Early Roman Empire (Octavian - Marcus Aurelius)
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Agrippa. As minted under CaligulaM. AGRIPPA L.F. COS. III : head of Agrippa wearing the Rostral crown.
Rev.: Neptune standing left, holding dolphin and trident. S C.
Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa was Augustus' closest friend, and Caligula's grandfather. The rostral crown and the Neptune remind us of the victory of the fleet, commanded by Agrippa, at Actium in 31 BC. Ginolerhino
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Antoninus Pius - AsANTONINVS AVG. PIVS P.P. TR.P. XII, laureate bust right
MVNIFICENTIA AVG. / COS IIII / S C, Personification of the Munificence of the Emperor, stanfing left, holding sceptre and patera, a lion at her feet.
This coin is dated 148-9. On this year, the Emperor Antoninus celebrated lavish games in Rome to celebrate the 900th anniversary of the foundation of the city.Ginolerhino
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Antoninus Pius - denariusANTONINVS AVG. PIVS P.P., laureate bust right
TEMPLVM DIVI AVG. REST. / COS. IIII, front-view of the Temple of Divine Augustus, with 8 columns and 2 statues inside.
The legend should be read as one single sentence, starting from the obverse : Antoninus Augustus Pius, Pater Patriae, templum Divi Augusti restituit consul IIII : Antoninus Augustus Pious, father of the country, 4 times consul, restored the temple of the Divine Augustus.Ginolerhino
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Augustus - denariusNo legend ; head of Venus right, wearing stephanè.
CAESAR DIVI F. ; Augustus in military dress standing left, holding transverse spear and raising right hand.Ginolerhino
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Augustus - denariusAVGVSTVS DIVI F. ; bare head right.
IMP. XI ; capricorn turned right holding globe.Ginolerhino
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Augustus asObv.: CAESAR AV[G. PONT. MAX. T]RIBVNIC. POTEST., bare head right.
Rev.: L. SVRDINVS [III VIR] A.A.A.F.F. around large SC.
Nice realistic portrait of Augustus...Ginolerhino
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Claudius. DupondiusTI. CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG. P.M. TR.P. IMP.; bare head left.
[CERES] AVGVSTA : Ceres seated left on throne, holding corn-ears and torch. S C.
Claudius faced violent protests in Rome when the citizens had difficulties to find enough corn. His propaganda insisted on his efforts to supply Rome with food. Hence the Ceres reverse.
Ginolerhino
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Domitian - AsIMP. CAES. DOMIT. AVG. GERM. P.M. TR.P. VIII CENS. PER. P.P., laureate bust right.
COS. XIIII LUD. SAEC. FEC / SC : Domitian wearing toga making a libation on an altar in front of a temple, facing a flute and a lyre player.Ginolerhino
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Domitian - QuadransIMP. DOMIT. AVG. GERM. COS. XI ? Bust of Ceres right.
No legend : basket full of corn-ears dividing S C.Ginolerhino
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Domitian - quadransThis African rhinoceros was the third rhino which had been brought alive to Rome (the first one was an Indian rhino seized by Octavius in Cleopatra's Alexandrian zoo, the second one was seen in Rome later during Augustus' principate. Pliny's mention of a rhino in the games given by Pompey is probably a mistake).
Domitian's rhino could have been the first African rhino in Rome. He has been opposed in the Colosseum to a bear and perhaps also a bull. The fight has been narrated by Martial. Ginolerhino
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Faustina Junior - sestertiusFAVSTINA AVGVSTA, draped bust r. wearing diadem.
FECVNDITAS / S C , Fecunditas standing r. holding scepter and small baby.
Minted in 161
RIC 1638Ginolerhino
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Faustina Senior - sestertiusAE 31 mm, 20.41 g
DIVA AVGVSTA FAVSTINA , veiled and diademed bust r.
PIETAS AVG / S C , Pietas standing l., dropping incense on candelabrum and holding box of perfumes
Minted after 141.
RIC III Antoninus Pius 1146AcGinolerhino
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Galba dupondiusObv : SER GALBA [IMP] CAESAR AVG TR P, laureate and draped bust right.
Rev: [PAX] AVGVSTA, Pax standing left holding branch and caduceus, dividing [S]C.
