One of the distinguishing features of the Siscia mint was the habit of using mint control marks to spell out coded words or phrases. Prior to the advent of the tetrarchy in 294, when power was shared between only Diocletian and Maximianus, these mint marks spell out the names (in Greek letters) of the two imperial houses in three segments each: Ι, Ο, and ΒΙ ("Iovi") for Diocletian, and ΕΡ, ΚOΥ, and ΛΙ ("Herculi") for Maximianus.

This happened again with the last issue of Genius folles in 300, which used the letters L, C, S, and I as control marks in the fields; so far, it is not known what these represent.

204-047

(click image to see larger picture)

Diocletian augustus

—struck by Diocletian

Siscia, 289-290

obv.- IMP C C VAL DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG; radiate, cuirasses, bust right

rev.- CONSERVATOR AVGG; Diocletian and Jupiter, standing facing each other, sacrificing at altar, each holding a long scepter; A in field, •XXI•I• in ex

RIC V Sis 263ap

24mm; 4.5g; antoninianus

One of the "coded" series of antoniniani, with the word IOVI in the mintmark: I, O, BI. This is coin 1 in the series.

204-079

(click image to see larger picture)

Diocletian augustus

—struck by Diocletian

Siscia, 289-290

obv.- IMP C C VAL DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG; radiate, cuirassed, bust right

rev.- CONSERVATOR AVGG; Jupiter standing left, holding scepter & Diocletian opposite, holding scepter, each holding patera & sacrificing at altar between them; Γ in field, •XXI•BI• in ex

RIC V Sis 263bk

23mm; 4.0g; antoninianus

One of the "coded" series of antoniniani, with the word IOVI in the mintmark: I, O, BI. This is coin 3 in the series.

104-998

(click image to see larger picture)

Diocletian augustus

—struck by Diocletian

Siscia, 289-290

obv.- IMP C MA MAXIMIANVS PF AVG; radiate cuirassed bust right

rev.- CONSERVATOR AVGG; Maximianus and Hercules sacrificing at altar; A in field; •XXI•ΗΡ• in ex

RIC V.2 Sis 580ad

23mm; 3.8g; antoninianus

One of the "coded" series of antoniniani, with the word ΗΡΚΟΥΛΙ in the mintmark: ΗΡ, ΚΟΥ, ΛΙ. This is coin 1 in the series.

204-290

(click image to see larger picture)

Maximianus augustus

—struck by Diocletian

Siscia, 289-290

obv.- IMP C MA MAXIMIANVS PF AVG; Radiate bare "heroic" bust right

rev.- CONSERVATOR AVGG; Maximianus and Hercules sacrificing at alter; A in field; XXI KOY in ex

RIC V.2 Sis 581o

24mm; 4.25g; antoninianus

One of the "coded" series of antoniniani, with the word ΗΡΚΟΥΛΙ in the mintmark: ΗΡ, ΚΟΥ, ΛΙ. This is coin 2 in the series. This is an uncommon bust type, that is supposed to look more "Herculean" with the bare chest and exaggerated muscles, compared to the usual busts where the emperor is wearing armor and/or commander's cloak.

Siscia was one of the most important military outposts in the Balkans and one of the major cities of the Pannonia region. Not only was it an important bulwark against barbarian incursions from the north across the Danube and the front line for the defense of Italy, it was an important staging area for organizing military expeditions to the east. As such, an imperial mint was essential to support the active military presence.

Siscia also represented the earliest frontier between the eastern and western halves of the empire. In the original tetrarchy, it was the eastern-most mint assigned to Maximianus, and shares the design patterns of the other Maximianus mints.

After the abdication of Maximianus, the mint passed to the control of Severus II, and a new catalog of types is introduced, not shared by any of the neighboring mints. The divine houses of two Augusti are commemorated by coins with Herculi and Iovi reverses. The new caesars are introduced with two new motifs: Concordia Imperii, celebrating the peaceful imperial concord in which the new caesars were introduced, and Perpetuitas Augg, celebrating the continuance of the imperial dynasties.

When Maxentius revolted against Severus and the other tetearchs in 306 and 307, his revolt never spread to Siscia, and Siscia never struck coins in his name. When Galerius withdrew his forces from Italy after his failed invasion, evidently he did not withdraw them past Siscia. It appears the Siscia mint did not strike any more coins after the death of Severus in 307, and remained inactive until the appointment of Licinius in 308.

After the revolt of Maxentius and death of Severus II in 307, the mint of Siscia became inactive. The power vacuum was filled at the Carnuntum conference in November 308, when Licinius was appointed Augustus. Despite his official appointment as Augustus of the western half of the empire, the entrenched positions of Constantine and Maxentius meant that his only effective area of control was Pannonia, and Siscia was his only mint.

The coinage types introduced by Licinius in 309 clearly align the Siscia mint with those of Galerius to the east. The Genius type is reintroduced, but as Genio Augusti; Constantine and Maximinus are recognized as filius augustorum; and Galerius' wife Valeria is commemorated as augusta. All of these types are unknown in the western part of the empire. Thus, Siscia transitions from the easternmost mint of the western empire, to the westernmost mint of the eastern empire.

After the death of Galerius in 311, all the current coinage types were replaced by the Iovi Conservatori types that became Licinius' standard. Constantine recognized the strategic importance of Siscia and began incursions in the Balkans soon after he took control of Italy in 313, taking control of the Siscia mint in 316, using the region as a staging area for his later, decisive war against Licinius.

For map image only:

This material originated on the Interactive Ancient Mediterranean Web site (http://iam.classics.unc.edu). It has been copied, reused or redistributed under the terms of IAM's fair use policy. Copyright 1998, Interactive Ancient Mediterranean.