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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Themes & Provenance| ▸ |Personifications| ▸ |Valor and Courage||View Options:  |  |  | 

Valor and Courage (Virtus)

Virtus was a specific virtue in ancient Rome. It carried connotations of valor, manliness, excellence, courage, character, and worth, perceived as masculine strengths (from Latin vir, "man"). Virtus applied exclusively to a man's behavior in the public sphere, that is to the application of duty to the res publica in the cursus honorum. Private business was no place to earn virtus, even when it involved courage or feats of arms or other good qualities. There could be no virtue in exploiting one's manliness in the pursuit of personal wealth, for example. It was thus a frequently stated virtue of Roman emperors and was personified as the deity Virtus. Virtus is depicted as a helmeted soldier, often a female, in armor holding a spear, parazonium, victory or a shield. Virtus and Mars can be distinguished since Mars is usually shown nude and Virtus is always shown clothed.

Severus Alexander, 13 March 222 - March 235 A.D.

|Severus| |Alexander|, |Severus| |Alexander,| |13| |March| |222| |-| |March| |235| |A.D.||denarius|
'Courage' is depicted as a helmeted soldier in armor holding a spear, victory or shield. Virtus and Mars can be distinguished since Mars is usually shown nude and Virtus is always shown clothed. Some coins, including this one, show Virtus as a female figure.
RS114199. Silver denarius, RIC IV 220; BMCRE VI p. 184, 709; Cohen IV 579; RSC III 579 corr. (Virtus half-right); SRCV II -, VF, well centered with full legends, uneven toning, flow lines, edge cracks, weight 2.712 g, maximum diameter 20.3 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, 228 - 231 A.D.; obverse IMP SEV ALEXAND AVG, laureate head right; reverse VIRTVS AVG (the valor of the Emperor), Virtus standing half left, helmeted, in military garb with left breast exposed, Victory in extended right hand offering wreath, vertical spear leaning on crook of left arm, resting left hand on grounded shield at left side; $110.00 (€103.40)
 


Gallienus, August 253 - September 268 A.D.

|Gallienus|, |Gallienus,| |August| |253| |-| |September| |268| |A.D.||antoninianus|
Virtus is the personification of valor and courage. Valor was, of course, essential for the success of a Roman emperor and Virtus was one of the embodiments of virtues that were part of the Imperial cult. During his joint reign with his father, Gallienus proved his courage in battle; but his failure to liberate his father from Persian captivity was perceived as cowardice and a disgrace to the Emperor and Empire. It was not, however, actually fear that prevented a rescue. While others mourned Valerian's fate, Gallienus rejoiced in his new sovereignty.
RA112755. Billon antoninianus, Göbl MIR 1617e; RSC IV 1235a; RIC V-1 p. 189, S667; SRCV III 10402 var. (obv. leg.); Hunter IV - (p. lxix), gVF, near centered on an oval flan, bumps, scratches, areas of weak strike, weight 3.489 g, maximum diameter 23.1 mm, die axis 0o, Antioch (Antakya, Turkey) mint, 266 - 267 A.D.; obverse GALLIENVS P F AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right, seen from the front; reverse VIRTVS AVG (the valor of the Emperor), Virtus standing half left, head left, helmeted and wearing military garb, resting right hand on grounded oval shield, vertical spear with point up in left hand, star left; $80.00 (€75.20)
 


Gordian II Africanus, c. 18 or 22 March - c. 12 April 238 A.D.

|Gordian| |II|, |Gordian| |II| |Africanus,| |c.| |18| |or| |22| |March| |-| |c.| |12| |April| |238| |A.D.||denarius|
Virtus was a specific virtue in ancient Rome. It carried connotations of valor, manliness, excellence, courage, character, and worth, perceived as masculine strengths (from Latin vir, "man"). It was thus a frequently stated virtue of Roman emperors and was personified as the deity Virtus.
SH05253. Silver denarius, RIC IV-1 3; RSC III 14; BMCRE VI 30, EF, some mint luster, very light scratches, weight 2.61 g, maximum diameter 20.1 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, 238 A.D.; obverse IMP M ANT GORDIANVS AFR AVG, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right; reverse VIRTVS AVGG (valor of the two emperors), Virtus standing left, right hand on shield, holding reversed spear; rare; SOLD







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