Balbinus

Balbinus was a Roman emperor who briefly reigned in 238 CE during the tumultuous Year of the Six Emperors, a period marked by political instability and rapid successions of power. His tenure as co-emperor alongside Pupienus was short-lived, lasting only a few months, yet it underscores the challenges faced by the Roman Empire during the Crisis of the Third Century.

Before becoming emperor, Balbinus was a respected senator and held several high-ranking positions, including governorships and consulships. His reputation as a capable administrator and member of the senatorial elite made him a natural choice when the Senate decided to challenge the authority of Emperor Maximinus Thrax. Dissatisfaction with Maximinus’s harsh rule had sparked widespread unrest, leading to a revolt in Africa and the proclamation of Gordian I and Gordian II as emperors. After the Gordians’ swift defeat, the Senate turned to Balbinus and Pupienus as co-emperors, hoping their combined experience and senatorial support could stabilize the empire.

Balbinus and Pupienus faced immediate challenges. Maximinus marched on Italy, but his forces were defeated, and he was assassinated by his own troops. Despite this victory, tensions between the co-emperors soon emerged, with Balbinus representing the senatorial faction and Pupienus leaning on military support. Their inability to work together effectively weakened their rule. At the same time, popular support shifted to Gordian III, a young relative of the Gordians, whom the Senate named Caesar to placate the public.

In July 238, both Balbinus and Pupienus were overthrown by the Praetorian Guard, who resented their authority. The guardsmen dragged them from the imperial palace, brutally murdering them in the streets. Their deaths marked yet another upheaval in a chaotic year, paving the way for Gordian III to assume sole rule. Balbinus’s reign exemplifies the fragility of imperial power during Rome’s third-century crisis.

Balbinus denarii are fairly common in spite of a short reign. His coins are fairly uniform in appearance so waiting for an unusually nice example just requires some self control. The present example was designated with a Star and Fine Style when it was in an NGC holder and the coin is fully deserving of both of those designations. The obverse is flashy and the portrait is exceptionally crisp, struck from fresh dies. The reverse is nice though there is some weakness as is the case with the overwhelming majority of 3rd century reverses.