Another Commodus conundrum

[moonmoth]

This is a denarius of Commodus showing a seated Securitas.



Silver denarius of Commodus. Rome, 188-189 CE. 17x18mm, 2.40g
Obverse: M COMM ANT P FEL AVG BRIT. Laureate, bearded head right.
Reverse: SECVR ORB P M TR P XIIII. Securitas seated left, holding out a globe in her right hand.
Exergue: COS V P P
Ref: RIC III 179

What interests me most about this one is that Securitas seems to be resting her elbow on a statuette of a winged creature, perhaps a sphinx. This is not mentioned in the RIC description and indeed is not there on some of the specimens on line, though it is just the same as this on others. 

What is this creature, and why is it on a coin of Securitas?

(Another interesting thing is that on coins like this, where the legend speaks specifically of the security of the world, the globe held by Securitas might represent that world, and not the cosmos as would be the usual interpretation.)

Bill

[commodus]

This is very interesting.
Neither a sphinx nor a gryphon is an attribute of Securitas, to my knowledge. I suspect that its representation here is merely as the decorative arm of the throne upon which the Goddess sits. The orb is definitely an attribute of hers, suggesting her governance over the security of the world (the Romans were well aware that the earth is round), patricularly the Roman Empire, and not the Cosmos, which makes no sense in Roman theology.

[moonmoth]

But it's such a specific and conspicuous decoration that it's hard to believe it is just random.  As a similar example, there are several coins showing Concordia resting her arm on a statuette of Spes, which is certainly not random.



On the denarius of Commodus, the top of the throne is visible.  It is plain and rectangular, without any of the ornate finials found on many thrones; in fact it is just sketched in at an odd angle, so a winged mythical animal on the arm seems an unlikely addition unless there was a reason for it.   But I think you are right that the reason is not connected specifically with Securitas.  Perhaps there is some other factor relating to this issue that might explain it.

Bill

[curtislclay]

This variant not noted by the usually sharp-eyed Cohen.

No mention of it on denarii in BMC, and the two illustrated specimens indeed omit the sphinx.

BM 108, sestertius, pl. 108.7, however, notes the sphinx in a footnote:"Arm-rest on rev. shaped like sphinx (?)."

No mention of the sphinx in the brief discussion of this type in Kaiser-Raiss' dissertation on Commodus' coins, p. 39.

I indistinctly recall noting the sphinx on denarii before; maybe I wrote it into my BMC that I lost to bagsnatchers in 1999! Or maybe I just noted it on another sestertius like BM 108.

I don't know whether this detail has ever been noted and discussed in the scholarly literature; I rather suspect not.

Your point about the globe is a good one and deserves following up!

[Philoromaos]

Interesting! I have the sestertius of this type somewhere and somewhat worn but I will have to dig it out and see if I can see it on mine!

Well I've dug it out and photographed it and there's something there but I can't tell what it's meant to bea Gryphon or not?

[Jochen]

Hi Philoromaos!

I don't know wether it is a gryphion or a sphinx. But a sphinx would be likelier I think. The sphinx, very early associated with Athena, was then a guardian being too, at temples or tombs. And a touch of safety would well match the idea of Securitas.

Best regards

[Philoromaos]

Thanks! I did mean to write sphinx, I can't think why I wrote gryphon. I feel a little stupid now 

[commodus]

There's not a great deal of difference between a gryphon and a sphinx, actually. Gryphons tend to be depicted with wings and shinxes without, but that is not always the case. In any case, they are similar concepts, both being symbols of divine power and guardians of the divine.