Divo Pio under Trajan Decius AD 249-251 Silver Antoninianus

Divo Pio under Trajan Decius AD 249-251 Silver Antoninianus

Bust of Antoninus Pius / Altar

RCV9475, 22mm, 3.82g

Born near Sirmium and of noble Italian ancestry Trajan Decius achieved senatorial rank and probably served as a governor although this is not clear. He was a city prefect in Rome during the reign of Philip and was one of those who counselled Philip not to abdicate when provincial rebellions broke out in AD 248. When Pacitian revolted and was acclaimed as emperor by the Danube legions Trajan Decius was appointed as their commander when the revolt collapsed. The Danube legions also proclaimed Trajan Decius as emperor, an honour which was reluctantly accepted.
Marching on Rome Trajan Decius defeated Philip and his son at Verona in Northern Italy. Confirmed as emperor by the senate Decius was honoured by the illustrious additional name of Trajan. One of the themes of his reign was the reverence held for Rome’s illustrious past and a desire to establish old virtues. To this end eleven of the deified emperors were commemorated in a series of silver antoniniani. This glorification of Rome’s past also resulted in a rigorous persecution of the Christians.
Continuing unrest on the northern frontiers and an invasion by the Goths resulted in Trajan Decius leading an army to quell the rebellion. After achieving some initial success Trajan Decius failed to prevent the Goths from devastating Thrace. Planning to confront the barbarians on the way home Trajan Decius was beaten and killed in battle at Abrittus, along with his oldest son and heir Herennis Etruscus.
The reign of Trajan Decius saw the introduction of the double sestertius.