UNCERTAIN GERMANIC TRIBES, Aurum Barbarorum. Late 3rd-early 4th centuries. 'Aureus' (Subaeratus, 21 mm, 3.52 g, 12 h), 'Plated Group'. Imitating Probus, 276-282. IIIIIIIOOIIOIIIIƧIIOII Laureate and cuirassed bust of Probus to right. Rev. [...]II[...]IIO[...] Three male figures standing facing, all raising both their hands; between them, remnants of scepters or spears. A curious and unusual piece. Original suspension loop attached. Some breaks in plating and with some deposits, otherwise, very fine.


There is no Roman prototype for this curious reverse, which shows three male figures standing facing with raised hands. Such an image is vastly different from Roman renderings of three figures such as the three Parcae (or Fates) or the three Monetae and is perhaps best interpreted as the heavily stylized depiction of three emperors, with the palm-shaped decorations to the right of each figure being very crude scepters or spears.