Coin Roman Empire Decius - Antoninianus, Emperor on Horseback - 250 Rome

Obverse: IMP C M Q TRAIANVS DECIVS AVG

Reverse: ADVENTVS AVG

The reverse depicts the emperor on horseback, moving to the left, in the characteristic pose of the adlocutio: he raises his right hand in a gesture of address and holds a sceptre in his left hand, while the horse raises its right foreleg. This equestrian iconography, inherited from Roman imperial tradition, asserts the sovereign's military and civil authority, presenting him as a warlord addressing his troops.

Trajan Decius reigned from 249 to 251 during a period of profound crisis in the Roman Empire. He came to power after defeating Philip the Arab and sought to restore traditional Roman values, most notably through the edict of persecution of Christians in 250, the first imperial measure of general scope targeting this community. On the military front, the Empire faced growing pressure from the Goths along the Danubian limes. This instability on the north-eastern frontiers consumed a significant share of Rome's military and financial resources, while the monetary situation continued to deteriorate. The equestrian iconography of this reverse thus reflects a desire for imperial legitimisation, projecting the image of an emperor-general at the head of his armies at a time when the cohesion of the Empire was severely tested. Trajan Decius died in 251 at the Battle of Abritus, fighting the Goths.