Numism > Reading For the Advanced Ancient Coin Collector
FAVORITE HISTORICAL COINS
Joe Sermarini:
In this thread, please post your favorite or interesting historical coins. Please include a pic, complete attribution to the best of your ability and a narrative on the historical event and its signicance. I would like this thread to be very interesting reading. In other words, please no chat here.
Robert_Brenchley:
L. Manlius Torquatus, L MANLI PROQ, helmeted head of Roma, R / Triumphator in quadriga R, Victory above. Ex L SVLLA IM. 82BC. This is one of my favourites; it was issued to mark Sulla's triumph; the moment when the Senate completely lost control for the first time, and dictatorship in a sense we'd recognise today became a reality in Rome. After Sulla, the Republic really didn't have a future.
Robert_Brenchley:
HOC SIGNO VICTOR ERIS, RIC 286, struck in 350 by Vetranio in support of Constantius II. I posted this one before but its distinctly cleaner now.
EmpressCollector:
Although many reference works on ancient numismatics classify Fecunditas as a personification of fertility rather than as an actual deity, Fecunditas was recognized as a Roman divinity by Nero, who erected a statue to her. Tacitus notes that upon the birth of Claudia Neronis, Nero's joy for his new daughter "exceeded human measure" and the infant and her mother, Poppaea, were both hailed Augusta. Furthermore, the senate decreed the construction of a temple of Fertility, presumably to be built at Antium, the birthplace of little Claudia. Unfortunately, the baby empress died at only four months of age. Stricken with grief, Nero had her declared a goddess. The temple of Fecunditas is likely the one depicted on the only coin that honors Claudia Neronis:
Æ 19mm (5.34g) of Caesarea Panias, Trachonitis, Syria, struck AD 65 under Nero. Obv: DIVA POPPAEA AVG, distyle temple of Diva Poppaea, female figure within. Rev: DIVA CLAVD NER F, round hexastyle temple of Diva Claudia, female figure within. RPC I 4846; Hendin 578; Sear 2058; Vagi 746. (Sorry about the scan--the coin is better in hand)
The imperial couple conceived another child shortly after Claudia's death, but Poppaea died as a result of spousal abuse. Because she chastised him for returning late from the races, Nero delivered a swift kick to Poppaea's pregnant belly that proved fatal to her and her unborn child. In an effort that can only be seen as "too little, too late," Nero had Poppaea and the fetus deified. The coin was issued in AD 65, shortly after Poppaea's death, and hence carries the inscription, DIVA POPPAEA AVG.
*Alex:
In 53 BCE Crassus and seven legions crossed the Euphrates, trying to take the most direct route to Seleucia, capital of the old Seleucian Empire. Crassus' soldiers were plagued by heat and thirst so Surenas, the Parthian general, waited until they were in open country near the town of Carrhae. He then attacked, fighting at long range using horse archers which the legions were unable to engage. Crassus tried to rally his men and withdrew to a nearby hill but his position was untenable and he and his son, Publius, were killed along with 20,000 of their men. The Parthians took the legionary standards as the spoils of war.
Augustus achieved a diplomatic victory in 20 BCE, when he recovered those standards which he installed in a small round domed temple to Mars Ultor, built specially to house them. The temple, situated on the Capitol in Rome, was dedicated on the 12th of May of that year.
The reverse of the coin below shows the triumphal arch which was awarded to Augustus on the occasion of his recovery of the standards. This was the second triumphal arch awarded to Augustus and, like the earlier arch which had been constructed in 29 BC to honour his victory over Cleopatra, this second arch stood in close proximity to the Temple of Divus Julius at the southern entrance to the Roman Forum.
AR Cistophorus (3 denarii) of Pergamum. Struck c.19 - 18 B.C.
Obv: IMP IX TR PO V. Bare head of Augustus facing right.
Rev: Triumphal arch surmounted by Augustus in facing triumphal quadriga; IMP IX TR POT V on architrave; S P R SIGNIS RECEPTIS in three lines within arch opening, standards at either side.
RIC I : 510 | BMC : 703 | RSC : 298.
Alex.
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