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Nero As601 viewscopper As
NERO CAESAR AVG GERM IMP
SC
Victory alighting left wings spread holding shield inscribed SPQR
Rome mint 65 AD
11.16g
Sear 1976 shows head facing right, this example is head facing left.
RIC 1 352
VF
ex-ANEJay GT4
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Nero with Polemo II-Mark Antony's great grandson546 viewsSilver drachm
BACΙΛΕΩC ΠΟΛΕΜΩΝΟC
diademed head of Polemo right
ETOYC - K (year 20)
laureate head of Nero right;
57 - 58 A.D.
3.645g
18.1mm, die axis 180o
RPC I 3832, SNG Cop 242, BMC Pontus 7 - 8, SNG von Aulock 6691
Ex-Forum
Marcus Antonius Polemon Pythodoros, also known as Polemon II of Pontos and Polemon of Cilicia is the only known direct descendant of Mark Antony who bares his name. Through his maternal grandmother he was a direct descendant of Mark Antony and his second wife Antonia Hybrida Minor. Antony and Antonia Hybrida were first paternal cousins. He was Antony’s second born great grandson. Through Antony, he was a distant cousin to Roman Client King Ptolemy of Mauretania and Drusilla of Mauretania. He was also a distant cousin to Roman Emperors Caligula, Claudius and Nero and Roman Empresses Valeria Messalina, Agrippina the Younger and Claudia Octavia.
Polemon II’s father Polemon Pythodoros King of Pontos died in 8 BC. His mother then married King Archelaus of Cappadocia, and the family moved to the court of his stepfather. In 17 AD Archelaus died and Polemon II and his mother moved back to Pontus. From 17 until 38, Polemon II assisted his mother in the administration of Pontos. When his mother died in 38, Polemon II succeeded her as the sole ruler of Pontus, Colchis and Cilicia.
Around 50 AD, Polemon II met the Judean princess Julia Berenice in Tiberias during a visit to King Agrippa I. Berenice was widowed in 48 AD when her second husband and paternal uncle Herod of Chalcis, died. She had two sons by him, Berenicianus and Hyrcanus. Berenice set the condition that Polemon II had to convert to Judaism before marriage, which included undergoing the rite of circumcision. Polemon II complied, and the marriage went ahead but it did not last long. Berenice left Pontus with her sons and returned to the court of her brother. Polemon II abandoned Judaism and, according to the legend of Bartholomew the Apostle, accepted Christianity, only to become a pagan again.
In 62, Nero compelled Polemon II to abdicate the Pontian throne. Pontos and Colchis became a Roman province. From then until his death, Polemon II only ruled Cilicia. He never remarried and had no children that are known.
Polemon's sister Antonia Tryphaena's Royal lineage goes all the way down to Nana Queen of Iberia, who died in 363 AD. Truly Antony may have lost the battle of Actium but won the war of genetics!Jay GT4
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44 BC Julius Caesar Lifetime Portrait denarius523 viewsCAESAR DICT PERPETVO
laureate head of Julius Caesar right
L BVCA
Venus seated right holding Victory on extended right hand, transverse scepter in left
Struck Feb - Mar 14th, 44 BC.
3.58g
RCV 1410, RSC 24.
Venus seated' only appears on this one type of Caesar's 'lifetime' issues, on the remainder she is standing.
Lucius Aemilius Buca was a distant relative of the dictator Sulla. This coin was struck within a month of Caesar's murder.
Ex-Incitatus, Ex-CNG Electronic Auction 223, lot 393Jay GT4
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RIC 0002 Vespasian denarius511 viewsIMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG
Laureate head of Vespasian right
IVDAEA
Judaea as mourning captive seated right on ground at foot of trophy.
Celebrating the success of Vespasian and Titus in quelling the first Jewish Revolt. Portrait looks like a cross between Otho and Vitellius
Rome 69-70 AD
RIC 2 (C2); Sear 2296; Hendin 6509 (6th)
3.285g
Ex-Forum from the Maridvnvm collection
Jay GT4
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Roman Empire, Philip I Sestertius509 viewsIMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG
Laureate bust right
VICTORIA AVG SC
Victory advancing right holding wreath and palm
17.1g
Rome
244-5 AD
RIC 192a
Sear 9021
Ex-Tater's
SOLD Forum Auction April 2019Jay GT4
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The 12 Caesars + One Virtual tray459 viewsAfter seeing Potator's image of his 12 Caesar's I was inspired to do my own (of course including Mark Antony! While compiling my list I realized I'm missing a Julius Caesar portrait so a non portrait had to fill in. It's difficult choosing which coin to include in this set, in some cases I only had one (Galba) but others I had many more to choose from (Flavians). I do have better portraits of some but I thought these had more interesting types:
Marcus Antonius denarius
Julius Caesar denarius
Augustus denarius
Tiberius denarius
Caligula AE As
Claudius AE As
Nero Dupondius
Galba AE As
Otho Tetradrachm
Vitellius denarius
Vespasian denarius
Titus denarius
Domitian denarius
Image is clickable for larger size.
To see the coins individually see them in my gallery.Jay GT4
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Caligula AE As443 viewsC CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS PON M TR POT
Bear head left
VESTA SC
Vesta seated left holding patera and sceptre
Rome 37-38AD
11.28g
Sear 1803 RIC 38
From an uncleaned lot!Jay GT4
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ROMAN EMPIRE, Faustina II denarius427 viewsFAVSTINAE AVG PII AVG FIL
VENVS
Venus standing left holding apple and rudder, around shaft of which dolphin is entwined
Rome 148-152 AD
2.65g
Sear 4708
Delicate portrait with an elegant Venus
Faustina II was the daughter of Antoninus Pius, wife of Marcus Aurelius and mother of Commodus.
SOLD! Forum Auction February 2020Jay GT4
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Faustina II denarius420 viewsFAVSTINA AVGVSTA
Draped and diad. bust right
IVNONI REGINAE
Juno seated holding patera and sceptre, peacock at feet
Rome 161-175 AD
Sear 5257
RIC 698
RSC 145
3.1g
A more mature Faustina
Ex-CNG catalog May 22, 2002 part of Lot 1711
From the Jurgen K. Schmidt collection
https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=102656
SOLD! Forum Auction February 2020Jay GT4
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RIC 0853 Domitian Tetradrachm415 viewsIMP CAES DOMITIANVS
Laureate head of Domitian right
AVG GERM
Six ears of corn; P in exergue
Minted in Rome for circulation in Asia
circa 95 AD
10.17g
RPC 874/1, RIC 853 (R)
RPC lists 9 examples but only one with the P in exergue
Ex-Calgary Coins, Ex-Pars Coins
Wildwinds exampleJay GT4
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54 BC M. Junius Brutus AR Denarius.408 viewsLIBERTAS
bust of Libertas right
BRVTVS in ex
Consul L Junius Brutus, between two lictors, preceeded by accensus, all walking left, .
Rome, 54 BC.
3.61g
Syd 906, Cr433/1, Junia 31.
Ex-IncitatusJay GT4
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RIC 0019 Titus Denarius379 viewsIMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG PM
Laureate head of Titus right
TR P VIIII IMP XIIII COS VII P P
Capricorn left, globe below
Reverse based on the coinage of Augustus
Rome 79 CE
RSC 280
RIC 19 (C)
3.3g
Ex- Civitas, Ex-Calgary CoinsJay GT4
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Nutella Julius Caesar377 viewsNUTELLA CESAR 1995 Coscinny Uderzo in Exergue
Laureate draped bust of Caesar
CAESAR DICT PERPETVO
Laureate head right
5.57g
Uncertain Italian mint
Found in a jar of Nutella!
:)
Jay GT4
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Antony Virtual tray376 viewsMy Antony coins at a glance.
