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Symbol of the globe?

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pierre_p77:
As all know the globe is very comon on roman coins, for example on the Antoniniani of the 3:rd century. Somewhere I red that it sybolizes the emperors right to world domination or something like that. Is that correct? Or is there more behind the globe symbol?

When we see Jupiter giving a globe to the emperor as on many Antoniniani, does that mean something like the gods are giving the right to rule the world to the emperor?

regards
Pierre

Reid Goldsborough:
The best material I've come across regarding this is an article titled "Symbolism of the Sphere" by Michael R. Molnar in the June 1998 Celator. In short, it's not a globe representing the Earch that's depicted, a common falacy, but a sphere, or orb, symbolizing the Cosmos.

This is clear on well-engraved, struck, and preserved coins such as the one Pat just shared with us. There you see not land or oceans depicted but astronomical/astrological markings. Most of these orbs are smooth from die wear or circulation wear, thus the common misunderstanding that this is a globe representing the Earth.

It's believed, as you said, that orbs used on Roman coins symbolized a god, most commonly Sol or Jupiter, conferring power to an emperor, handing him the Cosmos. There are other depictions too, including but not limited to Italia sitting on top of the orb, which symbolized her presiding over the cosmic sphere, or everything.

Just took a look again at this article, and it describes the X on Pat's coin, mine, and others as an equinoctial cross, representing the spring and autumnal equinoxes, symbolizing the belief in the cosmic cycles of birth, death, and rebirth, rooted in Greek philosophy, and discussed by Plato, Pliny, Aratus, and Manilius.

Another common marking on these orbs, on other coins, is a grid system originated by Greek astronomers to locate stars and planets.

Joe Sermarini:
The Romans knew they were inside that sphere of stars.  They apparently didn't have much in the way of maps, so indicating land and oceans can't be expected.  I suspect that those astronomical/astrological markings were placed on a orb representing the earth as the center of the heavens.  It would perhaps be the only way they would know how to represent the earth. 

Aurelian claims RESTITVTOR ORBIS.  Perhaps he is claiming to have restored the cosmic cycles or perhaps he is referring to things on the ground?  Perhaps he is referring to both and they saw them as one and the same? 

Holding a an orb must indictate control of the world, even if the world is only part of the heavens represented.  Or even if it is not.  An emperor receiving or holding a globe must surely indicate control of the world even if it is only through control of the cosmos.  (I suppose this control was maintained through proper exercise of worship, good leadership or correct behavior?)

Robert_Brenchley:
W KOSMOS means something ordered; not just the physical order but also the political. In John's Gospel, for instance, it means something like 'this sinful world order'. So the reference could be to the emperor as restorer of the Roman order, with the implication that this applied to the whole physical world.

moonmoth:
Reid says "Most of these orbs are smooth from die wear or circulation wear" - but orbs on some coins were engraved as smooth.  Here are obverses from three "hut" coins showing a smooth orb, a quartered orb, and a quartered orb with dots in each quadrant.  (Presumably, each octant of a full globe was intended.)  The quartered version without the dots may be an error - it is the only such coin I have out of my 185 hut coins.  The smooth and dotted varieties are both common.

This suggests that whether smooth or marked, the orbs had the same symbolic meaning.  But it should also be borne in mind that there are many local variations of these particular coins, and the local engravers may not always have adhered to a prescribed standard.

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