Romano-British Empire, Carausius, Mid 286 - Mid 293 A.D.Carausius| coins| for sale| in the Forum| Ancient| Coins| shop| Marcus Aurelius Mausaeus Carausius was originally a fleet commander sent by the first Tetrarchs to rid the Northern seas of Saxon and Frankish pirates. He soon turned to piracy himself, before fleeing to Britain and declaring himself emperor. His natural cunning enabled him to resist all attempts to dislodge him. In 293 Constantius I captured his continental stronghold of Boulogne. Soon after Carausius was murdered by his chief minister Allectus. Also see: ERIC - CARAUSIUS ReferencesAkerman, J.Y. Coins of the Romans Relating to Britain. (London, 1844). Available Online LinksCarausius| Coins| Sold| by Forum| Ancient| Coins Mauseus' Carausius Gallery in RIC Order (Members' Gallery) The Coinage of Carausius - Legend, Mintmark, and Portrait Type Sequences, Rarity, and DatingThe sequence and dating below is
based on the sequence and dating first established by P.H. Webb in "The
Linchmere Hoard" in NC 1925, pp. 173 - 235, updated by him
in The Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume V, Part 2 in 1933 and refined by
R.A.G. Carson in "The Sequence-marks on the Coinage of Carausius and
Allectus" in Essays Baldwin
(1971), pp. 57 - 65. Changes to Carson's dating are primarily
based on
recognizing Carausius' three portrait types and their sequence,
identified by C.E. King in "The Unmarked Coins of Carausius" in BNJ 54 (1984), pp. 1 - 9. An adaption of the relevant portion of King's article is provided below. The
most
significant change from Carson's dating applies to coins with
the
mintmarks CXXI and MCXXI. Carson dated these types to 290,
however, these type have Carausius' earliest portrait type
and must be dated to 286 or 287. RIC and other references list many examples with IMP CARAVSIVS... obverse legends and a S-C / [ ] or a S-C / C mintmark. Whenever a plate coin is provided, the listings appears to be in error and the actual legend is IMP C CARAVSIVS... Of the thousands of Carausius coin images we have examined, we found only one example that might have official style. It is almost certain that these coins are unofficial but perhaps some are mint errors that should have the obverse legend beginning IMP C CARAVSIVS... Coins with mintmarks that are not listed below are very likely unofficial, some may be official but irregular or trial strikes, and some are certainly the result of engraving errors, filled dies, or strike errors.IMP CARAVSIVS... (286 - 290/291)Unmarked Mint (Perhaps London, England) Unmarked, moustache portrait, very common (c. mid 286 - 287) Londinium (London, England) ML, moustache portrait, common, (c. 287) ML, middle portrait, common (c. 288) L-[ ] / ML, middle portrait, common (c. 288) F-O / ML, middle portrait, very common (c. 289) B-E / MLXXI, middle portrait, very common (c. late 289/290 - 290/291) Camulodunum (Colchester, England) CXXI, MCXXI, moustache portrait, common (c. 287)C, moustache portrait, scarce (c. 287) C, middle portrait, very common (c. 288 - 291) MC, middle portrait, scarce (c. 288 - 291) Uncertain (Probably London, England) BRI, moustache portrait, extremely rare (c. mid 286 - 287) RSR, moustache/middle portrait, silver denarii - common, antoninianii - extremely rare (c. 287 - 289) [Perhaps the antoninianii are unofficial?] IMP C CARAVSIVS... (290/291 - mid 293)Unmarked Mint (Perhaps Camulodunum) Unmarked, middle portrait, scarce (c. 290/291 - 291) Londinium (London, England) B-E / MLXXI, middle portrait, common (c. 290/291 - 291)S-P / MLXXI, tetrarchic portrait, very common (c. 292 - early 293) S-P / ML, tetrarchic portrait, scarce, (c. early 293 - mid 293) [S-P / ML continued by Allectus.] Camulodunum (Colchester, England) S-C / [ ], S-C / C, S-P / [ ], middle portrait, very common (c. 290/291 - mid 292) S-P / [ ], S-P / C, SPC, tetrarchic portrait, common (c. mid 292 - mid 293) [S-P / C continued