| Image search results - "Colonia" |
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Divus Victorinus. Died A.D. 271. Æ antoninianus (21 mm, 2.99 g, 12 h). Colonia Agrippinensis, under Tetricus I, late A.D. 271. [DI]VO VICTORINO PIO, radiate and cuirassed bust of Victorinus right / CONSA[C]RATIO, eagle standing right on globe, head left, holding wreath in beak. Cf. RIC 85 (bust); cf. Mairat 416 (bust); AGK 1b. Brown patina with a few hard green depositsQuant.Geek
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2nd - 1st Century BC, IRON AGE BRITAIN, Tribe: Cantii, AE Potin, Minted between 100 and 30 BCObverse: No legend. Crude outline of head facing right; pellet within circle in centre.
Reverse: No legend. Crude lines representing a bull facing left, crescents above.
Flat Linear type, Class 1
Found, Thames Valley region, England
Diameter: 17mm | Weight: 1.9gms | Axis: 3h
BMC: 667-714 | SPINK: 63
The Cantii produced the first coins to be actually made in Britain.
These coins were cast in strips which were then cut into separate coins and as a result often retain characteristic cut edges from the runlets which joined them together.
THE CANTII (or Cantiaci)
The Cantii (after whom Kent and Canterbury are named) were the major tribal group in the South East region of England, bordered by the Atrebates, Regni and Catuvellauni.
This region was heavily influenced by continental cultures on the periphery of the early Roman world and this resulted in the Cantii producing the first coins actually made in Britain. These are known as “potins” and they were produced between the mid 2nd to the mid 1st century BC. The earliest versions are known as Kentish Primary, or Thurrock, types. Comparatively the later types, like those from the recently discovered Hillingdon Hoard, are of the “flat linear” type, which uses simplified and abstracted images. Similar coins from the late Iron Age have been found, but in much smaller quantities.
The word “potin” is of French origin and is used to describe these early coins which were cast in clay moulds from a copper alloy with a high tin content. They would have been shiny and silver-coloured when new, and though occasionally examples have turned up which retain this colouration, most coins by the time they get dug up have a characteristic black patina from tin oxidation. These were cast in strips which were then cut into separate coins and as a result often retain characteristic cut edges from the runlets which joined them together. The moulds themselves were made using “master” matrices of copper alloy which were cast with the design for one side of a coin in high relief and pressed into the clay. A rare example of a mould of this type was found a few miles west of the Surrey border in Hampshire.
The designs of the majority of potins found in England derive ultimately from coins produced in the Greek colonial Mediterranean city of Massalia (modern Marseilles) in southern Gaul in the late 4th century BC. These coins featured a head of Apollo on the obverse and a charging bull on the reverse. They were originally imported from the continent and later locally copied in the mid 2nd century BC, in the form of what are known as “Thurrock” types, which adhere closely to the original design. Later forms, known as “flat linear” types, greatly simplified this design into deep abstraction, ultimately reducing the head of Apollo to an outline and the bull to a trapezoidal arrangement of lines
We don’t know what these coins were called by the people who made them, or what they were worth in fiscal terms, but they are generally only found in south east England, which probably reflects the limits of the political and economic influence of the Cantii themselves. It isn't even clear what the role of these Iron Age coins actually was, though it is likely that they assisted in the maintenance of some kind of social power structure. Coins were not generally used as day to day currency by the people of Britain in the 1st and 2nd centuries BC, so apart from any monetary transactions, their range of uses probably included the storage of wealth, use as political tribute, and / or votive objects used as offerings to the gods.
CLICK ON MAP BELOW TO ENLARGE IT
 *Alex
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1 Augustus Colonia PatriciaSosius
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28 BC Colony established at Nemausus by Augustus' armymedium bronze (dupondius or as?) (12.6g, 25mm, 2h) Nemausus mint. Struck 10 BC - 10 AD.
IMP DIVI F Agrippa laureate head left and Augustus laureate head right, back to back
COL NEM crocodile chained to palm tree top bent to right, wreath at top.
RIC (Augustus) 158
Denomination uncertain. COL NEM stands for COLONIA AVGVSTA NEMAVSVS (present Nîmes, France), built by Augustus' army after their conquest and return from Egypt. The crocodile chained to the palm tree symbolizes the defeat of the Cleopatra and Marc Antony at Actium.Charles S
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7.5 SaloninusSALONINUS
AR Antoninianus. Colonia Agrippenensium mint.
SALON VALERIANVS CAES, radiate draped bust right / PIETAS AVG, sacrificial implements.
RIC 9, RSC 4, Sear'88 #3080 Sosius
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Gallic 3 Marius, May - August or September 269 A.D.Bronze antoninianus, Schulzki AGK 8a, Mairat 238, SRCV III 11123, RIC V 17, aEF, rev a bit weak, 2.822g, 19.5mm, 180o, Colonia Agrippinensis (Cologne) mint, 2nd emission; obverse IMP C M AVR MARIVS AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right; reverse VICT-O-R-IA AVG, Victory standing left, wreath in right, palm frond in left; nice portrait, nice dark sea-green patina, slightly irregular flan; scarce
Purchased from FORVMSosius
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ILIRIA - DIRRAQUIO/EPIDAMNOSAR dracma 18X16 mm 2.4 gr.
Anv: "MENIΣ [KOΣ ]" (Nombre de la Autoridad Monetaria que la acuña), sobre una Vaca a der. mirando a su ternero que se amanta a izq.
Rev: "AYP / ΔIO / [NY] / [ΣIOY]" – Doble Forma estrellada, dividida por dos líneas y rodeada por una doble línea formando un contorno cuadrado.
Los diseños del reverso de Korkyra así como de sus colonias, Apollonia (Apolonia) y Dyrrhachion (Dirraquio), han sido objeto de mucha especulación numismática. Eckhel (Doctrina numorum veterum [Vienna, 1792/3], II:155) aceptó la opinión de Laurentius Beger (Observationes Et Conjecturae In Numismata Quaedam Antiqua [Brandenburg, 1691]), que argumentó que el diseño del reverso representa el jardín de Alkinoos, el mítico rey de Phaiakia, descrito en detalle por el poeta Homero (Od. 7.112-133). Basado en el supuesto de que mítica Phaiakia era la isla de la antigua Korkyra (mod. Corfú), y sabiendo que Korkyrans colonizaron tanto Apollonia y Dyrrhachion, Beger (ya través de él, Eckhel) concluyeron que los elementos centrales eran flores y que el diseño general debe representar tanto el diseño del jardín, o las puertas que conducen a ella. Más tarde, la mayoría de los numismáticos, como Böckh, Müller, Friedlander, y von Sallet, argumentaron que los elementos centrales del diseño eran más como la estrella, mientras que Gardner favoreciendo una interpretación floral, aunque sea como una referencia a Apolo Aristaios o Nomios, no el jardín de ALKINOOS. Más recientemente, Nicolet-Pierre volvió a examinar la cuestión del diseño del reverso en su artículo sobre la moneda arcaica de Korkyra ("À props du monnayage archaïque de Corcyre," SNR 88 [2009], pp. 2-3) y ofreció una nueva interpretación. Tomando nota de un pasaje de Tucídides (3.70.4) en la que ese autor citó la existencia en la isla de un recinto sagrado (temenos) dedicado a Zeus y ALKINOOS, sugirió que el diseño del reverso podría haber sido inspirada por esto, y no en el jardín de ALKINOOS que detalla Homero.
Acuñación: 200 - 30 A.C.
Ceca: Dyrrhachion - Illyria (Hoy Durré en Albania)
Referencias: Sear GCTV Vol.I #1900 var Pag.187 – BMC Vol.7 #62-64 Pag.69 – SNG Copenhagen #467 - Maier #201 - Ceka #320mdelvalle
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Tetricus II, RIC 272 Colonia Agrippina, 273-274 CE.AE Antonia Of Tetricus II as Caesar
Obverse: C PIV ESV TETRICVS CAES, draped and radiated bust right.
Reverse: SPES P VBLICA, Speas walking left, holding flower.
Mint (Koln) Colonia Agrippina RIC 272
Colonia20.8 mm., 3.1 g.NORMAN K
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"As de Nîmes" or "crocodile" Ӕ dupondius of Nemausus (9 - 3 BC), honoring Augustus and AgrippaIMP DIVI F , Heads of Agrippa (left) and Augustus (right) back to back, Agrippa wearing rostral crown and Augustus the oak-wreath / COL NEM, crocodile right chained to palm-shoot with short dense fronds and tip right; two short palm offshoots left and right below, above on left a wreath with two long ties streaming right.
Ó”, 24.5 x 3+ mm, 13.23g, die axis 3h; on both sides there are remains of what appears to be gold plating, perhaps it was a votive offering? Rough edges and slight scrapes on flan typical for this kind of coin, due to primitive technology (filing) of flan preparation.
IMPerator DIVI Filius. Mint of COLonia NEMausus (currently Nîmes, France). Known as "As de Nîmes", it is actually a dupontius (lit. "two-pounder") = 2 ases (sometimes cut in halves to get change). Dupondii were often made out of a golden-colored copper alloy (type of brass) "orichalcum" and this appears to be such case.
Key ID points: oak-wreath (microphotography shows that at least one leaf has a complicated shape, although distinguishing oak from laurel is very difficult) – earlier versions have Augustus bareheaded, no PP on obverse as in later versions, no NE ligature, palm with short fronds with tip right (later versions have tip left and sometimes long fronds). Not typical: no clear laurel wreath together with the rostral crown, gold (?) plating (!), both features really baffling.
But still clearly a "middle" kind of the croc dupondius, known as "type III": RIC I 158, RPC I 524, Sear 1730. It is often conservatively dated to 10 BC - 10 AD, but these days it is usually narrowed to 9/8 - 3 BC.
It is a commemorative issue, honoring the victory over Mark Antony and conquest of Egypt in 30 BC. The heads of Augustus and Agrippa were probably positioned to remind familiar obverses of Roman republican coins with two-faced Janus. Palm branch was a common symbol of victory, in this case grown into a tree, like the victories of Augustus and Agrippa grown into the empire. The two offshoots at the bottom may mean two sons of Agrippa, Gaius and Lucius, who were supposed to be Augustus' heirs and were patrons of the colony. Palm may also be a symbol of the local Nemausian deity, which was probably worshiped in a sacred grove. When these coins were minted, the colony was mostly populated by the settled veterans of Augustus' campaigns, hence the reminiscence of the most famous victory, but some of the original Celtic culture probably survived and was assimilated by Romans. The crocodile is not only the symbol of Egypt, like in the famous Octavian's coins AEGYPTO CAPTA. It is also a representation of Mark Antony, powerful and scary both in water and on land, but a bit slow and stupid. The shape of the crocodile with tail up was specifically chosen to remind of the shape of ship on very common "legionary" denarius series, which Mark Antony minted to pay his armies just before Actium. It is probably also related to the popular contemporary caricature of Cleopatra, riding on and simultaneously copulating with a crocodile, holding a palm branch in her hand as if in triumph. There the crocodile also symbolized Mark Antony.
Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa was born c. 64-62 BC somewhere in rural Italy. His family was of humble and plebeian origins, but rich, of equestrian rank. Agrippa was about the same age as Octavian, and the two were educated together and became close friends. He probably first served in Caesar's Spanish campaign of 46–45 BC. Caesar regarded him highly enough to send him with Octavius in 45 BC to train in Illyria. When Octavian returned to Rome after Caesar's assassination, Agrippa became his close lieutenant, performing many tasks. He probably started his political career in 43 BC as a tribune of the people and then a member of the Senate. Then he was one of the leading Octavian's generals, finally becoming THE leading general and admiral in the civil wars of the subsequent years.
In 38 as a governor of Transalpine Gaul Agrippa undertook an expedition to Germania, thus becoming the first Roman general since Julius Caesar to cross the Rhine. During this foray he helped the Germanic tribe of Ubii (who previously allied themselves with Caesar in 55 BC) to resettle on the west bank of the Rhine. A shrine was dedicated there, possibly to Divus Caesar whom Ubii fondly remembered, and the village became known as Ara Ubiorum, "Altar of Ubians". This quickly would become an important Roman settlement. Agrippina the Younger, Agrippa's granddaughter, wife of Emperor Claudius and mother of Emperor Nero, would be born there in 15 AD. In 50 AD she would sponsor this village to be upgraded to a colonia, and it would be renamed Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium (colony of Claudius [at] the Altar of Agrippinians – Ubii renamed themselves as Agrippinians to honor the augusta!), abbreviated as CCAA, later to become the capital of new Roman province, Germania Inferior.
