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Image search results - "Severa"
kallatis~0.jpg
Kallatis, Thrace, Circa 3rd-2nd Century BC. Æ 24mm. Laureate head of Apollo right / KA A - TIA NWN, tripod; grain ear in left field, magistrates name in ex. Moushmov 224, see http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/thrace/kallatis/i.html for several different magistrates names/ monograms 60eAlexios
rome_AD232_AE-sestertius_mars-ultor_ANACS-VF20_rev_01.JPG
Severus Alexander. AD232. AE Sestertius. Reverse.

obv: IMP ALEXANDER PIVS AVG - Laureate bust right, seen from front, draped and cuirassed.
rev: MARS VLTOR - Mars with spear and shield in the 'Ready-for-Action' position.
'S C' to either side of Mars.

22.3 grams.
rexesq
rome_AD232_AE-sestertius_mars-ultor_ANACS-VF20_obv_01.JPG
Severus Alexander. AD232. AE Sestertius. Obverse.

obv: IMP ALEXANDER PIVS AVG - Laureate bust right, seen from front, draped and cuirassed.
rev: MARS VLTOR - Mars with spear and shield in the 'Ready-for-Action' position.
'S C' to either side of Mars.

22.3 grams.
1 commentsrexesq
112~0.JPG
History of Thessalian League
The Thessalian League/confederacy was made up of several cities in the Thessalian valley in Northern Greece. This area was completely surrounded by mountains and isolated except for a few passes. It was one of the few areas of Greece self-sufficient in grain and produced livestock and horses. Thessaly had the best calvary in Greece. The league was frequently weakened by intercity rivalries and lost its strength in the 5th century BC. The league was re-established in 374 BC by the tyrant Jason. He was assassinated in 370 BC, when it became evident that he had plans of conquest against the rest of Greece. After the death of Jason, there was infighting in the league and some of the cities requested help from Philip II of Macedon to settle the rivalries, which he accomplished in 353 BC. A few years later (344 BC), Philip II simply took control of the entire area. Thessaly remained under Macedonian control until Macedonia was defeated by the Romans in 197 BC. A new league was established in 196 BC. The league continued until 146 BC, then became part of the Roman province of Macedonia.
Antonivs Protti
DSC08136_sev-alex_sest_quadriga.JPG
Severus Alexander
Ancient Rome
Emperor Severus Alexander(222 - 232 AD) AE (Bronze) Sestertius
Struck at the Rome Mint in AD 229 - 230.

obv: IMP SEV ALEXANDER AVG - Laureate bust right, drapery on left shoulder.

rev: P M TR P VIII COS III P P - Emperor riding in quadriga right holding eagle tipped sceptre in one hand and holding the reigns in the other.
'SC' below, in exergue.

Weight: 21 Grams
Size: 32 mm - 33 mm
rexesq
DSC08134_sev-alex_sest_quadriga.JPG
Severus Alexander
Ancient Rome
Emperor Severus Alexander(222 - 232 AD) AE (Bronze) Sestertius
Struck at the Rome Mint in AD 229 - 230.

obv: IMP SEV ALEXANDER AVG - Laureate bust right, drapery on left shoulder.

rev: P M TR P VIII COS III P P - Emperor riding in quadriga right holding eagle tipped sceptre in one hand and holding the reigns in the other.
'SC' below, in exergue.

Weight: 21 Grams
Size: 32 mm - 33 mm
rexesq
DSC08131_sev-alex_sest_quadriga.JPG
Severus Alexander
Ancient Rome
Emperor Severus Alexander(222 - 232 AD) AE (Bronze) Sestertius
Struck at the Rome Mint in AD 229 - 230.

obv: IMP SEV ALEXANDER AVG - Laureate bust right, drapery on left shoulder.

rev: P M TR P VIII COS III P P - Emperor riding in quadriga right holding eagle tipped sceptre in one hand and holding the reigns in the other.
'SC' below, in exergue.

Weight: 21 Grams
Size: 32 mm - 33 mm
rexesq
britannicus01.jpg
AE sestertius. Struck under Claudius, circa 50-54 AD, uncertain eastern provincial mint located in the modern-day Balkans.
Obv : TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG F BRITANNICVS, draped bust left.
Rev : - No legend, Mars advancing left, holding spear and shield, SC in fields. 35mm, 19.4g. Extremely Rare.

Ref : BMCRE 226
Cohen 2
RCV 1908, valued at $32,000 in Fine, which is a few multiples greater than any other sestertius issued during the several centuries the denomination was in use.
A large number of the surviving examples of this series (one may even suggest a majority of them), due to their rarity, have been subjected to modern alteration techniques such as smoothing, tooling, and repatination. As such, it's actually pleasant to see a bit of field roughness and a 'plain brown' patina of old copper on this example, evidence that it is just as ugly as it was the day it was last used in circulation back in Ancient Rome.
Britannicus, originally known as Germanicus after Claudius' older brother, was the emperor's original intended heir and natural son. Machinations by Agrippina II eventually saw Britannicus supplanted by her own son Nero, (by Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus) who took the throne upon Claudius' suspicious death. Britannicus himself died a few years later, reportedly poisoned by his step-brother. The future emperor Titus and Britannicus were close friends, and Titus became quite ill and nearly died after eating from the same poisoned dish that killed Britannicus.
R. Smits
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HENRY VI
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471. The only child of Henry V, he succeeded to the English throne at the age of nine months when his father died.
This was during the period of the long-running Hundred Years' War (1337 - 1453) and Henry is the only English monarch to also have been crowned King of France (as Henri II), in 1431. During his early reign several people were ruling for him and by the time Henry was declared fit to rule in 1437 he found his realm in a difficult position, faced with setbacks in France and divisions among the nobility at home. Henry is described as timid, shy, passive, well intentioned, and averse to warfare and violence; he was also at times mentally unstable. Partially in the hope of achieving peace, Henry married the ambitious and strong-willed Margaret of Anjou in 1445. The peace policy failed and the war recommenced with France taking the upper hand such that by 1453 Calais was Henry's only remaining territory on the continent.
With Henry effectively unfit to rule, Queen Margaret took advantage of the situation to make herself an effective power behind the throne. Starting around 1453 Henry began suffering a series of mental breakdowns and tensions mounted between Margaret and Richard of York, not only over control of the incapacitated king's government, but over the question of succession to the throne. Civil war broke out in 1459, leading to a long period of dynastic conflict, now known as the Wars of the Roses. Henry was deposed on 29th March 1461 after a crushing defeat at the Battle of Towton by Richard of York's son, who took the throne as Edward IV. Margaret continuing to resist Edward, but Henry was captured by Edward's forces in 1465 and imprisoned in the Tower of London.
Queen Margaret, who was first exiled in Scotland and then in France, was still determined to win back the throne on behalf of her husband and son. So, when Edward IV fell out with two of his main supporters, Richard Neville the Earl of Warwick and George the Duke of Clarence, Margaret formed a secret alliance with them backed by Louis XI of France. Warwick returned with an army to England, forced Edward IV into exile, and restored Henry VI to the throne on 30th October 1470, though Henry's position was nominal as Warwick and Clarence effectively ruled in his name.
But Henry's return to the throne lasted less than six months. Warwick overreached himself by declaring war on Burgundy, whose ruler responded by giving Edward IV the assistance he needed to win back his throne by force. Edward retook power in 1471, killing Warwick at the Battle of Barnet and Henry's only son at the Battle of Tewkesbury. Henry was again imprisoned in the Tower where, during the night of 21st May he died, possibly killed on Edward's orders.
*Alex
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THOMAS ROTHERHAM, ARCHBISHOP OF YORK
Thomas Rotherham, also known as Thomas (Scot) de Rotherham, was an English cleric and statesman. He served as bishop of several dioceses, most notably as Archbishop of York and, on two occasions as Lord Chancellor. Rotherham was educated at King's College, Cambridge, he graduated as a Bachelor of Divinity and became a Fellow of his college where he lectured on Grammar, Theology, and Philosophy. After his ordination as a priest, he became a prebendary of Lincoln in 1462 and then of Salisbury in 1465. He moved on to powerful positions in the Church, being appointed as Bishop of Rochester in 1468, Bishop of Lincoln in 1472, and then Archbishop of York in 1480, a position he held until his death in 1500.
In 1467, King Edward IV appointed Rotherham as Keeper of the Privy Seal. He was sent as ambassador to France in 1468 and as joint ambassador to Burgundy in 1471, and in 1475 was entrusted with the office of Lord Chancellor. When Edward IV died in April 1483, Rotherham was one of the celebrants of the funeral mass on 20th April 1483 and immediately after Edward's death he sided with the dowager queen, Elizabeth Woodville, in her attempt to deprive Richard, Duke of Gloucester of his role as Lord Protector of her son, the new King Edward V. When Elizabeth sought sanctuary after Richard had taken charge of the king, Rotherham released the Great Seal to her (though he later recovered it and handed it over to Thomas Bourchier, the Archbishop of Canterbury).
Rotherham's mishandling of the seal was perceived as indicative of questionable loyalty and led to his dismissal as Lord Chancellor. He was replaced by John Russell, who earlier had also been his successor as Bishop of Lincoln. On 13th June 1483, Rotherham was charged with being involved in a conspiracy between Lord Hastings and the Woodvilles against Richard and imprisoned in the Tower of London, but he was released a few weeks later, around the middle of July, after Richard's coronation as King Richard III. Rotherham was re-instated as Chancellor in 1485, however he was dismissed shortly afterwards by Henry VII and retired from public work.
Rotherham died of the plague in Cawood near York on 29th May 1500. His remains were transferred to a magnificent marble tomb in York Minster in 1506.
*Alex
8E19A777-B115-433A-A828-47802FD1D314.jpeg
Otacilia Severa, Augusta, February or March 244 - September or October 249 A.D.
|Otacilia| |Severa|, |Otacilia| |Severa,| |Augusta,| |February| |or| |March| |244| |-| |September| |or| |October| |249| |A.D.|, From the issue celebrating the 1000th anniversary of the founding of Rome. Celebrations included display of many exotic animals including, it seems, a hippopotamus.
RS76152. Silver antoninianus, RIC IV P116b, RSC IV 63, Hunter III 10, SRCV III 9160, Choice EF, near perfect centering and strike, much luster, excellent portrait, 4th officina, Rome mint, weight 4.040g, maximum diameter 22.6mm, die axis 180o, 248 A.D.; obverse OTACIL SEVERA AVG, draped bust right, wearing stephane, hair in horizontal ridges, plait up the back of head, crescent behind shoulders; reverse SAECVLARES AVGG (Secular games [provided by] the Emperors), hippopotamus standing right, IIII (4th officina) in exergue; Ex Forum Ancient Coins
paul1888
cabinet_comb.jpg
Here is a cabinet I built for a collector that combines multiple storage methods. There are several standard trays for raw coins, two open format drawers for thicker items such as slabs, two drawers for holding 2x2 flips/envelopes, and a single 4" deep drawer on the bottom.

