The George W. La Borde Collection of Roman Aurei Part I
THE ROMAN EMPIRE
Maximianus Herculius, 286 – 305, first reign
Aureus 287, AV 5.40 g. MAXIMIA – NVS P F AVG Laureate head r. Rev. VIRTVS AVG – G Hercules standing r., kneeling on the Cerynean hind, which he seizes by its antlers; in l. field, club. In exergue, P R. C 595. RIC –. Depeyrot 6/10. Calicó 4736.
Very rare. A wonderful portrait and an interesting and fascinating reverse
type. Virtually as struck and almost Fdc
Provenance
Sold by Münzhandlung Ritter, fixed-price list 80, December 2007, lot 12.

Soon after Diocletian assumed supreme power in mid-285 he appointed as co-ruler a comrade-in-arms named Maximian. He was initially invested with the rank of Caesar, but by April 1, 286, Diocletian had raised Maximian to the rank of Augustus. The two ruled jointly for seven years until they expanded their diarchy into a tetrarchy by each appointing a Caesar as their deputy. As discussed a few lots earlier, each also chose a god to follow: Jove (Jupiter) for Diocletian and Hercules for Maximian. All of this was important in Diocletian’s new world order, for divine parentage made them incalculably more legitimate than any usurper who might claim the purple. On this aureus Maximian celebrates his membership in the Herculian house. His portrait appears on the obverse, and on the reverse his divine companion Hercules is engaged in his fourth labour, capturing the Cerynean hind. Hercules’ twelve labours and many of his other adventures were common themes in art and literature and were as familiar to the Romans as the episodes of the Trojan War or the adventures of Odysseus were to the Greeks.