The problem with perspectives was discussed in a
thread on the curule chair.
The knowledgeable persons explained that
Roman had several
types of perspectives.
roughly speaking, the object was depicted as being viewed from several points.
Of course, the ancients
Greeks how to show dynamics (there so many examples on Greek
vases with a consecutive phases of movements).
The idea why the
carpentum is depicted on this particular coin requires an explanation. I checked
sources. The
carpentum could be droven horses and even by elephants and it purpose evolved
from century to century. Some quates are given below as well as a cople of examples.
The coins is very interesting and merits a deeper study.
"The early
Romans (500BC) were not great masters in the art of carriage building, and the earliest was the PLAUSTRUM. It's solid pair of wheels did not rotate to the
axis, but were solidly attached to it. Naturally, this produced an awful creaking from the agricultural loads, as also in the towns.
The
Roman Empire was adept in the pirating of designs of the subjucated and conquered lands.
The first improvement of the Plaustrum was a pair of spoked wheels and this formed the possibility of a 4-wheeled carriage. The title was the
CARPENTUM, a 2-wheeled pair, but a 4-wheeled carriage was only to be used by the Emperor.
The PILENTRUM originally was a sacred vehicle. It was an improved version of the Plaustrum. Later, the same vehicle was used by the
Vestal Virgins and by the older ladies in the festival processions.
Certain rights for special women to travel by carriage were later abolished by
Caesar.
Men did not ride in carriages, or only when granted in the most exceptional cases. Later, the use of the
chariot was apparently quite commonplace and those entitled exercised their rights to the fullest extent."
"The ritual
carpentum of pagan
Rome was ornate, slow-moving, and patently meant to invest the occupant with dignity."