CabinetsByCraig.net
1 commentscmcdon0923
CAF41DC8-9A43-46E2-AE5F-312A5F7DAD88.jpeg
Vespasian, 1 July 69 - 24 June 79 A.D.

SH110254. Silver denarius, RIC II-1 1431; RSC II 276; RPC II 833; BnF III 351; BMCRE II 457, SRCV I 2270, Choice EF, well centered, excellent portrait, light toning, slight double strike, 3.326g, 18.3mm, 180o, Ephesus mint, IMP CAESAR VESPAS AVG COS III TR P P P, laureate head right; reverse PACI AVGVSTAE, Victory advancing right, wreath in extended right hand, palm frond over left shoulder in left hand, EPHE (PHE ligate) lower right; ex Inasta (San Marino) auction 100 (24 Jun 2022), lot 212 Ex: Forum Ancient Coins.

Ephesus peaked during the 1st and 2nd century A.D. when it was second in importance and size only to Rome, with a population estimated at 400,000 to 500,000 in 100 A.D. The city was famous for the Temple of Artemis, the Library of Celsus, and its theater, seating 25,000 spectators. Ephesus also had several large bath complexes and one of the most advanced aqueduct systems in the ancient world. Water powered numerous mills, one of which has been identified as a sawmill for marble. The city and temple were destroyed by the Goths in 263 A.D., marking the decline of the city's splendor.
1 commentspaul1888
Roman_Britain_Severan_Campaigns.jpg
*Alex
Otacilia_Severa_Sestertius_cippus.jpg
Otacilia Severa Ae Sestertius

C. 249 AD

Reverse: SECVLARES AVG S C, Cippus.

Ref: RIC 202a

Weight: 19.88g

Size: 28mm
paul1888
Otacilia_Severa_AE_AS_Cippus_2B.jpg
Otacilia Severa (AD 244-249) Æ AS / Column

Title: Otacilia Severa (AD 244-249) Æ AS / Column
Attribution: RIC IV 202b Rome
Date: AD 248-249
Obverse: MARCIA OTACIL SEVERA AVG, diademed, draped bust right
Reverse: SAECVLARES AVGG, column, S-C across fields
Size: 25.66mm
Weight: 9.53 grams
Description: VF. Part of the Ludi Saeculares (Secular Games) coinage which commemorated the 1000th anniversary of Rome (April 21, 248).
paul1888
IMG_3606.jpeg
Otacilia Severa, Augusta, 244-249. Sestertius (Orichalcum, 23 mm, 15.68 g, 12 h), Rome, 248. MARCIA OTACIL SEVERA AVG Diademed and draped bust of Otacilia Severa to right. Rev. SAECVLARES AVGG / S C Hippopotamus walking right. Cohen 65. RIC 200a.1 commentspaul1888
Otacilia_Severa_AE_AS_Sestertius_and_Dupondiuis_Cippus.jpg
Otacilia Severa Upper coin is a dupondius, lower left is a Sestertius, and lower right is an AS. paul1888
IMG_3709.jpeg
ROMAN EMPIRE: Otacilia Severa, 244-249, AE dupondius (10.33g), Rome, RIC-202d, wife of Philip I, OTACIL SEVERA AVG, diademed, draped bust right on crescent // SAECVLARES AVGG / S - C (in field), Cippus
EX: Stephen Album Rare Coins, Auction 28, May 18, 2017, lot 62
paul1888
PERDIKKAS_II_Macedonia.JPG
Perdikkas II, 451 - 413 BC. AR Heavy Tetrobol, struck 437 - 431 BC at Aigai in MacedoniaObverse: No legend. Rider, wearing chlamys and kausia (an ancient Macedonian flat hat, also called a petasos), holding two spears on horse prancing right.
Reverse: No legend. Forepart of lion with straight lined truncation facing right, both paws visible; kerykeion (caduceus), placed horizontally, in left field above, all within incuse square.
Diameter: 15mm | Weight: 2.1gms | Die Axis: 6h
Sear GCV: 1491
Grainy surfaces | Rare (R2)

Perdikkas II features prominently in Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War, in which he is described as switching sides between the Peloponnesians and the Athenians several times.
The lion on the reverse of this coin alludes to the Nemean lion killed by Herakles who was claimed to be the ancestor of Perdikkas.


Perdikkas II was a member of the Argead dynasty which would rule Macedonia for almost 400 years.
The founder of the dynasty, Perdikkas I, had led the people who called themselves Macedonians eastward from their home on the Haliacmon River around 700 BC. Aegae (Edessa) became their capital, and by the reign of Amyntas I in the 6th century BC, Macedonian power dominated the neighbouring Thracian tribes and when Amyntas’ successor, Alexander I advanced the Macedonian frontiers eastward to the Strymon River their power was further increased.
After the death of Alexander I in 454, Macedonia began to fall apart, but around 450 BC Perdikkas II, who was Alexander I's son, came to the throne after having asserted his succession against his brothers. Perdikkas had four brothers, Alcetas II, Philip, Menelaus and Amyntas, he also had a sister, Stratonice. Alcetas II preceded him on the throne until he was murdered by Perdikkas' son Archelaus I resulting in Perdikkas' elevation to the throne. During his reign Perdikkas united the Greek cities of Chalcidice in a federation centred on the city of Olynthus.
Perdikkas II died in 413 BC leaving his son Archelaus as heir to the throne. Archelaus adopted a strongly philhellenic policy and introduced Greek artists to his new capital at Pella. He strengthened Macedonia by building roads and fortresses, improved army equipment, and encouraged city life. However, following his assassination in 399 BC, there was seven years of murder and anarchy until finally, around 393 BC, Amyntas III, a great-grandson of Alexander I, took the throne and, although his reign was filled with anarchy and intrigue, he successfully brought unity to Macedonia.

Aigai (also Aegae, Aegeae or Aigeai) was the original capital of the Macedonians and it was also the burial-place of the Macedonian kings. It was built on a site near the modern town of Vergina.
1 comments*Alex
DOBUNNI__AR_UNIT.JPG
1st Century BC - 1st Century CE, IRON AGE BRITAIN, Tribe: Dobunni, AR Unit, uninscribed seriesObverse: Degraded Celtic “Moon Head” facing right, pellets/symbols in front.
Reverse: Celticised triple tailed horse galloping left; cross above, pellets around.
Diameter: 13.0mm | Weight: 0.67gms | Axis: 3h
SPINK: 377 | ABC 2024
RARE

THE DOBUNNI
The Dobunni were one of the few Iron Age tribes which issued coins before the arrival of the Romans. Their territory covered an area that today broadly coincides with the English counties of Bristol, Gloucestershire and the north of Somerset, although at times their territory may have extended into parts of what are now Herefordshire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, Worcestershire, and Warwickshire.
Remnants of several hillforts thought to have been occupied by the Dobunni can be seen in the Bristol area at Maes Knoll, Clifton Down, Burwalls and Stokeleigh, all overlooking the Avon Gorge, as well as at Kingsweston Down and Blaise Castle.
Unlike their neighbours, such as the Silures in what later became south-east Wales, the Dobunni were not a warlike people, being primarily a large group of farmers and craftspeople living in small villages. They submitted to the Romans even before they reached their territory, and after the Roman conquest they readily adopted a Romano-British lifestyle. The Romans gave the Dobunni capital the name of Corinium Dobunnorum, which is known as Cirencester today.


CLICK ON MAP BELOW TO ENLARGE IT
*Alex
DUBNOVELLAUNUS.JPG
1st Century BC - 1st Century CE, IRON AGE BRITAIN, Tribe: Trinovantes, AE Unit, Struck c.10 BC – 10 CE in Camulodunum(?) in Essex under DubnovellaunusObverse: Head facing right, hair(?) lines on head divided by clear centre parting.
Reverse: Horse prancing left; complex pellets and circles above and below.
Diameter: 13.5mm | Weight: 1.61gms | Axis: 3h
SPINK: -- | BMC -- | ABC 2413
VERY RARE

Very rare uninscribed bronze unit of Dubnovellaunus found in Essex. The type is designated as a “Dubnovellaunus Centre Parting” bronze unit in ABC (Ancient British Coins), and to date (January, 2023) it is unlisted in any other major reference works.

DUBNOVELLAUNUS

It is generally thought that Dubnovellaunus succeeded his father Addedomarus as king of the Trinovantes somewhere around 10-5 BC and ruled for several years before being supplanted by Cunobelinus of the Catuvellauni.
In the Res Gestae Divi Augusti, a British king called Dumnovellaunus appears, alongside Tincomarus of the Atrebates, as a supplicant to Augustus in around AD 7 and, given the chronology, it is indeed possible that Dubnovellaunus of the Trinovantes is the same person as the Dumnovellaunus who presented himself to Augustus. The spelling variation is due to a Celtic, rather than a Latin, interpretation of the ruler's name.
It is worth mentioning that the authors of ABC (Ancient British Coins) also think that Dubnovellaunus of the Trinovantes could possibly be the same individual as the Dumnovellaunus who ruled in Kent in the 30s - 20s BC, they suggest that he could have been a Cantian king who later gained control over the southern part of the Trinovantes and that therefore he might have ruled both territories north and south of the Thames estuary for a few years. It should be noted however, that Van Arsdell, an authority on the Celtic Coinage of Britain, emphatically disputes this.

TRINOVANTES
The Trinovantes were one of the Iron Age Celtic tribes of Pre-Roman Britain. Their territory was on the north side of the Thames estuary in the present day counties of Essex, Hertfordshire and Suffolk, and also included lands now located in Greater London. They were bordered to the north by the Iceni, and to the west by the Catuvellauni. Their capital was Camulodunum (modern Colchester).
Shortly before Julius Caesar's invasion of Britain in 55 and 54 BC, the Trinovantes were considered the most powerful tribe in Britain. At this time their capital was probably at Braughing (in modern-day Hertfordshire). In some copies of Caesar's Gallic War their king is referred to as Imanuentius, although no name is given in other copies which have come down to us. That said however, it seems that this king was overthrown by Cassivellaunus, king of the Catuvellauni, some time before Caesar's second expedition and that Imanuentius' son, Mandubracius, fled to the protection of Caesar in Gaul. During his second expedition Caesar defeated Cassivellaunus and restored Mandubracius to the kingship. Cassivellaunus agreed to pay tribute and also undertook not to attack him again.
The next identifiable king of the Trinovantes, known from numismatic evidence, was Addedomarus, who took power around 20 – 15 BCE, and moved the tribe's capital to Camulodunum. For a brief period, around 10 BCE, Tasciovanus of the Catuvellauni issued coins from Camulodunum, suggesting that he must have conquered the Trinovantes, but he was soon forced to withdraw, perhaps as a result of pressure from the Romans. Addedomarus was restored and Tasciovanus' later coins no longer bear the mark “REX”. Addedomarus was briefly succeeded by his son Dubnovellaunus, around 10 to 5 BCE, but a few years later the tribe was conquered by either Tasciovanus or his son Cunobelinus.
The Trinovantes do not appear in history again until their participation in Boudica's revolt against the Romans in 60 CE. After that though they seem to have embraced the Romanisation of Britain and their name was later given to one of the “civitates” of Roman Britain, whose chief town was Caesaromagus (modern Chelmsford in Essex).

