Pius Caesar sestertius ID ideas requested

[Diederik]

Sometimes you stare on a coin for too long and then it becomes a Rohrshach picture and you see everything you want.
In this intriguing coin I have indicated what I think is clearly visible and yet I have the idea that there is more (in the exergue in any case).
[IMP T AEL]IVS CAE-SAR AN[TONINVS], bare head right / TRIB [POT - ] COS DES II  Concordia seated left, holding patera (or is it Pax with branch?) her left arm over the back of the chair??
I am puzzled and I hope in combined effort, we can solve this riddle: what catalog number is this coin?


Frans

PS it is not in Cohen or RIC ; BM I don't have part II and my Strack (Yes, I have it now!!) is at the bookrestorer.

[curtislclay]

Rev. is Pax holding branch, with PAX in exergue.

I have a very similar coin, ex Astarte XV, 2005, lot 232, but mine is from a different obv. die and on rev. Pax raises her l. arm to hold the top of her scepter, and the scepter is vertical not transverse.

In Oxford ex my first collection ex Mabbott Sale 1967: a mule from the same rev. die as your coin, PAX in exergue legible, obv. IMP T AEL CAES HADRI - ANTONINVS AVG PIVS, bust laur. draped r., seen from front.

Congratulations on finally acquiring Strack! Where from?

[Diederik]

Thank you for your reply Curtis - most enlightening!
I got all three volumes from Jacquier's last venue. First two volumes never read and number three with rusted staples and loose pages. They will all three be restored to their former glory and also a nice cassette will be made. Will cost me a king's ransom all in all, but then I will be a very proud owner of a numimatic classic in prime condition!


Frans

[curtislclay]

Strack 906a reports a sestertius like yours and mine in Berlin, but he doesn't say which variety of left arm and scepter it shows, and I have no cast or photograph of the coin.

Strack pp. 26-7 relates the Pax type on the sestertii of Antoninus as Augustus in 138 to the disagreement between the emperor and the Senate over Hadrian's consecration. So it is interesting to see that the type was actually introduced shortly before Hadrian's death, while Antoninus was still Caesar but already COS DES II.

Had the news reached Rome that Hadrian was sick and might soon die, and the mint therefore introduced the Pax type, anticipating that Antoninus and the Senate were not going to see eye to eye about Hadrian's status after his death?

[Diederik]

[quoteHad the news reached Rome that Hadrian was sick and might soon die, and the mint therefore introduced the Pax type, anticipating that Antoninus and the Senate were not going to see eye to eye about Hadrian's status after his death?][/quote]
That's a very interesting thought! Pax as 'Pacatrix'; nice! The one thing that troubles me, then, is that Antoninus must have informed the Senate of his intentions of deifying Hadrian should he die, rather than expressing this desire at Hadrian's deathbed or soon thereafter. In this respect could the Concordia series on gold be interpreted as : 'We are in agreement (about the future)' which series also extended into the COS DES II period, however short that may have lasted. Pius desire to get Hadrian deified seemed very 'pious' to the people, but being the (adopted son of a god, added a lot more to his own position; so indeed Antoninus had something to gain and might have made concordance with Hadrian about it.
Never looked at it from this perspective.


Frans

[curtislclay]

Strack II p. 168 interprets Antoninus' Concordia type as referring to the hoped for harmony between Hadrian and his new Caesar, pointing to the CONCORDIA medallion of Aelius Caesar, showing Concordia standing between Hadrian and Aelius and bringing them together as they shake hands.

[Diederik]

Certainly! The concord theme was repeated with Aurelius, and with Aurelius and Faustina the Younger, Aurelius and Verus etc. Harmony was of the utmost importance to future and new-born rulers. So the meaning of Concordia is apparent and that of Pax intriguing....


Frans