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Reading For the Advanced Ancient Coin Collector / Re: Coins of mythological interest

« Last post by Jochen on Today at 04:11:19 am »

Excursion: Hesychia

The Greek counterpart to Quies is Hesychia, the personification of tranquility as a consequence of order. This is an original invention of the poet Pindar. She appears in several of his odes. She is described as the daughter of Dike, the goddess of justice.

Although he describes her as gentle, she is unyielding toward troublemakers. The reason is that her tranquility is always the result of effort. Pindar writes, "Toil brings tranquility." However, she is not merely a respite for recovery, but the opposite of chaos. As the daughter of Dike, she defends this state against unrest with great fierceness. This reminds me of the words of Count von Schulenburg in 1806 after the lost battle against Napoleon at Jena and Auerstädt: "Calm is the first civic duty."

The Euhemerist Mnaseas of Patrae made Galene the daughter of Ichthys and his sister Hesychia. Galene, peace of mind, is one of the central concepts of Pyrrhonian skepticism and also plays a role in Stoic philosophy.

Note:
Euhemeros of Messana (c. 300 BC) was an ancient Greek philosopher, writer, and mythographer. In his philosophical travel novel "Holy Scripture," he tells of the fictional island of Panichaea and its early kings, who were later worshipped as the gods Uranos, Kronos, and Zeus. This should probably not be understood as a rationalist criticism, but rather as a tribute to his patron, the Macedonian king Cassander.

This humanization of the gods is known today as Euhemerism and has found numerous adherents in the modern era since the Enlightenment's critique of religion, including, more recently, Robert von Ranke-Graves (Wikipedia).

Sources:
(1) Pindar, Odes

References:
(1) Wilhelm Heinrich Roscher, Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Greek and Roman Mythology

Kind regards
Jochen

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Reading For the Advanced Ancient Coin Collector / Re: Coins of mythological interest

« Last post by Jochen on Today at 04:05:10 am »

Quies

Quies, the goddess of tranquility, is one of the so-called minor gods of the Romans. She is depicted only once on coins, on folles of Diocletian and Maximian after their abdication:

Coin:
Diocletian, 284-305 AE - Follis, 8.12g, 27mm, 135°
Ticinum, 3rd Office, ca. 305
Ov.: D N DIOCLETIANO BAEATISSIMO(sic!) SEN AVG Laureate bust in imperial mantle facing right, olive branch in the left and maple in the right Hand
Rev.: PROVIDENTIA DEORVM QVIES AVGG
Providentia standing right, stretching out her hand to Quies, who stands left, leaning on a sceptre with her left hand and holding an olive branch downwards in her right hand.
In the field right: small pellet
in the excerpt: TT
Ref.: RIC VI, Ticinum 56(a); C.422
Pedigree:
ex. Tony Hardy coll.

About this coin:
The legend translates as: "Rest of the two emperors through the providence of the gods (ablative!)." A wonderful example of this type!

Quies is first mentioned by Livy, who speaks of a sanctuary on the Via Labicana, located in the southeast of Rome. It was probably located outside the city. The reference to the Porta Collina, found in a note by Augustine in his "De civitate Dei," cannot be correct, since this gate was located in the far northeast of the city. According to Wissowa, this is probably due to a misunderstanding of Livy's passage. Whether the fanum Quietis was a public or private sanctuary is uncertain (Pauly).

Quies, etis, is the personification of rest, a special goddess of the Romans, who was supposed to provide them with peace. Her meaning is debated. According to Preller-Jordan, she was a goddess "of resting along the way and of quiet contemplation from the toils of life," for example, of peasants working in the fields. Wissowa considers this general conception too modern. The explanation for this service must have been events in the life of the founder, and he refers to the legend on the coins: Quies Augustorum, which refers to the emperors.

But the idea of rest for the deceased is always present. The Spanish humanist Vives, who, with the help of Erasmus, wrote an important commentary on Augustine, considered her a goddess for the deceased, which is why her temple was located outside the city. In addition to the dedication "Dis-Manibus," the addition "et bonae Quieti" is often found, and the Manes themselves are also given the epithet "quieti" (Ausonius).

Ammianus Marcellinus calls her "dea salutaris," which can be translated as "comforting goddess," and which also points in this direction.

Quietalis was an epithet of Pluto, presumably because, as a god of the dead, he laid them to eternal rest (Festus).

Statius (90 AD) mentions Quies several times. In his Thebaid, she appears in the retinue of the dream god Somnus. He writes that the shady Quies and the dull Oblivio (the deity of forgetfulness), along with the indolent Ignavia (of laziness) with her sleepy expression, guard the threshold of Somnus's cave.

Apuleius writes in his Metamorphoses, also known as "The Golden Ass," that Lucius, the protagonist, finally reached the harbor of the Quies after much strenuous labor and storms of fate.

Augustine of Hippo, in his major work, De Civitate Dei, ridiculed the pagan customs of the Romans and mocked the numerous deities responsible for all sorts of spiritual movements. He mentions Agenoria, which inspires action, Stimula, which calls for unusual action, Murcia, which makes people lazy and inactive, Strenus, which drives their zeal, and then complains that the Romans, although they worshipped all of these, were unwilling to publicly recognize the Quies, but instead built a temple for them outside the city. And he asks whether this wasn't a sign that someone who worshipped all these demons couldn't live in peace?

Notes:
(1) Juan Luis Vives (1492-1540) was a Spanish humanist, philosopher, and teacher. His father, a baptized Jew, was burned at the stake by the Inquisition. While studying at the Sorbonne in Paris, he came into contact with humanism. In the Netherlands, he received a teaching license at the University of Louvain and met Erasmus of Rotterdam. With his help, he compiled a commentary on Augustine's De Civitate Dei, published in 1512. He caused controversy because he opposed Aristotle, who was considered an infallible authority.

