Following the death of Galerius in 311 CE, his Caesar, Maximinus II, who had declared himself Augustus the previous year, took control of Asia Minor and the Levant. Apparently a strident persecutor of the Christian minority, he was compelled under the dictates of the edict of toleration to relax the persecutions. At the same time, he was approached by embassies of various cities now under his control. Among these were delegations from the major cities of Nicomedia and Antioch, who requested that in no way should Christians be permitted to continue to live in their cities and districts. Antioch went so far as to erect a statue of Zeus Philios, which delivered oracles condemning the Christians. Encouraged by this apparent groundswell of popular support, Maximinus personally appointed pagan priests and sent copies of a document relating the memoirs of Pontius Pilate. He sentenced some of the most notable early Cornerstones of Christian Doctrine to death.
Possibly fearing repercussions from Constantine I and Licinius I, Maximinus unexpectedly rescinded his persecutions in December 312 CE. Following his defeat by Licinius in April 313 CE, Maximinus in May 313 CE issued his own edict, restoring property and privileges to his Christian subjects. This did not, however, have the desired effect, for in July or August of that same year, after having again been defeated by Licinius, Maximinus died at Tarsus. From these events as recorded by the noted scholar of the time, Eusebius, it is clear that the persecution of Maximinus was prompted not by imperial policy, but by the cities themselves, whose wealth and economy depended on the maintenance of local pagan religious activities, which included oracles, sanctuaries, and games and festivals. In addition, Maximinus relied heavily on these cities for income. Given this situation, it is easy to see why Maximinus acquiesced to persecuting the Christian segment of the local population.
Persecutory policies varied in intensity across the empire. Where Galerius and Diocletian were avid persecutors, Constantius was unenthusiastic. Later persecutory edicts, including the calls for universal sacrifice, were not applied in his domain. His son, Constantine, on taking the imperial office in 306, restored Christians to full legal equality and returned property that had been confiscated during the persecution. In Italy in 306, the usurper Maxentius ousted Maximian's successor Severus, promising full religious toleration. Constantine and Licinius, Severus's successor, signed the Edict of Milan in 313, which offered a more comprehensive acceptance of Christianity. Licinius ousted Maximinus in 313, bringing an end to persecution in the East. The coin's typology and images indicate a compliance with the imperial initiative, and this issue indicates its continuation of being struck/circulated at Antioch due to the strong anti-Christian activities there.