CLICK ON MAP BELOW TO ENLARGE IT

1 comments*Alex
339_-_369_BC_Amyntas_III_Dichalkon.JPG
Amyntas III, 393 - 370/369 BC. AE17 Dichalkon. Struck at an uncertain mint in MacedoniaObverse: No legend. Head of Herakles, wearing lion's skin, facing right.
Reverse: AMYNTA above Eagle standing facing right, grasping snake in it's talons and attacking it with it's beak.
Diameter: 16.92mm | Weight: 3.17gms | Die Axis: 6
SNG ANS 100 - 109 | SNG Munchen 49-52 | AMNG 160, 7

Amyntas III was king of Macedonia from about 393 to 370/369 BC, he was the father of Philip II and the grandfather of Alexander the Great. His skillful diplomacy in Greek affairs prepared the way for Macedonia's emergence as a great power under his son Philip II.
Amyntas came to the throne during a period of some confusion after the sudden death of king Archelaus who was killed while out hunting in 399 BC. Archelaus was succeeded by his young son Orestes, who ruled with his guardian Aeropus for four years until his death, possibly at the hands of Aeropus. Aeropus then ruled alone as Aeropus II, until he died of an illness two years later and was succeeded by his son Pausanius.
Diodorus gives two versions of the start of Amyntas' reign but both versions agree that Amyntas came to the throne after assassinating Pausanias but was then driven out by the Illyrians. Amyntas recovered his kingdom in the following year however, with the aid of the Spartans and the Thessalians. He continued to maintain his position by the expedient of siding with the powers ascendant in Greece, securing his alliance with Athens by supporting their claim to Amphipolis, and by adopting the Athenian general Iphicrates as his son. Iphicrates later helped Amyntas' son, Perdikkas III, to secure his claim to the throne.
Several significant figures worked in Macedonia during Amyntas' reign, including Nicomachus, the father of Aristotle, who served as court physician to Amyntas, and Aristotle himself who served as the tutor to Amyntas' grandson, Alexander the Great.
Amyntas died at an advanced age in 370-369 BC, leaving his throne to the eldest of his three sons, Alexander II, who ruled from 369 to 366 BC. Amyntas' other two sons also ended up ruling Macedon, Perdikkas III from 365 to 359 BC and Philip II, the father of Alexander the Great, from 359 to 336 BC.
2 comments*Alex
boudicca_iceni_AR_unit.JPG
1st Century CE, IRON AGE BRITAIN, Tribe: Iceni, AR Unit, Struck c.60 - 61 under Boudica (Boadicea)Obverse: No legend. Abstract Celtic style head with slit for eye and no ear facing right. Three pellets below head, branch emblem behind neck.
Reverse: No legend. Celtic style horse facing right, lozenge-shaped box with pellets on outer corners below horse. Section of large elaborate wheel-like object above horse, pellet below horse's tail.
Class: Icenian O
Diameter: 14mm | Weight: 0.9gms | Axis: 10
Spink: 434

The first known recorded example of this coin was made by William Stukely, an English antiquarian whose ideas influenced various antiquaries throughout the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Stukeley published over twenty books on archaeology and other subjects during his lifetime and he is regarded as an important forerunner of archaeology for his emphasis on methodically measuring and documenting ancient sites. He died of a stroke in early 1765.
The theory that this coinage was connected with Boudica was originally reported in 1987 and this was endorsed by R D Van Arsdell, an authority on the Celtic coinage of Britain, as Boudican in the 1990's. At the time though this was disputed by many in the numismatic community, some of whom continued to rely on older studies that lumped all "Face-Horse" coins together in a group dating before 20 CE.
However, John Talbot of the University of Oxford carried out research on these issues and, as his die-link and hoard work gradually progressed through the 1990's into the early twenty-first century, these coins were confirmed to be the final coinage of the Iceni. As Talbot's findings were only gradually revealed over a period of time, the accepted dating used in some dealer catalogues did not always keep up with the latest information. During his studies, Talbot discovered that coins from several die sets are only found in the Boudican Rebellion hoards. He also confirmed that these coins were struck in abnormally great numbers for any Icenian issue. But, because he was not certain that this was enough evidence to date the coins to 61 CE. he suggested only that they could have been struck any time after the Claudian Invasion of 43 CE.
Considering though that some die sets are known only from the Boudican Rebellion hoards, that it is still the case that these coins appear in uncirculated condition in the hoards, and that to date none of these coins have been found from secure contexts earlier than the time of the Boudican rebellion, it would appear that the 1987 report was essentially correct and these coins must have been struck nearer to the date of the Boudican Rebellion than earlier, possibly in connection with the financing of that rebellion. The conclusion now is that these coins can, with some confidence, be attributed to Boudica.


THE ICENI
The Iceni were a tribe located in eastern Britain during the Iron Age and the early Roman era. Their territory was bordered by the Corieltauvi to the west, and the Catuvellauni and Trinovantes to the south. In the Roman period, their capital was Venta Icenorum at modern-day Caistor St Edmund.
Julius Caesar did not mention the Iceni in his account of his invasions of Britain in 55 and 54 BC, though they may have been related to the Cenimagni, whom Caesar notes as living north of the River Thames at that time. The Iceni were a significant power in eastern Britain during Claudius I's conquest of Britain in AD 43, in which they allied with Rome. Increasing Roman influence on their affairs led to a revolt in AD 47, though they remained nominally independent under king Prasutagus up until his death around AD 60. Roman encroachment after Prasutagus' death led his wife Boudica to launch a major revolt from 60–61. Boudica's uprising seriously endangered Roman rule in Britain and resulted in the burning of Londinium and other cities. The Romans finally crushed the rebellion, and the Iceni were eventually incorporated into the Roman province.
Archaeological evidence of the Iceni includes torcs, which are heavy rings of gold, silver or electrum worn around the neck and shoulders. The Iceni began producing coins around 10 BC. Their coins were a distinctive adaptation of the Gallo-Belgic "face/horse" design, and in some early issues, most numerous near Norwich, the horse was replaced with a boar. Some coins are inscribed ECENI, making them the only coin-producing group to use their tribal name on coins. The earliest personal name to appear on coins is Antedios (about 10 BC), and other abbreviated names like AESU and SAEMU followed. The name of Prasutagus also appears on some coins as PRASTO.

QUEEN BOUDICA
Queen Boudica was married to Prasutagus, ruler of the Iceni people of East Anglia. When the Romans conquered southern England in AD 43, they allowed Prasutagus to continue to rule. However, when Prasutagus died he left a will dividing his lands between the Roman emperor and his family. The Romans decided to rule the Iceni directly and confiscated all the king's property. When this was contested they are said to have stripped and flogged Boudica and raped her daughters. These actions exacerbated the widespread resentment at Roman rule.
In 60 or 61 AD, while the Roman governor Gaius Suetonius Paullinus was leading a campaign in North Wales, the Iceni rebelled, other tribes joined them, and Boudica led a major uprising against the occupying Roman forces.
Boudica's warriors defeated the Roman Ninth Legion and destroyed the then capital of Roman Britain, Camulodunum (Colchester). They then went on to destroy Londinium (London) and Verulamium (St Albans) killing thousands in the process. Finally, Boudica was defeated by a Roman army led by Paulinus. A great number of her army were killed and, though Boudica's fate is unknown, she is alleged to have either died in battle or poisoned herself to avoid capture. The site of the battle which brought an end to her uprising is also unknown.
The photograph below is of the Victorian statue of Boudica (Boadicea) situated on the Thames embankment in London.

CLICK ON THE IMAGES BELOW TO ENLARGE THEM
3 comments*Alex
Louis_XIII_and_Anne_of_Austria_AE_(Brass)_Jeton.JPG
Louis XIII and Anne d'Autriche. AE (Brass) Jeton struck c.1615 - 1616Obverse: LVDO•XIII D G FR•ET•NA•ANNA•AVSTR•HISPAN. Crowned jugate busts of Louis XIII and Anne facing right, both wearing ruffs.
Reverse: Crown and two branches above two hearts, between which are the scrolled words CARITAS / *SPES* / *FIDES* in three lines above * L * - * A * (for Louis and Anne) either side of facing eagle. Below, scroll bearing the words •HANS•LAVFER•; in exergue H – L (for Hans Laufer) either side of floral device.

Struck at Nuremburg, Germany
Die engraver: Hans Laufer
Dimensions: 27.1mm | Weight: 3.87gms | Die Axis: 12
Ref. M: 3714 | Feuardent: 12329

Hans Laufer became Guild master at Nuremburg in 1611, though he had been responsible for issuing jetons from 1607. He died in 1632.

Louis XIII became king of France and Navarre in 1610, shortly before his ninth birthday, after his father Henry IV was assassinated. He ruled France until he died of Tuberculosis in 1643. Anne was betrothed to him at the age of eleven and, on 24th November 1615, they were married by proxy in Burgos. The marriage following the tradition of cementing military and political alliances between France and Spain that had begun with the marriage of Philip II of Spain to Elisabeth of Valois in 1559 as part of the Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis. Anne and Louis, both fourteen years old, were pressured to consummate their marriage in order to forestall any possibility of future annulment, but this was ignored and Louis' mother, Marie de Medici, continued to conduct herself as Queen of France, without showing any deference to her daughter-in-law. However, in 1617, Louis conspired with Charles d'Albert, Duke of Luynes, to dispense with his mother's influence and she was ousted in a palace coup d'état which also saw her favourite, Concino Concini, assassinated. Louis turned now to Cardinal Richelieu as his advisor but Anne was opposed to Richelieu and became embroiled in several intrigues against him. This inevitably created tension between Louis and Anne. But despite this, and after having endured several stillbirths, in 1638 Anne finally gave birth to a son, the future Louis XIV, and the Bourbon line was further secured when in 1640 she gave birth to a second son, Philippe.
*Alex
Louis_XIV_AE_(Brass)_Jeton.jpg
Louis XIV (1643 - 1715), AE (Brass) Jeton struck c.1644 – 1645Obverse: LVD•XIIII•D:G•FR•ET•NA•REX. Laureate and cuirassed youthful bust of Louis XIV facing right; • B • (for Briot) below.
Reverse: CONSILIO•NIL•NISI•. The escutcheon of France, surrounded by the chain of the Ordre du Saint-Esprit (Order of the Holy Spirit): Necklace and Cross. The legend translates as “He undertakes nothing without Council”, a reference to the administrative council of the king.
Dimensions: 25.65mm | Weight: 5.4gms | Die Axis: 12
Ref. Feuardent: 239 var.

