The George W. La Borde Collection of Roman Aurei Part I
THE ROMAN EMPIRE
Maximinus II Daia, 310 – 313
Aureus, Antiochia 311, AV 5.26 g. MAXIMI – NVS P F AVG Laureate head r. Rev. X / MAXI / MI ·NI / AVG / SMA within laurel wreath; at top, medallion. C 222. RIC 131. Depeyrot 28/2. Calicó 5049.
Very rare and in exceptional state of preservation. A magnificent portrait and a perfect Fdc
Provenance
Inventory of Glenn W. Woods (Dallas, TX), sold in April 2007.

According to the ancient sources, Daia was among the least-savory emperors of the Tetrarchic period. Though many accusations levied against him may be accurate, it must be borne in mind that the victors – in this case, Constantine I – write history, and the literary accounts that survived into the Middle Ages were scrutinized by monastic scholars who were biased against those branded as persecutors.
One source, the Bishop Eusebius of Caesarea, whose writings were so extensive that he is considered the father of Church history, offers a grim appraisal of Daia. Though Burkhardt is perhaps too judgmental when he describes Eusebius as "the first thoroughly dishonest historian of antiquity," we should take this passage from Eusebius' Life of Constantine with a grain of salt: "[Daia] had even striven to outdo [Galerius] in a sort of competition in evil, and prided himself on the invention of novel punishments to use on [Christians]. He was not satisfied with fire and iron and crucifixion, wild beasts and deep seas, but went on to invent a new form of torture in addition to all these, and decreed that the organs of sight should be mutilated. So great throngs not only of men, but of women and children, the sight of their right eyes and their ankle-joints maimed by iron and branding, were committed to forced labor in mines. For these things he also was soon pursued by the judgment of God..." (VC I.58.2-3).
By 313 he had achieved the rank of Augustus and ruled over many of the eastern provinces of the empire. When he learned of the death of the senior emperor, Galerius, in May, 311, he engaged in a land-rush that was simultaneously offensive and defensive: he needed to take possession of Galerius' former territories in Asia before the rival emperor Licinius had the chance. In fact, both men acted likewise and confronted one another at the straits that separated Europe and Asia, which became the de facto border. He thus did not return to his capital of Antioch, but instead wintered nearby in Nicomedia. In 312 it was apparent that Constantine I would challenge Maxentius. In anticipation of an invasion of Italy, Constantine formed an alliance with Licinius, which forced Daia to enter into a similar agreement with Maxentius. When Constantine defeated Maxentius outside of Rome on October 28, Daia found himself in a difficult position. As Constantine and Licinius met at Milan in February of 313, Daia led his army on a fast march from Antioch to the Bosporus and made a pre-emptive strike into the territory of Licinius, who left Italy immediately to oppose. Daia got as far as Heraclea before he was defeated by Licinius and began his retreat to Asian soil. He was forced into flight until he died, perhaps by suicide, in Cilicia in August or September.