In 37 BC Octavian recalled Agrippa back to Rome and arranged for him to win the consular elections, he desperately needed help in naval warfare with Sextus Pompey, the youngest son of Pompey the Great, who styled himself as the last supporter of the republican cause, but in reality became a pirate king, an irony since his father was the one who virtually exterminated piracy in all the Roman waters. He forced humiliating armistice on the triumvirs in 39 BC and when Octavian renewed the hostilities a year later, defeated him in a decisive naval battle of Messina. New fleet had to be built and trained, and Agrippa was the man for the job. Agrippa's solution was creating a huge secret naval base he called Portus Iulius by connecting together lakes Avernus, Avernus and the natural inner and outer harbors behind Cape Misenum at the northern end of the Gulf of Naples. He also created a larger type of ship and developed a new naval weapon: harpax – a ballista-launched grapnel shot with mechanisms that allowed pulling enemy ships close for easy boarding. It replaced the previous boarding device that Romans used since the First Punic War, corvus – effective, but extremely cumbersome. A later defence against it were scythe blades on long poles for cutting ropes, but since this invention was developed in secret, the enemy had no chance to prepare anything like it. It all has proved extremely effective: in a series of naval engagements Agrippa annihilated the fleet of Sextus, forced him to abandon his bases and run away. For this Agrippa was awarded an unprecedented honour that no Roman before or after him received: a rostral crown, "corona rostrata", a wreath decorated in front by a prow and beak of a ship.
That's why Virgil (Aeneid VIII, 683-684), describing Agrippa at Actium, says: "…belli insigne superbum, tempora navali fulgent rostrata corona." "…the proud military decoration, gleams on his brow the naval rostral crown". Actium, the decisive battle between forces of Octavian and Mark Antony, may appear boring compared to the war with Sextus, but it probably turned out this way due to Agrippa's victories in preliminary naval engagements and taking over all the strategy from Octavian.
In between the wars Agrippa has shown an unusual talent in city planning, not only constructing many new public buildings etc., but also greatly improving Rome's sanitation by doing a complete overhaul of all the aqueducts and sewers. Typically, it was Augustus who later would boast that "he had found the city of brick but left it of marble", forgetting that, just like in his naval successes, it was Agrippa who did most of the work. Agrippa had building programs in other Roman cities as well, a magnificent temple (currently known as Maison Carrée) survives in Nîmes itself, which was probably built by Agrippa.
Later relationship between Augustus and Agrippa seemed colder for a while, Agrippa seemed to even go into "exile", but modern historians agree that it was just a ploy: Augustus wanted others to think that Agrippa was his "rival" while in truth he was keeping a significant army far away from Rome, ready to come to the rescue in case Augustus' political machinations fail. It is confirmed by the fact that later Agrippa was recalled and given authority almost equal to Augustus himself, not to mention that he married Augustus' only biological child. The last years of Agrippa's life were spent governing the eastern provinces, were he won respect even of the Jews. He also restored Crimea to Roman Empire. His last service was starting the conquest of the upper Danube, were later the province of Pannonia would be. He suddenly died of illness in 12 BC, aged ~51.
Agrippa had several children through his three marriages. Through some of his children, Agrippa would become ancestor to many subsequent members of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. He has numerous other legacies.Yurii P
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(02) AUGUSTUSAUGUSTUS
27 BC 0 14 AD
AE As 25mm 9.86g
O: PERM [CAES]AVG
R: COLONIA PATRICIA WITHIN WREATHlaney
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(02) AUGUSTUS27 BC - 14 AD
AE As 26mm 10.24g
O: AVG PERM CAES
BUST L
R: COLONIA PATRICIA WITHIN WREATH
SPAINlaney
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(02) AUGUSTUS27 BC - 14 AD
AE As 24X26mm 11.0g
O: AVG PERM CAES
HEAD L
R: COLONIA PATRICIA WITHIN WREATH
SPAINlaney
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(02) AUGUSTUS27 BC - 14 AD
AE 32mm 20.64g
O: BARE HEAD L
R: AQUILA BETWEEN LEGIONARY STANDARDS
SPAIN, COLONIA PATRICIA (CORDUBA)
laney
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(02) AUGUSTUSAUGUSTUS
27 BC 0 14 AD
AE As 25.5 mm; 10.15 g
O: HEAD L
R: COLONIA PATRICIA WITHIN WREATH
SPAINlaney
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(02) AUGUSTUSAUGUSTUS
27 BC 0 14 AD
AE As 26 mm; 9.05 g
O: HEAD L
R: COLONIA PATRICIA WITHIN WREATH
SPAINlaney
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(02) AUGUSTUSAUGUSTUS
27 BC 0 14 AD
AE As 25mm 9.95g
O: HEAD L
R: COLONIA PATRICIA WITHIN WREATH
SPAINlaney
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(0268) VICTORINUS268 - 270 AD
struck 269/270 AD at mint II.
AE 20 mm; 2.45 g
O: IMP C VICTORINVS P F AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right.
R: SALVS AVG, Salus standing right, feeding snake in right hand from patera held in left hand.
Colonia Agrippina mint; RIC 67, 122; Elmer 732; AGK (corr.) 21c;
laney
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001 AUGUSTUS SIGNIS RECEPTIS EMPEROR: Augustus
DENOMINATION: Denarius
OBVERSE: CAESAR AVGVSTVS, Bare head of Augustus right
REVERSE: SIGNIS RECEPTIS, round shield inscribed CL V between aquila and standard; SPQR around shield
DATE: c19-18 BC
MINT: Colonia Patricia (Spain)
WEIGHT: 4.00 g
RIC: I.86a (C)Barnaba6
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001. Augustus, 27BC-14AD. AR Denarius. Ob Civis Servatos.AR Denarius. Tarraco mint. 19 B.C.
Obv. Bare head right CAESAR AVGVSTVS
Rev. OB CIVIS SERVATOS below and above wreath.
RIC I 75a, RSC 210, BMCRE 376-7 = BMCRR Rome 4389-90, BN 1164-9. gVF.
Incredibly high relief, almost 2mm from the fields. Wear only on the highest curls. Assigned to Tarraco by style based on work by Richard Prideauxin Triton XI.
LordBest
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002 Augustus (63 B.C.-14 A.D.), RIC I 079a, Colonia-Patricia, AR-Denarius, Shield within wreath inscribed with SPQR/CLV,002 Augustus (63 B.C.-14 A.D.), RIC I 079a, Colonia-Patricia, AR-Denarius, Shield within wreath inscribed with SPQR/CLV,
avers:-CAESAR-AVGVSTVS, Bare head right.
revers:-OB-CIVIS-SERVATOS, Shield within wreath inscribed with SPQR/CLV.
exe:-/-//--, diameter: 17,5-18,5mm, weight: 3,38g, axis: 6h,
mint: Colonia-Patricia, date: 19 B.C., ref: RIC I 79a, C-,
Q-001quadrans
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002a8. AugustusAugustus
AE 25 As
24mm, 12.4 g.
Colonia Patricia (Corduba), Spain. 19/18-2 BC.
PERM CAES AVG, laureate head left / COLONIA PATRICIA in two lines within wreath.
SGI 16, RPC 129, Lindgren 87.lawrence c
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0044 - Denarius Augustus 18 BCObv/CAESARI AVGVSTO, Augustus head laureate r.
Rev/SP QR, to l. and r. of domed tetrastyle temple, in which triumphal currus stands r., shaft up, containing eagle and four miniature galloping horses.
Ag, 20.0mm, 3.55g
Mint: Colonia patricia (?)
RIC I/119 [S] - BMCRE 385dafnis
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0058 - Denarius Augustus 19-18 BCObv/Oak-wreathed head of Augustus r.
Rev/CAESAR AVGVSTVS, two laurel branches.
Ag, 17.8mm, 3.60g
Mint: Colonia Caesaraugusta (?)
RIC I/33a [R2] - Paris BN/1283
ex-Gerhard Hirsch, auction 254/5, lot 1711dafnis
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005d. Agrippina IILYDIA, Hypaepa. Agrippina Jr., mother of Nero. Augusta, 50-59 AD. Æ 14mm (2.33 gm). Draped bust of Agrippina right / Cult statue of Artemis. RPC I 2541; SNG Copenhagen -.
Julia Vipsania Agrippina Minor or Agrippina Minor (Latin for "the younger") (November 7, AD 15 – March 59), often called "Agrippinilla" to distinguish her from her mother, was the daughter of Germanicus and Agrippina Major. She was sister of Caligula, granddaughter and great-niece to Tiberius, niece and wife of Claudius, and the mother of Nero. She was born at Oppidum Ubiorum on the Rhine, afterwards named in her honour Colonia Agrippinae (modern Cologne, Germany).
Agrippina was first married to (1st century AD) Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus. From this marriage she gave birth to Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, who would become Roman Emperor Nero. Her husband died in January, 40. While still married, Agrippina participated openly in her brother Caligula's decadent court, where, according to some sources, at his instigation she prostituted herself in a palace. While it was generally agreed that Agrippinilla, as well as her sisters, had ongoing sexual relationships with their brother Caligula, incest was an oft-used criminal accusation against the aristocracy, because it was impossible to refute successfully. As Agrippina and her sister became more problematic for their brother, Caligula sent them into exile for a time, where it is said she was forced to dive for sponges to make a living. In January, 41, Agrippina had a second marriage to the affluent Gaius Sallustius Crispus Passienus. He died between 44 and 47, leaving his estate to Agrippina.
As a widow, Agrippina was courted by the freedman Pallas as a possible marriage match to her own uncle, Emperor Claudius, and became his favourite councillor, even granted the honor of being called Augusta (a title which no other queen had ever received). They were married on New Year's Day of 49, after the death of Claudius's first wife Messalina. Agrippina then proceeded to persuade Claudius to adopt her son, thereby placing Nero in the line of succession to the Imperial throne over Claudius's own son, Brittanicus. A true Imperial politician, Agrippina did not reject murder as a way to win her battles. Many ancient sources credited her with poisoning Claudius in 54 with a plate of poisened mushrooms, hence enabling Nero to quickly take the throne as emperor.
For some time, Agrippina influenced Nero as he was relatively ill-equipped to rule on his own. But Nero eventually felt that she was taking on too much power relative to her position as a woman of Rome. He deprived her of her honours and exiled her from the palace, but that was not enough. Three times Nero tried to poison Agrippina, but she had been raised in the Imperial family and was accustomed to taking antidotes. Nero had a machine built and attached to the roof of her bedroom. The machine was designed to make the ceiling collapse — the plot failed with the machine. According to the historians Tacitus and Suetonius, Nero then plotted her death by sending for her in a boat constructed to collapse, intending to drown Agrippina. However, only some of the crew were in on the plot; their efforts were hampered by the rest of the crew trying to save the ship. As the ship sank, one of her handmaidens thought to save herself by crying that she was Agrippina, thinking they would take special care of her. Instead the maid was instantly beaten to death with oars and chains. The real Agrippina realised what was happening and in the confusion managed to swim away where a passing fisherman picked her up. Terrified that his cover had been blown, Nero instantly sent men to charge her with treason and summarily execute her. Legend states that when the Emperor's soldiers came to kill her, Agrippina pulled back her clothes and ordered them to stab her in the belly that had housed such a monstrous son.
ecoli
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0063 - Denarius Augustus 18-16 BCObv/SPQR IMP C(AESARI) AVG COS XI TRI POT VI, head of Augustus r.
Rev/CIVIB ET SIGN MILIT A PART RECVP, facing quadriga on central part of triumphal arch; figures on l. and r. hold, respectively, standard and aquila and bow.
Ag, 20.0mm, 3.88g
Mint: Colonia patricia (?)
RIC I/136 [R3] - BMCRE 427
ex-Jean Elsen et Fils, auction 95, lot 344 (colln. A.Senden)dafnis
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01- 03 - AUGUSTO (27 A.C. - 14 D.C.) AR denario 17,75 mm 3,50 gr.
Anv: ANEPÍGRAFA - Cabeza desnuda viendo a derecha.
Rev: AVGVSTVS en exergo - Capricornio (su signo del zodíaco) a derecha, con orbe y cornucopia.
Acuñada: Entre el 18 y 16 A.C.