Struck at the Monnaie de Louvre mint, Paris, France
Die engraver: Nicholas Briot


Nicholas Briot (c.1579–1646) was an innovative French coin engraver, medallist and mechanical engineer, who is credited with the invention of the coining-press. He emigrated to England in 1625 and in 1626 he was commissioned to make 'puncheons and dies' for the Coronation of Charles I. His Coronation Medal established his reputation and he went on to produce a considerable number of dies for medals and coins in the following years. In 1633, he was appointed chief engraver to the Royal Mint and went to Scotland to prepare and coin the coronation pieces of Charles I. These demonstrated both his artistic skill and the technical superiority of his new coining machinery and in 1635, on the death of Sir John Foulis, Briot was appointed Master of the Mint in Scotland and superintended the Scottish coinage for several years. Briot was then recalled to England by the King, and on the outbreak of the English Civil War he took possession of the coining apparatus at the Tower and had it removed 'for the purpose of continuing the coining operations in the cause of the King'. Briot travelled to France in the early 1640's and sent coining presses to his brother Isaac, now in a senior position at the Paris Mint, he died on Christmas Eve 1646.
*Alex
Septimius_Severus.JPG
195 - 211, SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS, AR Denarius, Struck 210 at Rome, alluding to BritanniaObverse: SEVERVS PIVS AVG BRIT. Laureate head of Septimius Severus facing right.
Reverse: VICTORIAE BRIT. Victory standing right, holding palm branch in her right hand and placing uninscribed shield on palm tree with her left.
Diameter: 20mm | Weight: 2.83gms | Die Axis: 7h
RIC IV: 336 | RSC: 730 | SRCV: 6384 | SPINK: 651A
SCARCE

This coin commemorates the success of the Roman campaigns in Scotland during 209 and 210 culminating in the death of Severus at York, England, in February 211.

SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS
Lucius Septimius Severus was Roman emperor from 193 to 211. He was born in Leptis Magna in the Roman province of Africa.
Severus seized power after the death of the emperor Pertinax in 193 (the Year of the Five Emperors).
After consolidating his rule over the western provinces, Severus waged a brief, successful war in the east against the Parthian Empire, sacked their capital Ctesiphon, expanded the eastern frontier to the Tigris and enlarged and fortified the Limes Arabicus in Arabia Petraea. In 202, he campaigned in Africa and Mauretania against the Garamantes, captured their capital Garama and expanded the Limes Tripolitanus along the southern desert frontier of the empire. In 198 he raised his elder son Caracalla to Augustus and in 209 did the same to his younger son, Geta.
In AD 209 Severus invaded Caledonia (modern Scotland) with an army of 50,000 men, but he fell fatally ill of an infectious disease in late 210 and died at Eboracum (York, England) early in 211.

SEVERUS' CAMPAIGNS IN BRITAIN
In 208 Septimius Severus travelled to Britain with the intention of conquering Caledonia (Scotland). Modern archaeological discoveries have helped to throw some light on the scope and direction of this northern campaign.
Severus began by occupying the territory up to the Antonine Wall, this is evidenced by extensive Severan era fortifications and the likely reoccupation of some of the forts on that wall. Over the previous years Hadrian's Wall had fallen into disrepair and Severus strengthened and repaired much of it, he did this to such an extent that many early Antiquarians thought that he was the emperor who had actually built it. Severus constructed a 165-acre (67 ha) camp south of the Antonine Wall at Trimontium, probably assembling the main body of his forces there. Severus then thrust north across the Antonine Wall into Caledonian territory, supported and supplied by a strong naval force. He retraced the steps of Agricola of over a century before, rebuilding many abandoned Roman forts along the east coast, and he re-garrisoned the naval base at Carpow, likely built by Commodus in 185, and possibly the place named as "Horrea Classis" or "Poreo Classis" in the Ravenna Cosmography.
By 210 Severus' campaigning had made significant gains, despite Caledonian guerrilla tactics and purportedly heavy Roman casualties.
According to Cassius Dio: “Severus did not desist until he approached the extremity of the island. Here he observed most accurately the variation of the sun's motion and the length of the days and the nights in summer and winter respectively. Having thus been conveyed through practically the whole of the hostile country (for he actually was conveyed in a covered litter most of the way, on account of his infirmity), he returned to the friendly portion, after he had forced the Britons to come to terms, on the condition that they should abandon a large part of their territory.”
The Caledonians had sued for peace, which Severus had granted on the condition that they relinquished control of the Central Lowlands of Scotland, but later that year (210), they, along with the Maeatae, revolted. Severus prepared for another campaign, now intent on exterminating the Caledonians. However the campaign was cut short when Severus fell ill and withdrew south to Eboracum (York) where he died on 4 February 211. Severus was succeeded by his sons, Caracalla and Geta. Caracalla continued campaigning in Caledonia during 212 but soon settled for peace, and shortly after that the frontier was withdrawn south to Hadrian's Wall.
On his death, Severus was deified by the Senate and his remains were buried in the Mausoleum of Hadrian in Rome.

CLICK ON IMAGES BELOW TO ENLARGE THEM

*Alex
SEPTIMIUS_SEVERUS_VICTORIAE_BRIT.JPG
195 - 211, SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS, AR Denarius, Struck 210 at Rome, alluding to BritanniaObverse: SEVERVS PIVS AVG BRIT. Laureate head of Septimius Severus facing right.
Reverse: VICTORIAE BRIT. Victory seated on shield facing left, holding another shield resting on her knee in her right hand and palm branch in her left.
Diameter: 19mm | Weight: 2.35gms | Die Axis: 12h
RIC IV: 335 | RSC: 731 | SRCV: 6385 | SPINK: 651C
SCARCE

This coin commemorates the success of the Roman campaigns in Scotland during 209 and 210 culminating in the death of Severus at York, England, in February 211.

SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS
Lucius Septimius Severus was Roman emperor from 193 to 211. He was born in Leptis Magna in the Roman province of Africa.
Severus seized power after the death of the emperor Pertinax in 193 (the Year of the Five Emperors).
After consolidating his rule over the western provinces, Severus waged a brief, successful war in the east against the Parthian Empire, sacked their capital Ctesiphon, expanded the eastern frontier to the Tigris and enlarged and fortified the Limes Arabicus in Arabia Petraea. In 202, he campaigned in Africa and Mauretania against the Garamantes, captured their capital Garama and expanded the Limes Tripolitanus along the southern desert frontier of the empire. In 198 he raised his elder son Caracalla to Augustus and in 209 did the same to his younger son, Geta.
In AD 209 Severus invaded Caledonia (modern Scotland) with an army of 50,000 men, but he fell fatally ill of an infectious disease in late 210 and died at Eboracum (York, England) early in 211.

SEVERUS' CAMPAIGNS IN BRITAIN
In 208 Septimius Severus travelled to Britain with the intention of conquering Caledonia (Scotland). Modern archaeological discoveries have helped to throw some light on the scope and direction of this northern campaign.
Severus began by occupying the territory up to the Antonine Wall, this is evidenced by extensive Severan era fortifications and the likely reoccupation of some of the forts on that wall. Over the previous years Hadrian's Wall had fallen into disrepair and Severus strengthened and repaired much of it, he did this to such an extent that many early Antiquarians thought that he was the emperor who had actually built it. Severus constructed a 165-acre (67 ha) camp south of the Antonine Wall at Trimontium, probably assembling the main body of his forces there. Severus then thrust north across the Antonine Wall into Caledonian territory, supported and supplied by a strong naval force. He retraced the steps of Agricola of over a century before, rebuilding many abandoned Roman forts along the east coast, and he re-garrisoned the naval base at Carpow, likely built by Commodus in 185, and possibly the place named as "Horrea Classis" or "Poreo Classis" in the Ravenna Cosmography.
By 210 Severus' campaigning had made significant gains, despite Caledonian guerrilla tactics and purportedly heavy Roman casualties.
According to Cassius Dio: “Severus did not desist until he approached the extremity of the island. Here he observed most accurately the variation of the sun's motion and the length of the days and the nights in summer and winter respectively. Having thus been conveyed through practically the whole of the hostile country (for he actually was conveyed in a covered litter most of the way, on account of his infirmity), he returned to the friendly portion, after he had forced the Britons to come to terms, on the condition that they should abandon a large part of their territory.”
The Caledonians had sued for peace, which Severus had granted on the condition that they relinquished control of the Central Lowlands of Scotland, but later that year (210), they, along with the Maeatae, revolted. Severus prepared for another campaign, now intent on exterminating the Caledonians. However the campaign was cut short when Severus fell ill and withdrew south to Eboracum (York) where he died on 4 February 211. Severus was succeeded by his sons, Caracalla and Geta. Caracalla continued campaigning in Caledonia during 212 but soon settled for peace, and shortly after that the frontier was withdrawn south to Hadrian's Wall.
On his death, Severus was deified by the Senate and his remains were buried in the Mausoleum of Hadrian in Rome.

CLICK ON IMAGES BELOW TO ENLARGE THEM

5 comments*Alex
193_-_211_Sept_Severus_VICTORIAE_BRIT.JPG
195 - 211, SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS, AR Denarius, Struck 210 at Rome, alluding to BritanniaObverse: SEVERVS PIVS AVG BRIT. Laureate head of Septimius Severus facing right.
Reverse: VICTORIAE BRIT. Victory advancing right, holding wreath in her outstretched right hand and palm branch in her left.
Diameter: 19mm | Weight: 3.5gms | Die Axis: 6h
RIC IV: 332 | RSC: 727 | SRCV: 6382 | SPINK: 650
SCARCE

This coin commemorates the success of the Roman campaigns in Scotland during 209 and 210 culminating in the death of Severus at York, England, in February 211.

SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS
Lucius Septimius Severus was Roman emperor from 193 to 211. He was born in Leptis Magna in the Roman province of Africa.
Severus seized power after the death of the emperor Pertinax in 193 (the Year of the Five Emperors).
After consolidating his rule over the western provinces, Severus waged a brief, successful war in the east against the Parthian Empire, sacked their capital Ctesiphon, expanded the eastern frontier to the Tigris and enlarged and fortified the Limes Arabicus in Arabia Petraea. In 202, he campaigned in Africa and Mauretania against the Garamantes, captured their capital Garama and expanded the Limes Tripolitanus along the southern desert frontier of the empire. In 198 he raised his elder son Caracalla to Augustus and in 209 did the same to his younger son, Geta.
In AD 209 Severus invaded Caledonia (modern Scotland) with an army of 50,000 men, but he fell fatally ill of an infectious disease in late 210 and died at Eboracum (York, England) early in 211.

