| Collecting History through Ancient Coins |  |
|
| Gordian III, 29 July 238 - 25 February 244 A.D. |   | This coin was issued to gain the support of Fortuna toward ensuring the safe return of Gordian from his campaign against the Persians. But Fortuna was not inspired. Gordian would never return to Rome. Shapur's inscription at Naqsh-i Rustam claims he was killed in a Roman defeat at the Battle of Misiche near modern Fallujah. Roman sources do not mention this defeat and claim Philip, who succeeded Gordian as emperor, murdered him. |
| RS50925. Silver antoninianus, SRCV III 8613, RIC IV 210, RSC IV 98a, VF, weight 4.592 g, maximum diameter 22.0 mm, die axis 180o, Antioch mint, 243 - 244 A.D.; obverse IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right, from behind; reverse FORTVNA REDVX, Fortuna seated left, rudder in right, cornucopia in left; nice style, well centered; $50.00 (€38.50) |
| Agrippina Senior, Wife of Germanicus & Mother of Caligula, Died 18 October 33 A.D. |  | Most references identify the portrait as Livia, but as David Vagi notes, "the bust of Justitia represents (but seemingly does not portray) Antonia and/or Agrippa Senior. It no doubt reflects the justice they received from the trial of Piso for the murder of Germanicus..." He explains that the portrait does not appear to be of either of them, perhaps because it was intended to represent them both simultaneously.
Since Agrippina knew, but had no evidence, that Piso murdered Germanicus on orders from Tiberius, she was not satisfied with this "justice" and continued to be an outspoken critic of Tiberius and his prefect, Sejanus. Sejanus had her accused of adultery. She was flogged so severely that she lost an eye, and was banished to the island of Pandateria where she starved to death four years later. Her sons Nero Caesar and Drusus Caesar also died imprisoned. When her son Caligula became emperor, the first act of his reign was to return the ashes of his mother and brothers to Rome. |
| RB62470. Orichalcum dupondius, Vagi Antonia 498, RIC I Livia 46, Cohen Livia 4; countermark: Wertz 138 (Nero, 64 A.D.), Fair, scratches, weight 12.611 g, maximum diameter 30.3 mm, die axis 0o, Rome mint, 22 - 23 A.D.; obverse IVSTITIA, diademed and draped bust of Justitia right; reverse TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVG P M TR POT XXIII, large S C; countermark: NCAPR (Nero Caesar Augustus PRobabit) in rectangular incuse; ex Nemesis Ancients & Antiquities; $50.00 (€38.50) |
| Elagabalus, 16 May 218 - 11 March 222 A.D., Neapolis, Samaria |  | Neapolis, Samaria, the biblical Shechemis, is now Nablus, Israel. It is the site of Joseph's Tomb and Jacob's well. Jesus spoke here to a Samaritan woman. Neapolis is home to about half the remaining worldwide Samaritan population of 600. |
| RP43497. Bronze AE 23, SNG ANS 6, 1003 (same countermark); Rosenberger III 39 var (same countermark, N in exergue); countermark: Howgego 666, (37 pcs), VF, weight 12.537 g, maximum diameter 23.0 mm, die axis 0o, Samaria, Neapolis mint, obverse AYT K M AYP ANTWNINOC or similar, laureate draped and cuirassed bust right, from behind, countermarked with "A" in incuse square; reverse FL NEACPOLEW CYP P or similar, Mt. Gerizim with arched colonnade, roadway, shrines, altar and temple, P in ex; $45.00 (€34.65) |
| Gordian III, 29 July 238 - 25 February 244 A.D. |  | This coin was issued to gain the support of Fortuna toward ensuring the safe return of Gordian from his campaign against the Persians. But Fortuna was not inspired. Gordian would never return to Rome. Shapur's inscription at Naqsh-i Rustam claims he was killed in a Roman defeat at the Battle of Misiche near modern Fallujah. Roman sources do not mention this defeat and claim Philip, who succeeded Gordian as emperor, murdered him. |
| RS47946. Silver antoninianus, RIC IV 143, RSC IV 97, SRCV III 8612, VF, weight 4.113 g, maximum diameter 21.5 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, 243 - 244 A.D.; obverse IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, from behind; reverse FORT REDVX, Fortuna seated left, rudder in right, cornucopia in left, wheel under seat; $45.00 (€34.65) |
| Gordian III, 29 July 238 - 25 February 244 A.D. |  | In 243 A.D. Gordian III, along with his praetorian prefect and father-in-law Timesitheus, defeated the Persian occupation of Syria. But after Timesitheus died, the Roman advance stalled and they suffered a major defeat. |
| RS47954. Silver antoninianus, RIC IV 150, RSC IV 299, SRCV III 8654, VF, weight 4.176 g, maximum diameter 22.4 mm, die axis 0o, Rome mint, 243 - 244 A.D.; obverse IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right; reverse PROVIDENTIA AVG, Providentia standing half left, wand in right over globe at feet, long scepter vertical in left; some mint luster remaining; $45.00 (€34.65) |
| Krannon, Thessaly, Greece, 350 - 300 B.C. |  | In 322 B.C., at Krannon, Thessaly, the Macedonian general Antipater decisively defeated an anti-Macedonian alliance of the Athenians, Aetolians, Thessalians, the Phoceans, the Lokrians and some Peloponnesian states. After the defeat, Athens was forced to abolish its democracy, the leaders responsible for the war were sentenced to death and a Macedonian garrison was stationed at the port of Mounychia. |
