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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Roman Coins| ▸ |The Adoptive Emperors| ▸ |Commodus||View Options:   | | | L Aelius Aurelius Commodus was the son of emperor Marcus Aurelius and empress Faustina II. Caesar in 177 A.D., Commodus succeeded his father as Augustus in 180. His rule of twelve years quickly degenerated into debauchery, paranoia, and insanity. He actually believed he was Hercules reincarnated and even participated in gladiatorial contests. The empire was directed by his unscrupulous favorites while the emperor amused himself in whatever decadent way he saw fit. His assassination in 192 A.D. was viewed as a blessing by most Romans of the day. |
Gordus (also known as Julia Gordus or Iulia Gordos) was an ancient Greek city in eastern Lydia, near the source of the River Hyllus, or Phrygius, later called Glaucus, a northern tributary of the Hermus. It was a strategically important town founded by the Seleucid Kings. The Julio-Claudian Roman emperors renamed the city Julia Gordos in the 1st century. The city achieved the status of a polis under the Flavians. It was the home to Appolophanes the physician, and there is epigraphical evidence of both pagans and Christians in the town.RP111940. Bronze AE 25, GRPC Lydia p. 67, 65 (same dies); RPC Online IV T1256; SNG Cop 160; SNG Leypold I 947 BMC Lydia p. 95, 31; Waddington 4977; Hochard 504; SNGvA -, Choice gF, well centered, nice portrait, green patina, highlighting light earthen deposits, weight 8.794 g, maximum diameter 25.3 mm, die axis 180o, Iulia Gordus (near Eski Gördes, Turkey) mint, c. 177 - 179 A.D.; obverse AV Λ AVP KOMOΔOC, laureate, draped and cuirassed youthful bust of Commodus right, seen from behind; reverse IOVΛIEΩN ΓOPΔHNΩN, Mên standing slightly left, head left, wearing Phrygian cap, short chiton, himation, and endromides, crescent behind shoulders, patera in right hand, long scepter in left hand, flanked by seated lions; Coin Archives records only one specimen of the type at auction in the last two decades; very rare;
Commodus' twelve-year rule degenerated into debauchery, paranoia, and insanity. He believed he was Hercules reincarnated and even fought in gladiatorial contests. His unscrupulous favorites ran the empire while he amused himself in whatever decadent way he saw fit. Most Romans saw his assassination as a blessing.RS111654. Silver denarius, RIC III 9, RSC II 791, SRCV II 5706, Hunter II 1, SRCV II 5706, VF, flow lines, toned, centered on tight flan, edge cracks/splits, light marks, weight 2.311 g, maximum diameter 17.9 mm, die axis 0o, Rome mint, 180 A.D.; obverse M COMMODVS ANTONINVS AVG, laureate head right; reverse TR P V IMP IIII COS II P P, two captives seated back to back on shields at the base of a trophy of captured arms, captive on right is a woman in mourning with hand to head, captive on left with arms on knees;
Commodus, March or April 177 - 31 December 192 A.D., Akrasos, Lydia
Akrasos was probably located on the upper course of the Caicus River. The site remains unknown. Even which river was once called the Caicus is uncertain. It is believed to be the modern Bakircay River in Turkey. Nothing is known of the city beyond its coinage.RP111751. Bronze AE 26, GRPC Lydia Acrasus 27, RPC Online IV.2 T2794, SNG Mun 19, BMC Lydia -, SNGvA -, Choice F, dark green patina, highlighting earthen deposits, porosity, weight 9.202 g, maximum diameter 25.9 mm, Acrasus (site unknown) mint, under Marcus Aurelius, c. 177 - 179 A.D.; obverse AV KAI Λ AVP KOMOΔ, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right; reverse EΠI CTPA BACCOV AKPACIΩTΩ (authority of strategos Bassos, Akrasos), Hygieia on left, standing half right, feeding serpent from patera held in her arms; Asclepius on right, standing facing, head left, leaning on serpent-entwined staff; ex CNG e-auction 510 (23 Feb 2022), lot 405; ex Dr. Jay M. Galst Collection ;