SEVERUS' CAMPAIGNS IN BRITAIN
In 208 Septimius Severus travelled to Britain with the intention of conquering Caledonia (Scotland). Modern archaeological discoveries have helped to throw some light on the scope and direction of this northern campaign.
Severus began by occupying the territory up to the Antonine Wall, this is evidenced by extensive Severan era fortifications and the likely reoccupation of some of the forts on that wall. Over the previous years Hadrian's Wall had fallen into disrepair and Severus strengthened and repaired much of it, he did this to such an extent that many early Antiquarians thought that he was the emperor who had actually built it. Severus constructed a 165-acre (67 ha) camp south of the Antonine Wall at Trimontium, probably assembling the main body of his forces there. Severus then thrust north across the Antonine Wall into Caledonian territory, supported and supplied by a strong naval force. He retraced the steps of Agricola of over a century before, rebuilding many abandoned Roman forts along the east coast, and he re-garrisoned the naval base at Carpow, likely built by Commodus in 185, and possibly the place named as "Horrea Classis" or "Poreo Classis" in the Ravenna Cosmography.
By 210 Severus' campaigning had made significant gains, despite Caledonian guerrilla tactics and purportedly heavy Roman casualties.
According to Cassius Dio: “Severus did not desist until he approached the extremity of the island. Here he observed most accurately the variation of the sun's motion and the length of the days and the nights in summer and winter respectively. Having thus been conveyed through practically the whole of the hostile country (for he actually was conveyed in a covered litter most of the way, on account of his infirmity), he returned to the friendly portion, after he had forced the Britons to come to terms, on the condition that they should abandon a large part of their territory.”
The Caledonians had sued for peace, which Severus had granted on the condition that they relinquished control of the Central Lowlands of Scotland, but later that year (210), they, along with the Maeatae, revolted. Severus prepared for another campaign, now intent on exterminating the Caledonians. However the campaign was cut short when Severus fell ill and withdrew south to Eboracum (York) where he died on 4 February 211. Severus was succeeded by his sons, Caracalla and Geta. Caracalla continued campaigning in Caledonia during 212 but soon settled for peace, and shortly after that the frontier was withdrawn south to Hadrian's Wall.
On his death, Severus was deified by the Senate and his remains were buried in the Mausoleum of Hadrian in Rome.

CLICK ON IMAGES BELOW TO ENLARGE THEM


1 comments*Alex
rjb_cast8_07_05.jpg
2Otacilia Severa
244-9
AE 39 mm
Rome Mint
mauseus
Otacilla_Sestertius.jpg
2.1 Otacilla SeveraOTACILIA SEVERA
Æ Sestertius, 19.2g

O: MARCIA OTACIL SEVERA AVG, diademed draped bust right

R: CONCORDIA AVGG, S C in ex, Concordia seated left, holding patera & double cornucopiae.



Sosius
Otacilla_Moushmov_3514.jpg
2.1 Otacilla SeveraOtacilia Severa
AE 25mm of Bizya, Thrace.

M WTAKEILIA CEBHPA CEB, diademed & draped bust right / BIZVENWN, Artemis standing left, holding arrow & long torch; stag at feet.

Moushmov 3514
Sosius
Caracalla_Tet_Prieur_1179.jpg
25 CaracallaCARACALLA
AR Tetradrachm. 13g, 26mm
Syria, Laodicea ad Mare.
Struck circa 215-217AD

Laureate head right / Eagle standing facing, head left, holding wreath in beak; star between legs.

McAlee, Severan, Group 6, 40; Prieur 1179
aVF, Ex Amphora Coins. Hendin COA.
Sosius
Aquilia_Severa_Alex_Tet_-_Kln_2369_lg~0.jpg
29.6 Aquilia Severa - Wife of ElagabalusEGYPT, Alexandria. Aquilia Severa. Augusta, AD 220-221 & 221-222. Potin Tetradrachm (23mm, 11.63 g, 11h). Dated RY 4 of Elagabalus (AD 220/1). Draped bust right / Homonoia standing left, right hand raised, holding double cornucopia with left; L Δ (date) to left. Köln 2369; Dattari (Savio) 4178; K&G 58.3. Near VF, dark brown patina, light porosity.

Ex CNG eAuction 318
Sosius
Constantine_II_Killingholme_Hoard_(1993).JPG
317 - 337, CONSTANTINE II as Caesar, AE3 struck 321 at Londinium (London), EnglandObverse: CONSTANTINVS IVN N C. Radiate and cuirassed bust of Constantine II facing left.
Reverse: BEATA TRANQVILLITAS. Altar, inscribed VOT IS XX in three lines, surmounted by cosmic globe with three stars above; across field, P - A; in exergue, PLON.
Diameter: 20mm | Weight: 2.9gms | Die Axis: 6h
RIC VII : 219
Rare
Ex Killingholme Hoard (1993)

Claudius Constantinus was the eldest son of Constantine and Fausta, he was given the rank of Caesar in A.D.316, at the same time as Crispus and Licinius II.
This coin was struck in connection with the fifteenth anniversary of Constantine II's father, Constantine the great.


THE KILLINGHOLME HOARD
The Killingholme Hoard was discovered in a field between Killingholme and Habrough on the south bank of the Humber Estuary by a pair of metal detectorists in the Autumn of 1993.
The initial coins of the hoard were surface finds, many of which were found before the hoard itself was discovered. In total, there were 1504 coins found in the topsoil, and another 2753 found buried in a single clay pot.
The top of the pot had been cut off by ploughing, which had caused a large number of coins to be scattered around the field. Nevertheless, the remains of the pot were found when the coins packed in it were detected. The pot had a diameter of about 20cm and within it were thousands of coins.
One of the finders reported that the coins appeared to have been carefully arranged inside the pot, and seemed to produce a spiralling pattern. Unfortunately, the coins were emptied into a bath for cleaning so any chance of researching this arrangement was lost forever.
The coins that constituted the hoard were bronze reduced folles, most of which were struck between the 320s and the early 330s, during the time of the emperor Constantine. Though the coins came from several mints in the Western part of the Roman Empire, most of them were from the London mint. It is thought that the hoard was probably deposited around 333/334 AD.
Because, in 1993, base metal coins were not counted as treasure, the coins were returned to the finders who sent the bulk of the coins to be auctioned off by Spink of London. Fortunately, prior to being sold, the coins were recorded by the British Museum which acquired for itself 86 coins from the hoard.
After the recordings were completed, though the finders kept a few coins for themselves, the remainder of the coins were sold off in batches. It has been rumoured that many of these coins went to the Italian luxury goods producer Bulgari, who used them to make jewellery.
Such a process would not be permitted in England today as, following the enactment of the Treasure Act in 1996, the Killingholme Hoard would now fulfil the criteria for "treasure" as outlined by the Act.

CONTEMPORARY PHOTO OF THE KILLINGHOLM HOARD, CLICK ON THUMBNAIL TO ENLARGE IT
*Alex
WIGM172323.JPG
837 - 854, WIGMUND, Anglo-Saxon Archbishop of York, Northumbria, AE Styca, Struck at York, EnglandObverse: + VIGMVND I R around group of seven pellets. Cross pattée in legend.
Reverse: + HVNLAF around cross pommée. Cross pattée in legend. Moneyer: Hunlaf.
Issue: Phase II, Group Ci
Diameter: 13mm | Weight: 0.9gms | Die Axis: Uncertain
SPINK: 870

The first appearance of the styca, a new style of small coin which replaced the earlier sceat, was at the beginning of the ninth century. The first stycas were of low silver content but later coins became effectively brass. Produced in York, several moneyers are named on the surviving coins, suggesting that they were minted in significant quantities. Stycas were minted under the kings, Aethelred I, Eardwulf, Aelfwald II, Eanred, Aethelred II, Redwulf, and Osberht, as well as for the Archbishops of York, Eanbald I, Eanbald II, Wigmund, and Wulfhere.


Wigmund was consecrated as Archbishop of York in 837 and died in 854.

The Kingdom of Northumbria was a medieval Anglian kingdom in what is now Northern England and South-east Scotland. The name derives from the Old English Norþan-hymbre meaning "the people or province north of the Humber", Northumbria started to consolidate into one kingdom in the early seventh century when the two earlier territories of Deira and Bernicia united. At its height, the kingdom extended from the Humber Estuary in the south to the Firth of Forth (now in Scotland) in the north.
Northumbria ceased to be an independent kingdom in the mid-tenth century.
*Alex
841_-_849_AETHELRED_II_AE_Styca.JPG
841 - 849, ÆTHELRED II, Anglo-Saxon king of Northumbria, AE Styca, Struck 841 - 844 at York, EnglandObverse: + EDILRED REX around large Greek cross, small Greek cross in legend.
Reverse: + EANRED around small Greek cross. Small Greek cross in legend. Moneyer: Eanred.
Issue: First Reign, Phase II, Group Cii
Diameter: 13mm | Weight: 0.9gms | Die Axis: 12
SPINK: 865 | Pirie: 1374 (same dies)

The new styca coinage, small brass coins containing very little silver and much zinc introduced at the beginning of the century, continued to be minted in large quantities by a number of different moneyers at York during Æthelred's reign.


Æthelred II was king of Northumbria in the middle of the ninth century, but, as with his father, his dates are uncertain. Relatively little is known of Æthelred's reign from the surviving documentary record. He appears to have been expelled in favour of Rædwulf, whose reign is confirmed by the evidence of coinage. However, Rædwulf was killed that same year fighting against the Vikings and Æthelred was restored to power. Æthelred was assassinated a few years later, but no further details are known of his murder. Æthelred II was succeeded by Osberht.
N. J. Higham, reader of history at Manchester University and author of several books on the Anglo-Saxons dates Æthelred II's reign as from 840 until his death in 848, with an interruption in 844 when Rædwulf briefly usurped the throne. Barbara Yorke, Emeritus professor of Medieval history at the University of Winchester agrees, but dates his death slightly later to 848 or 849.

