MAIORINA: ROMAN COIN (ANCIENT ROME)
Maiorina, 392-395: Later Roman Empire
ND (no date): approximate dating.
Ruler: Arcadius — Roman emperor from 392 to 408; ruled the eastern half of the empire from 395, when their father died, while his brother Honorius ruled the west.
GLORIA ROMANORVM: motto "The glory of the Romans" (this legend was first used, as a new title of personal honour, under Constantine the Great, who certainly did perform many remarkable achievements).
ANTB under the image of the emperor: possibly ANTioch ?B? (Antioche Mint).
Emperor Arcadius in military uniform holding a planet (globe) and a labarum — military standard, state flag of Imperial Rome.
D N ARCADIVS P F AVG: Dominus Noster Arcadius Pius Felix Augustus (Our Lord Arcadius Pious Fortunate August).
Portrait of the Emperor.
- Copper: 22 mm - 4.2 g
- Reference price: 12$
COIN MAIORINA — WHERE & WHEN (coins catalog: by names & emitents)
- ROMAN EMPIRE (4th-5th centuries): maiorina
MAIORINA as coin name.
Maiorina — bronze/copper coin of the Later Roman Empire. This is a modern conditional, unconfirmed name. It is not known exactly what the denomination of these coins was called in ancient times.
In numismatics, bronze coins from the era of the decline of the Roman Empire, the names of which are not known for certain, are called AE coins. Those coins considered as separate types are called either maiorina (larger) or centenionalis (smaller).
The denomination "maiorina" was never indicated directly on the coin. By what signs can a coin be identified? In fact, there is still no clear understanding of what specific features to define maiorina. In most cases, the following parameters are mentioned: material — bronze or copper, time period — from the middle of the 4th to the beginning of the 5th century, weight — about 4-5 grams. The plot is the most diverse.
The situation becomes even more confusing when it comes to the denomination of 1/2 maiorina (it is indicated by some numismatic sources). The line between this coin and the centenionalis is generally blurred due to the similarity in weight.
Personally, I decided for myself: it is possible to attribute this or that Late Roman bronze coin to the type AE, maiorina or centenionalis only on the basis of a meticulous analysis of numismatic catalogs. Since all these names, strictly speaking, were invented by modern researchers, one can only accept and blindly use the experience of the majority.
The name of the coin maiorina in the Latin phrase "maiorina pecunia" ("the main coin, the main money") was used even in the times of the Roman Empire. This term denoted larger coins (from the Latin "maior" — large) among others that were in circulation.