Clickable for larger size photo
Individual coins in the Antony section of my galleryJay GT4
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Assortment of replica Biblical coins365 viewsI'm told that these were made in the 50's for use in Sunday schools. 7 coins encased in a slab of plastic. From smallest to largest they are as follows:
Lepton of Caponius 6 AD
Lepton of Pontius Pilate 29 AD
Herod Antipas 29 AD
Denarius of Tiberius14-37 AD
Harod the Great 37 BC
Shekel of Tyre 126 BC
Vespasian 72 AD
Quality is not as good as modern replicas but it makes a nice addition to my desk. I don't think these coins would fool anyone! :DJay GT4
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Mark Antony unofficial fouree348 viewsANT IMP III VIR R P C
Bare head of Mark Antony right, lituus behind
CN DOMIT AHENOBARBVS IMP
Prow of galley right star above
Corcyra? Summer 40BC
2.08g
Sear 1472; Imperators 258. RBW 1805. Crawford 521/2
Ex-ANE
Cn. Domitius Ahenobarbus was a republican admiral who accompanied Brutus to Macedonia after Caesar's assassination. He was given command of the fleet in the Adriatic. After Cassius and Brutus were defeated at Philippi, Ahenobarbus turned to piracy and was in command of up to 2 legions and 70 ships. He was reconciled to Antony's side by Asinius Pollio and after the Pact of Brundisium he was given back his civic rights and was appointed Governor of Bithynia. He remained loyal to Antony almost to the end but deserted him just prior to Actium, dying shortly after of illness. Jay GT4
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Antony and Octavian 347 viewsAntony and Octavian
Α Γ Ω N Ο Θ Ε Σ Ι Α
Bust of Agonotheseia right
ANT KAI within wreath
Æ 22 mm.
11.07g
RPC I, 1552. SNG ANS 819. SNG Copenhagen 375. BMC 64.
Ex-Aegean
Refers to the establishment of Games to commemorate Antony & Octavian's victory over Cassius & Brutus at Philipi in 42 B.C. The cheif organizers of these games were known as Agonothetes; Agonotheseia, who appears on the obverse, was the personification of the Games.
Rare, historical Jay GT4
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Otho Tetradrachm334 viewsAYTOKPATWP M OΘWN KAICAP CEBACTOC
Laureate head right
ETOYC A
Eagle, wings raised, standing left on two laurel branches, wreath in beak, palm branch in left field, crescent between eagle's legs
Seleucis and Pieria, Antioch ad Orontem
69 AD
14.44g
Prieur-101, RPC-4199, McAlee-316.
Rare
ex-ANE
Amazing jet black toning
From Numiswiki:
"Having to contest the crown with his competitor Vitellius, whom he three times defeated, Otho was vanquished in his turn at the battle of Bedriacum and rather than be the coccasion of further bloodshed in civil war, he preferred making the sacrifice of his life, and with a frimness wholly unlooked for from so effeminately luxurious a character,deliberately slew himself with his own hand. He died on the 16th of April 69 AD, in the 37th year of his age, having reigned only ninety-five days."Jay GT4
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116-115 BC M. Sergius Silus310 viewsHelmeted head of Roma right
EX SC before, ROMA and XVI in monogram gehind
Helmeted horseman galloping left, holding sword and severed Gallic head in left hand
M SERGI below, SILVS in ex, Q below horses's forelegs
Rome 116-115 BC
3.91g
VF+
Sear 163, RRC 286/1
This issuer strikes as a quaestor and by special decree of the Senate (EX Senatus Consulto). Quaestors were the immediate superiors of the moneyers and under unusual circumstances occasionally utilized their authority to produce coins.
Ex-Lucernae
2011 Forum Best of Type winnerJay GT4
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Roman Military Diploma Fragment308 viewsBronze Roman Military Diploma Fragment
Latin text on both sides
42mm x 17mm x 2mm.
3.83g
Dark green patina.
Found in the former Yugoslavia.
Late 1st century. Possibly during the reign of Domitian
Possible inscription thanks to Curtis Clay:
Line 3: ASV, prob. from NOMINA SVBSCRIPTA, "whose names are written below".
Line 4: maybe EMD, coming from CIVITATEM DEDIT, "he grants citizenship".
Line 5: ABVI, from HABVISSENT, "(to the wives that they presently) have".
Line 6: ELIBE, from CAELIBES, "unmarried".
Line 7: MTA from DVMTAXAT, "just or merely (one wife per soldier)"
Lines 8-11: Should be the month date and the current consuls, which if they could be restored would establish the date of the diploma!
This fragment was submitted to Istvan for analysis. His rendering below:
Obverse:
]NIS [
]ION[ or ]HON[
]PTA SV[
]EM DE[
]HABVIS[
]ELIBES[
]MTAX[
] D [
]TIANO [
] IO [ or ]NO [ or ]HO [
] _S _ [
Reverse:
[the imperial names amd titles are in the previous (provbably three) lines
[IIS QV]I MILITA[VERVNT EQVITES ET PEDITES]
[IN A]LIS DECEM ET [COHORTIBVS ... QVAE]
[APELLANTVR ...]
those cavalrymen and infantrymen who served in ten alae and ... cohortes, which are called...
Jay GT4
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RIC 1076 (V) Titus denarius304 viewsT CAESAR IMP VESPASIANVS
laureate head right
TR POT VIII COS VII
bound Jewish captive kneeling right in front of trophy
Rome mint, as Caesar, first half of 79 A.D
3.325g
18.5mm, 180o
Choice aVF
RIC II (Vespasian) 1076 (C); BMCRE II 258; RSC II 334, Paris 229; SRCV I 2449
Ex-Forum!
Thought to be minted to remind the Romans of Titus' spectacular victory over Jerusalem 9 years earlier.Jay GT4
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RIC 0849 Vespasian denarius303 viewsIMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG
laureate head of Vespasian right
IOVIS CVSTOS
Jupiter standing half-left, sacrificing from patera in right over small lit altar at feet on left, long scepter grounded behind in left
Rome, 75 - 76 A.D.
3.458g, die axis 180o
RIC II, part 1, 849 (C3); BMCRE III 276; RSC II 222; BnF III 249; SRCV I 2295
Ex-Forum, Ex-Heritage CICF World and Ancient Coins Signature Auction 3032, part of lot 30530Jay GT4
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RIC 0680 (V) Domitian denarius SOLD300 viewsCAES AVG F DOMIT COS II
Laureate head of Domitian right
No legend
Domitian on horseback prancing left, right hand raised, holding human-headed (helmet) sceptre in left
Rome 73 AD
3.25g
RIC 680 Vespasian (C); Sear 2627
Double die match to CNG E-Auction 481 lot 557
Ex-Forum
The reverse depicts Domitian participating in the Judaea Capta triumph of 71 A.D. He is, as Josephus described him, riding alongside in magnificent apparel and mounted on a horse that was itself a site worth seeing.
SOLD to Incitatus Jan 2021Jay GT4
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RIC 1406 Vespasian Ephesus denarius296 viewsIMP CAES VESPAS AVG
Laureate head of Vespasian right
PACI AVGVSTAE
Victory advancing left holding wreath and palm, tilted Φ before her right foot.
Ephesus mint
69/70 AD
3.05g
RIC 1406 (R ). BMCRE 435. RPC 812 (8 specimens cited).
Released from an NGC slab. Graded as a fouree but shows no signs of plating. This is an official coin!
Ex-Ancient GalleonJay GT4
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Antony & The 12 Caesars295 viewsA variation on my other virtual coin trays. This one includes a lifetime portrait of Julius Caesar. It's difficult choosing which coin to include in this set, in some cases I only had one (Galba, Otho) but others I had many more to choose from. I do have better portraits of some but I thought these had more interesting reverse types or portrait styles:
Marcus Antonius denarius
Julius Caesar denarius
Augustus denarius
Tiberius denarius
Caligula AE As
Claudius AE As
Nero Dupondius
Galba AE As
Otho Tetradrachm
Vitellius denarius
Vespasian denarius
Titus denarius
Domitian denarius
Image is clickable for larger size.
To see the coins individually see them in my gallery.Jay GT4
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Juba II and Cleopatra Selene291 viewsREX IVBA
Diademed head right
BACIΛICCA KΛEOΠATPA
Star and crescent.
Caesarea; 25 B.C.-23 A.D
17 mm, 2.62 gm
MAA 85; SNG Copenhagen 590; Mazard 300.
VF, toned
Scarce
Ex-ANE
Juba II was the only son and heir of his father King Juba I. King Juba I was the King of Numidia and ally to Pompey the Great. He fought against Julius Caesar at the battle of Thapsus and lost commiting suicide soon after. His son Juba II was taken away to Rome to be paraded in Caesar's Triumph's. He was then raised in Caesar's houshold and educated in both Latin and Greek excelling in his studies. He was praised as one of Rome's most educated citizens and at age 20 even published a work entitled Roman Archaeology. He became life long friends with Julius Caesar's heir Octavian. He accompanied Octavian on several campaigns during the turbulent times after Caesar's death even fighting at the battle of Actium against his future wifes parents...Antony and Cleopatra VII.
