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Emperor Raising Kneeling Captive

This reverse is found on the reverses of AE2s struck during the reigns of Gratian, Valentinian II, Magnus Maximus, and Theodosius I. The legend, REPARATIO REIPVB, translates loosely into English as "Restoration of the Republic". This was a popular theme for coin imagery during the Dominate Period of the late Fourth Century. Ironically, there were very few freedoms and a great deal of oppression of the Roman people during this time, especially amongst the lower classes. Poor people were required by law to earn a living by pursuing the same occupation their father and grandfather had before them. Many middle class people were required to fill civil service and political offices in the cities that their ancestors had held. Often, their duties included maintenance of public works or collection of taxes, offices which typically required them to spend more of their own resources than they generated in income. Many young men actually joined the army in the hopes of improving their lot! If a man was lucky and had the right connections, he might take Holy Orders and become a priest or even a bishop. During this period of the slow decline of Roman power, both the Church and the imperial government increased their power at the expense of the "Senate and People of Rome". As the Church steadily grew in power and its vast influence in saecular affairs grew even greater, opportunities for corrupt bishops and even parish priests to make their fortune at the expense of the citizenry began to multiply, eventually resulting in the Church scandals of the Middle Ages and schism during the Reform period over a thousand years later.

If the artisan who cut the images into the dies used to strike these coins were to be more interested in telling the truth than in preserving his skin, he would have depicted an emperor with diademmed head, draped in a cloak and wearing military garb thrusting a gladius into the breast of Liberty, who would be either kneeling in an attitude of mourning or lying prostrate in a pool of blood as her life ebbs away with each heartbeat.


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Identifying Common Fourth Century Roman Bronze Coins
Reading the Emperor's Name and Titles
A Picture Gallery of Fourth Century Reverse Types
Camp Gate
Altar Inscribed VOTIS XX
Two Soldiers Standing With Two Standards
Two Soldiers Holding One Standard
Wreath With Legend Inside
Soldier Spearing a Fallen Horseman
VRBS ROMA Commemorative - Mother Wolf Suckling Twins Romulus and Remus
CONSTANTINOPOLIS Commemorative - Victory Standing on Prow of Ship
Two Victories Each Holding a Small Wreath
Two Victories Each Holding a Large Wreath on Centenionals of Decentius
Emperor Holding Labarum or Standard and Dragging Captive
Emperor Raising Kneeling Captive
Victory Advancing Left
A Key to Fourth Century Inscriptions
Some Scarcer Late Fourth Century and early Fifth Century Types

All New! More image galleries of late Roman bronze types.

Camp Gate
Altar with Votis, Victories with Wreath
FEL TEMP REPARATIO, Soldier Spearing Fallen Horseman
More FEL TEMP, including Barbarian and Hut tupes
Victory Advancing Left Holding Wreath
Emperor Holding Labarum and Dragging Captive