Roman Empire

Flavius Victor, Usurper AD 387-388

RIC 75; Depeyrot 52/3, Superb Extremely Fine

Treveri, AD 385/6. D N FL VIC-TOR P F AVG, diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Flavius Victor right. Reverse: BONO REIPV-BLICE NATI, the two co-emperors seated facing, together holding globe between them; behind, Victory standing facing; (palm)//TROB.

Ex NAC 46 (2 April 2008), 736; Nelson Bunker Hunt Collection, pt. III (Sotheby’s, New York, 4 December 1990), 115; Bank Leu 22 (8 May 1979), 404.

In AD 383/4 or 387, Flavius Victor had the dubious honor of being elevated to the rank of co-emperor with his father, the usurper Magnus Maximus. It is unclear whether he had any direct involvement in his father’s overthrow of Valentinian II or the war with Theodosius I that it provoked, but he certainly paid for it. After the execution of Maximus in AD 388, Victor was found at Trier and strangled by Arbogast, Theodosius’ Frankish commander.