Augustus restored Juba II as the king of Numidia between 29 BC-27 BC and Numidia become one of the most loyal client kings that served Rome. Between 26 BC-20 BC, Augustus arranged for him to marry Cleopatra Selene II (daughter of Antony and Cleopatra) giving her a large dowry and appointing her queen. She also had been paraded in a Triumph in Rome after the battle of Actium. It was probably due to his services with Augustus in a campaign in Spain that led Augustus to make him King of Mauretania.
Cleopatra is said to have exerted considerable influence on Juba II's policies. Juba II encouraged and supported the performing arts, research of the sciences and research of natural history. Juba II also supported Mauretanian trade. Mauretania traded all over the Mediterranean and exported fish grapes, pearls, figs, grain, wooden furniture and purple dye harvested from certain shellfish, which was used in the manufacture of purple stripes for senatorial robes. Juba II sent a contingent to Iles Purpuraires to re-establish the ancient Phoenician dye manufacturing process.
Cleopatra Selene seems to have inherited the same qualities of both Antony and Cleopatra VII. She was strong willed and maintained her Egyptian/Greek heritage. She seems intent on continuing the Ptolomaic line of strong women rulers using the same titles as her mother. She died sometime before Juba II. The Greek Historian Plutarch describes Juba II as 'one of the most gifted rulers of his time'. Between 2 BC-2, he travelled with Gaius Caesar as a member of his advisory staff to the troubled Eastern Mediterranean. In 21, Juba II made his son Ptolemy co-ruler. Juba II died in 23 AD. He had two children by Cleopatra Selene, Ptolomy of Mauretania (1 BC- 40 AD) and Drusilla of Mauretania (born in 5 AD). He was burried in the Mausolium he constructed for himself and his wife which is still visible today. Jay GT4
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Brutus Gold Stater 282 viewsRoman Consul Brutus in center accompanied by two lictors
KOΣΩN in ex. BR monogram on left.
Eagle standing left on scepter, wings open raising wreath in left claw.
Eastern mint, Dacia? 43-42 B.C.
8.38g
Choice aUNC
RPC I 1701; BMC Thrace p. 208, 1; BMCRR II 48; Crawford 433/1
Ex-ANE, Ex CNG
Clickable for larger image
For an excellent write up/ theory on these coins including a fascinating metalurgy report:
http://www.calgarycoin.com/reference/articles/koson/koson.htm
And of course the numiswiki article:
http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=Koson
Jay GT4
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Constantine Roma281 viewsRoma AE Commemorative
VRBS ROMA
bust of Roma left, wearing helmet with plume, and imperial mantle
She-wold standing left, suckling twins Romulus and Remus, mintmark gamma SIS in ex.
Siscia mint, 330-333 AD
2.63g
RIC VII Siscia 222.
Jay GT4
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Mark Antony272 viewsM ANTONI IMP
Bare head of Marcus Antonius right, bearded
III VIR R P C
Distyle temple containing facing bust of Sol on disk
Epirus? Autumn of 42 BC
3.44g
Sear 1467
Scarce
Ex-Incitatus
David Sear in "The History and Coinage of the Roman Imperators" says:
The reappearance of IMP in Antony's titulature suggests that this issue is subsequent to the second battle of Philippi (23 October), though as the Triumvir is still bearded it must have been struck quite soon after the deaths of Brutus and Cassius before orders had been given for the modification of the portrait. With Caesar's murder now avenged both Antony and Octavian could shave the beards which they had worn as a sign of mourning."Jay GT4
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Nero Billon tetradrachm,270 viewsNEΡΩ KΛAΥ KAIΣ ΣEB ΓEΡ AΥ
radiate bust left with aegis LIΔ year
ΠOΣEIΔΩN IΣΘMIOΣ
bust of Poseidon right, wearing taenia, trident behind shoulder
14.21g
Alexandria mint, 29 Aug 67 - 9 Jun 68 A.D
Dattari 244; Milne 298; Curtis 152, Sear 2014
Ex-Zurgieh
This type is from a series of tetradrachms depicting and naming a variety of Greek deities; issued to commemorate Nero's sojourn in Greece in 67 - 68 A.D.Jay GT4
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Marcus Antonius and Octavian Denarius268 viewsM ANT IMP AVG III VIR R P C M BARBAT Q P (MP and AV in monogram)
Bare hd of Mark Antony right
Rev
CAESAR IMP PONT III VIR R P C
Bare head of Octavian right
Ephesus spring/summer 41 BC
3.54g
Sear 1504
This series of coins commemorates the establishment of the second Triumvirate of November 43 B.C. between Antony, Octavian and Lepidus. Both sides bear the inscription "III VIR R P C", meaning "One of Three Men for the Regulation of the Republic. Within a few years Antony would depart Italy for the Eastern provinces.
The moneyer for this coin is M. Barbatius Pollio who was also a Questor in 41 BC. Barbatius bears the title of "Quaestor pro praetore" abbreviated to QP a distinction shared by his colleague L. Gelllius.
From the Enrico collectionJay GT4
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RIC 0026 Domitian denarius261 viewsIMP CAES DOMITIANVS AVG P M
Laureate head right
COS VII DES VIII P P
Dolphin coiled round anchor
Rome 81 A.D. (3rd group)
3.3g
RIC 26 (R), RSC 63
Ex-Enrico collection
Extra fine portrait!
Jay GT4
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82-80 BC C. Servilius Vatia Restoration 257 viewsLaureate head of Apollo right; lituus and B behind, mark of value below chin (XVI monogram)
Battle between two mounted horsemen, the one on the left armed with a sword, the other with spear, his shield inscribed M
C SERVEIL
Restored Issue 82-80 BC.
Original being of C. Servilius 127 BC
3.48g
Crawford 370/1b; Sydenham 720; Servilia 7
Scarce
ex-Canadian Coin
This is the Wildwinds example!
David Sear's Millennial addition comments:
"This type represents a remarkable revival of the issues of the monetary triumvirate which had held office approximately 45 years earlier though with the substitution of Apollo for the Roma head on the obverse. As well as being complimentary to several of Sulla's most prominent supporters Crawford suggests that their true purpose was to enable Sulla to issue a civil coinage without appointing a new triumvirate of moneyers for 82 BC or, alternatively, to celebrate the restoration of the Republic in 80."Jay GT4
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SOLD! Probus Antoninianus257 viewsIMP CM AVR PROBVS P AVG
Radiate and cuirassed bust of Probus right
VIRTVS PROBI AVG - KAΓ in exergue
Emperor on horseback trampling enemy, a shield in left hand, spear in right. A shield on the ground under the horse.
Bust type B
Serdica mint, 280-281 AD
4th emission, 3rd officina
3.92g
RIC 880 (C).
EF with wonderful smooth dark brown/black glossy patina. Even nicer in hand.
Ex-Calgary Coin; Ex-George W. La Borde collection
Published on Probuscoins.fr
Jay GT4
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Caracalla255 viewsANTONINVS PIVS AVG
Laureate head of Caracalla right
LAETITIA TEMPORVM
The spina of the Circus Maximus decorated as a ship facing l., with the turning posts at its prow and stern, a sail mounted on the central obelisk, and the spina's other monuments visible in between; above the ship, four quadrigas racing l.; below, seven animals: an ostrich at l. and bear at r.; between them a lion and a lioness chasing a wild ass and a panther attacking a bison.
Rome 206 AD
3.34g
Ex-Londinium coins, Ex Professor K.D. White with original envelope.
