Another great group
quadrans.
The
portraits are particularly interesting from a stylistic point of view. Some are "realist" in the way a
Severan portrait might be, others looking to the future and the
portraits of the Constantinian dynasty. Even though these "proto-Constantinian"
portraits have the emperors "neck beard" to identify him they concentrate on
his status rather than attempting to define much character in the detail of the
face as in a true
portrait.
Yet all the dies were cut in the same age.
This makes me think of three possible conjectures for the differences in style-
1. The older artists are responsible for the more realistic
portraits by working in the older tradition, the more simplified ones are the products of younger artists.
2. The more simplified
portraits are by
provincial artists that were not trained in the classical
style and have been employed in official
mint.
3. Social stress from the civil wars resulted in less well trained die cutters that were responsible for the simpler
portraits.
I only have one coin from this emperor and the interesting variety of
portrait styles is making me look out for some more!
Best Regards,
Steve