by Allectus.] Rotomagus (Rouen, France) R, OPR, continental portrait, rare (c. 293) Four Portrait Types of CarausiusThis article is based on C.E. King's "The Unmarked Coins of Carausius" in BNJ 54 (1984), pp. 1 - 9. The plate images below are from King's article and most of this article corresponds very closely with his. There are four types of Carausius portraits: 1) an early-reign portrait with a full moustache, 2) a mid-reign portrait without a moustache or diminished moustache, 3) a late-reign tetrarchic style portrait, and 4) the unique "continental" type or the Rotomagus mint. The "continental" type will not be discussed below. 1) Early reign 'moustache' portrait (c. mid 286 - 287). In the first type, Carausius is bearded and has a full moustache (e.g. Nos. 24-28 and 48-50). The 'moustache' portrait seems to occur mainly on C mint coins and unmarked pieces, and only very rarely on L mint pieces. At the C mint this portrait is restricted to the CXXI and MCXXI marks. 2) Middle reign portrait (c. 288 - 291). In the second portrait type, Carausius is still bearded but his moustache is either non-existent or else much less emphatic (e.g. Nos. 29-30, 33-34, and 40-43). His neck is longer and some examples have some tetrarchic aspects. This middle reign portrait style occurs commonly on L mint, C mint, and unmarked coins. The middle reign portrait is accompanied by legends beggining IMP CARAVSIVS3) Late reign tetrarchic portrait (c. 292 - mid 293). In the third Carausius is much more tetrarchic in appearance, he is still bearded, and a moustache is often engraved, but again much less obviously than on coins of the first group (e.g. No. 35 and 46). The tetrarchic portrait is always accompanied by legends beginning IMP C CARAVSIVS... The tetrarchic portrait is the last portrait type struck; it does not occur on unmarked coins, which were no longer struck when this portrait was used. RIC V, Part 2, Carausius
DICTIONARY| OF ROMAN| COINS|
| Romano-British Empire, Carausius, Mid 286 - Mid 293 A.D.Carausius| coins| for sale| in the Forum| Ancient| Coins| shop| Marcus Aurelius Mausaeus Carausius was originally a fleet commander sent by the first Tetrarchs to rid the Northern seas of Saxon and Frankish pirates. He soon turned to piracy himself, before fleeing to Britain and declaring himself emperor. His natural cunning enabled him to resist all attempts to dislodge him. In 293 Constantius I captured his continental stronghold of Boulogne. Soon after Carausius was murdered by his chief minister Allectus. Also see: ERIC - CARAUSIUS ReferencesAkerman, J.Y. Coins of the Romans Relating to Britain. (London, 1844). Available Online LinksCarausius| Coins| Sold| by Forum| Ancient| Coins Mauseus' Carausius Gallery in RIC Order (Members' Gallery) The Coinage of Carausius - Legend, Mintmark, and Portrait Type Sequences, Rarity, and DatingThe sequence and dating below is
based on the sequence and dating first established by P.H. Webb in "The
Linchmere Hoard" in NC 1925, pp. 173 - 235, updated by him
in The Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume V, Part 2 in 1933 and refined by
R.A.G. Carson in "The Sequence-marks on the Coinage of Carausius and
Allectus" in Essays Baldwin
(1971), pp. 57 - 65. Changes to Carson's dating are primarily
based on
recognizing Carausius' three portrait types and their sequence,
identified by C.E. King in "The Unmarked Coins of Carausius" in BNJ 54 (1984), pp. 1 - 9. An adaption of the relevant portion of King's article is provided below. The
most
significant change from Carson's dating applies to coins with
the
mintmarks CXXI and MCXXI. Carson dated these types to 290,
however, these type have Carausius' earliest portrait type