Sear 6813, RIC 157, BMCRE 257, CSS 793
Very rare! Only 2 examples in the Reka Devnia hoard
Better in hand
Notes by Curtis Clay:
This famous type commemorates the chariot races and animal hunt that took place on the seventh and final day of Severus' Saecular Games in 204 AD, as described in the inscriptional acts of those games which were found in Rome in the 1870s and 1930s. According to the acts, after three days of sacrifices and three days of honorary stage shows, Severus and Caracalla held circus games on the seventh day, consisting of chariot races and then a hunt of 700 beasts, 100 each of "lions, lionesses, panthers, bears, bisons, wild asses, ostriches". Dio Cassius describes the same hunt, adding the detail that the cage from which the animals were discharged was formed like a boat: "The entire receptacle in the theater had been fashioned in the shape of a boat and was capable of receiving or discharging four hundred beasts at once; and then, as it suddenly fell apart, there came rushing forth bears, lionesses, panthers, lions, ostriches, wild asses, bisons, so that 700 beasts in all, both wild and domesticated, at one and the same time were seen running about and were slaughtered. For to correspond with the duration of the festival, which lasted seven days, the number of the animals was also seven times one hundred." In Dio's text this passage follows directly on his account of Severus' Decennalian Games in 202 AD, causing scholars to accuse Dio of misdating the hunt or to postulate that similar hunts of 700 animals were held both in 202 and in 204. But the true explanation, in my opinion, is that Dio's Byzantine epitimator Xiphilinus, on whom we are dependent for this section of Dio's text, has simply jumped without warning or transition from Dio's description of the Decennalian Games of 202 to his description of the circus spectacle concluding the Saecular Games of 204. This hypothesis easily explains why Dio's text as we have it makes no mention of the Saecular Games themselves or of any event of 203: Xiphilinus omitted this whole section of Dio's history! The seven kinds of animals named by both Dio and the inscriptional acts are also depicted in the coin type: on good specimens, especially the aureus BM pl. 34.4, the ostrich and the bear are clear, the lion has a mane, the ass has long ears, the bison has horns and a hump. Two large felines remain, of which we may suppose that the one accompanying the lion is the lioness and the one attacking the bison is the panther. The animals are named somewhat differently in Cohen, BMC, and other numismatic works: though numismatists have long cited Dio's text to explain the coin type, no one previously seems to have posed the question whether the seven animals in the lower part of the type might not be the same seven that Dio and now the inscriptional acts too name! These circus games with the ship and 700 animals were held in 204 AD, but the coin type commemorating them did not appear until two years later: on aurei of Septimius the type is die linked to a dated type of 206 AD, and for Caracalla the type passes from a draped and cuirassed obverse type on the aureus to the "head only" type on his denarii, a transition that took place in 206 AD according to his dated coins.
SOLD October 2014Jay GT4
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SOLD! Mark Antony & Julius Caesar portrait denarius254 viewsM ANTON IMP R P C
Bare head of Mark Antony right, bearded, lituus behind
CAESAR DIC
Wreathed head of Caesar right, capis behind
Gaul, November 43 BC
Imperators 123, Crawford 488/2, Sydenham 1166, Cohen 3, BMCRR Gaul 55, 57
3.05g
Rare!
Ex-Alberta coins
From Sears Imperator's:
"This issue would appear to be a revival of the type struck by Antony in the spring during the war around Mutina. After his Gallic adventures Antony, accompanied by his ally Lepidus, was now back in Cisalpine Gaul to meet with his former opponent Octavian. The conference between the three men at Bononia in early November, set the seal on the formation of the Second Triumvirate, an event commemorated by this issue. It clearly belongs to the period immediately following the agreement at Bononia as the form of the triumviral titulature (R P C) had not yet been expanded to the normal III VIR R P C. A distinctive feature of this coinage is the portrait of Antony which has a strangely elongated form, giving it something of the appearance of a caricature. Presumably, Antony's retinue at this time lacked the services of a die-engraver competent in the art of portraiture."
SOLD Coin Expo May 2023 to C. Euston CoinsJay GT4
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Mark Antony Legionary Denarius LEG IIII252 viewsANT AVG III VIR R P C
galley r. mast with banners at prow
LEG IIII
legionary eagle between two standards
3.04g
Patrae mint 32-31BC
Sear Imperator's 353; Crawford 544/16; Cohen 29
Ex-Calgary Coin
VERY RARE
This type with LEG IIII rather than LEG IV is quite rare. No examples were found in the Delos Hoard of 1905. Missing from RBW collection.
Only 3 examples ever offered by CNG.
Jay GT4
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RPC 2464 Titus Tetradrachm246 viewsSilver tetradrachm
AYTOK TITOY KAIΣO YEΣΠAΣIANOY ΣEB
laureate head of Titus right
ΣAPAΠIΣ
bust of Sarapis right, wearing taenia, modius on head ornamented with branches of laurel, date LB (year 2) right
Alexandria mint, 29 Aug 79 - 28 Aug 80 A.D
12.254g, 25.4mm
9 Specimens
Milne 456 - 457; Geissen 319; Dattari 426; cf. BMC Alexandria p. 34, 281 (year 3); Emmett 235; RPC 2464
Ex-Forum
2011 Forum Best of Type winner
This is the Wildwinds example
Ptolemy Soter, wanting to integrate Egyptian religion with that of their Hellenic rulers, by promoted worship of Serapis as a deity that would win the reverence of both groups alike. This was despite the curses of the Egyptian priests against the gods of previous foreign rulers (i.e Set who was lauded by the Hyksos). Alexander the Great had attempted to use Amun for this purpose, but Amum was more prominent in Upper Egypt, and not as popular in Lower Egypt, where the Greeks had stronger influence. The Greeks had little respect for animal-headed figures, and so an anthropomorphic statue was chosen as the idol, and proclaimed as the equivalent of the highly popular Apis. It was named Aser-hapi (i.e. Osiris-Apis), which became Serapis, and was said to be Osiris in full, rather than just his Ka (life force). Ptolemy's efforts were successful - in time Serapis was held by the Egyptians in the highest reverence above all other deities, and he was adored in Athens and other Greek cities.
Jay GT4
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Bruttium, Terina244 viewsTEPINAION
Head of nymph right; triskeles behind
Nike seated left on plinth, holding kerykeion.
Terina, Bruttium. 300 BC
2.04g
Holloway & Jenkins 107; HN Italy 2641
Ex-CNG 396 lot 29; Ex-Aegean
Also called 1/3 NomosJay GT4
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Fulvia Second wife of Mark Antony241 viewsBust of Fulvia as Victory right
Lion right between A and XL (year 40) LVGV in ex DVNI above
Lugdunum, autumn 43 BC
1.37g
Sear 1518
RSC 4
Antony's name is not mentioned on the coin but the date-numeral A XL (year 40) refers to his age at the time of the issue. A similar type was struck the following year which includes Antony's name and titles and recods his age as 41.
Silver Quinarius fouree 1.36gm
ex CNG 9/98 #1358
LOSTJay GT4
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RIC 0544 Domitian As238 viewsIMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XIII CENS PER PP
Laureate head of Domitian right
FORTVNAE AVGVSTI SC
Fortuna standing left holding rudder and cornucopiae
Rome 87 AD
10.9g
RIC 544 (C3)
Ex-Tater'sJay GT4
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RIC 0601 Vespasian As229 viewsIMP CAES VESP AVG P M T P COS IIII CENS
Laureate head of Vespasian right
VESTA SC
Doomed temple of Vesta in the Forum, showing four columns and containing statue of the goddess on pedestal
Rome 73 AD
9.48g
RIC 601 (R); Sear 2365; BMCRE 664
Rare
Ex-Calgary Coin
This celebrated temple had been rebuilt by Nero following the great fire of 64 AD. The Neronian structure survived until another conflagration late in the reign of Commodus and was again restored early in the 3rd century by Julia Domna. It was again rebuilt in more modern times where it still stands in the Roman Forum to this day.
Die notes from Curtis Clay:
"Same dies, and better condition, than the Paris spec., pl. LVII, 663.
The BM spec., pl. 26.9, also illustrated in RIC, pl. 40, 601, is also from the same rev. die, but a different obv. die.
The BM and Paris specimens of the same As for Titus COS II CENS are also from that same rev. die: BM pl. 27.7 = RIC pl. 42, 640; Paris pl. LIX, 689."
Jay GT4
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Vespasian-denarius ancient immitation227 viewsIMI CAES VESP AVG PM COS IIII
laureate head right
PONTIF MAXIM
Vespasian seated right, holding scepter and branch.
2.59 g
18.8 mm
Rome
72-73 AD
RIC -; RSC 388; BMCRE p.12
Ex-Vcoins Auction, Ex-Imperial coins
Some insight why this may not be official from Curtis Clay:
1. For mint mules the obv. and rev. should belong to either the same issue or to immediately successive issues. But on Jay's coin the obv. is of 72-early 73 (COS IIII without CENS), but the PONTIF MAXIM rev. is not otherwise known with that COS IIII obv. legend, nor with the next legend with COS IIII CEN, nor with the legend after that with just CEN and still clockwise, but only with the third obv. legend thereafter, namely CEN but counterclockwise. That rev. type is probably of 74 AD, since at its last stage it occurs with a legend specifically dated to 74, PON MAX TR P COS V. Obv. of 72-early 73, rev. of 74: that's a combination that the official mint was unlikely to produce.
