2019-05-31 Fri

A wealthy senator and a prominent aristocrat, Petronius Maximus ruled the Western Roman Emperor for two and a half months in 455. He was born in about 396 in to the Anicii family.

Maximus has a remarkable early career. His earliest known office was Praetor, around 415 he served as a tribunes et notarius which was an entry position to the imperial bureaucracy. As Maximus rode out of the city on his own on 31 May 455, he was set upon by an angry mob, which stoned him to death.

The above shown gold Solidus is belongs to his reign. The obverse of coin illustrates pearl-diademed bust of Petronius Maximus facing right with legend ‘D N PETRONIVS MA-XIMVS P F AVG’. The reverse of a coin depicted the standing emperor holding long cross in right hand and Victory on globe in left in left, right foot on man-headed serpent, legend COMOB depicted in exergue.

Image Source: Heritage Auctions