Classical Numismatics Discussion - Members' Coin Gallery
  Welcome Guest. Please login or register. Share Your Collection With Your Friends And With The World!!! A FREE Service Provided By Forum Ancient Coins No Limit To The Number Of Coins You Can Add - More Is Better!!! Is Your Coin The Best Of Type? Add It And Compete For The Title Have You Visited An Ancient Site - Please Share Your Photos!!! Use The Members' Coin Gallery As A Reference To Identify Your Coins Please Visit Our Shop And Find A Coin To Add To Your Gallery Today!!!

Member Collections | Members' Gallery Home | Login | Album list | Last uploads | Last comments | Most viewed | Top rated | My Favorites | Search
Home > Members' Coin Collection Galleries > David Atherton > 1. The Reign of Vespasian - Imperial Coins
RIC 0244 Vespasian
Æ Sestertius, 26.08g
Rome mint, 71 AD
Obv: IMP CAES VESPAS AVG P M TR P P P COS III; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r.
Rev: ROMA; S C in field; Roma stg. l., with Victory and spear
RIC 244 (C2). BMC 564. BNC 529.
Acquired from CGB.fr, November 2022.

Part of the third sestertius issue of 71 AD, this fairly common reverse type features Roma holding Victory. Roma is depicted in the guise of an Amazon warrior, a typical attribute for her on the coinage during the Flavian era likely based on a cult image. The massive portrait on the obverse is rendered in fine veristic style. C. H. V. Sutherland in his work Roman Coins commented on the Vespasianic portraits of the era - 'Vespasian's aes, however, and not merely the sestertii, developed a full magnificence of portraiture. Again the heads were large, even massive, and normally in high relief, giving the strong impression of the purely profile view of sculpture in the round. And, because of the larger scale which this aes permitted, a wealth of detail could be achieved: close cut hair, finely wrinkled brow, a minutely rendered profile eye, and all the jowls and neck-folds of an old man. The beauty of this work lay in its realism, strong in authority and yet delicate in execution; and it was in the addition of technical delicacy to strength of conception that Vespasian's coinage clearly excelled over Galba.' I believe this coin to be a fine example of what Sutherland had in mind.

RIC 0244 Vespasian

Æ Sestertius, 26.08g
Rome mint, 71 AD
Obv: IMP CAES VESPAS AVG P M TR P P P COS III; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r.
Rev: ROMA; S C in field; Roma stg. l., with Victory and spear
RIC 244 (C2). BMC 564. BNC 529.
Acquired from CGB.fr, November 2022.

Part of the third sestertius issue of 71 AD, this fairly common reverse type features Roma holding Victory. Roma is depicted in the guise of an Amazon warrior, a typical attribute for her on the coinage during the Flavian era likely based on a cult image. The massive portrait on the obverse is rendered in fine veristic style. C. H. V. Sutherland in his work Roman Coins commented on the Vespasianic portraits of the era - 'Vespasian's aes, however, and not merely the sestertii, developed a full magnificence of portraiture. Again the heads were large, even massive, and normally in high relief, giving the strong impression of the purely profile view of sculpture in the round. And, because of the larger scale which this aes permitted, a wealth of detail could be achieved: close cut hair, finely wrinkled brow, a minutely rendered profile eye, and all the jowls and neck-folds of an old man. The beauty of this work lay in its realism, strong in authority and yet delicate in execution; and it was in the addition of technical delicacy to strength of conception that Vespasian's coinage clearly excelled over Galba.' I believe this coin to be a fine example of what Sutherland had in mind.

File information
Filename:V244aa.jpg
Album name:David Atherton / 1. The Reign of Vespasian - Imperial Coins
Filesize:823 KiB
Date added:Nov 28, 2022
Dimensions:1200 x 589 pixels
Displayed:17 times
URL:https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=178904
Favorites:Add to Favorites

Comment 1 to 1 of 1
Page: 1

Jay GT4   [Nov 28, 2022 at 10:26 PM]
Lovely portait

Comment 1 to 1 of 1
Page: 1

Add your comment
Anonymous comments are not allowed here. Log in to post your comment
All coins are guaranteed for eternity
Forum Ancient Coins
PO BOX 1316
MOREHEAD CITY NC 28557


252-497-2724
customerservice@forumancientcoins.com
Facebook   Instagram   Pintrest   Twitter