2. IMI for IMP in obv. legend, an error that an official engraver was unlikely to make.Jay GT4
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RIC 0848 Julia Titi Cistophorus Tetradrachm218 viewsIVLIA AVGVSTA DIVI TITI F
Draped bust of Julia right
VESTA
Vesta seated left, holding Palladium and sceptre
Rome mint for Eastern circulation, 82 AD
10.60g
Sear 2914, RIC II 848 (Domitian) (R), RPC II 871, RSC 15, BMCRE Domitian 258
Rare
Ex-CNG, Ex-Calgary Coins
Julia was the daughter of Titus and lived with her uncle Domitian as his mistress from 84 AD until her death in 89 AD. Suetonius said she died as a result of an abortion which was forced on her by Domitian. After her death she was deified which is commemorated on this coin.Jay GT4
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Tiberius Tribute Penny215 viewsTI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVSTVS
Laureate head of Tiberius right
PONTIF MAXIM
Livia seated right holding scepter and branch, legs on char ornamented, feet on footstool
Lugdunum after 16 AD
3.64g
Sear 1763, RIC 26
Ex-Calgary coinJay GT4
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Nerva214 viewsIMP NERVA CAES AVG PM TR P COS III P P
Head of Nerva right
CONCORDIA EXERCITVVM
clasped right hands
Rome January-September 97 A.D.
3.51g
Sear 3020, RIC 14, RSC 20
Ex-Forum
VF with amazing toningJay GT4
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Tiberius213 viewsTI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVSTVS P M
bare head of Tiberius left
C I I A M IVLIVS SETTAL L SESTI CELER II VIR
altar, marked SAL AVG, C I I A around.
Italica Spain
RPC 196
12.8g 29mm
ex-Indalo coleccionesJay GT4
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Vitellius Macedon212 viewsOUITELLIOS GERMAIKOS AVTOK
Laureate head of Vitellius left
ΣEBAΣTOΣ MAKEΔONΩN
around round Macedonian shield
AE25
Macedonia
69 –70 A.D.
8.46g
RPC 1616, Moushmov 5878, Varbanov 2465
Rare
Sold Forum Auctions March 2016Jay GT4
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RIC 1555 Vespasian Neptune210 viewsIMP CAES VESP AVG P M COS IIII.
Laureate bust right.
NEP RED.
Neptune standing left, foot set on globe, holding sceptre and acrostolium.
Antioch mint
3.35g
RIC² 1555(C); RPC 1928
Ex-Ancient TreasuresJay GT4
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RIC 1464 Vespasian Ephesus denarius208 viewsIMP CAESAR VESPAS AVG COS V TR PPP
Laureate head right
CONCORDIA AVG
Concordia seated left, annulet below, star in Exergue
3.41g
Ephesus 74 AD
RIC 1464 (R2)
Rare
Ex-Calgary coin
about XFJay GT4
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VICTORIA207 viewsJust for fun, here are some of my Victory reverses...
From the Republic's Godess VICTORIA to the Byzantine Angel.
Individual coins are in the respective galleries with full attribution.Jay GT4
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RIC 0112 Titus denarius206 viewsIMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M
Head of Titus, laureate, bearded, right
TR P IX IMP XV COS VIII P P
Dolphin coiled around anchor
Rome mint, 80 AD
3.09g
RIC 112 (C2), BMCRE 72, RSC 309
Ex-Londinium Coins
Titus' pulvinar series commemorating the opening of the Colosseum.Jay GT4
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SOLD! Probus Billon Antoninianus206 viewsIMP C M AVR PROBVS P AVG
Radiate, mantled bust left holding eagle tipped scepter
SOL INVICTO
Sol in spread Quadriga holding whip KAΓ in ex
Serdica 277 AD
RIC 864 Bust type H
3.84g
Scarce
This coin published on Probuscoins.fr
Sold Coin Expo May 2023 to CPJay GT4
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Germanicus by Caligula205 viewsGERMANICVS CAESAR TI AVG F DIVI AVG N
Bare head of Germanicus left
C CAESAR DIVI AVG PRON AVG P M TR P IIII P P
around large SC
Rome 40-1 AD
9.79g
Sear 1822, RIC 50
Issued by Caligula in honour of his deceased father Germanicus.
Ex-Tater'sJay GT4
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20-10 BC Octavian and Agrippa205 viewsAugustus & Agrippa AE Dupondius
IMP DIVI F
back-to-back heads of Agrippa, wearing rostral crown, & Augustus, bare
COL NEM
palm shoot, crocodile before (not chained), two wreaths with long ties trailing above palm tip
Nemausus Mint
20-10 BC.
RPC 523
15.93g Heavy Early Issue!
Jay GT4
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Rare Nero provincial "sestertius"204 views
ΝΕΡΩΝ ΚΛΑΥΔΙΟΣ ΚΑΙΣΑΡ ΣΕΒΑΣΤΟΣ ΓΕΡΜΑΝΙ
Laureate head on Nero right
ΝΕΡΩΝ ΚΑΙΣΑΡ
Emperor riding right with lance, behind him a soldier riding right with Vexillum
16.78g, 32 mm
RPC 2104; countermark Howgego GIC 557 Prusa ad Olympum
Extremely rare (RPC cites 2 examples, both with the same countermark)
This provincial "sestertius" copies the DECVRSIO issues of Nero.
Ex-Londinium coin
Sold to Calgary Coins November 2016
Jay GT4
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Claudius & Antonia Tetradrachm203 viewsTI KΛAY∆I KAIΣ ΣEBA ΓEPMANI AYTOKP
laureate head right, date LB (year 2) before
ANTΩNIA ΣEBAΣTH
bust of Antonia right, hair in queue
29 Sep 41 - 28 Sep 42 A.D.
Alexandria mint
11.054g, 23.2mm, die axis 0o,
RPC 5117; Geissen 62; Milne 61; BMC Alexandria p. 9, 65; Dattari 114; SNG Milan 620, SNG Cop 57; Sommer 12.3, Emmett 73
Scarce
Ex-Forum
Antonia was the youngest daughter of Mark Antony and Octavia. She was a niece of the Emperor Augustus, sister-in-law of the Emperor Tiberius, paternal grandmother of the Emperor Caligula and Empress Agrippina the Younger, mother of the Emperor Claudius, and both maternal great-grandmother and paternal great-aunt of the Emperor Nero. She was additionally the maternal great-aunt of the Empress Valeria Messalina and Faustus Cornelius Sulla Felix, and paternal grandmother of Claudia Antonia, Claudia Octavia, and Britannicus.Jay GT4
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Mark Antony Fleet coinage202 viewsMarcus Antonius Fleet coinage (Light Series)
M ANT IMP TERT COS DESIG ITER ET TERT III VIR RPC
Conjoined heads of Marcus Antonius and Octavia right
M OPPIVS CAPITO PRO PR PRAEF CLASS FC
Galley under sail right
Tarentum (?) summer 37 BC
4.13g
Sear 1497, RPC 1470, CRI 296,
Very rare in any condition
Cleaned by Kevin at NRC.
The legendary Fleet coinage of Antony belongs to two series, heavy and light. The "light series" is thought to have been minted at a later date, possibly just after Antony returned from his conference with Octavian in 37 BC. The meeting saw the Pact of Tarentum. Part of that agreement saw Antony loan 120 ships to Octavian along with his Admirals Altratinus and Capito.
A fine insight into Antony's administrative abilities can be seen by his fleet coinage that came in sestertius, dupondius and as denominations. Of note is that Antony's "Fleet Coinage" shows the appearance of the first sestertius in bronze rather than silver. When Octavian (Augustus) reformed the coinage 20 years later he maintained the exact same denominations; sestertius, dupondius and as. After Actium Octavian also kept many if not all of the client Kings in their positions and territories. A strong case for Antony's capabilities as an administrator.
M. Oppius Capito occupied an important position in Antony's inner circle although little is known of him. Capito's coins are more abundant than those of his colleagues and only Capito's coins include the title "Praefectus classis" (Prefect of the fleet). Most of his coins are found in Greece and were probably minted in Piraeus, the harbor complex of Athens. Athens at this time was the home of Antony and Octavia so it is likely that Capito's mint would be located here.
Sold to Calgary Coin Jan 2016Jay GT4
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Mark Antony Legionary Denarius LEG XVII CLASSICAE201 viewsANT AVG III VIR R P C
Galley right mast with banners at prow
LEG XVII CLASSICAE
Legionary eagle between two standards
Patrae mint 32-31 BC
2.99g
Crawford 544/10, Sydenham 1238, BMCRR 223, RSC I 50
Very scarce
Not the greatest coin but one that was missing from my collection. The ending of "CLASSICAE" is clearly seen on the reverse.