The Kingdom of Northumbria was a medieval Anglian kingdom in what is now Northern England and South-east Scotland. The name derives from the Old English Norþan-hymbre meaning "the people or province north of the Humber", Northumbria started to consolidate into one kingdom in the early seventh century when the two earlier territories of Deira and Bernicia united. At its height, the kingdom extended from the Humber Estuary in the south to the Firth of Forth (now in Scotland) in the north.
Northumbria ceased to be an independent kingdom in the mid-tenth century.
*Alex
843_-_855_Irregular_Styca_(Wigmund).JPG
843 - 855, IRREGULAR ISSUE, AE Styca, struck at York, EnglandObverse: + FGMVND (Wigmund) retrograde around group of five pellets in the form found on a dice. Cross pattée in legend.
Reverse: + EARDVVL retrograde around small cross with pellet in each of it's four angles. Cross pommée in legend. Moneyer: Eardwulf.
Diameter: 13mm | Weight: 1.16gms | Die Axis: Uncertain
SPINK: 872

This coin is an irregular issue which imitates an issue of Wigmund, who was Archbishop of York from around 837 to c.850, and the moneyer Eardwulf. Eardwulf was not a moneyer of regular coins for Wigmund so this coin is a bit of a concoction, something that is not uncommon with these irregular issues. Irregular stycas appear in a wide variety of types and a wide variety of imitative legends which are often blundered and sometimes completely unintelligible. The first appearance of the styca, a new style of small coin which replaced the earlier sceat, was at the beginning of the ninth century. Minted in York, several moneyers are named on the surviving coins, suggesting that they were struck in significant quantities. The written sources for late Northumbria are few, however the archaeological evidence from coinage is independent of the surviving annals and the evidence of Northumbrian coinage is particularly valuable when, in the ninth century, contemporary written evidence all but disappears.
These irregular issue coins were struck at a period of great instability in Northumbria. The last king to mint official stycas in any great quantity was Æthelred II who came to the throne around 841. Æthelred was assassinated around 848 and was succeeded by Osberht who was apparently killed in a battle with the Vikings around 867. The "Great Heathen Army" of Danish Vikings had marched on Northumbria in 866, they captured and sacked York towards the end of that year. Osberht was reputedly replaced as king by Ælla who is described in most sources as a tyrant, and not a rightful king, though one source states that he was Osberht's brother and fought and died alongside him. Evidence about Northumbrian royal chronology is unreliable prior to 867 and, though the beginning of Ælla's reign is traditionally dated to 862 or 863, his reign may not have begun until as late as 866. Ælla was apparently captured and killed by the Vikings, and after that the Vikings appointed one Ecgberht to rule Northumbria.
Official styca production ceased at some time during Osberht's reign although stycas remained in circulation until the Viking conquest of Northumbria in 867.


The Kingdom of Northumbria was a medieval Anglian kingdom in what is now Northern England and South-east Scotland. The name derives from the Old English Norþan-hymbre meaning "the people or province north of the Humber", Northumbria started to consolidate into one kingdom in the early seventh century when the two earlier territories of Deira and Bernicia united. At its height, the kingdom extended from the Humber Estuary in the south to the Firth of Forth (now in Scotland) in the north.
Northumbria ceased to be an independent kingdom in the mid-tenth century.
*Alex
DH_Wexford_004_002-removebg.png
Enniscorthy (Wexford) copper halfpenny token dated 1800.Woodcock's Bank Enniscorthy (Wexford) copper halfpenny token dated 1800. Obverse: View of a castle by the sea with a portcullis formed by six vertical and one horizontal bar in the gateway and legend: "PAYABLE AT THE BANK OF R. W. ENNISCORTHY". Reverse: Shield with monogram "RW" hanging from the bough of a tree with hills and a castle in the background: "A. D. 1800". Plain edge. The issuer, R. Woodcock was a banker at Enniscorthy. The reverse design depicting "Vinegar Hill" refers to a tragedy there two years before the issue of the coin when there was an uprising of the United Irishmen in Dublin. This was soon suppressed, however, the peasants in the south followed suite and also revolted. Armed with fowling pieces, French muskets and long pikes, they captured several towns including Enniscorthy and Wexford. The rebels then organised a training camp for their 6,000 strong force on Vinegar Hill. In June, General Lake attacked the Vinegar Hill camp and routed the half-trained force and, with Major-General John Moore’s recapture of Wexford, the rebellion disintegrated. The bodies of around 500 men who were killed in the battle lie buried in a mass grave at the foot of the hill. D&H Wexford No: 4. Diameter 28.8mm.Ancient Aussie
317_-_297_BC_KASSANDER_AE18.JPG
Kassander, 317 - 297 BC. AE18. Struck 319 - 305 BC at an uncertain mint in MacedoniaObverse: No legend. Head of Herakles, wearing lion's skin, facing right.
Reverse: KAΣΣAN - ΔPOY, above and below crouching lion facing right, Λ in right field, before lion.
Diameter: 17.77mm | Weight: 3.76gms | Die Axis: 6
SNG Cop 1138 | Sear GCV 6753 | Forrer/Weber 2161

This type was issued before Kassander's assumption of the royal title in 305 BC

Kassander (Cassander) was one of the Diadochoi, a group of Macedonian generals, and the self proclaimed ruler of Macedonia during the political turmoil following the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC. He was the son of Antipater, who had been appointed as regent in Macedonia while Alexander was in the East.
In 319 BC and close to death, Antipater transferred the regency of Macedonia to Polyperchon. Kassander refused to acknowledge the new regent and, with the aid of Antigonus I Monopthalmus the ruler of Phrygia, he seized Macedonia and most of Greece, including Athens. In 317 BC, he declared himself regent and had Alexander's widow, Roxanna and son, Alexander IV confined in Amphipolis. Later, in 310 or 309 BC, he had them put to death by poisoning. But, even though he had murdered Alexander's heirs and had been the de facto ruler of Macedonia from 317 BC, Kassander did not take the royal titles and declare himself king until 305 BC.
Meanwhile, Antigonus was intent on reuniting Alexander's empire under his own sovereignty and so Kassander joined forces with Ptolemy I of Egypt, Seleucus in Babylon and Lysimachus ruler of Thrace to oppose him. The two sides fought several battles between 319 and 303 BC resulting in Kassander losing Athens in 307 BC and his possessions south of Thessaly between 303 and 302 BC. However, in 301 BC Antigonus was defeated and killed at the Battle of Ipsus in Phrygia which allowed Kassander to secure undisputed control over Macedonia.
During his rule Kassander restored peace and prosperity to the kingdom, founding or restoring numerous cities, including Thebes which had been levelled by Alexander as punishment for rebelling against him. He also founded Thessalonica, naming the city after his wife, and Cassandreia, founded upon the ruins of Potidaea, which was named after himself.
Kassander died of dropsy in 297 BC and may have been buried in a royal tomb recently discovered at Vergina, identified as Aigai, the first Macedonian capital.
*Alex
otse.jpg
Marcia Otacilla Severa, Empress of Rome 244-249 CEMarcia Otacilla Severa, wife of Philip the Arab
Otacilia Severa AE30 of Antioch, Syria.
Obverse: MAP WTAKIL CEOVHPAN CEB, diademed & draped bust right on crescent.
Reverse: ANTIOCEWN MHTRO KOLWN D-e S-C, turreted & draped bust of Tyche right, ram leaping right above. BMC 543. 28 mm, 12.77 g
1 commentsNORMAN K
mesem.jpg
Mesembria Thrace, (2nd Century B.C.)Æ17
O: Diademed female head right.
R: ΜΕΣΑΜΒΡΙΑΝΩΝ, Athena Promachos advancing left holding shield and brandishing javelin, crested helmet inner left.
Mesambria (Nesebar, Bulgaria) mint
5.1g
17mm
SNG BM 284 ff., SGCV I 1677, SNG Cop 660, SNG Stancomb 236,

Mesembria (Mesambria) was a Doric settlement on an island at the Black Sea coast. Today a man-made isthmus connects it to the mainland. The modern name is Nesebar, an important seaside resort. Several ancient churches and ruins are preserved on the peninsula.
2 commentsMat
coins_009.JPG
Otacilia Severa AE29 of Viminacium, Moesia Superior. 15.38 grams.
25 mm.
Otacilia Severa AE29 of Viminacium, Moesia Superior. MARC OTACILIA SEVERA AVG, diademed draped bust right / P M S COL VIM, Moesia standing facing between bull & lion, AN XI in ex. Viminacium
Moushmov 39
Antonivs Protti
osbd.jpg
Otacilla Severa, Wife of Philip I, 244-249 CE.Obverse: MARCIA OTACIL SEVHRA AVG, diademed and draped bust right
Reverse: COL FL PAC DEVLT, Concordia standing left, patera in right hand and cornucopia in left.
Thrace, Deultum reverse die broken
SNG Bulgaria 1965ff. 19.6 mm diam., 2.9 g.
NORMAN K
0191-a00.JPG
Plautilla, overviewThere are five main types of portrait for Plautilla’s denarii at the Rome mint :

A - With a draped bust right, hair coiled in horizontal ridges and fastened in bun in high position. Her facial expression is juvenile
B - Hair being coiled in vertical ridges, with bun in low position. Plautilla looks here more like a young beautiful woman
C - The third bust shows a thinner face of Plautilla with hair in vertical ridges and no bun but braids covering her neck
D - The fourth type has a similar appearance with the former, but the vertical ridges disappear, hair being plastered down, still showing the right ear
E - Plautilla appears with mid long hair plastered down and covering her ears

In the mean time there are seven different reverses :

1 - CONCORDIAE AETERNAE
2 - PROPAGO IMPERI
3 - CONCORDIA AVGG
4 - CONCORDIA FELIX
5 - PIETAS AVGG
6 – DIANA LVCIFERA

Not every combination exists, but some of the above reverses can be shared by several obverse portraits. Noticeable also is an evolution of the obverse legend, being PLAVTILLAE AVGVSTAE (a) in 202, and becoming PLAVTILLA AVGVSTA (b) soon after

You can see the evolution of this interesting coinage in my Plautilla's gallery.
3 commentsPotator II
Sicily_Gallery_h.jpg
SicilyGreek colonies dotted the island of Sicily from about the mid-8th C. BC onward, sometimes conflicting with the native tribes (Sikels to the east, Sikanians in central Sicily, and Elymians to the west) and several Phoenician colonies. The largest issuance of coinage by the city-states often came amidst conflict among themselves and later arrivals, the Carthaginians and Romans. While Greek coin types and denominations predominated, the local litra and its fractions of onkiai survived down to the Roman conquest in 212 BC, when local striking withered. Major mints include Akragas, Gela, Himera, Kamarina, Katane, Leontini, Messene, Naxos, Segesta, Selinos, Syracuse, and the siculo-punic mints of Entella and Lilybaion.
3 commentsAnaximander
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ROME
PB Tessera (20mm, 5.35 g, 12h)
Draped bust of Hercules left, wearing lion's skin and holding club over shoulder, with hair and beard in Antonine-Severan style
The Dioscuri standing facing one another, each holding spear and bridle of horse
Rostovtsev 2085; Rostovtsev & Prou 377

Rostovtsev suggests that the obverse may depict Caracalla. This interpretation is somewhat plausible, but unlikely, considering the additional object on the obverse, and the bare head of the figure.
Ardatirion
DSC_0243.jpg
ROME. Romula Agas(iae?)
PB Tessera (22mm, 7.58 g, 12 h)
ROM/ VLA
Clipeus; A A/ C S
Rostowzew 1478; München 243; Turcan 194-5; Milan 211; Kircheriano 2004-7

Ex Classical Numismatic Group Electronic Auction 267, lot 685 (part of)

Rostowzew cites a surprising twenty-six specimens, including several with square flans.
Ardatirion
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HAITI, Premier République. Jean Pierre Boyer. President, 1825-1843
Brass 50 Centimes (25.5mm, 4.26 g, 12h)
Contemporary counterfeit. Dated L'An 25 of the Republic (AD 1828/9)
J * BOYER * PRESIDENTE *, AN 25
Bust left
REPUBLIQUE D'HAITI */ 50 * C
Palm tree flanked by cannon and banners
KM 20a; cf. Arroyo 105 (for official issue); Lissade 96; iNumis 25, lot 1352

On 1 June 1835, local officials arrested engraver Joseph Gardner of Belleville on charges of counterfeiting. When searching his house, officials discovered dies for Spanish 8 reales in various states of completion, coining implements, a bag of gold dust, and several bags of "spurious Haytien coppers." Yet Gardner was not the only individual striking illicit Haitian coins. James Bishop of neighboring Bloomfield, New Jersey had been arrested several months before, and a third person was responsible for the issue brought to Haiti by Jeremiah Hamilton.