Ceca: Colonia Patricia
Rareza: R2
Referencias: RIC I #126; RSC #21; BMCRE #346; Sear #1592. mdelvalle
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01- 03 - AUGUSTO (27 A.C. - 14 D.C.) AR denario 17,75 mm 3,50 gr.
Anv: ANEPÍGRAFA - Cabeza desnuda viendo a derecha.
Rev: AVGVSTVS en exergo - Capricornio (su signo del zodíaco) a derecha, con orbe y cornucopia.
Acuñada: Entre el 18 y 16 A.C.
Ceca: Colonia Patricia
Rareza: R2
Referencias: RIC I #126 Pag.50; BMCRE #346; BMCRR #4374; CBN #1266; Sear RCTV I #1592 Pag.316; RSC I #21 Pag.133 mdelvalle
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01-63 - Augusta Bilbilis - Hispania - AUGUSTO (27 A.C. - 14 D.C.)Hoy en las cercanías de Calatayud (Zaragoza), España
M.Sempronius Tiberius y L.Licius Varus duumviri
AE AS 30 mm 14.8 gr.
Anv: "AVGVSTVS·DIV·F·PATER·PATRIAE" (Leyenda anti-horaria)- Busto laureado viendo a izquierda.
Rev: "MVN·AVGVSTA·BILBILIS·M·SEMP·TIBERI·L·LICI·VARO" - "II VIR" esta última leyenda dentro de guirnalda.
Acuñada 02 A.C. - 14 D.C.
Ceca: Colonia Augusta Bilbilis - Hispania
Referencias: RPC I #393a P.129, SNG München #22, Sear GICTV #7 Pag.2, Cohen Vol.1 #640 var. (Busto a der.) Pag.152, Vv Pl.CXXXIX #2, FAB #278, ACIP #3018, ABH #278, ABH (Ant) #1293 P.163/4, Ripolles #3392 P.392mdelvalle
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01-64 - Celsa - Hispania - AUGUSTO (27 A.C. - 14 D.C.)Hoy Velilla del Ebro, Tarragona, España
CN.Domitius y C.Pompeius duoviri
AE AS 28 mm 8.9 gr.
Anv: "IMP CAESAR DIVI F AVGVSTVS COS XII" (Leyenda anti-horaria)- Busto laureado viendo a derecha.
Rev: Toro estante a derecha, "CN DOMIT" arriba, "C POMPEI" debajo, "II VIR" delante y "C V I CEL" detrás.
Acuñada 05 - 03 A.C.
Ceca: Colonia Lépida Victrix Iulia - Hispania
Referencias: RPC I #278, ACIP #3169e, SNG Cop #541, ABH #811/2, ABH (Ant) #1486 P.184, Vv Pl.CLXI #8, Cohen Vol.1 #700 Pag.156, Guadan #446, Ripolles #3159 P.368mdelvalle
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01-65 - Colonia Patricia - AUGUSTO (27 A.C. - 14 D.C.)AE AS 26 mm 10.9 gr.
Anv: "PERM CAES AVG" (Leyenda anti-horaria)- Busto a cabeza desnuda viendo a izquierda.
Rev: "COLONIA / PATRICIA" - Leyenda dentro de guirnalda.
Acuñada 18-02 A.C.
Ceca: Colonia Patricia - Hispania
Referencias: RPC I #129 - SNG Cop #466 - Burgos #1563 - Sear GICTV #16 Pag.3 - Sear '88 #537 - Cohen Vol.1 #607 Pag.150 - Vives #165 Pag.13 - Lingren #87mdelvalle
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01-67 - Colonia Patricia - AUGUSTO (27 A.C. - 14 D.C.)AE Cuadrante 17 mm 2.7 gr.
Anv: "PER CAE AVG" (Leyenda anti-horaria)- Busto a cabeza desnuda viendo a izquierda.
Rev: "COLO PATRI", Implementos Sacerdotales, (Aspergilio, Preferículo, lituo y Pátera).
Acuñada 18-02 A.C.
Ceca: Colonia Patricia - Hispania
Referencias: RPC I #131, ABH #1993, Cohen I #608 P.150, Guadan #956, FAB #1717 P.209, Vv Pl.CXXV #7y8, Ripolles #2606 P.314, Chaves (1977) grupo I, ACIP #3359mdelvalle
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01-80 - Beritos - Fenicia - AUGUSTO (27 A.C. - 14 D.C.)AE22 22 mm 12.0 gr.
Acuñada a Divo Augusto durante el reinado de Trajano.
La Colonia Iulia Augusta Felix Berytus fue fundada por veteranos de las 5ta. y 8va. legione, probablemente en el 14 A.C.
Anv: " DIVOS AVGVSTVS " Cabeza desnuda de Augusto viendo a derecha.
Rev: "COL·/ IVL " (en campo centro alto), "AVG" (en campo derecho) y , "BER" (en campo izquierdo), rodeando a Fundador velado, arando a derecha con un buey y una vaca .
Acuñada probablemente 98–102 D.C.
Ceca: Beritos - Fenicia
Referencias: RPC I #1651 Pag.308 - Sawaya 2009 #565 Pag.37 - BMC Phoenicia #65-5 Pag.60mdelvalle
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0186 - Denarius Augustus 19-18 ACObv/ Oak-wreathed head of Augustus r.
Rev/ Shield (clipeus votivus) inscribed CL V; around, S P Q R; above and below CAESAR AVGVSTVS; to both sides, laurel branches.
Ag, 18.1 mm, 3.80g
Mint: Colonia CaesarAugusta (?)
RIC I/36a [R3] - BMCRE I/354
ex-AENP Numismatic Convention, Madrid, march 2014 (Herrero)dafnis
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02 Augusts RIC I 86aAugustus. 27 B.C.-14 A.D.. Colonia Patricia Mint. 19 B.C. (3.13g, 18.4mm, 2h). Obv: CAESAR AVGSTVS, bare head right. Rev: SIGNIS RECEPTIS, Aquila on l. and standard on r. flanking SPQR arranged around shield inscribed CL V. RIC I 86a, BMC 417, RSC 265.
An important historical type commemorating the return of the legionary eagles lost by Crassus to the Parthians in the battle of Carrhae in 53 B.C. This example has wonderful toning, is perfectly centered, and retains complete legends, even the CL V on the shield is preserved better than the photograph shows. Lucas H
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021a. CommodusCaesar 175-176. Emperor 177-192
Son of Marcus. End of the “Excellent Emperors.” Fancied himself as the reincarnation of Hercules, and ‘fought’ in the Colosseum. Considered renaming Rome as Colonia Commodiana. Finally strangled by conspirators.lawrence c
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027 BC-14 AD - AUGUSTUS AE27 of Colonia Julia Traductaobv: PERM.CAES.AVG (bare head of Augustus left)
rev: IVLIA.TRAD (in oak wreath)
ref: RPC99, C.151, S.0538, Burgos215
mint: Colonia Julia Traducta (Hispania)
10.77gms, 27mm
A rare coin from a colony of Hispania Baetica, Julia Traducta (today Algesiras)berserker
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027 BC-14 AD - AUGUSTUS AR denarius - struck 19-18 BCobv: CAESAR AVGVSTVS (bare head left, banker's mark on face)
rev: SIGNIS RECEPTIS (Mars standing left, head right, with aquila and standard)
ref: RIC I 82a, RSC 259 (4frcs), BMC 414.
mint: Colonia Patricia
3.41gms, 19mm
Rare
History: The Parthians had captured the standards of the legions under the command of Marcus Licinius Crassus (53 BC, at the Battle of Carrhae), Decidius Saxa (40 BC), and Marc Antony (36 BC). It was considered a grave moral defeat and evil omen for the Romans. It required a generation of diplomacy before the Parthians returned them. Their return was considered a great triumph by Augustus, and celebrated like a military victory. He took an ovation entering Rome on horseback and being honoured with a triumphal arch in the year 20 BC. This coin struck in Colonia Patricia (today Cordoba, Spain).berserker
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05 - 40 - Cnia. Itálica - DRUSO (20 - 23 D.C.)AE Semis 23 mm 4.95 gr.
Anv: "DRVSVS CAESAR TI AVG F" (Leyenda anti-horaria), Cabeza desnuda viendo a derecha.
Rev: Aquila (Águila Legionaria) y Vexillum (Estandarte) entre dos Signa (Insignias militares), "MUNIC ITALIC" (Leyenda anti-horaria), "PE-R / AV-G" en campo centro.
Acuñada 20 - 23 D.C.
Ceca: Cnia. Municipium Itálica, Hispania (Hoy Saltiponce, Sevilla, España)
Referencias: RPC #71, SNG Cop #419, ACIP #3340, Vives Pl.CLXVIII #12, ABH #1596, FAB #1685 P.205, Sear GICV #338 P.31, RAH #2012-20 Pag. 259/60 - DC y P #3 Pag.215, Cohen I #9 Pag.218, Heiss #10 Pag.380mdelvalle
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050p Julia Domna (170-217 A.D.), Pisidia, Antioch, Krzyzanowska DOM 3.7-3.8, AE-22, COLONIAE ANTIOCH, Mên standing right, #1050p Julia Domna (170-217 A.D.), Pisidia, Antioch, Krzyzanowska DOM 3.7-3.8, AE-22, COLONIAE ANTIOCH, Mên standing right, #1
avers: IOVLIA DOMNA AVG, Draped bust of Julia Domna right.
reverse: COLONIAE ANTIOCH, Mên standing right, wearing the Phrygian
cap, crescent on shoulders, holding Nike on the globe, rooster at feet left.
exergue: -/-//--, diameter: 21,5-22,5mm, weight: 4,96g, axis: 6h,
mint: Pisidia, Antioch, date: A.D.,
ref: Krzyzanowska DOM 3.7-3.8,
Q-001quadrans
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052a10. PostumusBillon antoninianus. 3.982g, 21.0mm, 0o, Colonia Agrippinensis (Cologne, Germany) mint, c. 267 A.D.; obverse IMP C POSTVMVS P F AVG, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right; reverse VBERTAS AVG (to the abundance of the Emperor), Uberitas standing facing, head left, right leg forward, purse in right hand, cornucopia in left hand.
RSC IV 366a, RIC V-2 330, Mairat 136, Schulzki AGK 94, Hunter IV 93, SRCV III 10995. A FORUM coin.lawrence c
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052a32. PostumusAR Antoninianus. Treveri, AD 268. IMP C POSTVMVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust to right / IOVI S[T]ATORI, Jupiter standing to left, head to right, holding sceptre and thunderbolt. RIC V.2 309 (Colonia Agrippinensis); Mairat, 2014 (unpublished PhD thesis), 446; RSC 159a. 3.12g, 20mm, 6h.Roma Numismatics Auc 99, Lot 1075.lawrence c
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052a33. PostumusAntoninianus. Colonia Agrippinensis, AD 268. IMP C POSTVMVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust to right / IOVI VICTORI, Jupiter walking to left, head to right, holding sceptre and thunderbolt. RIC V.2 311; Mairat, 2014 (unpublished PhD thesis), 481; RSC 161a. 3.44g, 19mm, 12h. Lot 1193.lawrence c
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058a01. Victorinus BI Antoninianus. Treveri, AD 269. IMP C PIAV VICTORINVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust to right / FIDES MILITVM, Fides standing to left, holding two standards. RIC V.2 109 (Colonia Agrippinensis); Mairat, 2014 (unpublished PhD thesis), 562. 2.81g, 19mm, 6h. Roma Numismatics Auc 107, Lot 1139.lawrence c
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061b01. Tetricus IITetricus II
271 - 274 AD
AE Antoninianus, Colonia Agrippinensis Mint, 19mm, 1.76 grams. Obverse: C P E TETRICVS CAES, Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust of Tetricus right.
Reverse: PIETAS AVGVSTOR, Pontifical implements: sprinkler, simpulum, jug and lituus.