LEG XVII CLASSICAE was raised by Antony and was later disbanded or lost it's identity after the battle of Actium, being incorporated into Octavian's legions. The cognomen "Classica" seems to relate to special naval duties assigned to this regiment by Antony.Jay GT4
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Antony & Octavia tetradrachm 200 viewsSilver Cistophorus
M ANTONIVS IMP COS DESIG ITER ET TERT
Head of Antony right, wreathed with ivy, lituus below, all within ivy wreath
III VIR R P C
Draped bust of Octavia right above cista mystica flanked by two snakes
Ephesus, summer-autumn 39 BC
10.42g
Sear 1512, RPC 2201
Ex-Incitatus
This issue commemorates the marriage between Antony and Octavia and also celebrates Antony as "the new Dionysus". The honor was bestowed on Antony in 41 BC when he arrived in Ephesus. Antony is named as Imperator and Consul designate for the second and third time. This fixes the date towards the end of 39 BC. after the pact of Misenum in July. At that time the consular designations were agreed upon for the next eight years. However it must also be dated before the winter of 39-38 BC when Antony was acclaimed as Imperator for the second time.
Octavia is not specifically mentioned by name, but certainly there can be no doubt it is her image found on the reverse given the time this coin was minted.Jay GT4
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RIC 0029 Vespasian denarius200 viewsIMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG
Laur. head of Vespasian right
COS ITER TR POT
Pax seated left holding olive branch and caduceus
Rome 70 AD
RIC 29 (C3), BMC 26, RSC 94h, Sear 2285
3.4g
Interesting early portrait looks very much like VitelliusJay GT4
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RIC 0108 Titus denarius200 viewsIMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M
Laureate head right
TR P IX IMP XV COS VIII P P
Wreath on curule chair.
3.27g
Rome 79 AD
RIC 108 (C2), RSC 318
In the Roman Republic, and later the Empire, the curule seat (sella curulis, supposedly from currus, "chariot") was the chair upon which senior magistrates or promagistrates owning imperium were entitled to sit, including dictators, masters of the horse, consuls, praetors, censors, and the curule aediles. According to Livy the curule seat, like the Roman toga, originated in Etruria and it has been used on surviving Etruscan monuments to identify magistrates. The curule chair is used on Roman medals as well as funerary monuments to express a curule magistracy; when traversed by a hasta (spear), it is the symbol of Juno.
The curule chair was traditionally made of or veneered with ivory, with curved legs forming a wide X; it had no back, and low arms. Although often of luxurious construction, the Roman curule was meant to be uncomfortable to sit on for long periods of time, the double symbolism being that the official was expected to carry out his public function in an efficient and timely manner, and that his office, being an office of the republic, was temporary, not perennial.Jay GT4
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Calabria Tarentum AR Drachm200 viewsHead of Athena to right, wearing crested Attic helmet adorned with Skylla preparing to hurl a stone
Owl standing to right on olive branch, head facing; ZOR (magistrate) to right, TAP to left.
3.07g
Circa 281-276 BC.
Vlasto 1048. McGill 135, Cote 348, Sear 367v. Jay GT4
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Trajan Sestertius199 viewsIMP CAES NERVAE TRAIANO AVG GER DAC PM TRP CO VI PP
Trajan facing right with aegis on front shoulder and behind the neck of the portrait.
Rev. SPQR OPTIMO PRINCIPI SC in Ex
Trajan on horseback holding spear and victory
Rome 112-114 AD
Rare
RIC 599
34mm 23.6g
Ex-Arcade coins
SOLD!
Comments from Mr. C. Clay:
"The interest of this rev. type, apart from its rarity on sestertii, is that it apparently represents the famous equestrian statue of Trajan in his Forum, which mightily impressed Constantius II when he visited Rome in 357 AD, but of which nothing is today extant.
This interpretation of the type is based on its date, soon after 1 Jan. 112 (Trajan COS VI), which we know was the dedication date of the Forum. Other coins of similar date explicitly commemorated the Forum, with legends FORVM TRAIANI and BASILICA VLPIA, and the horseman coin type make a very statuesque impression, the upright spear in the emperor's right hand hitting the ground and apparently providing support for that corner of the statue, in place of the raised right foreleg of the horse.
Moreover, when Septimius Severus used a very similar type on his own coins, he joined it with the famous Trajanic rev. legend SPQR OPTIMO PRINCIPI, the only time this legend appeared in Septimius' coinage. Who can doubt that these coins commemorate the Senate's vote of an equestrian statue to Septimius too, and that this statue deliberately imitated the famous one of Trajan in his Forum, explaining why the Trajanic legend was revived for the rev. type?"
Jay GT4
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Mark Antony Legionary PRAETORIARVM199 viewsANT AVG III VIR R P C
galley r. mast with banners at prow
CHORTIVM PRAETORIARVM
Legionary Eagle between two standards
Patrae mint 32-31BC
3.08g
Imperators 385, Sydenham 1213, BMCRR East 184, Cohen 7
Ex-Incitatus
Scarce/rare
An important and historical coin!
The Praetorian cohorts had their origins in the small escorts which accompanied the generals on campaign. The name derives from the commander's tent (praetorium), a name which was later applied to the commandant's house in a permanent fort. At the time of Actium Antony probably had at least four praetorian cohorts. In the years following Actium Augustus established a permanent body of nine praetorian cohorts, three in Rome, the remainder dispersed among neighboring towns. They were regarded as elite troops and this was reflected in their living conditions and pay (more than three times the rate for legionaries). The praetorian prefects, first appointed by Augustus in 2 BC were to exercise enormous political power in Rome in the centuries to follow.
Jay GT4
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Antony & the Caesar's197 viewsSince most of the 12 Caesar's were more closely related to Antony than to Augustus I thought it was appropriate to include Antony in my 12 Caesar's group shot. Individual coins can be seen in my galleries. While I have better portraits of some Emperor's I chose these for their interesting reverses and styles.
Clickable for a larger photo.Jay GT4
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AUGUSTUS & PTOLEMY OF NUMIDIA AE semis194 viewsAVGVSTVS DIVI F
bare head of Augustus right
C LAETILIVS APALVS II V Q, REX PTOL (Ptolemy, King) within diadem
Carthago Nova, Spain, under sole 'duovir quinqunennales' C Laetilius Apalus.
18.5mm, 5.3g.
RPC 172.
Ex-Incitatus
Ptolemy of Numidia was the son of King Juba II of Numidia and Cleopatra Selene II. He was also the grandson of Mark Antony and Cleopatra VII on his mohter's side. He was named in honor of the memory of Cleopatra VII, the birthplace of his mother and the birthplace of her relatives. In choosing her son's name, Cleopatra Selene II created a distinct Greek-Egyptian tone and emphasized her role as the monarch who would continue the Ptolemaic dynasty. She by-passed the ancestral names of her husband. By naming her son Ptolemy instead of a Berber ancestral name, she offers an example rare in ancient history, especially in the case of a son who is the primary male heir, of reaching into the mother's family instead of the father's for a name. This emphasized the idea that his mother was the heiress of the Ptolemies and the leader of a Ptolemaic government in exile.
Through his parents he received Roman citizenship and was actually educated in Rome. Amazingly he grew up in the house of his maternal aunt, and Antony's daughter Antonia Minor, the youngest daughter of Mark Antony and the youngest niece of Augustus. Antonia was also a half-sister of Ptolemy's late mother, also a daughter of Mark Antony. Antonia Minor's mother was Octavia Minor, Mark Antony's fourth wife and the second sister of Octavian (later Augustus). Ptolemy lived in Rome until the age of 21, when he returned to the court of his aging father in Mauretania.
Ptolemy was a co-ruler with his father Juba II until Juba's death and was the last semi-autonomous ruler of Africa. On a visit to Rome in 40 AD he was seen by the Emperor Caligula in an amphitheather wearing a spectacular purpal cloak. A jealous Caligula had him murdered for his fashionable purple cloak.
Sold to Calgary Coin Feb 2017Jay GT4
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RIC 0857 (V) Titus Aureus194 viewsT CAESAR IMP VESPASIAN
Laureate head of Titus right
COS V
Cow (heifer)standing right
Rome, 76 CE
6.84g
RIC 857 (C)
EX-Stephen Album Auction 43 lot 69
It has been proposed that the cow depicted on this type is one of the famous statues by the fifth century BCE Greek sculptor Myron. Myron's statues were brought to Rome by Augustus and were placed in the temple of Apollo on the Palatine in 28 BCE. Vespasian moved them to the new Temple of Pax that he began constructing in 71 CE, to celebrate the end of the Jewish War.