Today, two distinct issues of counterfeits can be identified: a group of 25 and 50 Centimes, clearly related in fabric, and two different dates of 100 Centimes. The smaller denominations are most often found lacking a silver plating, while the plating year 26 100 Centimes is fine enough to deceive the likes of NGC and Heritage. Additionally, there are a handful year 27 100 centimes overstruck on US large cents. While I have not yet found a regular strike from these dies, they are the most likely candidate for Belleville's production.
Ardatirion
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D.abs Louis the Pious (obol, class 3)Louis the Pious, king of the Franks and Holy Roman emperor (813-840)
Obol (unknown mint in the south-east of France?, class 3, 822-840)

Silver, 0.77 g, 15 mm diameter, die axis 5 h

O/ +PISTIΛNΛ PI; cross pattée with 4 pellets
R/ +OPISTIΛNΛ PE; cross pattée

This obol may be due to a double reverse error because of the absence of the sovereign's name and the legend repetition on both sides. However several dies were used to strike this type (I could find 3 obverse and 3 reverse dies), one side always bears 4 pellets as the other does not. One of the reverse dies is associated to the more typical obverse legend +HLVDOVVICVS I. Consequently an error does not seem to be likely. Because of hoard localizations, these obols seem to come from a single mint, in the south-east of France (Lyon, Arles?).
1 comments
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D.627 Charles II the Bald (denier ?, class 1d, Melle)Charles the Bald, king of the Franks (840-877)
Denier (Melle ?, class 1d, 840-864)

Silver, 1.35 g, 20.5 mm diameter, die axis 12h

O/ +CΛRLVS REX R; cross pattée
R/ +METxVLLO; carolingian monogram

The x in METxVLLO on the reverse has been widely discussed.
For instance, Depeyrot understands it as an immobilization/feudal issue. The crude style of theses deniers and the lightly degenerate legend of this one (CARLVS REX R instead of REX FR) seems in coherence with this hypothesis. However, the x is always at the same place.
Moreover, this type of coin has been found in the Brioux hoard, which may be datable to the beginning of Charles the Bald's reign. Grierson and Blackburn suggest that these coins with x were mainly minted in Poitiers. Using the legend of the close Melle mint allowed to take advantage of the reputation of Melle coinage.
Coupland proposes that this METxVLLO type came after the METVLLO type after 860 and until round 925. Then, it was replaced by the MET/ALO type. In order to explain the differences of interpretation, Coupland thinks that several hoards were wrongly dated or described.
charles2-gdr-curtisasonien.JPG
D.375 Charles II the Bald (denier, class 2, Courcessin?)Charles the Bald, king of the Franks (840-877)
GDR denier (Courcessin?, class 2, 864-875)

Silver, 1.43 g, 19 mm diameter, die axis 12h

O/ +GRΛTIΛ D-I REX; carolingian monogram
R/ +I.CVRTISΛSONIEH; cross pattée

In 864, Charles the Bald promulgated the edict of Pîtres, huge reform whose aim was to protect the kingdom from Viking raids. It also reinforced royal authority on minting, and created a new type of deniers . The new coins could be only struck at 10 mints (Palace, Chalon sur Saône, Melle, Narbonne, Orléans, Paris, Quentovic, Reims, Rouen and Sens). This limitation had never been applied, more than 110 mints struck the new coinage. This can be understood as a lack of control of the central autority. However it seems that several mints shared dies... Grierson and Blackburn proposed that only 10 main mints produced dies and partially outsourced coinage production ?
On the obverse is written GRATIA D-I REX (GDR) around a carolingian monogram. The alliance with Roman Church goes on... The reverse already existed for Class 1, with the mint name around a cross pattée.
Class 2 of Charles' coinage is made of these GDR deniers.

The precise localization of the mint in Normandie (north of France) is still not clear. According to Grierson and Blackburn, Courti(s) Sasonien(sis) may come from some groups of Saxons settled in northern part of Gaul.
lg004_quad_sm.jpg
"As de Nîmes" or "crocodile" Ӕ dupondius of Nemausus (9 - 3 BC), honoring Augustus and AgrippaIMP DIVI F , Heads of Agrippa (left) and Augustus (right) back to back, Agrippa wearing rostral crown and Augustus the oak-wreath / COL NEM, crocodile right chained to palm-shoot with short dense fronds and tip right; two short palm offshoots left and right below, above on left a wreath with two long ties streaming right.

Ó”, 24.5 x 3+ mm, 13.23g, die axis 3h; on both sides there are remains of what appears to be gold plating, perhaps it was a votive offering? Rough edges and slight scrapes on flan typical for this kind of coin, due to primitive technology (filing) of flan preparation.

IMPerator DIVI Filius. Mint of COLonia NEMausus (currently Nîmes, France). Known as "As de Nîmes", it is actually a dupontius (lit. "two-pounder") = 2 ases (sometimes cut in halves to get change). Dupondii were often made out of a golden-colored copper alloy (type of brass) "orichalcum" and this appears to be such case.

Key ID points: oak-wreath (microphotography shows that at least one leaf has a complicated shape, although distinguishing oak from laurel is very difficult) – earlier versions have Augustus bareheaded, no PP on obverse as in later versions, no NE ligature, palm with short fronds with tip right (later versions have tip left and sometimes long fronds). Not typical: no clear laurel wreath together with the rostral crown, gold (?) plating (!), both features really baffling.

But still clearly a "middle" kind of the croc dupondius, known as "type III": RIC I 158, RPC I 524, Sear 1730. It is often conservatively dated to 10 BC - 10 AD, but these days it is usually narrowed to 9/8 - 3 BC.

It is a commemorative issue, honoring the victory over Mark Antony and conquest of Egypt in 30 BC. The heads of Augustus and Agrippa were probably positioned to remind familiar obverses of Roman republican coins with two-faced Janus. Palm branch was a common symbol of victory, in this case grown into a tree, like the victories of Augustus and Agrippa grown into the empire. The two offshoots at the bottom may mean two sons of Agrippa, Gaius and Lucius, who were supposed to be Augustus' heirs and were patrons of the colony. Palm may also be a symbol of the local Nemausian deity, which was probably worshiped in a sacred grove. When these coins were minted, the colony was mostly populated by the settled veterans of Augustus' campaigns, hence the reminiscence of the most famous victory, but some of the original Celtic culture probably survived and was assimilated by Romans. The crocodile is not only the symbol of Egypt, like in the famous Octavian's coins AEGYPTO CAPTA. It is also a representation of Mark Antony, powerful and scary both in water and on land, but a bit slow and stupid. The shape of the crocodile with tail up was specifically chosen to remind of the shape of ship on very common "legionary" denarius series, which Mark Antony minted to pay his armies just before Actium. It is probably also related to the popular contemporary caricature of Cleopatra, riding on and simultaneously copulating with a crocodile, holding a palm branch in her hand as if in triumph. There the crocodile also symbolized Mark Antony.

Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa was born c. 64-62 BC somewhere in rural Italy. His family was of humble and plebeian origins, but rich, of equestrian rank. Agrippa was about the same age as Octavian, and the two were educated together and became close friends. He probably first served in Caesar's Spanish campaign of 46–45 BC. Caesar regarded him highly enough to send him with Octavius in 45 BC to train in Illyria. When Octavian returned to Rome after Caesar's assassination, Agrippa became his close lieutenant, performing many tasks. He probably started his political career in 43 BC as a tribune of the people and then a member of the Senate. Then he was one of the leading Octavian's generals, finally becoming THE leading general and admiral in the civil wars of the subsequent years.

In 38 as a governor of Transalpine Gaul Agrippa undertook an expedition to Germania, thus becoming the first Roman general since Julius Caesar to cross the Rhine. During this foray he helped the Germanic tribe of Ubii (who previously allied themselves with Caesar in 55 BC) to resettle on the west bank of the Rhine. A shrine was dedicated there, possibly to Divus Caesar whom Ubii fondly remembered, and the village became known as Ara Ubiorum, "Altar of Ubians". This quickly would become an important Roman settlement. Agrippina the Younger, Agrippa's granddaughter, wife of Emperor Claudius and mother of Emperor Nero, would be born there in 15 AD. In 50 AD she would sponsor this village to be upgraded to a colonia, and it would be renamed Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium (colony of Claudius [at] the Altar of Agrippinians – Ubii renamed themselves as Agrippinians to honor the augusta!), abbreviated as CCAA, later to become the capital of new Roman province, Germania Inferior.

In 37 BC Octavian recalled Agrippa back to Rome and arranged for him to win the consular elections, he desperately needed help in naval warfare with Sextus Pompey, the youngest son of Pompey the Great, who styled himself as the last supporter of the republican cause, but in reality became a pirate king, an irony since his father was the one who virtually exterminated piracy in all the Roman waters. He forced humiliating armistice on the triumvirs in 39 BC and when Octavian renewed the hostilities a year later, defeated him in a decisive naval battle of Messina. New fleet had to be built and trained, and Agrippa was the man for the job. Agrippa's solution was creating a huge secret naval base he called Portus Iulius by connecting together lakes Avernus, Avernus and the natural inner and outer harbors behind Cape Misenum at the northern end of the Gulf of Naples. He also created a larger type of ship and developed a new naval weapon: harpax – a ballista-launched grapnel shot with mechanisms that allowed pulling enemy ships close for easy boarding. It replaced the previous boarding device that Romans used since the First Punic War, corvus – effective, but extremely cumbersome. A later defence against it were scythe blades on long poles for cutting ropes, but since this invention was developed in secret, the enemy had no chance to prepare anything like it. It all has proved extremely effective: in a series of naval engagements Agrippa annihilated the fleet of Sextus, forced him to abandon his bases and run away. For this Agrippa was awarded an unprecedented honour that no Roman before or after him received: a rostral crown, "corona rostrata", a wreath decorated in front by a prow and beak of a ship.

That's why Virgil (Aeneid VIII, 683-684), describing Agrippa at Actium, says: "…belli insigne superbum, tempora navali fulgent rostrata corona." "…the proud military decoration, gleams on his brow the naval rostral crown". Actium, the decisive battle between forces of Octavian and Mark Antony, may appear boring compared to the war with Sextus, but it probably turned out this way due to Agrippa's victories in preliminary naval engagements and taking over all the strategy from Octavian.