RIC 259.
lawrence c
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088p Valerian I. (253-260 A.D.), Moesia, Viminacium, PM 07-06-02, AE-Sestertius, -/-//ANXVI, P M S COL VIM, Female figure standing, facing left, Rare! #01088p Valerian I. (253-260 A.D.), Moesia, Viminacium, PM 07-06-02, AE-Sestertius, -/-//ANXVI, P M S COL VIM, Female figure standing, facing left, Rare! #01
avers: IMP VALERIANVS P F AVG, laureate cuirassed bust right.
reverse: P M S C OL VIM (Provinciae Moesiae Superioris Colonia Viminacium), Female figure (Viminacium or Provincia Moesia) standing, facing left, between bull to left and lion to right, in exergue ANXVI.
exergue: -/-//ANXVI, diameter: 26mm, weight: 7,03g, axis: h,
mint: Viminacium, date: 254-255 A.D., ref: Pick-190, PM-7-06-2, Mus-62var,
Q-001quadrans
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088p Valerian I. (253-260 A.D.), Moesia, Viminacium, PM 07-06-05, AE-Sestertius, -/-//ANXVI, P M S COL VIM, Female figure standing, facing left, Rare! #01088p Valerian I. (253-260 A.D.), Moesia, Viminacium, PM 07-06-05, AE-Sestertius, -/-//ANXVI, P M S COL VIM, Female figure standing, facing left, Rare! #01
avers: IMP VALERIANVS P AVG, laureate cuirassed bust right.
reverse: P M S C OL VIM (Provinciae Moesiae Superioris Colonia Viminacium), Female figure (Viminacium or Provincia Moesia) standing, facing left, between bull to left and lion to right, in exergue ANXVI.
exergue: -/-//ANXVI, diameter: mm, weight: g, axis: h,
mint: Moesia, Viminacium, date: 254-255 A.D., ref: Pick-190, PM-7-06-5, Mus-,
Q-001quadrans
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088p Valerian I. (253-260 A.D.), Moesia, Viminacium, PM 07-06-05, AE-Sestertius, -/-//ANXVI, P M S COL VIM, Female figure standing, facing left, Rare! #02088p Valerian I. (253-260 A.D.), Moesia, Viminacium, PM 07-06-05, AE-Sestertius, -/-//ANXVI, P M S COL VIM, Female figure standing, facing left, Rare! #02
avers: IMP VALERIANVS P AVG, laureate cuirassed bust right.
reverse: P M S C OL VIM (Provinciae Moesiae Superioris Colonia Viminacium), Female figure (Viminacium or Provincia Moesia) standing, facing left, between bull to left and lion to right, in exergue ANXVI.
exergue: -/-//ANXVI, diameter: 26,5-28,5mm, weight: 8,96g, axis: 0h,
mint: Moesia, Viminacium, date: 254-255 A.D., ref: Pick-190, PM-7-06-5, Mus-,
Q-002quadrans
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089p Mariniana (??? A.D.), Moesia, Viminacium, PM 07-08-02, AE-Sestertius, -/-//ANXVI, P M S COL VIM, Female figure standing, facing left, Rare! #01089p Mariniana (??? A.D.), Moesia, Viminacium, PM 07-08-02, AE-Sestertius, -/-//ANXVI, P M S COL VIM, Female figure standing, facing left, Rare! #01
Wife of Valerian I.
avers: DIVAE MARINIANAE, Veiled and draped bust right.
reverse: P M S C OL VIM (Provinciae Moesiae Superioris Colonia Viminacium), Female figure (Viminacium or Provincia Moesia) standing, facing left, between bull to left and lion to right, in exergue ANXVI.
exergue: -/-//ANXVI, diameter: 27mm, weight:9,76g, axis: h,
mint: Moesia, Viminacium, date: 254-255 AD., ref: Pick-not listed, PM-7-08-2, Mus-not listed,
Q-001quadrans
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093 Saloninus (258-260 A.D. Caesar), Colonia-Agrippina, RIC V-I 009A, AR-Antoninianus, -/-//--, PIETAS AVG, Sacrificial instruments, #1093 Saloninus (258-260 A.D. Caesar), Colonia-Agrippina, RIC V-I 009A, AR-Antoninianus, -/-//--, PIETAS AVG, Sacrificial instruments, #1
avers: SALON VALERIANVS CAES, Radiate, draped bust right.
reverse: PIETAS AVG, Sacrificial implements: Lituus, knife, patera, vase, simpulum and sprinkler.
exergue: -/-//--, diameter: 22,5-24,5mm, weight: 2,63g, axis: 0h,
mint: Colonia-Agrippina, date: 258-259 A.D.,
ref: RIC V-I 9A, p-, C-41, Göbl 0914e, Sear 10767,
Q-001quadrans
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1-2-4 - AUGUSTUS (27 A.C. - 14 D.C.)Colonia Patricia
Hispania Ulterior Bética
AE AS 26 mm 10.9 gr
Anv: ”PERM CAES AVG” – Cabeza desnuda, viendo a izquierda.
Rev: ”COLONIA PATRICIA” – Leyenda en dos lineas, dentro de una corona de hojas de roble.
Acuñada: aproximadamente 18 A.C. - 14 D.C.
Referencias: RPC #129 – SNG Cop #466 - Alvarez Burgos #1563 - Sear GICV I #16, Pag.3 - Sear '88 #537 - Cohen #607, Pag.150 - Lindgren #87 - Vives #165.3 - Heiss #6, Pag.298 mdelvalle
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1-3-4 - AUGUSTUS (27 A.C. - 14 D.C.)Colonia Julia Traducta
Hispania
AE AS 25 mm 13.3 gr
Anv: ”PERM CAES AVG” – Cabeza desnuda, viendo a izquierda.
Rev: ”IVLIA TRAD” – Leyenda en dos lineas, dentro de una corona de hojas de roble.
Acuñada: aproximadamente 15 A.C. - 14 D.C.
Referencias: RPC #108 – SNG Cop #459 - Sear GICV I #18, Pag.3 - Sear '88 #538 - Cohen #623, Pag.151 - Vives #164.13 - Heiss #2, Pag.336mdelvalle
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117-138 AD - HADRIAN AR denarius - struck 134-138 ADobv: HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P (laureate head right)
rev: HISPANIA (Hispania reclining left, resting on rock, holding branch, rabbit at her feet)
ref: RIC II 306d, RSC 837 (5frcs)
mint: Rome
2.53gms, 18mm
Scarce
A scarce denarius - part of the famous 'travel series'. Hadrian visited to Hispania at the end of 122 AD, spent the winter at Tarraco (today Tarragona), and here he restored at his own expense the temple of Augustus. He was also in Gades (Cadiz) and Italica (Sevilla), where was the birthplace of emperor Trajan. Hadrian was generous to his settled town, which he made a colonia; he added temples, including a Trajaneum venerating Trajan, and rebuilt several public buildings. berserker
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1407a, Constantius II, 337-361 A.D. (Antioch)AE4, 337-361 A.D. Antioch, aVF/VF,Obv:– DN CONSTANTIVS P F AVG, Pearl and rosette diadem, head right/R: Wreath with VOT XX MVLT XXX, SMANB in exe.RIC VIII Antioch 113,Item ref: RI170b.
AE3, 2.80 grams, 330-333, Heraclea, aVF. Obv: FL IVL CONSTANTIVS NOB C - Laureate bust right, draped and cuirassed. R: GLOR-IA EXERC-ITVS - Two soldiers looking in at each other and both holding a spear; between them, two standards Exe: SMHB.
Constantius II was born in Illyricum in August AD 317, the son of Constantine the Great and Fausta, and was proclaimed Caesar in AD 323.
In AD 337, at the death of his father Constantine, he acceded to the throne together with his two brothers Constantine II and Constans. But this accession by the three brothers was tainted by the murder of their cousins Dalmatius and Hannibalianus, whom Constantine had also intended as joint heirs. These murders are believed to have been masterminded by Constantius II.
Eventually, Constantius II was left as the sole emperor of the Roman empire. Constantius elevated his cousin, Julian, to the rank of Caesar (junior emperor) and gave him his sister Helena in marriage. Julian was assigned the task of dealing with the Frankish leader, Silvanus, who had proclaimed himself emepror at Colonia Agrippina. Julian's success led his men to declare him Augustus. Julian, while reluctant to take the throne, accepted.
Constantius II, therefore, left the Mesopotamian frontier and marched his troops west, seeking to deal with the usurper. As he reached Cilicia in the winter of AD 361, he was overcome by a sudden fever and died at Mopsucrene. Julian, the Apostate, succeded him as Emperor.
Our chief source for Constantius' reign is the great historian Ammianus Marcellinus. He presents a mixed view of that emperor. In some ways a sound administrator and competent general, Constantius is also portrayed as easily influenced by those around him such as his wives, courtiers and the eunuchs of the court (Ammianus 21. 16. 16). Ammianus (21.16.18) also attacks Constantius' great interest in Church affairs--alleging that he bankrupted the courier service with calls for Church councils. Of course, imperial interest in Church affairs was a major policy of his father Constantine and it may be that Constantius was trying to emulate his model (if only with mixed success). Indeed, Constantius II (like his brothers Constantine II and Constans) was raised a Christian. Among his many laws is the famous CTh 16.10.2 of 341 which either prohibited or re-issued his father's prohibition of pagan sacrifices. Sympathetic to Arianism, he spent a great deal of his reign calling Church councils. One of the longest-reigned emperors in Roman history, Constantius is hard for the modern historian to fully understand both due to his own actions and due to the interests of the authors of primary sources for his reign.
By Michael DiMaio, Jr., Salve Regina University & Robert Frakes, Clarion University
Published: De Imperatoribus Romanis: An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Rulers and their Families http://www.roman-emperors.org/startup.htm. Used by permission.
Edited by J. P. Fitzgerald, Jr.
Cleisthenes
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1407h, Constantius II, 337-361 A.D. (Heraclea)Constantius II 337-361 A.D. AE3, 2.80 grams, 330-333, Heraclea, aVF. Obverse: FL IVL CONSTANTIVS NOB C - Laureate bust right, draped and cuirassed; Reverse: GLOR-IA EXERC-ITVS - Two soldiers looking in at each other and both holding a spear; between them, two standards; SMHB in exergue.
Constantius II was born in Illyricum in August AD 317, the son of Constantine the Great and Fausta, and was proclaimed Caesar in AD 323.
In AD 337, at the death of his father Constantine, he acceded to the throne together with his two brothers Constantine II and Constans. But this accession by the three brothers was tainted by the murder of their cousins Dalmatius and Hannibalianus, whom Constantine had also intended as joint heirs. These murders are believed to have been masterminded by Constantius II.
Eventually, Constantius II was left as the sole emperor of the Roman empire. Constantius elevated his cousin, Julian, to the rank of Caesar (junior emperor) and gave him his sister Helena in marriage. Julian was assigned the task of dealing with the Frankish leader, Silvanus, who had proclaimed himself emepror at Colonia Agrippina. Julian's success led his men to declare him Augustus. Julian, while reluctant to take the throne, accepted.
Constantius II, therefore, left the Mesopotamian frontier and marched his troops west, seeking to deal with the usurper. As he reached Cilicia in the winter of AD 361, he was overcome by a sudden fever and died at Mopsucrene. Julian, the Apostate, succeded him as Emperor.
Our chief source for Constantius' reign is the great historian Ammianus Marcellinus. He presents a mixed view of that emperor. In some ways a sound administrator and competent general, Constantius is also portrayed as easily influenced by those around him such as his wives, courtiers and the eunuchs of the court (Ammianus 21. 16. 16). Ammianus (21.16.18) also attacks Constantius' great interest in Church affairs--alleging that he bankrupted the courier service with calls for Church councils. Of course, imperial interest in Church affairs was a major policy of his father Constantine and it may be that Constantius was trying to emulate his model (if only with mixed success). Indeed, Constantius II (like his brothers Constantine II and Constans) was raised a Christian. Among his many laws is the famous CTh 16.10.2 of 341 which either prohibited or re-issued his father's prohibition of pagan sacrifices. Sympathetic to Arianism, he spent a great deal of his reign calling Church councils. One of the longest-reigned emperors in Roman history, Constantius is hard for the modern historian to fully understand both due to his own actions and due to the interests of the authors of primary sources for his reign.
By Michael DiMaio, Jr., Salve Regina University & Robert Frakes, Clarion University
Published: De Imperatoribus Romanis: An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Rulers and their Families http://www.roman-emperors.org/startup.htm. Used by permission.
Edited by J. P. Fitzgerald, Jr.Cleisthenes
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1407r, Constantius II, 22 May 337 - 3 November 361 A.D.Bronze AE 3, RIC 272, aVF, 2.203g, 18.1mm, 0o, Rome mint, 352 - 355 A.D.; obverse D N CONSTAN-TIVS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right; reverse FEL TEMP REPARATIO, soldier spearing fallen horseman, RT in ex.