Too bad for the crust, but I had better leave the coin untouched. There is a picture on Wildwinds of the same coin from the same obverse die : http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/galba/RIC_0415-o.jpgGinolerhino
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Hadrian - large semis ?HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS, draped and laureate bust right
COS III / S C, cithar
Handsome coin. The cithar (ancestor of the Spanish guitar or the Indian sitar) is the instrument played by Apollo. I always wondered what kind of music was played with it. Did it sound more like Spanish, Greek, Arabic, Indian music ?Ginolerhino
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Marcus Aurelius - sestertiusM ANTONINVS AVG GERM TR P XXIX , laureate bust r.
LIBERALITAS AVG VI IMP VII COS III / S C , Liberalitas standing l. holding abacus and cornucopiae
Minted 174-175
RIC 1147Ginolerhino
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Mark Anthony and Octavius - denariusM. ANT. IMP. AVG. III VIR R.P.C. M. BARBAT. Q. P. ; bare head of Mark Anthony right.
CAESAR IMP. PONT. III VIR R.P.C. ; bare head of Octavius right.Ginolerhino
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Nero - AsIMP. NERO CAESAR AVG. GERMANIC.; laureate bust right.
Rev.: PACE P.R. VBIQ. PARTA IANVM CLVSIT (He brought everywhere the Peace of the Roman People, then closed the temple of Janus). The themle of Janus with its doors closed at last. S C.
I like this coin... I bought it in Tunis, covered with dirt (the coin, not me). Took me 2 hours of discussion with the dealer before we agreed on the price. Ginolerhino
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Nero - semisNERO CLAV. CAE. AVG. GERM..... ; laureate bust right.
CERTA. QV[INQ. ROM.] CO. (Certamina quinquennalia Romae condidit) : "Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (etc.) instated in Rome the Quinquennal Competitions." / S C : table ornamented with griffins supporting a prize-urn and a crown.Ginolerhino
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Sabina - denariusSABINA AVGVSTA HADRIANI AVG. P.P., diademed bust right
CONCORDIA AVG., the godess Concordia enthroned left, holding patera
Concordia is a common reverse for coins with the effigy of the emperor's spouse. Even if the Emperor is spending more time with a hansome Greek boy of 18.Ginolerhino
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Tiberius As from LugdunumWell-known coin struck in mammooth quantities for use in Gaul. I remember finding the same one when excavating a Ist Century Roman camp in northern France, when I was a student.
On the reverse is the Altar of Lugdunum (Lyons, France). Every 15 August, delegates from all the Gaulish cities gathered by this altar to officially pledge alliegeance to Rome and the Emperor (ROM ET AVG), to discuss common business, and sometimes write a letter to the Emperor if there was something wrong in the way the Governor was doing his job... Ginolerhino
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Titus - denariusIMP. TITVS CAES. VESPASIAN. AVG. P.M. ; laureate bust right.
TR.P. IX IMP. XV COS. VIII P.P. ; dolphin over tripod with fillet.Ginolerhino
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Titus as Caesar (under Vespasian, 69-79). AsT.CAES.IMP.AVG.F.TR.P.COS.VI CENSOR, laureate head right.
Rev.: Spes walking left. SC.Ginolerhino
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Trajan - denariusIMP. CAES. NER. TRAIAN. OPTIM. AVG. GERM. DAC., draped and laureate bust right
PARTHICO P.M. TR.P. COS. VI P.P. S.P.Q.R. / PROVID. , Providentia standing left holding long sceptre, terrestrial globe at her feet.Ginolerhino
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Trajan - SestertiusThe reverse legend is REX PARTHIS DATVS (King given to Parthians) : Trajan in military flight-suit seated on a curule chair on top of a platform, his Praetorian Prefect standing behind him, presents the pro-Roman puppet-king Parthamaspates (in Parthian attire) to an allegory of Parthia kneeling in gratitude.
Nice example of Roman propaganda. It is difficult today to figure how Romans could be so naive they would believe it. Notice Trajan's size : if he stood up from his chair, the Praetorian prefect would look like a dwarf.Ginolerhino
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Trajan - sestertiusIMP. CAES. NERVAE TRAIANO AVG. GER. DAC. P.M. TR.P. COS. V P.P. : laureate bust with aegis on chest.
S.P.Q.R. OPTIMO PRINCIPI / S C. Pax (?) holding branch and cornucopia standing left, foot on a captive's bust.Ginolerhino
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Vitellius - denariusA. VITELLIVS GERM. IMP. AVG. TR.P. ; laureate bust right.
XV VIR SACR. FAC. ; dolphin on globe resting on tripod, raven beneath.Ginolerhino
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