Jay GT4
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RIC 0356 Domitian AE Sestertius193 viewsIMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XI CENS POT PP
Laureate head of Domitian right
SC
Domitian standing left holding spear and parazonium, right foot on a reclining figure of Rhenus (The Rhine)
Rome 85 AD
25.47g
RIC 356 (C)
From the Enrico collection
This is the Wildwinds exampleJay GT4
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RIC 0948 (V) Titus denarius191 viewsT CAESAR IMP VESPASIANVS
laureate head right
COS VI
Mars standing left with spear & trophy
Rome, 77-78 AD
2.76g
RSC 65, RIC 948 (Vespasian); (C)Jay GT4
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Antony & Octavia tetradrachm191 viewsM ANTONIVS IMP COS DESIG ITER ET TERT
Conjoined heads of Antony and Octavia right, Antony wearing an ivy wreath
III VIR RPC
Dionysus standing left, holding cantharus and thyrsus on cista mystica flanked by two interlaced snakes
Ephesus, summer-autumn 39 BC
11.22g
Imperators 263, RPC 2202, Babelon Antonia 61, Syndenham 1198, BMCRR east 135
Punch mark on the obverse protrudes onto the reverse
Ex-Numisantique
This series of Cistophori from Asia commemorates the marriage of Antony and Octavia and celebrate's Antony's divine status in the east as the "New Dionysus" which was bestowed on him when he arrived in Ephesus in 41 BC. Antony's titulature of "Imperator and Consul designate for the second and third times" fixes the period of issue to the latter part of 39 BC after the Pact of Misenum in July and before Antony's second Imperatorial acclamation in the winter of 39-38BC
Jay GT4
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Sold! 113/112 BC L. Marcius Philippus189 viewsL Marcius Philippus
ROMA monogram
Head of King Philip V of Macedon right, wearing helmet decorated with goat's horns, Φ below chin
L PHILIPPVS
Equestrian statue right on tablet with inscription. Horseman carrying laurel-branch flower at horses feet. (XVI monogram) below tablet.
Rome 113/112 BC
3.96g
Crawford 293/1. Sydenham 551. Marcia 12.
Ex Calgary-Coin
This is the first Roman coin to depict an historical person instead of a personification or deity. The moneyer’s ancestor L. Marcius Q.f. Philippus negotiated a treaty between Rome and Philip V of Macedon.
Sold to C.P. April 2022Jay GT4
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RIC 0048 Domitian denarius189 viewsIMP CAES DOMITIANVS AVG PM
Laureate head right
TR P COS VII DES VIII
Curule chair, wreath above
Rome, September 13-December 31, 81 AD
3.5g
RIC 48 (C)
Ex-Calgary Coin; Ex-RM CollectionJay GT4
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SOLD! 55 BC Gn. Plancius188 viewsCN PLANCIVS AED CVR SC
Head of Macedonia right, wearing causia
Cretan goat standing right, bow and quiver behind
IIZ (Graffiti?) in Ex.
Rome 55 BC
3.46g
Sear 396, RRC 432/1
Ex-Canadian Coin
Gnaeus Plancius was a friend of Cicero and strikes this coin as curule aedile. The type recalls his military service in Crete under the Proconsul Q. Metellus. He was also a military tribune under C. Antonius. He later returned to Macedonia as questor under the Propraetor L. Appuleius Saturninus. While serving as Questor in Thessalonia Plancius courageously took in Cicero as a guest in his official residence. Earlier that year (January or Early February of 58 BC.) Cicero was exiled from Italy and Rome because of the Tribune Clodius' legislation which confiscated Cicero's property and forced him to stay 400 miles out of the city of Rome. Clodius was eventually killed along the Appian Way by his rival Milo. Cicero took up the case for the defense of Milo unsuccessfully. In 54 BC Cicero defended Gn. Plancius in a court case (Pro Plancio) in which A. Laterensis accused Plancius of illegally organizing voting clubs (Colegia) to sway the elections and of bribery. Cicero was able to get Plancius acquitted and wrote his Pro Plancio which outlined his speeches and lines of questioning.
Sold to Calgary Coin April 2022Jay GT4
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Justinian I Solidus185 viewsDN IVSTINIANVS PP AVI
Helmeted cuir. bust of Justinian I front, holding cross on globe and shield
VICTORIA AVCCCΘ
Angel standing front, holding cross on globe and long cross surmounted by Christogram, star at right
CONOB in ex.
9th Officina
Constantinople 527-565 AD
4.49g
SEAR 140
EF with amazing lustre
Ex- Wayne C. Phillips Rare Coins
SOLDJay GT4
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Mark Antony Legionary denarius LEG X IMPVESP183 viewsANT AVG III VIR R P C
Galley r. mast with banners at prow
IMPVESP counter mark above galley
LEG X?
Legionary eagle between two standards IMPVESP countermark
Patrae mint 32-31BC
3.01g
Ex-Incitatus
Obverse countermarked IMPVESP during Vespasian's reign showing this denarius was in circulation for well over 100 years! In hand I can make out X for the legion number but can't be sure if any other numerals appear after it. This countermark appears mostly on late Republican and Imperatorial denarii, although denarii of Augustus and denarii of the Flavians struck at Ephesus are also recorded. The MP VES countermarks circulated specifically within the province of Asia Minor. Martini noted that the output of silver coinage in relation to the civic bronze for this region was much smaller during the Julio-Claudian period. This suggests the denarii were countermarked to validate locally circulating silver coinage at an acceptable weight while the regional mints opened by Vespasian were gearing up production, a theory which the countermarking of cistophori with the contemporary MP VES AVG countermarks seems to support. The similarly countermarked Flavian denarii struck at Ephesus can be accounted for then as examples accidentally countermarked by unobservant mint workers during the transition.
LEG X (later called Gemina) was levied in 59 BC or earlier by Julius Caesar. It was the first legion levied by him personally and was raised in Spain. It played a major role in the Gallic war featuring prominently in Caesar's "Gallic Wars." Legio X was his most trusted and loyal Legion. In 45 BC the Legion was disbanded and given land grants in Southern Gaul.
During the civil war that followed Caesar's assassination, Legio X was reconstituted by Lepidus in the winter of 44/43 BC making use of many retired legionaries who re-enlisted. It was eventually turned over to Antony and fought for him until the final Battle of Philippi. The veterans obtained lands near Cremona, and an inscription reports that the name of the legion at the time was Veneria, "devoted to Venus." This alluded to Julius Caesar's claimed descent from Venus.
The newly levied Tenth was then taken by Antony to Armenia for his Parthian campaign. During Antony's civil war, the legion fought for him until his defeat at the Battle of Actium, after which the legion changed sides and moved into Octavian's army. They were then taken to Egypt to finish off Antony and Cleopatra. Octavian never fully trusted the 10th Legion as it had been fiercely loyal to both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. After Antony's death Octavian left the legion in the East in Syria. In 29 BC the legion was due to be discharged. When the legionaries pressed for their release and land grants Octavian was slow in complying. Suetonius says that the entire legion rioted and Octavian dishonorably discharged the entire legion.
Octavian now recruited new legionaries to fill the 10th Legion in its traditional recruiting grounds of Spain. Some of the senior Centurions may have re-enlisted for a third term to serve with the 10th. These men would have been in their late 40's or early 50's. The new legionaries marched over land to Syria to take up their posting. The new 10th Legion's home base was on the Euphrates to keep an eye on the Parthians.
The next discharge date would be 14-13 BC. This time the 10th Legion was settled in Beirut and the city was given Colony status. Ten years later the 10th Legion under Publius Quintilius Varus was marched down to Jerusalem to garrison the city after Herod the Great died. The 10th Legion would remain in Jerusalem until 6 AD.Jay GT4
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L. Titurius L.f. Sabinus183 viewsSABIN
Bare head of King Tatius right, bearded. Palm branch before
L TITVRI
Tarpeia facing, buried to her waist in shields, trying to ward off two soldiers who are about to cast their shields on her, star within crescent moon above
Rome, 89 BC
3.84g
Sear 251, RRC 344/2a
Ex-ANE from an old collection
Jet black toning.
One of the great legends of Rome commemorated on a coin. It tells the story of Rome being besieged by the Sabine king Titus Tatius after the "Rape" of the Sabine women. Tarpeia, daughter of the Roman commander Spurius Tarpeius, went out to the Sabine camp and offered them entry to the city in exchange for "what they bore on their left arms". She had meant their gold bracelets worn on their arms. Once inside the citadel the Sabines threw their shields—carried on the left arm—upon her, crushing her to death. Her body was then thrown from a steep cliff of the southern summit of the Capitoline Hill. The cliff was named the Tarpeian Rock after Tarpeia and would become the place of execution for Rome's most notorious traitors. King Tatius and Romulus soon were reconciled through the efforts of the abducted Sabine women who had come to love their Roman abductors. They jointly ruled over Rome for the next 5 years until Tatius death.Jay GT4
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Calabria, Taras Didrachm 272-235 BC182 viewsYouth on horse standing left with monogram N below, holding wreath above its head.