Commodus, March or April 177 - 31 December 192 A.D., Tarsos, Cilicia
The title Neokoros, designating a guardian of a temple of the imperial cult, was highly prized and advertised on the coins of many cities. Tarsos was the first city in Cilicia to receive the title, during the reign of Hadrian, not long after 130 A.D. This first temple dedicated to the cult of Hadrian is named in the reverse legend. A second imperial temple was dedicated to Commodus during his reign, before August 191. The B (the Greek number two) indicates this second neokorie. The Kommodeios isolympic worldwide festival was held in honor of this temple. Commodus probably honored Tarsos because its chief god was Hercules, and Commodus had come to believe he was Hercules reincarnated.RP97264. Bronze AE 27, RPC Online IV.3 T5845, SNG Levante Supp. 260, SNG BnF 1466, SNGvA 5997, Waddington 4636, VF, nice green patina, uneven slightly off-center strike with parts of legends weak or unstruck, weight 11.189 g, maximum diameter 26.8 mm, die axis 30o, Tarsos (Tarsus, Mersin, Turkey) mint, Mar/Apr 177 - 31 Dec 192 A.D.; obverse AYT KAIC AYP KOMOΔOC CEB, mantled bust right, wearing demiurgic crown; club of Hercules behind; reverse AΔP KOM - TAP MHO (Hadrianeia, Kommodeios - Tarsos Metropolis), agonistic crown inscribed KOMOΔEI, OIKO/VME (Kommodeios worldwide) in two lines above, B / NEWKO (two neokorie) in two lines below; ex Zeus Numismatics, auction 11 (01 Aug 2020), lot 453;
Giovanni Dattari (1853 - 1923) was a self-taught collector and successful trader of Egyptian, Greek and Roman antiquities. He held a near monopoly in the antiquities trade in Cairo, Egypt. He also shared his expertise and first-hand knowledge of Egypt with the foremost scholars of his time. Dattari assembled a collection of over 25,000 ancient coins. His 1901 work, Numi Augg. Alexandrini, cataloged 6411 of his coins from Roman Alexandria, and is still a primary reference for the coinage of Roman Egypt. Dattari also made pencil rubbings of more than 13,000 coins from Roman Alexandria in his collection; these were finally published in 2007 by Adriano Savio. In 1920, Dattari donated large parts of his collection to the Museo Nazionale Romano. After his death, the remainder of his collection was sold.SL96389. Bronze medallion, Gnecchi II p. 51, 1 & tav. 78, 1, NGC AU, strike 5/5, surface 2/5, Fine Style (ex Coin Gall., 2/95, 1865; The Morris Collection; 4632497-011), weight 53.33 g, maximum diameter 39.5 mm, die axis 345o, Rome mint, 190 - 192 A.D.; obverse COMMODVS ANTONINVS PIVS FELIX AVG BRIT, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from the front; reverse APOL PALATINO P M TR P XVI IMP VIII, Apollo Palatine on left, standing facing, head right, plectrum in right hand, Victory on right, standing left, presenting kithara (lyre) to Apollo, COS VI P P in exergue; ex Heritage NYINC auction 3071 (6-7 Jan 2019), lot 32133; ex Morris Collection; ex Coin Galleries (15 Feb 1995), lot 1865; ex Spink & Sons (1950's); ex Dattari Collection; NGC| Lookup; extremely rare; SOLD
Commodus and Crispina, 177 - 192 A.D.