Constantius II was born in Illyricum in August AD 317, the son of Constantine the Great and Fausta, and was proclaimed Caesar in AD 323.
In AD 337, at the death of his father Constantine, he acceded to the throne together with his two brothers Constantine II and Constans. But this accession by the three brothers was tainted by the murder of their cousins Dalmatius and Hannibalianus, whom Constantine had also intended as joint heirs. These murders are believed to have been masterminded by Constantius II.
Eventually, Constantius II was left as the sole emperor of the Roman empire. Constantius elevated Julian to the rank of Caesar (junior emperor) and gave him his sister Helena in marriage. Julian was assigned the task of dealing with the Frankish leader, Silvanus, who had proclaimed himself emepror at Colonia Agrippina. Julian's success lead his men to declare him Augustus. Julian, while reluctant to take the throne, accepted.
Constantius II, therefore left the Mesopotamian frontier and marched his troops west, seeking to deal with the usurper. As he reached Cilicia in the winter of AD 361, he was overcome by a sudden fever and died at Mopsucrene. Julian, the Apostate, succeded him as Emperor.
Our chief source for Constantius' reign is the great historian Ammianus Marcellinus. He presents a mixed view of that emperor. In some ways a sound administrator and competent general, Constantius is also portrayed as easily influenced by those around him such as his wives, courtiers and the eunuchs of the court (Ammianus 21. 16. 16). Ammianus (21.16.18) also attacks Constantius' great interest in Church affairs--alleging that he bankrupted the courier service with calls for Church councils. Of course, imperial interest in Church affairs was a major policy of his father Constantine and it may be that Constantius was trying to emulate his model (if only with mixed success). Indeed, Constantius II (like his brothers Constantine II and Constans) was raised a Christian. Among his many laws is the famous CTh 16.10.2 of 341 which either prohibited or re-issued his father's prohibition of pagan sacrifices. Sympathetic to Arianism, he spent a great deal of his reign calling Church councils. One of the longest-reigned emperors in Roman history, Constantius is hard for the modern historian to fully understand both due to his own actions and due to the interests of the authors of primary sources for his reign.
By Michael DiMaio, Jr., Salve Regina University & Robert Frakes, Clarion University
Published: De Imperatoribus Romanis: An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Rulers and their Families http://www.roman-emperors.org/startup.htm. Used by permission.
Edited by J. P. Fitzgerald, Jr.
Cleisthenes
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1409a, Julian II "the Philosopher," February 360 - 26 June 363 A.D.Julian II, A.D. 360-363; RIC 167; VF; 2.7g, 20mm; Constantinople mint; Obverse: DN FL CL IVLIANVS P F AVG, helmeted & cuirassed bust right, holding spear & shield; Reverse: VOT X MVLT XX in four lines within wreath; CONSPB in exergue; Attractive green patina. Ex Nemesis.
De Imperatoribus Romanis,
An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Emperors
Julian the Apostate (360-363 A.D.)
Walter E. Roberts, Emory University
Michael DiMaio, Jr., Salve Regina University
Introduction
The emperor Flavius Claudius Julianus reigned from 360 to 26 June 363, when he was killed fighting against the Persians. Despite his short rule, his emperorship was pivotal in the development of the history of the later Roman empire. This essay is not meant to be a comprehensive look at the various issues central to the reign of Julian and the history of the later empire. Rather, this short work is meant to be a brief history and introduction for the general reader. Julian was the last direct descendent of the Constantinian line to ascend to the purple, and it is one of history's great ironies that he was the last non-Christian emperor. As such, he has been vilified by most Christian sources, beginning with John Chrysostom and Gregory Nazianzus in the later fourth century. This tradition was picked up by the fifth century Eusebian continuators Sozomen, Socrates Scholasticus, and Theodoret and passed on to scholars down through the 20th century. Most contemporary sources, however, paint a much more balanced picture of Julian and his reign. The adoption of Christianity by emperors and society, while still a vital concern, was but one of several issues that concerned Julian.
It is fortunate that extensive writings from Julian himself exist, which help interpret his reign in the light of contemporary evidence. Still extant are some letters, several panegyrics, and a few satires. Other contemporary sources include the soldier Ammianus Marcellinus' history, correspondence between Julian and Libanius of Antioch, several panegyrics, laws from the Theodosian Code, inscriptions, and coinage. These sources show Julian's emphasis on restoration. He saw himself as the restorer of the traditional values of Roman society. Of course much of this was rhetoric, meant to defend Julian against charges that he was a usurper. At the same time this theme of restoration was central to all emperors of the fourth century. Julian thought that he was the one emperor who could regain what was viewed as the lost glory of the Roman empire. To achieve this goal he courted select groups of social elites to get across his message of restoration. This was the way that emperors functioned in the fourth century. By choosing whom to include in the sharing of power, they sought to shape society.
Early Life
Julian was born at Constantinople in 331. His father was Julius Constantius, half-brother of the emperor Constantine through Constantius Chlorus, and his mother was Basilina, Julius' second wife. Julian had two half-brothers via Julius' first marriage. One of these was Gallus, who played a major role in Julian's life. Julian appeared destined for a bright future via his father's connection to the Constantinian house. After many years of tense relations with his three half-brothers, Constantine seemed to have welcomed them into the fold of the imperial family. From 333 to 335, Constantine conferred a series of honors upon his three half-siblings, including appointing Julius Constantius as one of the consuls for 335. Julian's mother was equally distinguished. Ammianus related that she was from a noble family. This is supported by Libanius, who claimed that she was the daughter of Julius Julianus, a Praetorian Prefect under Licinius, who was such a model of administrative virtue that he was pardoned and honored by Constantine.
Despite the fact that his mother died shortly after giving birth to him, Julian experienced an idyllic early childhood. This ended when Constantius II conducted a purge of many of his relatives shortly after Constantine's death in 337, particularly targeting the families of Constantine's half-brothers. ulian and Gallus were spared, probably due to their young age. Julian was put under the care of Mardonius, a Scythian eunuch who had tutored his mother, in 339, and was raised in the Greek philosophical tradition, and probably lived in Nicomedia. Ammianus also supplied the fact that while in Nicomedia, Julian was cared for by the local bishop Eusebius, of whom the future emperor was a distant relation. Julian was educated by some of the most famous names in grammar and rhetoric in the Greek world at that time, including Nicocles and Hecebolius. In 344 Constantius II sent Julian and Gallus to Macellum in Cappadocia, where they remained for six years. In 351, Gallus was made Caesar by Constantius II and Julian was allowed to return to Nicomedia, where he studied under Aedesius, Eusebius, and Chrysanthius, all famed philosophers, and was exposed to the Neo-Platonism that would become such a prominent part of his life. But Julian was most proud of the time he spent studying under Maximus of Ephesus, a noted Neo-Platonic philospher and theurgist. It was Maximus who completed Julian's full-scale conversion to Neo-Platonism. Later, when he was Caesar, Julian told of how he put letters from this philosopher under his pillows so that he would continue to absorb wisdom while he slept, and while campaigning on the Rhine, he sent his speeches to Maximus for approval before letting others hear them. When Gallus was executed in 354 for treason by Constantius II, Julian was summoned to Italy and essentially kept under house arrest at Comum, near Milan, for seven months before Constantius' wife Eusebia convinced the emperor that Julian posed no threat. This allowed Julian to return to Greece and continue his life as a scholar where he studied under the Neo-Platonist Priscus. Julian's life of scholarly pursuit, however, ended abruptly when he was summoned to the imperial court and made Caesar by Constantius II on 6 November 355.
Julian as Caesar
Constantius II realized an essential truth of the empire that had been evident since the time of the Tetrarchy--the empire was too big to be ruled effectively by one man. Julian was pressed into service as Caesar, or subordinate emperor, because an imperial presence was needed in the west, in particular in the Gallic provinces. Julian, due to the emperor's earlier purges, was the only viable candidate of the imperial family left who could act as Caesar. Constantius enjoined Julian with the task of restoring order along the Rhine frontier. A few days after he was made Caesar, Julian was married to Constantius' sister Helena in order to cement the alliance between the two men. On 1 December 355, Julian journeyed north, and in Augusta Taurinorum he learned that Alamannic raiders had destroyed Colonia Agrippina. He then proceeded to Vienne where he spent the winter. At Vienne, he learned that Augustudunum was also under siege, but was being held by a veteran garrison. He made this his first priority, and arrived there on 24 June 356. When he had assured himself that the city was in no immediate danger, he journeyed to Augusta Treverorum via Autessioduram, and from there to Durocortorum where he rendezvoused with his army. Julian had the army stage a series of punitive strikes around the Dieuse region, and then he moved them towards the Argentoratum/Mongontiacum region when word of barbarian incursions reached him.
From there, Julian moved on to Colonia Agrippina, and negotiated a peace with the local barbarian leaders who had assaulted the city. He then wintered at Senonae. He spent the early part of the campaigning season of 357 fighting off besiegers at Senonae, and then conducting operations around Lugdunum and Tres Tabernae. Later that summer, he encountered his watershed moment as a military general. Ammianus went into great detail about Julian's victory over seven rogue Alamannic chieftains near Argentoratum, and Julian himself bragged about it in his later writing. After this battle, the soldiers acclaimed Julian Augustus, but he rejected this title. After mounting a series of follow-up raids into Alamannic territory, he retired to winter quarters at Lutetia, and on the way defeated some Frankish raiders in the Mosa region. Julian considered this campaign one of the major events of his time as Caesar.
Julian began his 358 military campaigns early, hoping to catch the barbarians by surprise. His first target was the Franks in the northern Rhine region. He then proceeded to restore some forts in the Mosa region, but his soldiers threatened to mutiny because they were on short rations and had not been paid their donative since Julian had become Caesar. After he soothed his soldiers, Julian spent the rest of the summer negotiating a peace with various Alamannic leaders in the mid and lower Rhine areas, and retired to winter quarters at Lutetia. In 359, he prepared once again to carry out a series of punitive expeditions against the Alamanni in the Rhine region who were still hostile to the Roman presence. In preparation, the Caesar repopulated seven previously destroyed cities and set them up as supply bases and staging areas. This was done with the help of the people with whom Julian had negotiated a peace the year before. Julian then had a detachment of lightly armed soldiers cross the Rhine near Mogontiacum and conduct a guerilla strike against several chieftains. As a result of these campaigns, Julian was able to negotiate a peace with all but a handful of the Alamannic leaders, and he retired to winter quarters at Lutetia.
Of course, Julian did more than act as a general during his time as Caesar. According to Ammianus, Julian was an able administrator who took steps to correct the injustices of Constantius' appointees. Ammianus related the story of how Julian prevented Florentius, the Praetorian Prefect of Gaul, from raising taxes, and also how Julian actually took over as governor for the province of Belgica Secunda. Hilary, bishop of Poitiers, supported Ammianus' basic assessment of Julian in this regard when he reported that Julian was an able representative of the emperor to the Gallic provincials. There is also epigraphic evidence to support Julian's popularity amongst the provincial elites. An inscription found near Beneventum in Apulia reads:
"To Flavius Claudius Julianus, most noble and sanctified Caesar, from the caring Tocius Maximus, vir clarissimus, for the care of the res publica from Beneventum".
Tocius Maximus, as a vir clarissimus, was at the highest point in the social spectrum and was a leader in his local community. This inscription shows that Julian was successful in establishing a positive image amongst provincial elites while he was Caesar.
Julian Augustus
In early 360, Constantius, driven by jealousy of Julian's success, stripped Julian of many troops and officers, ostensibly because the emperor needed them for his upcoming campaign against the Persians. One of the legions ordered east, the Petulantes, did not want to leave Gaul because the majority of the soldiers in the unit were from this region. As a result they mutinied and hailed Julian as Augustus at Lutetia. Julian refused this acclamation as he had done at Argentoratum earlier, but the soldiers would have none of his denial. They raised him on a shield and adorned him with a neck chain, which had formerly been the possession of the standard-bearer of the Petulantes and symbolized a royal diadem. Julian appeared reluctantly to acquiesce to their wishes, and promised a generous donative. The exact date of his acclamation is unknown, but most scholars put it in February or March. Julian himself supported Ammianus' picture of a jealous Constantius. In his Letter to the Athenians, a document constructed to answer charges that he was a usurper, Julian stated that from the start he, as Caesar, had been meant as a figurehead to the soldiers and provincials. The real power he claimed lay with the generals and officials already present in Gaul. In fact, according to Julian, the generals were charged with watching him as much as the enemy. His account of the actual acclamation closely followed what Ammianus told us, but he stressed even more his reluctance to take power. Julian claimed that he did so only after praying to Zeus for guidance.
