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Roman Emperor Philip I was so overwhelmed with hardships in the midst of the “crisis of the third century” that he offered to resign. However, the Senate, including Gaius Messius Quintus Decius (c. 201–251 AD), continued their support. In appreciation, Decius was assigned to lead the Pannonian and Moesian provinces, and dispatched to quell the rebellions there. Decius met with success, and his troops leveraged the situation to declare him the new Emperor (following the trend of a half dozen usurpers opposing Philip’s reign). Philip gathered troops still loyal to him, and advanced on Decius. Battle ensued, and Philip was killed in 249 AD, likely assassinated by his own troops.
The unwilling Decius had to accept the situation, although he likely felt uneasy about his lot. After all, the last dozen or so Emperors were murdered, primarily by their own troops. Decius tried to gain favor by following a conservative agenda and distributing propaganda. He took on the name of Trajan, inviting comparisons with himself to Emperor Trajan, widely regarded as Rome’s greatest ruler since Augustus himself. From very early in his reign, Decius’ coinage would employ the Trajan moniker. Interestingly, this particular tetradrachm, from the Antioch mint in Syria, employs DEKKIOC (Decius), without also adding TRAIANON (Trajan). Maybe this coin was produced in error, or perhaps it took some time for the provincial mint to receive word of the Emperor’s new identify. In any case, it appears that such Decius
sine Trajan coins may be relatively rare.
Unfortunately for Decius, his propaganda campaign did not suffice to restore Rome's glory days under Trajan. In addition to the threats from the Persians and Germanic barbarians, there was yet another foe on the rise: the Goths. With coffers and silver mines rapidly depleting, Decius dramatically reduced the silver content of the denarius. As if things couldn’t get any worse, a horrible plague spread through Rome.
It was as if the gods themselves were punishing the Empire. To this end, Decius, perhaps sincere, or perhaps looking for a scapegoat, turned his attention to improving Roman piety and returning to traditional values. A remarkable example was the Edict of Decius in 250 AD, ordering all Romans to sacrifice before the magistrates of their community “for the safety of the empire” and receive a certificate recording their loyalty to the ancestral gods. Those who refused, as did many Christians, including the Pope, risked torture and execution.
Despite the oblations, Rome’s problems persisted. The Goths became bolder, leading successful raids in Moesia and Thrace. Decius and his troops returned to retaliate. However, the Goths, armed with inferior weapons but superior knowledge of the terrain, successfully ambushed and killed many Romans, including Decius and his son, the co-Augustus Herennius Etruscus. Decius, so adamant about leading a traditional life, ended it in atypical fashion; he and his son became the first Roman Emperors to die in battle against a foreign enemy.
Coin details: SYRIA, ANTIOCH, Trajan Decius (249-251 AD), BI Tetradrachm (12.36 g), NGC Grade: MS, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5, Obverse: Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right, AVT OKK G AI ME KVIN DEKKIOC CEB, Reverse: Eagle standing left on palm branch, holding wreath in its beak, DHMAPXEIOYCIAC, S C in exergue, Reference: Exact match not yet found, possibly unreported.