Sale: Triton XIII, Lot: 381. Estimate $10000.  Closing Date: Monday, 4 January 2010.  Sold For $15000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Licinius I. AD 308-324. AV Solidus (5.34 g, 12h). Decennalia issue. Nicomedia mint; 3rd officina. Struck AD 317-318. LICINIVS AVGVSTVS, laureate head right / IOVI CONS LICINI AVG, Jupiter Optimus Maximus enthroned left on basis inscribed SIC X/SIC XX, holding Victory standing right on globe in outstretched right hand and scepter in left; at feet, eagle standing left, head right, with wings folded, holding wreath in beak; SMNΓ. RIC VII 20 corr. (obverse legend); Depeyrot 28 corr. (Jupiter seated facing); Calicó 5100. Superb EF, a couple minor edge marks.

Following the death of Severus II in AD 308, Licinius was appointed to replace him as Augustus in accordance with the terms of the conference of Carnuntum, a meeting designed to maintain peace within the increasingly fragile tetrarchic system. A childhood friend of Galerius who had accompanied him on the expedition against the Sasanians in AD 297, Licinius shared the eastern portion of the empire with Maximinus II, following the death of Galerius in AD 311. In AD 313, Licinius married Flavia Julia Constantina, the half-sister of Constantine, by whom he had Licinius II. Concurrently with the marriage, Licinius and Constantine jointly signed the so-called Edict of Milan which proclaimed religious toleration throughout the empire and finally ended the persecution of Christianity. Later that same year, Licinius consolidated his power in the East by eliminating Maximinus II. Almost immediately thereafter, war broke out between Licinius and Constantine. At Cibalae in AD 314 and again in AD 316, and at Campus Ardiensis that same year, the two sides fought one another. In AD 317 a truce was reached, at which time Licinius was allowed to remain Augustus in the East (although he was compelled to release his Danubian and Balkan provinces to Constantine), while his son was appointed Caesar (Constantine’s sons, Crispus and Constantine II were also made Caesars). It also marked the decennalia of Licinius’ appointment as Augustus, an opportune event for building on this uneasy peace.

The period of quiet was brief. Prompted by reports of Licinius’ mismanagement of imperial affairs and possible renewed persecutions of Christians, Constantine renewed the war with Licinius. Defeated first at Adrianople in July AD 324, Licinius and his son were subsequently forced to submit following a battle at Chrysopolis in September that same year. Over the next year Licinius was under house arrest in Thessalonica until, on the orders of Constantine, he was killed.