Fearing the reaction of Constantius, Julian sent a letter to his fellow emperor justifying the events at Lutetia and trying to arrange a peaceful solution. This letter berated Constantius for forcing the troops in Gaul into an untenable situation. Ammianus stated that Julian's letter blamed Constantius' decision to transfer Gallic legions east as the reason for the soldiers' rebellion. Julian once again asserted that he was an unwilling participant who was only following the desire of the soldiers. In both of these basic accounts Ammianus and Julian are playing upon the theme of restoration. Implicit in their version of Julian's acclamation is the argument that Constantius was unfit to rule. The soldiers were the vehicle of the gods' will. The Letter to the Athenians is full of references to the fact that Julian was assuming the mantle of Augustus at the instigation of the gods. Ammianus summed up this position nicely when he related the story of how, when Julian was agonizing over whether to accept the soldiers' acclamation, he had a dream in which he was visited by the Genius (guardian spirit) of the Roman state. The Genius told Julian that it had often tried to bestow high honors upon Julian but had been rebuffed. Now, the Genius went on to say, was Julian's final chance to take the power that was rightfully his. If the Caesar refused this chance, the Genius would depart forever, and both Julian and the state would rue Julian's rejection. Julian himself wrote a letter to his friend Maximus of Ephesus in November of 361 detailing his thoughts on his proclamation. In this letter, Julian stated that the soldiers proclaimed him Augustus against his will. Julian, however, defended his accession, saying that the gods willed it and that he had treated his enemies with clemency and justice. He went on to say that he led the troops in propitiating the traditional deities, because the gods commanded him to return to the traditional rites, and would reward him if he fulfilled this duty.
During 360 an uneasy peace simmered between the two emperors. Julian spent the 360 campaigning season continuing his efforts to restore order along the Rhine, while Constantius continued operations against the Persians. Julian wintered in Vienne, and celebrated his Quinquennalia. It was at this time that his wife Helena died, and he sent her remains to Rome for a proper burial at his family villa on the Via Nomentana where the body of her sister was entombed. The uneasy peace held through the summer of 361, but Julian concentrated his military operations around harassing the Alamannic chieftain Vadomarius and his allies, who had concluded a peace treaty with Constantius some years earlier. By the end of the summer, Julian decided to put an end to the waiting and gathered his army to march east against Constantius. The empire teetered on the brink of another civil war. Constantius had spent the summer negotiating with the Persians and making preparations for possible military action against his cousin. When he was assured that the Persians would not attack, he summoned his army and sallied forth to meet Julian. As the armies drew inexorably closer to one another, the empire was saved from another bloody civil war when Constantius died unexpectedly of natural causes on 3 November near the town of Mopsucrenae in Cilicia, naming Julian -- the sources say-- as his legitimate successor.
Julian was in Dacia when he learned of his cousin's death. He made his way through Thrace and came to Constantinople on 11 December 361 where Julian honored the emperor with the funeral rites appropriate for a man of his station. Julian immediately set about putting his supporters in positions of power and trimming the imperial bureaucracy, which had become extremely overstaffed during Constantius' reign. Cooks and barbers had increased during the late emperor's reign and Julian expelled them from his court. Ammianus gave a mixed assessment of how the new emperor handled the followers of Constantius. Traditionally, emperors were supposed to show clemency to the supporters of a defeated enemy. Julian, however, gave some men over to death to appease the army. Ammianus used the case of Ursulus, Constantius' comes sacrum largitionum, to illustrate his point. Ursulus had actually tried to acquire money for the Gallic troops when Julian had first been appointed Caesar, but he had also made a disparaging remark about the ineffectiveness of the army after the battle of Amida. The soldiers remembered this, and when Julian became sole Augustus, they demanded Ursulus' head. Julian obliged, much to the disapproval of Ammianus. This seems to be a case of Julian courting the favor of the military leadership, and is indicative of a pattern in which Julian courted the goodwill of various societal elites to legitimize his position as emperor.
Another case in point is the officials who made up the imperial bureaucracy. Many of them were subjected to trial and punishment. To achieve this goal, during the last weeks of December 361 Julian assembled a military tribunal at Chalcedon, empanelling six judges to try the cases. The president of the tribunal was Salutius, just promoted to the rank of Praetorian Prefect; the five other members were Mamertinus, the orator, and four general officers: Jovinus, Agilo, Nevitta, and Arbetio. Relative to the proceedings of the tribunal, Ammianus noted that the judges, " . . . oversaw the cases more vehemently than was right or fair, with the exception of a few . . .." Ammianus' account of Julian's attempt at reform of the imperial bureaucracy is supported by legal evidence from the Theodosian Code. A series of laws sent to Mamertinus, Julian's appointee as Praetorian Prefect in Italy, Illyricum, and Africa, illustrate this point nicely. On 6 June 362, Mamertinus received a law that prohibited provincial governors from bypassing the Vicars when giving their reports to the Prefect. Traditionally, Vicars were given civil authority over a group of provinces, and were in theory meant to serve as a middle step between governors and Prefects. This law suggests that the Vicars were being left out, at least in Illyricum. Julian issued another edict to Mamertinus on 22 February 362 to stop abuse of the public post by governors. According to this law, only Mamertinus could issue post warrants, but the Vicars were given twelve blank warrants to be used as they saw fit, and each governor was given two. Continuing the trend of bureaucratic reform, Julian also imposed penalties on governors who purposefully delayed appeals in court cases they had heard. The emperor also established a new official to weigh solidi used in official government transactions to combat coin clipping.
For Julian, reigning in the abuses of imperial bureaucrats was one step in restoring the prestige of the office of emperor. Because he could not affect all elements of society personally, Julian, like other Neo-Flavian emperors, decided to concentrate on select groups of societal elites as intercessors between himself and the general populace. One of these groups was the imperial bureaucracy. Julian made it very clear that imperial officials were intercessors in a very real sense in a letter to Alypius, Vicar of Britain. In this letter, sent from Gaul sometime before 361, the emperor praises Alypius for his use of "mildness and moderation with courage and force" in his rule of the provincials. Such virtues were characteristic of the emperors, and it was good that Alypius is representing Julian in this way. Julian courted the army because it put him in power. Another group he sought to include in his rule was the traditional Senatorial aristocracy. One of his first appointments as consul was Claudius Mamertinus, a Gallic Senator and rhetorician. Mamertinus' speech in praise of Julian delivered at Constantinople in January of 362 is preserved. In this speech, Claudius presented his consular selection as inaugurating a new golden age and Julian as the restorer of the empire founded by Augustus. The image Mamertinus gave of his own consulate inaugurating a new golden age is not merely formulaic. The comparison of Julian to Augustus has very real, if implicit, relevance to Claudius' situation. Claudius emphasized the imperial period as the true age of renewal. Augustus ushered in a new era with his formation of a partnership between the emperor and the Senate based upon a series of honors and offices bestowed upon the Senate in return for their role as intercessor between emperor and populace. It was this system that Julian was restoring, and the consulate was one concrete example of this bond. To be chosen as a consul by the emperor, who himself had been divinely mandated, was a divine honor. In addition to being named consul, Mamertinus went on to hold several offices under Julian, including the Prefecture of Italy, Illyricum, and Africa. Similarly, inscriptional evidence illustrates a link between municipal elites and Julian during his time as Caesar, something which continued after he became emperor. One concrete example comes from the municipal senate of Aceruntia in Apulia, which established a monument on which Julian is styled as "Repairer of the World."
Julian seems to have given up actual Christian belief before his acclamation as emperor and was a practitioner of more traditional Greco-Roman religious beliefs, in particular, a follower of certain late antique Platonist philosophers who were especially adept at theurgy as was noted earlier. In fact Julian himself spoke of his conversion to Neo-Platonism in a letter to the Alexandrians written in 363. He stated that he had abandoned Christianity when he was twenty years old and been an adherent of the traditional Greco-Roman deities for the twelve years prior to writing this letter.
(For the complete text of this article see: http://www.roman-emperors.org/julian.htm)
Julian’s Persian Campaign
The exact goals Julian had for his ill-fated Persian campaign were never clear. The Sassanid Persians, and before them the Parthians, had been a traditional enemy from the time of the Late Republic, and indeed Constantius had been conducting a war against them before Julian's accession forced the former to forge an uneasy peace. Julian, however, had no concrete reason to reopen hostilities in the east. Socrates Scholasticus attributed Julian's motives to imitation of Alexander the Great, but perhaps the real reason lay in his need to gather the support of the army. Despite his acclamation by the Gallic legions, relations between Julian and the top military officers was uneasy at best. A war against the Persians would have brought prestige and power both to Julian and the army.
Julian set out on his fateful campaign on 5 March 363. Using his trademark strategy of striking quickly and where least expected, he moved his army through Heirapolis and from there speedily across the Euphrates and into the province of Mesopotamia, where he stopped at the town of Batnae. His plan was to eventually return through Armenia and winter in Tarsus. Once in Mesopotamia, Julian was faced with the decision of whether to travel south through the province of Babylonia or cross the Tigris into Assyria, and he eventually decided to move south through Babylonia and turn west into Assyria at a later date. By 27 March, he had the bulk of his army across the Euphrates, and had also arranged a flotilla to guard his supply line along the mighty river. He then left his generals Procopius and Sebastianus to help Arsacius, the king of Armenia and a Roman client, to guard the northern Tigris line. It was also during this time that he received the surrender of many prominent local leaders who had nominally supported the Persians. These men supplied Julian with money and troops for further military action against their former masters. Julian decided to turn south into Babylonia and proceeded along the Euphrates, coming to the fortress of Cercusium at the junction of the Abora and Euphrates Rivers around the first of April, and from there he took his army west to a region called Zaitha near the abandoned town of Dura where they visited the tomb of the emperor Gordian which was in the area. On April 7 he set out from there into the heart of Babylonia and towards Assyria.
Ammianus then stated that Julian and his army crossed into Assyria, which on the face of things appears very confusing. Julian still seems to be operating within the province of Babylonia between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The confusion is alleviated when one realizes that,for Ammianus, the region of Assyria encompassed the provinces of Babylonia and Assyria. On their march, Julian's forces took the fortress of Anatha, received the surrender and support of several more local princes, and ravaged the countryside of Assyria between the rivers. As the army continued south, they came across the fortresses Thilutha and Achaiachala, but these places were too well defended and Julian decided to leave them alone. Further south were the cities Diacira and Ozogardana, which the Roman forces sacked and burned. Soon, Julian came to Pirisabora and a brief siege ensued, but the city fell and was also looted and destroyed. It was also at this time that the Roman army met its first systematic resistance from the Persians. As the Romans penetrated further south and west, the local inhabitants began to flood their route. Nevertheless, the Roman forces pressed on and came to Maiozamalcha, a sizable city not far from Ctesiphon. After a short siege, this city too fell to Julian. Inexorably, Julian's forces zeroed in on Ctesiphon, but as they drew closer, the Persian resistance grew fiercer, with guerilla raids whittling at Julian's men and supplies. A sizable force of the army was lost and the emperor himself was almost killed taking a fort a few miles from the target city.
Finally, the army approached Ctesiphon following a canal that linked the Tigris and Euphrates. It soon became apparent after a few preliminary skirmishes that a protracted siege would be necessary to take this important city. Many of his generals, however, thought that pursuing this course of action would be foolish. Julian reluctantly agreed, but became enraged by this failure and ordered his fleet to be burned as he decided to march through the province of Assyria. Julian had planned for his army to live off the land, but the Persians employed a scorched-earth policy. When it became apparent that his army would perish (because his supplies were beginning to dwindle) from starvation and the heat if he continued his campaign, and also in the face of superior numbers of the enemy, Julian ordered a retreat on 16 June. As the Roman army retreated, they were constantly harassed by guerilla strikes. It was during one of these raids that Julian got caught up in the fighting and took a spear to his abdomen. Mortally wounded he was carried to his tent, where, after conferring with some of his officers, he died. The date was 26 June 363.