Later, he was called to the court in London, where he taught the daughter of Henry VIII, the future Queen Mary I. In Oxford,He studied jurisprudence and philosophy. When he spoke out against the king's divorce from Catherine of Aragon, a rift arose, and he was eventually expelled from the country.

In his works, he became the founder of modern pedagogy. He advocated for the education of women and viewed science as a confirmation of Christianity. However, he opposed the Reformation and the schism within the Church.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, he was, alongside Erasmus, the most widely read author. Today, interest in him is beginning to grow again.

(2) Decimus Magnus Ausonius (c. 310-393/94) was a high-ranking Gallo-Roman civil servant from present-day Bordeaux and a poet of late antiquity. Valentinian I summoned him to the court in Trier, where he became tutor to his eldest son, Gratian. Today, he is best known for his verse travelogue, "Mosella" (Wikipedia).

Sources:
(1) Livy, Ab urbe condita
(2) Statius, Thebaid; Silvae
(3) Apuleius, Metamorphoses
(4) Augustine of Hippo, De Civitate Dei

Literature:
(1) Benjamin Hederich, Thorough Mythological Lexicon
(2) Wilhelm Heinrich Roscher, Comprehensive Lexicon of Greek and Roman Mythology
(3) Preller-Jordan, Roman Mythology
(4) Georg Wissowa, Religion and Cult of the Romans
(5) Der Kleine Pauly

Online sources:
(1) Theoi.com
(2) Wikipedia

Kind regards
Jochen

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Greek Coins Discussion Forum / Re: Athenian Tetradrachm - plugged ?

« Last post by Lukas N on Yesterday at 07:25:48 pm »

I've uploaded a videos of both obverse and reverse for even better clarity. Links should be working for 2 days.

https://streamable.com/erbn24

https://streamable.com/xqxk0k

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Greek Coins Discussion Forum / Re: Athenian Tetradrachm - plugged ?

« Last post by Lukas N on Yesterday at 07:19:44 pm »

Obverse detail photos

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Greek Coins Discussion Forum / Athenian Tetradrachm - plugged ?

« Last post by Lukas N on Yesterday at 07:18:21 pm »

Hello everyone,
recently I've acquired this classical Athenian tetradrachm. 17,10g 24mm. I'm glad to have it as it is my first. What makes me nervous though is the brighter spot of circular shape on the reverse next to the theta and epsilon letters.

Guys in another ancient coins forum had mixed opinions about it, either it is trace of plugged hole, or just some minor surface color issue. It is smooth to touch, no uneven surface whatsoever, but still I'm thinking If its not just expertly made.
The spot is corresponding roughly to the Athena's forehead hair area on the obverse (7h or 8h die axis). I tried to inspect that place too. Didn't see any discoloration as on reverse, but there are some minor dents, which I'm not sure of If it's just a wear, or again, a trace of plugged hole but from the opposite side.

I would really like to know the truth whats the case here, as this coin means a lot to me. Could you please share your opinions ? I know that there are some real experts, I'm still just a learner. I've made a pictures from several angles and light conditions and also videos so it would be easier to tell.

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Ancient and Medieval Coin Identification Help / Re: Help to ID this poor coin. 13.34mm 1.54g Thinking Zen, Leo? looks late Roman.

« Last post by arktoshorse on Yesterday at 03:56:12 pm »

Hard to ID, possible Valentinian III, might have to put this aside for now and move on. Thanks for the website link, will help on the others im trying to ID.

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Ancient and Medieval Coin Identification Help / Re: Help to ID this poor coin. 13.34mm 1.54g Thinking Zen, Leo? looks late Roman.

« Last post by arktoshorse on Yesterday at 03:13:22 pm »

Thank you very much!

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Ancient and Medieval Coin Identification Help / Re: Help to ID this poor coin. 13.34mm 1.54g Thinking Zen, Leo? looks late Roman.

« Last post by Victor C on Yesterday at 02:57:26 pm »

if you are not familiar with this site, it is helpful with Late Roman bronzes--

https://www.tesorillo.com/aes/home.htm


yours looks like a Victory with captive reverse.

https://www.tesorillo.com/aes/135/135i.htm


there are also other types

https://www.tesorillo.com/aes/_rev/index103i.htm

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Forum numizmatyki antycznej po polsku / Re: Byliśmy/polecamy jakieś ciekawe miejsce związane z historią antyczną

« Last post by paesano on Yesterday at 12:57:31 pm »

Trochę mnie takie rytuały dziwią, bo dla mnie cała "literatura informacyjna" mogłaby być (i powinna być!) w postaci elektronicznej. Niszą dla książek papierowych może być literatura dziecięca (ale koniecznie ładnie wydana) oraz literatura piękna. Tak jak niszą dla teatru są kameralne przedstawienia z niewielką widownią, gdzie aktorów ma się jakby na wyciągnięcie ręki. Bo wielkie widowiska to jednak w kinie.

Nie jestem elektronicznym ascetą- zdecydowaną większość artykułów i tematów czytam w internecie. Nie stylizuję się na Łysiaka. :-) Lubię kontakt z papierem -może to być książka, czasopismo, coś do zaznaczenia, zapisania na marginesie. Kwestie gromadzenia i odnajdywania informacji poruszaliśmy w innym wątku (to ważny temat). Co do bajek i literatury pięknej to się w pełni z Panem zgadzam. Z teatrem różnie. Zawsze wolałem kino.

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Ancient and Medieval Coin Identification Help / Help to ID this poor coin. 13.34mm 1.54g Thinking Zen, Leo? looks late Roman.

« Last post by arktoshorse on Yesterday at 10:40:59 am »

Coin is better looking and more detailed in person, best I can get to show it and ask for help.