Crispina was married to emperor Commodus in 177A.D., in an effort to foster some virtue in the young Caesar. Unfortunately, Crispina was a vain and haughty, if beautiful, and did little to improve Commodus' character. She was implicated in a plot to kill Commodus in 182. She was exiled to Capri with Commodus' sister Lucilla and murdered soon after.SH34908. Bronze medallion, Gnecchi II, p. 72, 2 and Pl 91, 9 (same dies); Göbl MIR 1078; Cohen III 3, Fine/Fair, weight 41.742 g, maximum diameter 35.7 mm, die axis 0o, Rome mint, 177 A.D.; obverse IMP COMMODVS AVG GERM SARM CRISPINA AVG, draped bust of Crispina right facing laureate and draped bust of young Commodus left; reverse VOTA PVBLICA (Vows (prayers) of the Roman people), Commodus (on left) and Crispina (on right, veiled) standing confronted, clasping hands, Concordia stands behind them in the center with her arms around their shoulders; ex Spink; very rare; SOLD
Commodus, March or April 177 - 31 Dec 192 A.D., Philippopolis, Thrace
This is only the second example of this type known to Forum. All three references we list for this type actually refer to the same coin, described as having a completely uncertain obverse legend. That coin is now in the Archaeological Museum Sophia.RP63215. Bronze assarion, RPC Online 7559, Varbanov III 1061 (R5), Mouchmov Philip 207, SNG Cop -, BMC Thrace -, Lindgren -, SNG Fitz -, SNG Hunterian -, et al. -, www -, VF, perhaps the finest of the type, weight 4.338 g, maximum diameter 19.6 mm, die axis 180o, Philippopolis (Plovdiv, Bulgaria) mint, obverse ANTY KANTI M ANT - KOMMOΔOC, laureate head right; reverse ΦIΛIΠΠOΠOΛITΩN, Hera standing facing in long drapery, head left, veiled, patera in right hand, long scepter vertical behind in left hand; 2nd known to Forum; USA import restricted type, from the old stock of a retiring Ohio dealer acquired by Forum in 2012; extremely rare; SOLD
Commodus, March or April 177 - 31 Dec 192 A.D., Philippopolis, Thrace
The Greeks and Romans did not view snakes as evil creatures but rather as symbols and tools for healing and fertility. Asclepius, the son of Apollo and Koronis, learned the secrets of keeping death at bay after observing one snake bringing another snake healing herbs. Woman seeking fertility, the sick, and the injured slept in his temples in chambers where non-poisonous snakes were left to crawl on the floor and provide healing.RP67767. Bronze assarion, RPC online 10621 (1 spec., Oxford), Varbanov 1104 ff. var. (obv leg), Mouchmov Philip 241 ff. var. (same), BMC Thrace -, SNG Cop -, Lindgren -, Choice gVF, nice green patina, weight 4.167 g, maximum diameter 18.3 mm, die axis 225o, Philippopolis (Plovdiv, Bulgaria) mint, obverse ANTY M ANTY KOMOΔOC, laureate head right; reverse ΦIΛIΠΠOΠOΛITΩN, tripod lebes, snake coiled around center leg, head above bowl; USA import restricted type, acquired by Forum from a Florida based dealer at NYINC 2014; very rare variety; SOLD
Commodus, March or April 177 - 31 December 192 A.D., Philippopolis, Thrace
RP16069. Bronze AE 20, Moushmov -, BMC Thrace -, Lindgren -, SNG Righetti -, SNG Cop -, SNG Lewis -, F, obverse legend off flan and worn illegible, weight 5.386 g, maximum diameter 19.8 mm, die axis 0o, Philippopolis (Plovdiv, Bulgaria) mint, obverse [AV K A AVP KOMOΔOC] (or similar), laureate head right; reverse ΦIΛIΠΠOΠOΛΕI-TΩN, crescent and three stars; very rare; SOLD
Commodus, March or April 177 - 31 December 192 A.D., Hadrianopolis, Thrace
The river connected to Hadrianopolis is Hebros (Hebrus), today the Maritsa (or Evros), the longest river of the Balkans.RP89884. Bronze diassarion, RPC IV online T10457 (10 spec.); Jurukova 133, pl. 14; Varbanov II 3291 (R4); Lischine 418; BMC Thrace -; SNG Cop -, Nice gF, toned brass surfaces, light marks, central depressions, weight 9.249 g, maximum diameter 23.53 mm, die axis 15o, Hadrianopolis (Edirne, Turkey) mint, as caesar, 166 - 177 A.D.; obverse AY KAI Λ AY KOMOΔOC, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, light beard; reverse AΔPIANOΠOΛΕI-TΩN, river-god Hebros reclining left, holding reed in his right hand, left elbow resting on vase from which water flows, reed growing in background behind legs; very rare; SOLD
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