Conclusion
Thus an ignominious end for a man came about who had hoped to restore the glory of the Roman empire during his reign as emperor. Due to his intense hatred of Christianity, the opinion of posterity has not been kind to Julian. The contemporary opinion, however, was overall positive. The evidence shows that Julian was a complex ruler with a definite agenda to use traditional social institutions in order to revive what he saw as a collapsing empire. In the final assessment, he was not so different from any of the other emperors of the fourth century. He was a man grasping desperately to hang on to a Greco-Roman conception of leadership that was undergoing a subtle yet profound change.
Copyright (C) 2002, Walter E. Roberts and Michael DiMaio, Jr. Used by permission.
In reality, Julian worked to promote culture and philosophy in any manifestation. He tried to reduce taxes and the public debts of municipalities; he augmented administrative decentralisation; he promoted a campaign of austerity to reduce public expenditure (setting himself as the example). He reformed the postal service and eliminated the powerful secret police.
by Federico Morando; JULIAN II, The Apostate, See the Julian II Page on NumisWiki
Flavius Claudius Iulianus was born in 331 or maybe 332 A.D. in Constantinople. He ruled the Western Empire as Caesar from 355 to 360 and was hailed Augustus by his legions in Lutetia (Paris) in 360. Julian was a gifted administrator and military strategist. Famed as the last pagan emperor, his reinstatement of the pagan religion earned him the moniker "the Apostate." As evidenced by his brilliant writing, some of which has survived to the present day, the title "the Philosopher" may have been more appropriate. He died from wounds suffered during the Persian campaign of 363 A.D. Joseph Sermarini, FORVM.
Edited by J. P. Fitzgerald, Jr.
Cleisthenes
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177-192 AD - COMMODUS AR denarius - struck 191 ADobv: M COMM ANT P FEL AVG BRIT PP
rev: CONC COM PM TRP XVI COSVI (Concordia standing left, holding patera & scepter)
ref: RIC III 219, C.45 (30frcs)
2.41gms, 17mm
Rare
History: In 190 AD Commodus named Rome after himself, Colonia Commodiana, adding the prenomina of LUCIA ANTONINIANA. This coin is belong to the group of the loyalty of the cohorts, Concordia Commodi Augusti.berserker
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1795- MoFM Mexico Spanish Colonial 8 Reales of Charles IIII - [KM-109 -- Charles IIII]Chopmarked, 0.7797 ounce silver 8 Reales (also known as the pillar dollar), 26.65g, 39.62mm, 0 degree, Mexico City, Mexico Mint [Mo -- small 'o' set over a large 'M'], 179[5]
Obv. - • CAROLUS IIII • DEI • GR[ATIA] •, laureate bust of Charles IIII right
Rev. - • HISPAN • ET IND • REX • Mo • 8R • F • M •, coat of arms of Spain
This coin was sold as a 1794 chopmarked 8 Reale. Upon inspection in hand under high magnification and different lighting conditions, as well as inspection of large, quality pictures on the computer allowing for color/contrast/levels manipulation, and I have determined this coin to actually be from 1795. The '5', although extremely worn is visible under the correct conditions and comparisons of the worn number morphology to other 179x coins lends credence to this finding.
The reverse is just as interesting and challenging. Although the mintmark is almost completely worn off, the assayer of FM ensures that the coin is of Mexico City, Mexico mintmark.
The coat of arms of Spain, a crown crown flanked by columns and a middle shield includes the national motto PLVS VLTRA spread across the two columns. PLVS VLTRA (PLUS ULTRA) translates to "further beyond." It is adopted from the personal motto of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (and King of Spain as Charles I) and is a Latin translation from Plus Oultre, his original motto in Old French.
Although this coin is quite worn in certain areas, it has a lovely tone and great character. The numerous different chopmarks just add to the appeal. This coins was bought as a conversation piece as I have always found them interesting, albeit with knowing next to nothing concerning them. However, after doing some research, I have come to appreciate it much more and may follow suite with further additions. In any case, I plan on further reading into the subject area.
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Purchased from Regal Coin Exchange in Savannah, GArenegade3220
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1804 GEORGE III AR BANK OF ENGLAND DOLLAR Obverse: GEORGIUS III DEI GRATIA REX. Laureate and draped bust of George III facing right.
Reverse: BANK OF ENGLAND 1804. Britannia, seated left, holding a branch and spear, her left arm resting on a shield which in turn rests on a cornucopia, a beehive is in the background to the left; all within a garter inscribed FIVE SHILLINGS DOLLAR. The garter is surmounted by a castellated "crown" of five circular stone turrets.
Spink 3768; Obverse die A, Reverse die 2
Diameter: 41mm | Weight: 26.7gms | Die Axis: 11
SPINK: 3768
This portrait of George III was designed by Conrad Heinrich Kuchler (c.1740 - 1810), this is marked by C. H. K. in raised letters on the truncation at the king's shoulder. The reverse, which was also designed by Kuchler has the raised initial K in the triangular space between the shield, cornucopia, and Britannia's dress. Kuchler moved to Birmingham in 1795 and designed many of the coins and medals which were struck at Matthew Boulton's SOHO mint.
On this coin there are enough traces of the host coin discernible on the reverse, near the edge between 'BANK' and 'OF', and on the obverse below the bust to make an accurate identification of the undertype possible. It was overstruck on a Spanish Colonial 8 Reales minted at Potosi in Bolivia which bore the date 1806.
Note on George III Bank of England Silver Dollars
Although George III reigned for sixty years from 1760 to 1820, the only crowns issued were in the last three years of his reign, apart from these Bank of England dollars issued as an emergency measure.
There had been a persistent shortage of silver coins throughout most of George's reign, and the Bank of England attempted to alleviate this by counter-marking Spanish colonial 8-Reale pieces (the "pieces of eight" of pirate legend) with a punch bearing the head of George III. When this counter-mark was enthusiastically counterfeited, the bank resorted to counter-stamping the entire coin. Most survivors were struck on Mexican or Peruvian 8-Reale pieces, though a few have been found to be struck on issues from Spain proper. Although these Bank of England dollars are all dated 1804, they were issued every year until 1811, and occasionally the dates of Spanish 8 Reales minted after 1804 can be discerned on them. In 1811, to take account of the increase in the value of silver, the Bank of England dollar coins were revalued at 5s6d and they stayed at this value until they were withdrawn from circulation in 1817, by which time a massive silver re-coinage was being undertaken.*Alex
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2. Augustus (27 BC-AD 14)Denomination: AR Denarius
Date: 19 BC
Obv: CAESAR AVGVSTVS, bare head right.
Rev: OB CIVIS SERVATOS in three lines within oak-wreath with ties inward.
Diameter: 19mm
Weight: 3.91 grams
Mint: Uncertain Spanish mint (Colonia Patricia?).
RIC I 77a.
Ex Leu Numismatik Web Auction 16 (24 May 2021), lot 3341.Romancollector
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20 spanish colonial cobs and bronze coinsminted between XVI to XVIII century. Most of them from Philippus II, III and IV reigns in XVII century. _11700Antonivs Protti
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2000 - Octavian & Agrippa, AE Dupondius Arausio mint (Orange), 30-29 BC (Colonia Firma Julia Secundanorum Arausio)
IMP DIVI F (IMPerator DIVI Filii), bare heads of Augustus (right) and Agrippa (left), back to back
Prow of galley right, ram's head (?) enclosed in a medaillion above
17.61 gr - 28 mm.
Ref : RPC # 533
Ex. CNG e-auction #181/28, from the Patrick Villemur collection
Following comment taken from http://www.asdenimes.com/ :
Un très bel exemplaire du dupondius d'Orange. Têtes adossées d'Agrippa (à gauche) et Octave (à droite). Très beaux reliefs.
L’as (ou dupondius) d’Orange est très rare et nombre d'exemplaires connus (quelques dizaines) sont souvent de médiocre conservation. Le dupondius d'Orange préfigure le dupondius de Nîmes frappé à partir de 28/27 av. J.-C. et qui reprendra l’avers quasiment à l’identique (y compris les légendes), avec les profils d’Octave devenu Auguste et d’Agrippa. Le revers sera interprété de façon parodique sur l’as de Nîmes, puisque la galère sera remplacée par le crocodile qui garde à peu près la forme générale du vaisseau et dont l’oeil prophylactique (pas visible sur cet exemplaire : voir les as de Vienne page suivante) deviendra l’oeil du crocodile. On y ajoutera la palme pour former le mat et quelques autres accessoires tout aussi symboliques.
La tête de bélier représentée dans le médaillon du revers serait l’emblème des vétérans de la légio II Gallica qui a fondé la colonie d’Arausio vers 35 av. J.-C.
On distingue 2 types de dupondius d'Orange : ceux dont les portraits occupent la plus grande partie de l'avers et ceux qui montrent des têtes plutôt petites.Potator II
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2008-Savaria - The stone of the CaesarsOn the top of the red granite stone a sun-dial shows the time, and has six emperor relief. All of them played a significant role in the development of this town:
Claudius founded in AD 43 as Colonia Claudia Savaria;
during the reign of Domitian the town became a religion centre;
Emperor Trajan settled military troops from the civilians and they fought in Dacian War;
during the reign of Septimius Severus was built an Isis shrine;
Diocletian made the centre of jury during the Great Persecution;
and finally Constantine the Great, who partitioned Pannonia four province and Savaria was the capital of Pannonia Prima.berserker
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205. Severus Alexander; Bostra, ArabiaSeverus Alexander, 13 March 222 - March 235 A.D., Bostra, Arabia
Bronze AE 19, SNG ANS 1218-1220, aF, 4.27g, 19.3mm, 180o, Bostra mint, IMP CAES M AVB SEV ALEXANDER AVG, laureate draped and cuirassed bust right; reverse COLONIA BOSTRA, draped and turreted bust of Tyche left holding cornucopia; Bostra was the northern capital of the Nabataeans, until Trajan annexed the kingdom. It was then capital of Provincia Arabia, where the Third Legio Cyrenaica was garrisoned. The emperor Philip was born in Bostra and designated the city a metropolis.
Ex- CNG sale 143, Lot: 340
ecoli
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238-244 AD - Gordian III - Moushmov 0033 - ViminaciumEmperor: Gordian III (r. 238-244 AD)
Date: 242-243 AD
Condition: Very Fine
Size: AE22
Obverse: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG
Imperator Gordian Dutiful and Wise Emperor
Bust right; radiate, draped and cuirassed
Reverse: P M S C-OL VIM
Moesia standing between a lion and a bull.
AN IIII in exergue (Year 4 of the Colonial Era of Viminacium = 242/3 AD).
Mint: Viminacium, Moesia Superior
Moushmov 33
7.98g; 22.9mm; 30°Pep
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250 GallienusGallienus, August 253 - September 268 A.D
Silver antoninianus, Göbl MIR 872m, RSC IV 310 (Lugdunum), RIC V J18 (Lugdunum), SRCV III 10225, VF, weak reverse strike, 3.077g, 23.3mm, 0o, Colonia Agrippinensis (Cologne, Germany) mint, 257 - 258 A.D.; obverse GALLIENVS P F AVG, radiate and draped bust left, spear in right over shoulder, shield on left arm in left; reverse GERMANICVS MAX V, two captives seated back-to-back at the foot of a trophy, their arms tied behind their backs; scarce;
Randygeki(h2)
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251 AD - Hostilian - Viminacium - Moesia with Lion and Bull ReverseEmperor: Hostilian (r. 251 AD)
Date: 251 AD
Condition: aFine
Size: AE26
Obverse: IMP C VAL HOST M QVINTVS AVG
Imperator Caesar Valens Hostilian Messius Quintus Emperor
Bust right; laureate
Reverse: P M S C-OL VIM
Moesia standing between a lion (right) and a bull (left).
Exergue: ANXII (Year 12 of the Colonial Era of Viminacium = 251 AD)
Mint: Viminacium, Moesia Superior
12.64g; 26.7mm; 345°Pep
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267-268 AD., Postumus, Colonia mint, Antoninianus, Zschucke 178.Postumus, Colonia mint, 20th emission,
Antoninianus (20-21 mm / 2.83 g), 267-268 AD.,
Obv.: IMP POSTVMVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Rev.: SAECVLI FELICITAS , Postumus standing right, holding globe and spear.
Zschucke 178 ; Cunetio 2444 ; RIC 83 ; C 331 .
my ancient coin database
Arminius
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3855 PHOENICIA Berytus Hadrian 128-138 AD two legionary Aquilae Reference.
