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XXI
SACERDOS VRBIS.-- The emperor stands before an altar ; his right hand, hanging down holds a branch ; in his left is a spear.-- On a third brass of Alexander Severus, the obverse of which bears his laureated head, with the epigraph of IMP. MARCO. AVR. SE. AL. AV.-- In the imperial cabinet at Vienna. Eckhel, in his Sylloge (i., p. 103), has edited and copiously illustrated this remarkable and genuine antique coin. It will have been seen, from the description of some of his medals, that Elagabalus, treating with contempt the sacred rites of the Romans, had the stupid folly to introduce the religion of his Syrian god into the city, and attempt to spread through the empire the worship of the Dea Coelestis of the Carthaginians. But it also appears, on the positive authority of Herodianus, that, immediately on his accession to the throne, Alexander, having abolished those barbaric ceremonies, restored in all their former splendor the forms of the ancestral worship. "To this fact, therefore (adds the great German numismatist), both the inscription and the type of the present coin allude. For the reason above mentioned, Alexander called himself Sacerdos Urbis-- the priest of the city-- namely of Rome, which was itself regarded as a goddess, by whose influence Roman affairs were governed, and not by the power of that deity, from whom either Emesa or Carthage sought protection. In the same manner, on an inscriptive marble (Rosci Memoriae Breasc.), a certain Sex. Valerius boasts of being SACERDos VRBIS ROMAE AETERNAE. -- On account of the medal, the bad workmanship, and the epigraphs on the obverse, the like of which does not occur in the Roman mint, there is no doubt but that this coin was struck out of the city.--[Eckhel, vol. viii , p. 270.] Sacerdotalia Instrumenta. --Instruments, or insignia of sacrifices-- such as the apex, securis, culter, capeduncula, adspergillum, &c., are represented on coins of the pontiffs and priests.-- Spanheim (Pr. ii. p. 370), with his usual display of learning and ability, treats of those coins which, exhibiting the sacerdotal instruments and the names of the sons of emperors, refer to the offices of priesthood borne by those Caesars. Thus that class of coins which bears the inscription SEVERI. PII. AVG. FIL. is to be explained as relating to the adoption of, and admission of the children of Severus (caracalla and Geta), into the sacerdotal colleges.-- See Pontificalia and Sacrificia. View whole page from the Dictionary Of Roman Coins |