| GB49823. Bronze dichalkon, Rogers 201; BCD Thessaly 1086 var (obv K, reverse legend); BMC Thessaly p. 16, 5 var (rev legend); SNG Cop 43 var (same); SGCV I 2073, gF, weight 4.078 g, maximum diameter 17.0 mm, die axis 90o, Krannon mint, 350 - 300 B.C.; obverse horseman galloping right, wearing petasos and chlamys; reverse AT-LAN / KRA, hydria (water carrying vessel) mounted on cart; ex BCD collection with his handwritten round tag; $45.00 (€34.65) |
| Gallienus, August 253 - 24 March 268 A.D. |  | In 257 A.D., the Alamanii invaded Italy but were defeated by Gallienus near Milan. |
| RS40178. Billon antoninianus, RIC V 452, gVF, weight 2.983 g, maximum diameter 22.2 mm, die axis 0o, Antioch mint, 257 - 258 A.D.; obverse IMP GALLIENVS AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right; reverse VICTORIA GERMAN, Emperor standing left, holding globe and scepter, receiving wreath from Victory standing right, star above; scarce; $40.00 (€30.80) |
| Gordian III, 29 July 238 - 25 February 244 A.D. |  | This coin was issued to gain the support of Fortuna toward ensuring the safe return of Gordian from his campaign against the Persians. But Fortuna was not inspired. Gordian would never return to Rome. Shapur's inscription at Naqsh-i Rustam claims he was killed in a Roman defeat at the Battle of Misiche near modern Fallujah. Roman sources do not mention this defeat and claim Philip, who succeeded Gordian as emperor, murdered him. |
| RS47903. Silver antoninianus, RIC IV 143, RSC IV 97, SRCV III 8612, VF, weight 4.056 g, maximum diameter 23.0 mm, die axis 0o, Rome mint, 243 - 244 A.D.; obverse IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, from behind; reverse FORT REDVX, Fortuna seated left, rudder in right, cornucopia in left, wheel under seat; $40.00 (€30.80) |
| Gordian III, 29 July 238 - 25 February 244 A.D. |  | This coin was issued to gain the support of Fortuna toward ensuring the safe return of Gordian from his campaign against the Persians. But Fortuna was not inspired. Gordian would never return to Rome. Shapur's inscription at Naqsh-i Rustam claims he was killed in a Roman defeat at the Battle of Misiche near modern Fallujah. Roman sources do not mention this defeat and claim Philip, who succeeded Gordian as emperor, murdered him. |
| RS50915. Silver antoninianus, SRCV III 8613, RIC IV 210, RSC IV 98a, VF, weight 4.422 g, maximum diameter 21.9 mm, die axis 45o, Antioch mint, 243 - 244 A.D.; obverse IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right, from behind; reverse FORTVNA REDVX, Fortuna seated left, rudder in right, cornucopia in left; nice style; $40.00 (€30.80) |
| Gordian III, 29 July 238 - 25 February 244 A.D. |  | This coin was issued to gain the support of Fortuna toward ensuring the safe return of Gordian from his campaign against the Persians. But Fortuna was not inspired. Gordian would never return to Rome. Shapur's inscription at Naqsh-i Rustam claims he was killed in a Roman defeat at the Battle of Misiche near modern Fallujah. Roman sources do not mention this defeat and claim Philip, who succeeded Gordian as emperor, murdered him. |
| RS50917. Silver antoninianus, SRCV III 8613, RIC IV 210, RSC IV 98a, VF, weight 4.588 g, maximum diameter 19.8 mm, die axis 180o, Antioch mint, 243 - 244 A.D.; obverse IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right, from behind; reverse FORTVNA REDVX, Fortuna seated left, rudder in right, cornucopia in left; nice style; $40.00 (€30.80) |
| Valerian I, October 253 - c. June 260 A.D. |  | | From the Antioch Hoard of Gallienus. | |
|
| RS39722. Billon antoninianus, RIC V 285 (Antioch), Göbl MIR 1684l (Samosata), Cohen 152, SRCV III 9955 (uncertain Syrian mint), AHG 55 (this coin), gVF, weight 4.336 g, maximum diameter 21.8 mm, die axis 0o, Syrian mint, 256 - 258 A.D.; obverse IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right; reverse PIETAS AVGG, Valerian and Gallienus standing confronted, sacrificing over altar between them, each togate and holding short scepter; $31.00 (€23.87) |
| Diocletian, 20 November 284 - 1 May 305 A.D. |  | In 296, after the Sassanid king Narseh declared war on Rome and invaded Armenia, Diocletian dispatched his son-in-law Galerius with a large army. Galerius was completely defeated near Carrhae and forced to retreat across the Euphrates to join Diocletian at Antioch. At Antioch, Diocletian forced Galerius to walk, still clad in the purple robes of an emperor, a mile in advance of his imperial cart. The message was clear: the loss at Carrhae was not due to the failings of the soldiers, but due to the failings of their commander. |
| RB43054. Copper post-reform radiate, RIC VI 60a, VF, weight 2.302 g, maximum diameter 20.8 mm, die axis 0o, Antioch mint, c. 296 A.D.; obverse IMP C C VAL DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right; reverse CONCORDIA MILITVM, Diocletian holding parazonium, standing left, receiving Victory on globe from Jupiter holding spear, * / D in center, ANT in ex; nice desert patina; $26.00 (€20.02) |
CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE FROM THIS CATEGORY - FORVM's PRIOR SALES
|
