2020-08-28 Fri

Magnus Maximus was the Roman Emperor on the western portion of the Empire from 383 to 388. He usurped the throne from Emperor Gratian in 383, through negotiation with emperor Theodosius I.

The Roman general Magnus Maximus was assigned to Britain. In 383 CE, he decided to claim imperial power with his own army and crossed the English Channel to Gaul. He left key local rulers after quitting Britannia to mark the start of the Welsh national identity.

In 387, Maximus's ambitions led him to invade Italy, resulting in his defeat by Theodosius I at the Battle of the Save in 388. In the view of some historians, his death marked the end of direct imperial presence in Northern Gaul and Britain.

The coin features Magnus Maximus wearing a wreath and a back-armor. The legend reads “DN MAG MAXIMVS PF AVG”. The reverse features Victory seated right on cuirass, holding wreath inscribed VOT-V-MVLT-X and supported underneath by Eros standing left; Mintmark [AV]COB.

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