Perhaps the saddest Roman coin

Aethelred

This is a coin of Licinius II, who served as Caesar (junior emperor) under his father Licinius I from AD 317-324. Licinius I was the main rival of Constantine the Great. Constantine defeated Licinius who surrendered and was allowed to retire to Thessalonica in AD 324. In 325 Licinius I started a plot to overthrow Constantine and was put to death.

Licinius II was put to death shortly after his father, he was nine years old at the time!


ROMAN EMPIRE, LICINIUS II, AE 3, ANTIOCH MINT

laurentyvan

Triste, toutjours triste...

ajaan

Great post.

WillieBoyd2

Licinius' defeat was a complete one. Not only did he lose his life, but so too did his son and supposed successor, Licinius the Younger, who was executed in AD 327.

Licinius' illegitimate second son was reduced to the status of a slave labouring at a weaving mill at Carthage.

Constantine had his own wife and son murdered; he would not have had any trouble having Licinius Jr. killed.

Aethelred

<< <i>Licinius' defeat was a complete one. Not only did he lose his life, but so too did his son and supposed successor, Licinius the Younger, who was executed in AD 327.

Licinius' illegitimate second son was reduced to the status of a slave labouring at a weaving mill at Carthage.

Constantine had his own wife and son murdered; he would not have had any trouble having Licinius Jr. killed. >>



I have seen a lot of conflicting accounts about Licinius II, I wonder if there is an accepted primary source?

DesertRat

Now that's the kind of post I like!

Thanks

harasha

Political realities are brutal. Witness Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots.

I cannot place the actual event in Roman history, but I remember that Roman law prohibited the execution of prepubescent children.
So, if some tyrant wanted to exterminate a family, he would have an empty ceremony take place and then kill off the children, who were now legally, if not biologically, pubescent.

BS

Very interesting. Thanks for the post.

lordmarcovan

No wonder they killed him- judging from his portrait, he made Damien look meek by comparison!

Kidding!

I'm often struck by the contrast between how advanced the Romans were and how barbaric they could be. Of course, that's looking back with 20/20 hindsight and judging 4th century people with 21st century morals.

newsman

<< <i>Licinius' defeat was a complete one. Not only did he lose his life, but so too did his son and supposed successor, Licinius the Younger, who was executed in AD 327.

Licinius' illegitimate second son was reduced to the status of a slave labouring at a weaving mill at Carthage.

Constantine had his own wife and son murdered; he would not have had any trouble having Licinius Jr. killed. >>



Licinius was married to Constatine's sister, so Licinius II would have been his nephew as well.

Constantine's short temper was the undoing of his dynasty. By killing his capable eldest son, he left the empire to his less-competent, and greedier, younger sons who undid much of his success.

lordmarcovan

Newp!

JoesMaName

If there is one thing history has taught me it's that people with a taste for power will do just about anything to get it and keep it.

JoesMaName

....

I'm often struck by the contrast between how advanced the Romans were and how barbaric they could be. Of course, that's looking back with 20/20 hindsight and judging 4th century people with 21st century morals.

Lets not hurt ourselves patting our enlightened age to roughly on the back! - WWII didn't happen during the Renaissance ya know

WillieBoyd2

I suppose that if Caracalla or Caligula were transported to the current time, he would feel that:

"Back there I was a monster, here I am an amateur".

johnsim03

<< <i>

<< <i>Licinius' defeat was a complete one. Not only did he lose his life, but so too did his son and supposed successor, Licinius the Younger, who was executed in AD 327.

Licinius' illegitimate second son was reduced to the status of a slave labouring at a weaving mill at Carthage.

Constantine had his own wife and son murdered; he would not have had any trouble having Licinius Jr. killed. >>



I have seen a lot of conflicting accounts about Licinius II, I wonder if there is an accepted primary source? >>



Klawans, in Roman Imperial Coins, says just briefly that Licinius II was put to death shortly after his father
at the age of 9 (Licinius I being approximately 55 years old when he was killed).

I haven't done much more research on it, but it is an interesting story...

John