 177 days (about six months). He was a
Consul
in 270, for 77 days. Records also disagree on the cause of his death.
Historia Augusta reports him
murdered
by his
own soldiers in reaction to his strict
military discipline
.
Jerome
reports
him killed, presumably in conflict with Aurelian.
John of Antioch
and Joannes Zonaras reported Quintillus to have committed
suicide
by
opening his veins
and bleeding himself to death. John reports the suicide to have been assisted by
a physician
.
Claudius Salmasius
pointed that
Dexippus
recorded the death without stating causes. All records however agree in placing
the death at Aquileia
.
Quintillus was reportedly survived by his two sons.
Historia Augusta reports Claudius and Quintillus having another
brother named Crispus and through him a niece, Claudia. who reportedly married
Eutropius and was mother to
Constantius Chlorus
. Historians however suspect this account to be a
genealogical
fabrication
to flatter
Constantine I
.
Surviving Roman records considered Quintillus a moderate and capable Emperor.
He was seen as a champion of the Senate and thus compared to previous Emperors
Servius Sulpicius Galba
and
Publius Helvius Pertinax
. All three were highly regarded by Senatorial
sources despite their failure to survive a full year of reign.
|
