Pupienus
Co-emperor with Balbinus  AD 238

Marcus Clodius Pupienus Maximus.

Pupienus, joint emperor with Balbinus, was seventy-four at the time the Senate decided to put him and his colleague on the throne in defiance of the army of Maximinus. Former governor of Germany, and City prefect of Rome, he surrounded himself with German bodyguards. After the failure of Maximinus's attempt to wrestle the throne from the joint emperors, Pupienus took the credit for the success. This provoked a crisis in the relationship with his colleague, already poisoned by mutual suspicions. In addition, Balbinus's main military support came from the Praetorian Guard, who much disliked Pupienus's Germans. Suspecting that the Germans might supplant them, the praetorians did not wait long before breaking into the palace-where, ironically, Pupienus and Balbinus were engaged in a fierce argument over what they should do to avoid the threat-and putting to death both emperors.

Mints: Rome

List all Pupienus coins in the Catalog.

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