Herennius Etruscus, as Caesar, 249-251. Aureus (Gold, 19 mm, 4.39 g, 1 h), Rome, 250-251. Q HER ETR MES DECIVS NOB C Bare-headed and draped bust of Herennius Etruscus to right, seen from behind. Rev. PRINCIPI IVVENTVTIS Herennius Etruscus, as prince of the youth, standing front in military attire, head to left, holding baton in his right hand and short transverse spear in his left. Calicó 3311a (same dies). Cohen 25. RIC 147a. Very rare. A beautiful example, well struck and with a magnificent portrait of the young Caesar. Plugged hole at 12 o'clock, otherwise, nearly extremely fine.


Herennius Etruscus was the elder son and heir of Trajan Decius, whom he accompanied in the campaigns against the Goths under Cniva in 250-251. Unfortunately, Herennius was struck down by an enemy arrow in the Battle of Abritus, to which his father reportedly reacted by addressing his troops with the words 'Let no one mourn. The death of one soldier is not a great loss to the Republic!' (Jord. 103). While this in all likelihood is a later legend, the lost Battle of Abritus, which eventually saw the death of both Decius and Etruscus, was a turning point in the history of the Danube provinces, leading to a period of instability that was only gradually overcome under Claudius II Gothicus and Aurelian in the late 260s and early 270s.