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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Themes & Provenance| ▸ |Gods, Olympians| ▸ |Aphrodite or Venus||View Options:  |  |  | 

Aphrodite or Venus

Goddess of love, beauty and sexuality. Daughter of Zeus and Dione or, in other traditions, of Uranus. Julius Caesar claimed descent from Venus. Symbols include the dove.

Aphrodite can be faulted for the Trojan War. Upset that she was not invited to a wedding, she went anyway and maliciously left a golden apple inscribed "For the fairest" on the banquet table. The goddesses, as Aphrodite expected, argued who was the rightful possessor of this prize. It was determined the most handsome mortal in the world, a noble Trojan youth named Paris, would decide. Each of the three finalists offered Paris a bribe. Hera promised he would rule the world. Athena said she would make him victorious in battle. Aphrodite guaranteed the love of the most beautiful woman in the world. This was Helen, who was married to the king of Sparta. Paris awarded the golden apple to Aphrodite. Aphrodite enabled Paris to elope with Helen, Helen of Troy. Helen's husband raised a Greek army to retrieve his wife, starting the Trojan War.

Julia Soaemias, Augusta 16 May 218 - 11 March 222 A.D.

|Julia| |Soaemias|, |Julia| |Soaemias,| |Augusta| |16| |May| |218| |-| |11| |March| |222| |A.D.||denarius|
Venus (Aphrodite) can be faulted for the Trojan War. Upset that she was not invited to a wedding, she went anyway and maliciously left a golden apple inscribed "For the fairest" on the banquet table. The goddesses, as Aphrodite expected, argued who was the rightful possessor of this prize. It was determined the most handsome mortal in the world, a noble Trojan youth named Paris, would decide. Each of the three finalists offered Paris a bribe. Hera promised he would rule the world. Athena said she would make him victorious in battle. Aphrodite guaranteed the love of the most beautiful woman in the world. This was Helen, who was married to the king of Sparta. Paris awarded the golden apple to Aphrodite. Aphrodite enabled Paris to elope with Helen, Helen of Troy. Helen's husband raised a Greek army to retrieve his wife, starting the Trojan War.
RS111520. Silver denarius, RIC IV 243, RSC III 14, BMCRE V 56, Hunter V 7, SRCV II 7720, Choice gVF, well centered, light tone, luster in recesses, flow lines, weight 2.963 g, maximum diameter 19.4 mm, die axis 0o, Rome mint, 220 A.D.; obverse IVLIA SOAEMIAS AVG, draped bust right; reverse VENVS CAELESTIS (heavenly Venus), Venus diademed seated left on throne, apple in right hand, scepter in left hand, child at her feet raising arms; ex Numismatik Naumann auction 124 (8 Jan 2023), lot 881 (part of); $195.00 (€183.30)
 


Julia Soaemias, Augusta 16 May 218 - 11 March 222 A.D.

|Julia| |Soaemias|, |Julia| |Soaemias,| |Augusta| |16| |May| |218| |-| |11| |March| |222| |A.D.||denarius|
Venus (Aphrodite) can be faulted for the Trojan War. Upset that she was not invited to a wedding, she went anyway and maliciously left a golden apple inscribed "For the fairest" on the banquet table. The goddesses, as Aphrodite expected, argued who was the rightful possessor of this prize. It was determined the most handsome mortal in the world, a noble Trojan youth named Paris, would decide. Each of the three finalists offered Paris a bribe. Hera promised he would rule the world. Athena said she would make him victorious in battle. Aphrodite guaranteed the love of the most beautiful woman in the world. This was Helen, who was married to the king of Sparta. Paris awarded the golden apple to Aphrodite. Aphrodite enabled Paris to elope with Helen, Helen of Troy. Helen's husband raised a Greek army to retrieve his wife, starting the Trojan War.
RS113912. Silver denarius, RIC IV 243, RSC III 14, BMCRE V 56, Hunter V 7, SRCV II 7720, VF, near centered, nice portrait, flow lines, frosty surfaces, weight 2.471 g, maximum diameter 18.9 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, 220 A.D.; obverse IVLIA SOAEMIAS AVG, draped bust right; reverse VENVS CAELESTIS (heavenly Venus), Venus diademed seated left on throne, apple in right hand, scepter in left hand, child at her feet raising arms; ex Numismatik Naumann auction 124 (8 Jan 2023), lot 881 (part of); $120.00 (€112.80)
 


Parium, Mysia, c. 45 B.C.