RPC III, 3855; Rouvier 532; SNG Cop 101; BMC Phoenicia 99 (p. 66)
Obv. IMP CAES TRAI HADRIANVS AVG P P
Laureate and draped bust right.
Rev. COL / BER
Two legionary aquilae (eagles) flanking inscription in two lines, all within laurel wreath, pellet between eagles.
4.99 gr
20 mm
die axis 0o
Note.
Named for the daughter of Augustus, Colonia Iulia Augusta Felix Berytus was founded in 14 B.C. with veterans of the 5th and 8th legions. Herod the Great, Herod Agrippa I, and Herod Agrippa II built sumptuous monuments and sponsored gladiatorial combats at Berytos. After the siege of Jerusalem, Titus gave gladiatorial games at Berytos, in which the combatants were Jews.
ex.
FORVMokidoki
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3912 Phoenicia, Acco-Ptolemaïs. Hadrian. Æ 21 Hadrian, as founder plowingReference.
RPC III, 3912; Kadman 103; cf. Rosenberger 48 (head right); cf. Rouvier 1000 (same).; Hendin 819
Obv. IMP TRA HADRIA[NO CAESAR]
Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from front.
Rev. DIVOS CLAV above, C-O-L/PT-OL in two lines across field. (COL PTOL=Colonia Ptolemais)
Claudius, as founder plowing right with yoked bull and cow; in background, four standards.
11.02 gr
21 mm
12 h
Agora Auctions.
From the Kenneth Miller Collection of Ake-Ptolemaïs and Related Biblical Coins.okidoki
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3962 SAMARIA, Caesarea Maritima. Hadrian AE 15 LionReference.
RPC III, 3962; Kadman 30; BMC p. 21, 76 and pl. III.9; CNP II p. 102, 30; De Saulcy p. 123, 5corr. (Av.); Lindgren & Kovacs 2415; SNG ANS 773.
Obv. [IMP TR] [HAD]RIANO CA [A]
Laureate head right.
Rev. C I F A C (Colonia Prima Flavia Augusta Caesarea)
Lion walking right; above, serpent
2.47 gr
15 mm
12h
Note.
Ex Schulten, Auction, Cologne, 22-23 April 1985, lot 467; ex Frank Sternberg, Auction 33, Zurich, 18-19 September 1997, lot 87, A.K. Collection: Coin ID C011 from Lot no. 559okidoki
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403. CarausiusMarcus Aurelius Mausaeus Carausius (d. 293) was a Roman usurper in Britain and northern Gaul (286–293, Carausian Revolt).
Carausius was a man of humble origin, a Menapian from Belgic Gaul who distinguished himself during Maximian's campaign against the Bagaudae rebels in Gaul in 286. As a result, he was appointed to command the Classis Britannica, a fleet based in the English Channel, with the responsibility of eliminating Frankish and Saxon pirates who had been raiding the coast. However, he was suspected of keeping captured treasure for himself, and even of allowing the pirates to carry out raids and enrich themselves before taking action against them, and Maximian ordered his execution. In late 286 or early 287 Carausius learned of this sentence and responded by declaring himself Emperor of Britain and northern Gaul.
He could count on the alliegance of the three legions based in Britain, as well as one in northern Gaul. How he was able to win support from the army when his command had been sea-based is uncertain. The emperor briefly assumed the title Britannicus Maximus in 285, and the British towns of Wroxeter and Caistor by Norwich towns show signs of destruction around this time, so it is possible Carausius won the army's support during military action in Britain shortly before his rebellion. Alternatively, if the accusations of larceny are true, he could perhaps afford to buy their loyalty. He also appears to have appealed to native British dissatisfaction with Roman rule: he issued coins with legends such as Restitutor Britanniae (Restorer of Britain) and Genius Britanniae (Spirit of Britain).
Maximian, busy with wars on the Rhine, was unable to challenge him immediately, but in the Autumn of 288 he began massing troops and ships for an invasion. In 289 an invasion of Britain intended to dislodge him failed badly due to storms, although a naval defeat is also possible. An uneasy peace continued until 293, during which Rome prepared for a second effort to retake the province, while Carausius began to entertain visions of legitimacy and official recognition. He minted his own coins and brought their value in to line with Roman issues as well as acknowledging and honouring Maximian and then Diocletian. Coinage is the main source of information about the rogue emperor; his issues were initially crude but soon became more elaborate and were issued from mints in Londinium, Rotomagnus and a third site, possibly Colonia Claudia Victricensis. A milestone from Carlisle with his name on it suggests that the whole of Roman Britain was in Carausius' grasp.
It has been speculated (namely, by the historian Sheppard Frere) that the rebellion of Carausius endangered Diocletian's vision of a strong, centralized government based on his tetrarchy. In any case, by early 293 Constantius Chlorus had gained control of northern Gaul, including the rebel's stronghold and port of Bononia, on which Carausius was heavily dependent. Constantius built a mole across the harbour mouth to ensure it did not receive maritime aid.
Constantius also regained the allegiance of the rebellious Gallic legion and defeated the Franks of the Rhine mouth who seem to have been working in league with Carausius. Weakened by these setbacks, Carausius was assassinated, possibly at York, by his treasurer, Allectus.
aVF/aVF Carausius Antoninianus / Pax / Green Patina and Nice Style
Attribution: RIC 895
Date: 287-293 AD
Obverse: IMP CARAVSIVS P F AVG, radiate and draped bust right
Reverse: PAX AVG, Pax standing left, holding branch and transverse sceptre.
Size: 20.91 mm
Weight: 3 gramsecoli
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91-02 - VICTORINO (269 - 271 D.C.)Billon Antoniniano 20 x 19 mm 2.7 gr.
Anv: "IMP C VICTORINVS P F AVG" - Busto radiado, vestido y acorazado, viendo a derecha.
Rev: "SALVS AVG" - Salus (La Salud) de pié a derecha,alimentando una serpiente que sostiene en sus brazos.
Acuñada 2da. Emisión finales 269 - mitad 270 D.C.
Ceca: Colonia - Alemania
Rareza: C
Referencias: RIC Vol.V Parte II #67 Pag.393 - Sear RCTV Vol.III #11179 Pag.384 (Mainz ó Trier) - Sear RCTV (1988) #3169 - Cohen Vol.VI #112 Pag.81 - DVM #12-1 Pag.270 - Cunieto #2567 - Elmer #732 - AGK #21c - Hunter #21mdelvalle
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91-02 - VICTORINO (269 - 271 D.C.)AE Antoniniano 20 x 19 mm 2.7 gr.
Anv: "IMP C VICTORINVS P F AVG" - Busto radiado y acorazado, viendo a derecha.
Rev: "SALVS AVG" - Salus (La Salud) de pié a derecha,alimentando una serpiente que sostiene en sus brazos.
Acuñada 2da. Emisión finales 269 - mitad 270 D.C.
Ceca: Colonia - Alemania
Referencias: RIC Vol.V Parte II #67 Pag.393 (C) - Sear RCTV Vol.III #11179 Pag.384 (Mainz ó Trier) - Sear RCTV (1988) #3169 - Cohen Vol.VI #112 Pag.81 - DVM #12/1 Pag.270 - Cunetio #2567 - Elmer #732 - AGK #21c (C5) - Hunter #21 - L.E.G.PPS #234 P.LXmdelvalle
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91-06 - VICTORINO (269 - 271 D.C.)AE Antoniniano 18 mm 2.3 gr.
Anv: "IMP C VICTORINVS P F AVG" - Busto radiado y acorazado, viendo a derecha.
Rev: "[PR]OVIDENTIA AVG" - Providentia (La Providencia) estante a la izq., portando un bastón corto en mano der.apoyado sobre globo y cornucopia en izq.
Acuñada 5ta. Emisión 271 D.C.
Ceca: Colonia, Alemania
Referencias: RIC Vb #61 Pag.392 - Sear RCTV Vol.III #11178 Pag.384 (Cologne) - Cohen Vol.VI #101 Pag.79 - DVM #10 Pag.270 - Cunetio #2577 - Elmer #743 - Hunter #29 - AGK #19 (C6) - L.E.G.PPS #252 P.LXImdelvalle
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92 Victorinus AD 269 - 271Obv. IMP C VICTORINVS P F AVG
Radiate and cuirassed bust to right
Rev. SALVS AVG
Salus standing to right, feeding snake held in arms
RIC 67, 2,036g , Colonia Agrippinensis - Antoninanus -
Ex Roma Numismatic Ltd E-Auction 107 Lot 1137 03/16/2023Priscus
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92-02 - TETRICO I (271 - 274 D.C.)Billon Antoniniano 19 x 18 mm 2.9 gr.
Anv: "IMP TETR[ICVS P F] AVG" - Busto radiado y acorazado, viendo a derecha.
Rev: "[FIDES M]ILITVM" - Fides (La Fidelidad) de pié a izquierda, portando un estandarte militar en cada mano de sus brazos extendidos.
Acuñada 4ta. Emisión finales 271 D.C.
Ceca: Colonia Alemania
Rareza: C
Referencias: RIC Vol.V Parte II #70 Pag.407 - Sear RCTV Vol.III #11234 var. Pag.391 - Sear RCTV (1988) #3176 - Cohen Vol.VI #37 Pag.96 - DVM #3 Pag.270 - Cunieto #2638 - Elmer #784 - AGK #3fmdelvalle
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92-02 - TETRICO I (271 - 274 D.C.)AE Antoniniano 19 x 18 mm 2.9 gr.
Anv: "IMP TETR[ICVS P F] AVG" - Busto radiado y acorazado, viendo a derecha.
Rev: "[FIDES M]ILITVM" - Fides (La Fidelidad) de pié a izquierda, portando un estandarte militar en cada mano de sus brazos extendidos.
Acuñada 4ta. Emisión finales 271 D.C.
Ceca: Colonia Alemania
Referencias: RIC Vol.V Parte II #70 Pag.407 (C) - Sear RCTV Vol.III #11234 var. Pag.391 - Sear RCTV (1988) #3176 - Cohen Vol.VI #37 Pag.96 - DVM #3 Pag.270 - Cunetio #2638 - Elmer #784 - AGK #3f (C3) - L.E.G.PPS #298 P.LXXIVmdelvalle
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AE 27, NemaususDate: ca. 9 - 3 BC, Nemausus
Obv: IMP DIVI F
Heads of Agrippa (left) and Augustus (right) back to back, Agrippa wearing combined rostral crown and laurel wreath and Augustus wearing oak-wreath
Rev: COL NEM
Crocodile chained to palm-shoot with tip right; above on left a wreath with long ties
RIC I (second edition) Augustus 158
11,56g, ∅ 27mm Laurentius
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Aelia Capitolina, Judaea. Antoninus Pius (138 - 161 AD). AE (22 mm, 9.65 gm, 12hObv. Draped bust of Antoninus Pius r., laureate; IMP ANTONINVS AVG PPP
Rev. Dioscuri standing facing, looking at each other, one hand on spear, the other on hip, between them eagle standing facing, looking l.; CO AE CA (colonia Aelia Capitolina).
References: Sofaer pl. 72,24. Rosenberger -. Meshorer (Aelia) 28Canaan
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Alexandria Troas (modern Eski Stambul). Gallienus (Publius Licinius Egnatius Gallienus) (253-268 A.D.)Bellinger A459; SNG Copenhagen 200-201; SNG München 138; SNG von Aulock 7576;
BMC Troas p. 132, 184.
AE unit, 5.29 g., 19.70 mm. max., 180°
Obv: IMP LICI GALLIENVS, laureate, draped bust right, seen from behind.
Rev: COL AVG / TROA (in exergue), she-wolf standing right, suckling Romulus and Remus.
Colonia Augusta Troas = The August Colony of TroasStkp
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Antioch, Pisidia, AE 19.1mm; Eagle standing, head r., wings openMarcus Aurelius, Antioch, Pisidia, AE 19.1mm, 3.30g. AVRELIVS CAESAR, Head of Marcus Aurelius r. / ANTIOCHEAE COLONIAE, Eagle standing, head r., wings open. BMC 177, 9. Ex Gerhard RohdePodiceps
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antiochgalatia002Elagabalus
Antioch, Pisidia
Obv: ANTONINVS PIVS FEL AVG, Laureate draped and cuirassed bust right.
Rev: ANTIOCH COLONIA, Caduceus between two crossed cornucopias.
19 mm, 3.56 gms
RPC online 6569Charles M
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