Details

LOT 3679

Ancient Roman Imperial Coins - Alexander - Victory Follis 308-311 AD

Carthage mint. Obv: IMP ALEXANDER PF AVG legend with laureate bust right. Rev: VICTORIA ALEXANDRI AVG N legend with Victory advancing left holding wreath and palm; mintmark P K in exergue. Good very fine; perhaps finest known. Extremely rare.(4.15 grams).

Provenance

Property of a London gentleman; examined at the British Museum 1976 and 2019.

Literature

RIC vi, p. 434, 73; C. 13; Sear 15089.

Footnotes

Lucius Domitius Alexander was a usurper in North Africa, summer 308 AD to summer 311 AD. Promoted to Vicarius in North Africa early in the reign of Maxentius (AD 307-312), he was persuaded to rebel against Maxentius by the latter’s son Maximian after Maxentius had demanded that Alexander send his son to Rome as a hostage. This was intended to act as a safeguard against any interruption to the annual corn supply to Rome from North Africa. Alexander refused and was proclaimed emperor by his troops. Riots and starvation in Rome, connived at by Maximian and Constantine, led to Maxentius’ downfall and their joint control of the Empire’s western provinces. Maxentius had closed the mint at Carthage and recalled its workers to Rome; consequently Alexander’s coinage is variable in quality and execution. The principal coinage was billon folles, although extremely rare gold coins were struck (but no silver). The rebellion was suppressed by Maxentius’ Praetorian Prefect Rufus Volusianus and the elderly Alexander was captured and strangled.