|Parium|, |Parium,| |Mysia,| |c.| |45| |B.C.||semis|
The abbreviated legend translates, "Twin Julian Colony of Parium." The other colony in the twin pair was Lampsakos. The head is probably Venus and intended to flatter Julius Caesar, who claimed descent from Venus. The reverse was also like intended to honor Caesar, the Pontifex Maximus, the head priest of Rome. The praefericulum was a metal ewer used by Roman augurs and pontiffs to hold wine dedicated to libations. It was carried in religious processions and, like the lituus, praefericula were among the sacerdotal insignia frequently depicted on coins of the pontiffs and augurs.
RP114662. Bronze semis, RPC I 2259; SNG Cop 280; SNG BnF 141; BMC Mysia p. 102, 80; Lindgren-Kovacs 272; Sear Imperators, App 2, 715, F, attractive green patina, weight 3.227 g, maximum diameter 14.5 mm, die axis 0o, Parium (Kemer, Canakkale, Turkey) mint, time of Julius Caesar, c. 45 BC; obverse female (Venus?) head right, wearing stephane; C G I P (Colonia Gemella Iulia Pariana) around; reverse praefericulum (ewer), D - D (by decree of the decurions) across fields; $90.00 (€84.60)
 


Faustina Junior, Augusta 146 - Winter 175/176 A.D., Wife of Marcus Aurelius

|Faustina| |Jr.|, |Faustina| |Junior,| |Augusta| |146| |-| |Winter| |175/176| |A.D.,| |Wife| |of| |Marcus| |Aurelius||denarius|
The affectionate dove, the bird of love, was sacred to the goddess Venus (Aphrodite). Doves were said to draw her heavenly chariot, and the Syrian Aphrodite Ashtarte was said to have been hatched from an egg nursed by doves. The phrase attributed to Jesus, "Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves" (Matthew 10.16), was no random metaphor but a traditional Syrian invocation.
RS114207. Silver denarius, RIC III MA730, RSC II 255, BMCRE IV MA167, SRCV II 5266, Hunter II -, VF, toned, flow lines, earthen deposits, die wear, weight 3.050 g, maximum diameter 17.3 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, obverse FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, draped bust right; reverse VENVS, Venus standing left, dove in right, long scepter vertical in left; ex Priapus Numismatics e-auction 1 (5 Nov 2023), lot 815; $80.00 (€75.20)
 


Galeria Valeria, Augusta, June 293(?) - 311 A.D., Second Wife of Galerius

|Galeria| |Valeria|, |Galeria| |Valeria,| |Augusta,| |June| |293(?)| |-| |311| |A.D.,| |Second| |Wife| |of| |Galerius||follis| |(large)|
Venus (Aphrodite) can be faulted for the Trojan War. Upset that she was not invited to a wedding, she went anyway and maliciously left a golden apple inscribed "For the fairest" on the banquet table. The goddesses, as Aphrodite expected, argued who was the rightful possessor of this prize. It was determined the most handsome mortal in the world, a noble Trojan youth named Paris, would decide. Each of the three finalists offered Paris a bribe. Hera promised he would rule the world. Athena said she would make him victorious in battle. Aphrodite guaranteed the love of the most beautiful woman in the world. This was Helen, who was married to the king of Sparta. Paris awarded the golden apple to Aphrodite. Aphrodite enabled Paris to elope with Helen, Helen of Troy. Helen's husband raised a Greek army to retrieve his wife, starting the Trojan War.
MA113869. Billon follis (large), RIC VI Thessalonica p. 514, 36; SRCV IV 14592; Cohen VII p. 130, 7 var. (pearls in hair); Hunter V p. 72, 7 var. (2nd officina), aVF, well centered, uneven strike with weak/flat areas, weight 7.868 g, maximum diameter 27.0 mm, die axis 0o, 1st officina, Thessalonica (Salonika, Greece) mint, 308 - 310 A.D.; obverse GAL VALERIA AVG, bust facing, head right, wearing stephane, ornate embroidered robe, and necklace, hair in looped plait on back of neck; reverse VENERI VICTRICI (to victorious Venus), Venus standing left, raising apple in right hand, raising drapery over shoulder with left hand, star left, A right, •SM•TS• in exergue; $5.00 (€4.70)


Leukas, Akarnania, Greece, c. 435 - 400 B.C.

|Akarnania|, |Leukas,| |Akarnania,| |Greece,| |c.| |435| |-| |400| |B.C.||stater|
Lefkada (Leukas) is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea off the west coast of Greece between the islands of Corfu and Cephalonia. According to myth, the Kefalines, who lived on Lefkada, participated in the Trojan War, under the command of Ulysses. Laertis, Ulysses' father, occupied the town of Niriko and offered the island to Icarius, father of Penelope, after her wedding to Ulysses. The town of Leukas was founded by the Corinthians in the 7th century B.C. and issued coins with Corinthian types.

