Trajan Decius, AD 249-251. Viminacium. Æ 28. Fine

Trajan Decius (201–251 AD) was a Roman emperor known for his efforts to restore Rome’s traditional values and religious practices. He became emperor in 249 AD after a military coup against Philip the Arab. Decius is most noted for issuing an empire-wide edict requiring all citizens to perform sacrifices to the Roman gods, aiming to unify the empire under traditional Roman religion. This decree led to the first organized persecution of Christians, as many refused to comply, viewing the sacrifices as idolatrous. Decius’ rule was brief; he died in 251 AD during the Battle of Abritus against the Goths, marking a period of crisis and external threats to Rome. These AE28 bronze coins come from Viminacium, near modern day Kostolac in Serbia, which was the capital city of the Roman Empire’s Moesia Superior province. They show Trajan Decius head on the obverse with the goddess of Moesia on the reverse flanked by a lion and a bull. They grade Very Good and are priced accordingly