Catalog
Antoninianus - Tetricus I MARS; Barbarous imitation
| Issuer | Gallic Empire (Roman splinter states) |
|---|---|
| Year | |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | 15 mm |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Standing figure of Mars facing left, rendered in a highly schematic and debased style typical of barbarous radiates. The god is depicted holding a transverse spear in one hand and a trophy over his shoulder in the other, though both attributes are crudely formed and difficult to distinguish. The figure's proportions are distorted, with elongated limbs and minimal anatomical detail. Any surrounding legend is reduced to meaningless pseudo-lettering or garbled imitation of the prototype's inscription, consistent with the work of a non-literate die-cutter copying an official Tetricus I reverse of the MARS VICTOR or similar type. |
| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
Barbarous radiates imitating Tetricus I flooded the northwestern provinces in the early 270s as the Gallic Empire collapsed and legitimate coinage dried up. This piece belongs to that vast, poorly-documented wave — struck by unknown hands, almost certainly in Britain or northern Gaul, to fill a currency vacuum that official mints could no longer service. The Mars type was among the most frequently copied reverses, its simple design lending itself to rapid die-cutting by unskilled engravers.