During the period when this coin was struck, Leucas joined the Spartan Confederation opposing Athens in the Peloponnesian War.
SH56866. Silver stater, Pegasi II p. 395, 27; BMC Corinth p. 126, 15; SNG Delepierre 1230 (all same dies); SNG Cop -, aVF, toned, graffiti, weight 8.521 g, maximum diameter 22.5 mm, die axis 180o, Leucas (Lefkada, Greece) mint, c. 435 - 400 B.C.; obverse Pegasus flying left, unbridled, curled archaic wings, Λ below; reverse head of Athena (or Aphrodite) left in Corinthian helmet over leather cap; Λ above, phiale behind; scarce; SOLD


Ambrakia, Epirus, Greece, c. 360 - 338 B.C.

|Epirus|, |Ambrakia,| |Epirus,| |Greece,| |c.| |360| |-| |338| |B.C.||stater|
Ambracia was founded as a Corinthian colony 650 - 625 B.C. It was besieged by Philip II and forced to accept a Macedonian garrison in 338. In 294, Pyrrhus, king of Epirus, made it his capital, and adorned it with palace, temples and theaters. It was captured and plundered by Rome in 189 B.C., after which it gradually fell into insignificance.
GS54019. Silver stater, Pegasi II 89/2 (same dies), Ravel 138, aVF, weight 8.016 g, maximum diameter 24.0 mm, die axis 180o, Ambrakia (Arta, Greece) mint, c. 360 - 338 B.C.; obverse Pegasos with pointed wing walking right, A below; reverse head of Athena (or Aphrodite) left in Corinthian helmet over leather cap, head of Achelous right; SOLD


Roman Republic, L. Sulla, 81 B.C.

|Sulla|, |Roman| |Republic,| |L.| |Sulla,| |81| |B.C.||denarius|
RR51287. Silver denarius, Crawford 376/1, RSC I Cornelia 44, Sydenham 763, aF, weight 2.684 g, maximum diameter 18.4 mm, die axis 270o, uncertain mint, 81 B.C.; obverse head of Venus right, uncertain control letter (D?) behind; reverse cornucopia, S C left, EX right, all within wreath; extremely rare and desirable type; SOLD


Julia Titi, Augusta c. 79 - 89 A.D.

|Julia| |Titi|, |Julia| |Titi,| |Augusta| |c.| |79| |-| |89| |A.D.||denarius|
Julia Titi was the daughter of the emperor Titus, and although married, she had an affair with her uncle Domitian. In 83 A.D., Domitian divorced his wife and lived openly with her. It has been said that she died because Domitian forced her to have an abortion but modern research indicates this allegation is false.
SH72986. Silver denarius, RIC II-1 p. 222, T388; RSC II 14; BMCRE II T141; BnF III T106; Hunter p. 275, 1; SRCV I 2612, F, slightly irregular flan, weight 3.030 g, maximum diameter 21.0 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, 80 - 81 A.D.; obverse IVLIA AVGVSTA TITI AVGVSTI F, diademed and draped bust right, hair in a long plait in back; reverse VENVS AVGVST, Venus standing right, viewed from behind, nude to the hips, right knee bent, leaning with left elbow and forearm on column, transverse spear on far side in left hand, raising up helmet in right hand; from the Jyrki Muona Collection collection, ex Zuzim Inc. (Isadore Goldstein, Brooklyn, NY, 2012); SOLD


Magnia Urbica, Augusta Mid 283 - Mid 285 A.D.

|Magnia| |Urbica|, |Magnia| |Urbica,| |Augusta| |Mid| |283| |-| |Mid| |285| |A.D.||antoninianus|
Sulla, in a dream, was the first to see Venus as Venus Victrix (victorious Venus) with the weapons of Mars. He made her his patroness. Pompey inaugurated the cult of Venus Victrix in Rome. The night before the battle of Pharsalus 48 B.C. Pompey dreamed of Venus Victrix, seemingly a lucky sign. That night Caesar sacrificed to Venus Genetrix, but issued Venus Victrix as the watch word. Caesar was victorious in the battle!
RA85025. Billon antoninianus, Hunter IV, p. 216, 2; RIC V-2 343 (S); Cohen VI 17; SRCV III 12424, VF, full circles centering, traces of silvering, corrosion, weight 3.845 g, maximum diameter 22.6 mm, die axis 180o, 6th officina, Rome mint, 284 - 285 A.D.; obverse MAGN VRBICA AVG, diademed and draped bust right, crescent behind shoulders, hair brushed in straight lines, plait carried up the back to top of head and running under stephane; reverse VENVS VICTRIX (victorious Venus), Venus standing left, helmet in right hand, long scepter vertical behind in left hand, grounded shield at feet on left, KAΣ in exergue; scarce; SOLD







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