Taras holding Nike & trident, on dolphin left, TAPAΣ to right API-ΣTO below.
Calabria, Taras
250 BC
21 mm, 6.7gm
Ref: SNG-Cop-923, Vlasto 873v
Ex-Imperator Coins
New photo!Jay GT4
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Vespasian by Titus fouree182 viewsDIVVS AGVSTVS VESPASIANVS
Laureat head of Vespasian right
EX SC
Empty quadriga advancing left, ornamented with a miniature quadriga flanked by Victories at the top and two standing figures on the side
Rome 80/1 AD
3.17g
RIC II 60 (Titus); BMCRE 119 (Titus); RSC 146
Ancient counterfeit (fouree)
Sold Forum Auctions March 2017
Jay GT4
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40 BC Octavian denarius181 viewsC CAESAR III VIR R P C
Bare haed of Octavian right
Q SALVIVS IMP COS DESIG
thunderbolt
Italy early 40 BC
3.43g
Sear 1541
SOLD!
David Sear says that this Q Salvius may be Quintus Salvius Salvidienus Rufus who was the boyhood friend and confidant of Octavian. In 42 BC Octavian made him admiral of his fleet and instructed him to attack Sextus Pompey in Sicily. Despite being beaten by Sextus he was granted the title of Imperator which appears on this coin.
After the battle of Philippi Salvidienus was given command of 6 Legions an sent to Spain however he quickly had to return to Italy to confront Fulvia (Antony's wife) and Lucius Antonius (Antony's brother). Salvidienus captured and destroyed the city of Sentinum and then moved on to Perusia with Agrippa to besiege Lucius Antony. At the end of the Perusian War Octavian sent Salvidienus to Gallia as Governor, with eleven legions. He was also designated as consul for 39 BC, although he had not reached senatorial rank.
Salvidienus proved to be unworthy of Octavian's trust and entered into secret negotiations with Mark Antony thinking that Antony would prevail. Unfortunately for Salvidienus, Antony and Octavian were reconciled and Antony informed Octavian of Salvidienus treachary. Antony's decision to inform on Salvidienus has been used to show his desire to settle the differences with Octavian. The senate declared Salvidienus a public enemy and shortly after he was killed, either by his own hand or by execution.Jay GT4
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RIC 0034 Titus denarius181 viewsIMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M
Laureate head of Titus right
TR P VIIII IMP XIIII COS VII PP
Venus standing right her back turned towards spectator, holding helmet and transverse spear and resting on column
Rome, after July 1, 79 CE
2.89g
Sear 2507
RIC 34 (C2)
This reverse type is copied from the coinage of OctavianJay GT4
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RIC 0042 Vespasian Denarius 180 viewsIMP CAES VESP AVG PM
laureate head of Vespasian right
AVGVR PON MAX
simpulum, sprinkler, jug and lituus (emblems of the augurate and pontificate)
Rome 70-71 AD
Sear 2281; RIC II, part 1, 42 (R)
3.55g
Rare! Only one specimen in the Reka Devnia hoard, compared to 36 with TRI POT.Jay GT4
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RIC 1237 Vespasian180 viewsIMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG COS VIII PP
Laureate head of Vespasian right
SC
Eagle standing facing on globe, head right, wings spread
Lugdunum mint
77-78 AD
8.77g
RIC 1237 (C3); Sear 2362
From the collection of Gordon Wyatt Goldfinch (1895-1918) of Elfindale Road, London.
With hand written old ticket citing #209 collection number.
Ex-Artancient Ltd.
Private Goldfinch was a passionate collector of Imperial Roman coinage. His personal catalog of coins dates to August 1910 when he was just 15 years of age. Goldfinch volunteered for service in 1914 with the 2nd London Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps. He died in service on March 28th, 1918 at the age of 23.Jay GT4
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RIC 1554 Vespasian denarius180 viewsIMP CAES VESP AVG PM COS IIII
Laureate head right
CONCORDIA AVGVSTI
Concordia seated left with patera and cornucopiae
Antioch, 72-73 AD
3.11g
RIC 1554 (R2)
Jay GT4
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Mark Antony Legionary denarius LEG VIIII179 viewsANT AVG III VIR R P C
galley r. mast with banners at prow
LEG VIIII
legionary eagle between two standards
Patrae mint 32-31BC
3.3g
Sear Imperator's 360; Crawford 544/22; Cohen 36
Scarcer archaic LEG VIIII rather then IX
The Ninth was raised before Caesar arrived in Gaul in 58 BC. and had seen constant action since then. In 49 BC the Ninth Legion was waiting in Northern Italy while Caesar was fighting in Spain. Resting idle caused the legion to mutiny, complaining that they had not received their promised rewards. Upon Caesar's arrival he arrested the ringleaders and executed a good number of them restoring order.
In 48 BC the legion was moved across into Greece and given to the Command of Antony at the seige of Dyrrachium. During the Pompeian break outs 3 Cohorts of the Ninth managed to hold a fort for an entire day, in the process almost every man was wounded.
The Ninth was so depleted that at the battle of Pharsalus they were merged with the 8th Legion and stationed on the far left wing under the command of Antony.
Jay GT4
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SOLD! Augustus179 viewsAVGVSTVS DIVI F
bare head right
IMP X ACT
Apollo standing left, plectrum in right, lyre in left hand
15 - 13 B.C. Lugdunum (Lyon) mint
3.457g, 17.8mm, die axis 255o
RIC I 171a, BMCRE I 461, RSC I 144
Ex- Forum, ex-Ancient Imports, ex-McSorley Westchester Stamp Coin Show 4 April 1976
Commemorates the battle of Actium over Antony and Cleopatra
SOLD Coin Expo May 2023 to C. EustonJay GT4
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Hadrian denarius179 viewsIMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG
Laur. bust of Hadrian right with light drapery on far shoulder
AET AVG (in field) P M TR P COS DES III
Aeternitas standing left holding heads of Sol and Luna
Rome 135 AD
3.39g
Rare
Sear 3458
Ric 48
Ex-ancient Caesar
SOLD April 2017Jay GT4
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RIC 0523 Vespasian denarius 179 viewsIMP CAES VESP AVG P M COS IIII CEN
Laureate head of Vespasian right.
SPQR
within oak wreath with serrate leaves, acorns, and six long spikes.
Rome, 73 AD
2.95g
RIC 523 (C ). BM 86A. Cohen 517.
Rare: not in Paris, only one specimen in Reka Devnia hoard although RIC cites it as Common.
Holed for suspension in antiquity.
Reportedly found in Spain.
Ex-Tater'sJay GT4
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Macedon: Philip III Tetradrachm179 viewsHead of Herakles right, wearing Nemean Lion skin, scalp over head, forepaws tied at neck
Zeus Aëtophoros enthroned left, nude to the waist, himation around hips and legs, eagle in right hand, long scepter vertical behind in left hand, right leg drawn back, ΦIΛIΠΠOY downward on right, BAΣIΛEΩΣ in exergue, radiate head of Helios facing on left, KY under throne
Struck under Archon, Dokimos, or Seleukos I,
c. 323 - 317 B.C
Babylon mint, 17.056g, 29.2mm, die axis 90o,
Price P205, Müller Alexander P117, SNG Cop 1083, SNG Alpha Bank -, SNG Saroglos -
Ex-Forum!
Coins from this issue were struck in the names of both of Alexander the Great's co-ruling heirs. Most, including this example, were struck in the name of his brother Philip III, but some were struck in the name of his son Alexander IV. During this period, Archon, Dokimos, and Seleukos I ruled in succession as Macedonian satraps in Babylon. Archon was appointed satrap of Babylonia after the death of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C. Perdiccas suspected Archon of colluding in the theft of Alexander's corpse and, in 321 B.C., sent Dokimos to replace him. Archon was defeated and died from battle wounds. Seleucus, was made satrap by Perdiccas' rival Antipater, arrived in Babylon in October or November 320 B.C. and defeated Dokimos.
Jay GT4
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Claudius Libertas178 viewsTI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG P M TR P IMP PP
Bare head of Claudius right
LIBERTAS AVGVSTA SC
Libertas standing facing, head right, holding pileus, left hand extended
Rome 42 AD
11.16g
Sear 1860, RIC 113
Ex-Tater'sJay GT4
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