![ROMAN. Carausius, Antoninianus, London, 'PAX AVG' [ARI-388] - Image 2](https://colonialcoins.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/ARI-388-1.jpg)
Description
Romano-Britannic Empire, Mārcus Aurēlius Mausaeus Carausius (Carausius), Usurper Emperor of Roman Britain and Northern Gaul 286-293 AD, Æ Antoninianus, Londinium mint 287-293 AD. Obverse: Radiate-crowned, draped and cuirassed bust of Carausius facing to the right, legend surrounds, “IMP C CARAVSIVS PF AVG”. Reverse: Pax stands left, draped in stola and holding olive branch aloft in right hand and sceptre in left, control marks “B F” to field either side, mintmark and value “ML XXI” in exergue, legend surrounds, “PAX AVG”. RIC 101, B-E; Sear 13639. Struck on a nice broad, oval flan with most devices present, full exergue details and a decent portrait, Very Fine.
The obverse Latin legend reads “Imperātor Caesar Carausius pius fēlīx Augustus”, with an English translation of “Imperator Caesar Carausius, the blessed and pious Augustus”. The reverse Latin legend names the central figure, reading unabridged as “Pāx Augusta”, literally translating as “The Augustan Peace”, and the name of the central reverse figure. Pax, the goddess of Peace, was one of the divine personifications of the Imperial Cult of Virtues and was given the epithet “Augusta” to signify the peace brought by the emperor – specifically, peace established by the Augustus’ strength. The reverse exergue reads unabridged as “monēta Londiniī, aes vīgintī partibus argentum ūna (XX:I)”, with an English translation of “Mint of Londinium, copper in 20 parts, silver in 1”.
