The Rome "conservator" coins of Gallienus
The last sole reign coins of Gallienus from the mint of Rome invoke a pantheon of deities as conservator of the emperor. The twelve workshops each had a dedicated reverse type (officina four had two substantive reverses, one for Gallienus and one for his wife, Salonina).
Five of the workshops also struck a signficantly rarer subsidiary issue of coins. I sometimes wonder if these secondary coin types not only feature animals that may be (losely) assosciated with the deity named but also may feature a legionary badge, perhaps linked to the campaign against Postumus.
The circumstances that surround the issue of this rather exceptional series are explored by R D Weigel in the 1990 Numismatic Chronicle volume. He concludes that
"it cannot be proven that the chioce of gods to be inclluded on the coins was not made with appeals to certain groups of sodiers in mind, but Gallienus's legionary series was, of course, designed specifically for that purpose. The numerous connections between the nine protective deities honoured and traditional Roman religious practices, especially the Sybilline Books, with the lectisternium, and with the performance of circus games, appear to be more than mere coincidence. It seems more likely that Gallienus's 'animal series' was intended to focus attention primarily on gods who had come to Rome's defence repeatedly in the past and whose cults featured the Graecus ritus sacrifices and celebrations with ludi circenses".
My collection
Workshop 1 |
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GALLIENVS AVG Radiate bust right SOLI CONS AVG Winged horse right RIC 283; G 712b; Cunetio 1337 |
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HERCVLI CONS AVG Lion (Subsidiary issue) |
Not represented in my collection |
Workshop 2 |
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GALLIENVS AVG Radiate bust right LIBERO P CONS AVG Panther walking left RIC 230; G 713b; Cunetio 1341 |
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GALLIENVS AVG Radiate, draped bust left SOLI CONS AVG Winged horse right RIC 230; G 713o; Cunetio - |
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Workshop 3 |
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GALLIENVS AVG Radiate bust right DIANAE CONS AVG Antelope walking left RIC cf 181; G 716b; Cunetio 1344 |
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Workshop 4 |
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IMP GALLIENVS AVG Radiate bust right APOLLINI CONS AVG Griffin standing left RIC 165; G 718y; Cunetio 1350 |
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SALONINA AVG Diademed, draped bust on crescent right IVNONI CONS AVG Capreolus walking left RIC 15; G 725x; Cunetio 1421 |
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COR SALONINA AVG Diademed, draped bust on crescent right IVNONI CONS AVG Capreolus walking right RIC cf14; G 726cc; Cunetio 1420 |
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Workshop 5 |
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GALLIENVS AVG Radiate bust right DIANAE CONS AVG Doe standing left, head turned back RIC 177; G 727b; Cunetio 1365 |
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GALLIENVS AVG Radiate, cuirased bust left DIANAE CONS AVG Doe standing left, head turned back RIC -; G 727v; Cunetio - |
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GALLIENVS AVG Radiate bust right DIANAE CONS AVG Doe standing right, head turned back RIC 177; G 728b; Cunetio 1361 |
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IMP GALLIENVS AVG Radiate bust right DIANAE CONS AVG Doe standing right, head turned back RIC 176; G 728z; Cunetio 1357 |
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GALLIENVS AVG Radiate bust right HERCVLI CONS AVG Boar standing right RIC 202; G 729b; Cunetio 1367 (Subsidiary issue) |
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GALLIENVS AVG Radiate bust right HERCVLI CONS AVG Boar standing right RIC 202; G 729b; Cunetio 1367 (Subsidiary issue) Duplicate |
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Workshop 6 |
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GALLIENVS AVG Radiate bust right IOVI CONS AVG Goat standing left RIC 207; G 730b; Cunetio 1368 |
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GALLIENVS AVG Radiate bust right IOVI CONS AVG Goat standing right RIC 207; G 731b; Cunetio 1375 |
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GALLIENVS AVG Radiate bust right NEPTVNO CONS AVG Capricorn right RIC 245; G 732b; Cunetio 1377 (Subsidiary issue) |
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Workshop 7 |
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GALLIENVS AVG Radiate bust right APOLLINI CONS AVG Centaur standing right with bow RIC 163; G 735b; Cunetio 1378 |
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GALLIENVS AVG Radiate bust right APOLLINI CONS AVG Centaur standing right with bow RIC 163; G 735b; Cunetio 1378 Duplicate |
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Workshop 8 |
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GALLIENVS AVG Radiate bust right APOLLINI CONS AVG Centaur standing left with globe & rudder RIC 164; G 738b; Cunetio 1386 |
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GALLIENVS AVG Radiate bust right MERCVRIO CONS AVG Criocamp right RIC 242; G 741b; Cunetio 1389 (Subsidiary issue) |
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Workshop 9 |
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GALLIENVS AVG Radiate bust right NEPTVNO CONS AVG Hippocamp right RIC 245; G 743b; Cunetio 1392 |
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GALLIENVS AVG Radiate bust right NEPTVNO CONS AVG Hippocamp right RIC 245; G 743b; Cunetio 1392 Duplicate |
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Workshop 10 |
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GALLIENVS AVG Radiate bust right DIANAE CONS AVG Stag standing right RIC 179; G 744b; Cunetio 1400 |
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Workshop 11 |
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GALLIENVS AVG Radiate bust right DIANAE CONS AVG Gazelle standing right RIC 181; G 747b; Cunetio 1401 |
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GALLIENVS AVG Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right SOLI CONS AVG Bull standing right RIC 285; G 749k; Cunetio 1405 (Subsidiary issue) |
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Workshop 12 |
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GALLIENVS AVG Radiate bust right DIANAE CONS AVG Gazelle standing left RIC 181; G 750b; Cunetio 1408 |
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GALLIENVS AVG Radiate, cuirassed bust right DIANAE CONS AVG Gazelle standing left RIC 181; G 750s; Cunetio 1410 |
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GALLIENVS AVG Radiate, cuirassed bust right DIANAE CONS AVG Gazelle standing left RIC 181; G 750t; Cunetio - |
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Brockage DIANAE CONS AVG Gazelle standing left RIC -; G -; Cunetio - |