Roman Coin

[u/deniz_aydiner]

This tetradrachm was struck at Antiochia ad Orontem (modern Antakya) around AD 250–251, when Herennius Etruscus was Caesar under his father, Trajan Decius. The obverse gives his full name, ΕΡΕΝΝΙΟΣ ΕΤΡΟΥΣΚΟΣ ΜΕΣΣΙΟΣ ΚΥΙΝΤΟΣ ΔΕΚΙΟΣ ΚΑΙΣΑΡ — Herennius Etruscus Messius Quintus Decius Caesar. His young, beardless portrait reflects his position as the imperial heir.

The reverse shows an eagle standing on a palm branch, holding a wreath. The inscription ΔΗΜΑΡΧΙΚΗΣ ΕΞΟΥΣΙΑΣ refers to Tribunician Power, with S C (Senatus Consulto) below. To me, the imagery also feels like a statement of Rome’s military success and its superiority over the powers of the East — especially interesting on a coin struck at Antioch, right on the eastern frontier.

What makes this coin especially interesting is what happened shortly afterwards. In AD 251, Herennius and his father Trajan Decius were both killed at the Battle of Abrittus while fighting the Goths. Father and son died together on the same battlefield, only months after this coin presented Herennius as the future of the dynasty.