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Author Topic: Pater Patriae and the Experimental Quinarius of Caligula- Geranio, J  (Read 412 times)

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Offline Joe Geranio

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I have been intrigued by the following experimental issue of a quinarius with oak wreath and P.P. on reverse.  One example at 3.82 g. and the reverse not matching with the obverse date (TRP III)  for the title when Caligula received the pater patriae title, which was two years later.     Caligula received all the titles of Augustus except the title of pater patriae according to Dio he received all titles in March 38 A.D. and a short time later on Sept. 21 - 38 A.D. the rites for pater patriae were carried out as confirmed by a fairly new Arval fragment which states, " consensu senatus delatum sibi patris patriae nomen recepissit, which means; had received the title of pater patriae offered to him with the consent of the senate.      

So, We know of only this specimen which is probably an experimental piece for a new coin type which was not adopted, because in the following year (with the TR. POT. IIII) The old type of quinarius with the victory was reintroduced. The title PP on the reverse cannot mean to make any specific reference to the conferment of the title pater patriae, as Caligula had received this two years earlier.  This issue was first brought to my attention by Marco Emilio Lepido.  

A few thoughts and references from Lepido, "  I state that I have not had much time to devote to this quinarius. My idea about its uniqueness is very simple: as confirmed by recent studies, Banti expressed by the author of the Corpus, in the second two years of the reign of Caligula, between 39 and 40 AD, there has been a decline in the volume of production coinage of the mints/ plants. So this quinarius could be a new type created in that period, as the Banti and as you yourself have stated, and issued in a smaller number of copies as all other types of coins of the years 39-40 AD Caligula than the copies of the first two years that are numerically more."


"I also do think this quinarius is gold I just attained the same image from the CNR. The figure is on page 230 of volume XII, while the description is on the next page. This quinarius, the Banti classified as type IV, corresponds to the number 15 in the Corpus. Unfortunately, at the moment, I can not get a scan of the CNR as they do not have the opportunity, but I'll try to return as soon as you let it get scanned in response to this discussion. It seems that the only known references about this quinarius are ones you've already mentioned and which are always taken from the work of Banti. In fact, from the same book, I learn that this quinaius is not known nor by Cohen, nor by the RIC, nor even by the BMC. They do not have larger images. In fact the figure published by Banti is really small and, since it is a book dated, the image is also low resolution."

I find it interesting that there are no references in RIC or BMC?  

There are no great images at this time I can post except the last photo I received from Lepido that I will post.  I believe this issue, though experimental deserves more study and I will continue to try and attain a higher resolution photo in color and black and white.  

A question I have is do we have any other examples in the Julio Claudian or Flavian period of examples of such experimental pieces?  This to me is the purest form of a coin that would have been introduced except Caligula was murdered before it was distributed?

Joe Geranio- JCIA

Color Photo of Caligula AV Quinarius with Victory Reverse-  TRP IIII as Reintroduced.  
Quinarius 40-41, AV 3.89 g. Laureate bust r. Rev. Victory seated r., holding wreath. C 16. BMC 31. RIC 29. CBN 184. King 3c (this coin).
Of the highest rarity, very few specimens known



Refs:

Barrett, A.  Caligula: The Corruption of Power- page 70.
Lepido, M.  Correspondence on FAC
Corpus Nummorum Romanorum (Italian) Hardcover – 1972- by BANTI A. - SIMONETTI L. pg. 230 v. XII


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