and must be dated to 286 or 287. RIC and other references list many examples with IMP CARAVSIVS... obverse legends and a S-C / [ ] or a S-C / C mintmark. Whenever a plate coin is provided, the listings appears to be in error and the actual legend is IMP C CARAVSIVS... Of the thousands of Carausius coin images we have examined, we found only one example that might have official style. It is almost certain that these coins are unofficial but perhaps some are mint errors that should have the obverse legend beginning IMP C CARAVSIVS... Coins with mintmarks that are not listed below are very likely unofficial, some may be official but irregular or trial strikes, and some are certainly the result of engraving errors, filled dies, or strike errors.IMP CARAVSIVS... (286 - 290/291)Unmarked Mint (Perhaps London, England) Unmarked, moustache portrait, very common (c. mid 286 - 287) Londinium (London, England) ML, moustache portrait, common, (c. 287) ML, middle portrait, common (c. 288) L-[ ] / ML, middle portrait, common (c. 288) F-O / ML, middle portrait, very common (c. 289) B-E / MLXXI, middle portrait, very common (c. late 289/290 - 290/291) Camulodunum (Colchester, England) CXXI, MCXXI, moustache portrait, common (c. 287)C, moustache portrait, scarce (c. 287) C, middle portrait, very common (c. 288 - 291) MC, middle portrait, scarce (c. 288 - 291) Uncertain (Probably London, England) BRI, moustache portrait, extremely rare (c. mid 286 - 287) RSR, moustache/middle portrait, silver denarii - common, antoninianii - extremely rare (c. 287 - 289) [Perhaps the antoninianii are unofficial?] IMP C CARAVSIVS... (290/291 - mid 293)Unmarked Mint (Perhaps Camulodunum) Unmarked, middle portrait, scarce (c. 290/291 - 291) Londinium (London, England) B-E / MLXXI, middle portrait, common (c. 290/291 - 291)S-P / MLXXI, tetrarchic portrait, very common (c. 292 - early 293) S-P / ML, tetrarchic portrait, scarce, (c. early 293 - mid 293) [S-P / ML continued by Allectus.] Camulodunum (Colchester, England) S-C / [ ], S-C / C, S-P / [ ], middle portrait, very common (c. 290/291 - mid 292) S-P / [ ], S-P / C, SPC, tetrarchic portrait, common (c. mid 292 - mid 293) [S-P / C continued by Allectus.] Rotomagus (Rouen, France) R, OPR, continental portrait, rare (c. 293) Four Portrait Types of CarausiusThis article is based on C.E. King's "The Unmarked Coins of Carausius" in BNJ 54 (1984), pp. 1 - 9. The plate images below are from King's article and most of this article corresponds very closely with his. There are four types of Carausius portraits: 1) an early-reign portrait with a full moustache, 2) a mid-reign portrait without a moustache or diminished moustache, 3) a late-reign tetrarchic style portrait, and 4) the unique "continental" type or the Rotomagus mint. The "continental" type will not be discussed below. 1) Early reign 'moustache' portrait (c. mid 286 - 287). In the first type, Carausius is bearded and has a full moustache (e.g. Nos. 24-28 and 48-50). The 'moustache' portrait seems to occur mainly on C mint coins and unmarked pieces, and only very rarely on L mint pieces. At the C mint this portrait is restricted to the CXXI and MCXXI marks. 2) Middle reign portrait (c. 288 - 291). In the second portrait type, Carausius is still bearded but his moustache is either non-existent or else much less emphatic (e.g. Nos. 29-30, 33-34, and 40-43). His neck is longer and some examples have some tetrarchic aspects. This middle reign portrait style occurs commonly on L mint, C mint, and unmarked coins. The middle reign portrait is accompanied by legends beggining IMP CARAVSIVS3) Late reign tetrarchic portrait (c. 292 - mid 293). In the third Carausius is much more tetrarchic in appearance, he is still bearded, and a moustache is often engraved, but again much less obviously than on coins of the first group (e.g. No. 35 and 46). The tetrarchic portrait is always accompanied by legends beginning IMP C CARAVSIVS... The tetrarchic portrait is the last portrait type struck; it does not occur on unmarked coins, which were no longer struck when this portrait was used. RIC V, Part 2, Carausius
DICTIONARY| OF ROMAN| COINS|
|