Diocletian, 284-305. Aureus (Gold, 19 mm, 5.22 g, 7 h), Cyzicus, 287. DIOCLETIANVS AVGVSTVS Laureate head of Diocletian to right. Rev. COS III Diocletian, laureate and in military attire, on horseback to right, raising his right hand in salute and holding the reins in his left. Calicó 4445. Cohen 54. Depeyrot 7/2. RIC 287. A superb example, perfectly centered and sharply struck. Good extremely fine.



Diocletian is widely recognized as the great innovator who fundamentally reformed the Roman Empire after decades of crisis. Yet, this remarkable coin reflects a typically Roman adherence to tradition. Although the reverse legend does not explicitly mention an adventus, the emperor's greeting posture suggests that it commemorates such an imperial arrival, possibly in Cyzicus, where the coin was issued. In late Antiquity, as emperors became more mobile and frequently changed capitals, the ritualized imperial adventus grew in significance. For most Romans attending such an event, it likely represented their only opportunity to see their ruler in person.