In between the wars Agrippa has shown an unusual talent in city planning, not only constructing many new public buildings etc., but also greatly improving Rome's sanitation by doing a complete overhaul of all the aqueducts and sewers. Typically, it was Augustus who later would boast that "he had found the city of brick but left it of marble", forgetting that, just like in his naval successes, it was Agrippa who did most of the work. Agrippa had building programs in other Roman cities as well, a magnificent temple (currently known as Maison Carrée) survives in Nîmes itself, which was probably built by Agrippa.

Later relationship between Augustus and Agrippa seemed colder for a while, Agrippa seemed to even go into "exile", but modern historians agree that it was just a ploy: Augustus wanted others to think that Agrippa was his "rival" while in truth he was keeping a significant army far away from Rome, ready to come to the rescue in case Augustus' political machinations fail. It is confirmed by the fact that later Agrippa was recalled and given authority almost equal to Augustus himself, not to mention that he married Augustus' only biological child. The last years of Agrippa's life were spent governing the eastern provinces, were he won respect even of the Jews. He also restored Crimea to Roman Empire. His last service was starting the conquest of the upper Danube, were later the province of Pannonia would be. He suddenly died of illness in 12 BC, aged ~51.

Agrippa had several children through his three marriages. Through some of his children, Agrippa would become ancestor to many subsequent members of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. He has numerous other legacies.
Yurii P
OTACILIA_B_.jpg
(0244) OTACILIA SEVERA(wife of Philip I The Arab)
244 - 249 AD
AE 21 mm 5.11 g
O: OTACIL{...}
BUST R
R: DEMETER(?)
DUELTUM
THRACE
laney
phil_ota_eagle~0.jpg
(0244) OTACILIA SEVERA (wife of Philip I The Arab)
244 - 249 AD
AE 26 mm; 10.45 g
O: Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Philip and draped bust of Otacilia Severa left, wearing stephane, facing one another (confronted)
R: Eagle standing left, head right, with wings displayed, holding wreath in beak.
cf AMNG I 3585; Moushmov 2308; Varbanov 5760
Moesia Inferior, Thrace, Tomis
laney
otacil_kybele_Magnesia_ad_Sipylumx.jpg
(0244) OTACILIA SEVERA(wife of Philip I)
244 - 249 AD--Magistrate Ainius
AE 24 mm, 6.30 g
O: M WTA CEBHRA C, draped bust right, wearing stephane.
R: EP AINIOY MAGNH CIPYL, Kybele, turreted, seated left,
holding patera and resting arm on drum, lion standing left at her side.
Lydia, Magnesia ad Sipylum
SNG Cop 270; BMC 86; SNG Munich 290
laney
OTACILIA_SEVERA.jpg
(0244) OTACILILA SEVERA(wife of Philip I The Arab)
244 - 249 AD
AE SESTERTIIUS 30.5 Mm 20.25 g
O: MARCIA OTACIL SEVERA AVG
DRAPED BUST R
R: CONCORDIA AVGG, SC IN EXE
CONCORDIA SEATED L HOLDING PATERA AND DOUBLE CORNUCOPIAE
laney
phil_ota_eagle.jpg
(0244) PHILIP I & OTACILIA SEVERA244 - 249 AD
AE 26 mm; 10.45 g
O: Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Philip and draped bust of Otacilia Severa left, wearing stephane, facing one another (confronted)
R: Eagle standing left, head right, with wings displayed, holding wreath in beak.
cf AMNG I 3585; Moushmov 2308; Varbanov 5760
Moesia Inferior, Thrace, Tomis
laney
cm_standing_figure_comb.jpg
(06) NERO--COUNTERMARKED54 - 68 AD
AE 19 mm 3.02 g
Phrygia, Akmoneia (probably L. Servenius Capito and his wife Iulia Severa. Struck circa 65 AD).
O: draped bust right; countermark: Asklepios holding snake-encircled staff
R: Zeus seated left, holding patera and sceptre
cf SNG von Aulock 3375 (same countermark).
laney
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0 - Caracalla - Antioch, Syria Tetradrachm #1.Ancient Roman Empire
Emperor Caracalla (198 -217 AD)
Silver Tetradrachm of Antioch, Syria. - #1
Fourth group, 214-217 AD, First Issue, no 'Delta E' on rev.

(titles in Greek)
obv: Laureate head of Emperor right.
rev: Eagle standing on leg and thigh of sacrificial animal. Head right, tail right, wings spread, holding wreath in beak.

Weight: 12.0 Grams,
Diameter: 27mm.
~Flan crack @ 2 o'clock obverse/ 10 o'clock reverse~
------
Ex Sphinx Numismatics
3 commentsrexesq
DSC07242_DSC07243_o-96%.JPG
0 - Caracalla - Antioch, Syria Tetradrachm #1. Ancient Roman Empire
Emperor Caracalla (198 -217 AD)
Silver Tetradrachm of Antioch, Syria. - #1
Fourth group, 214-217 AD, First Issue, no 'Delta E' on rev.

(titles in Greek)
obv: Laureate head of Emperor right.
rev: Eagle standing on leg and thigh of sacrificial animal. Head right, tail right, wings spread, holding wreath in beak.

Weight: 12.0 Grams,
Diameter: 27mm.
~Flan crack @ 2 o'clock obverse/ 10 o'clock reverse~
------
Ex Sphinx Numismatics
5 commentsrexesq
caracalla_tet_13_48gr_00.JPG
0 - Caracalla - Antioch, Syria Tetradrachm #3 Ancient Roman Empire
Emperor Caracalla (198 - 217 AD)
Silver Tetradrachm of Antioch, Syria. - #3

(titles in Greek)
obv: Laureate bust right.
rev: Eagle standing on leg and thigh of sacrificial animal. Head right, tail right, wings spread, holding wreath in beak.

Weight: 13.48 Grams
Size: 30 mm x 28 mm
rexesq
DSC07225_DSC07236_01.JPG
0 - Caracalla - Antioch, Syria Tetradrachm #3Ancient Roman Empire
Emperor Caracalla (198 - 217 AD)
Silver Tetradrachm of Antioch, Syria. - #3

(titles in Greek)
obv: Laureate bust right.
rev: Eagle standing on leg and thigh of sacrificial animal. Head right, tail right, wings spread, holding wreath in beak.

Weight: 13.48 Grams
Size: 30 mm x 28 mm
1 commentsrexesq
DSC07228_DSC07232_01.JPG
0 - Caracalla - Antioch, Syria Tetradrachm #3Ancient Roman Empire
Emperor Caracalla (198 - 217 AD)
Silver Tetradrachm of Antioch, Syria. - #3

(titles in Greek)
obv: Laureate bust right.
rev: Eagle standing on leg and thigh of sacrificial animal. Head right, tail right, wings spread, holding wreath in beak.

Weight: 13.48 Grams
Size: 30 mm x 28 mm
rexesq
DSC07264_DSC07273_01.JPG
0 - Caracalla - Antioch, Syria Tetradrachm #3Ancient Roman Empire
Emperor Caracalla (198 - 217 AD)
Silver Tetradrachm of Antioch, Syria. - #3

(titles in Greek)
obv: Laureate bust right.
rev: Eagle standing on leg and thigh of sacrificial animal. Head right, tail right, wings spread, holding wreath in beak.

Weight: 13.48 Grams
Size: 30 mm x 28 mm
rexesq
DSC07230.JPG
0 - Caracalla - Antioch, Syria Tetradrachm #3 .Ancient Roman Empire
Emperor Caracalla (198 - 217 AD)
Silver Tetradrachm of Antioch, Syria. - #3

(titles in Greek)
obv: Laureate bust right.
rev: Eagle standing on leg and thigh of sacrificial animal. Head right, tail right, wings spread, holding wreath in beak.

Weight: 13.48 Grams
Size: 30 mm x 28 mm
---------------------------------------------------
Emperor Caracalla (212 - 217) Antioch, Syria Silver Tetradrachm #3 with USA Quarter Dollar (25 cent piece) for size comparison
---------------------------------------------------
rexesq
DSC07228.JPG
0 - Caracalla - Antioch, Syria Tetradrachm #3 .Ancient Roman Empire
Emperor Caracalla (198 - 217 AD)
Silver Tetradrachm of Antioch, Syria. - #3

(titles in Greek)
obv: Laureate bust right.
rev: Eagle standing on leg and thigh of sacrificial animal. Head right, tail right, wings spread, holding wreath in beak.

Weight: 13.48 Grams
Size: 30 mm x 28 mm
---------------------------------------------------
Emperor Caracalla (212 - 217) Antioch, Syria Silver Tetradrachm #3 with USA Quarter Dollar (25 cent piece) for size comparison
---------------------------------------------------
rexesq
DSC07227.JPG
0 - Caracalla - Antioch, Syria Tetradrachm #3 .Ancient Roman Empire
Emperor Caracalla (198 - 217 AD)
Silver Tetradrachm of Antioch, Syria. - #3

(titles in Greek)
obv: Laureate bust right.
rev: Eagle standing on leg and thigh of sacrificial animal. Head right, tail right, wings spread, holding wreath in beak.

Weight: 13.48 Grams
Size: 30 mm x 28 mm
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Emperor Caracalla (212 - 217) Antioch, Syria Silver Tetradrachm #3 with USA Quarter Dollar (25 cent piece) for size comparison
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000c. Sextus PompeySextus Pompeius Magnus Pius, in English Sextus Pompey, was a Roman general from the late Republic (1st century BC). He was the last focus of opposition to the second triumvirate.

Sextus Pompeius was the youngest son of Pompey the Great (Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus) by his third wife, Mucia Tertia. His older brother was Gnaeus Pompeius, from the same mother. Both boys grew up in the shadow of their father, one of Rome's best generals and originally non-conservative politician who drifted to the more traditional faction when Julius Caesar became a threat.

When Caesar crossed the Rubicon in 49 BC, thus starting a civil war, Sextus' older brother Gnaeus followed their father in his escape to the East, as did most of the conservative senators. Sextus stayed in Rome in the care of his stepmother, Cornelia Metella. Pompey's army lost the battle of Pharsalus in 48 BC and Pompey himself had to run for his life. Cornelia and Sextus met him in the island of Mytilene and together they fled to Egypt. On the arrival, Sextus watched his father being killed by treachery on September 29 of the same year. After the murder, Cornelia returned to Rome, but in the following years Sextus joined the resistance against Caesar in the African provinces. Together with Metellus Scipio, Cato the younger, his brother Gnaeus and other senators, they prepared to oppose Caesar and his army to the end.

Caesar won the first battle at Thapsus in 46 BC against Metellus Scipio and Cato, who committed suicide. In 45 BC, Caesar managed to defeat the Pompeius brothers in the battle of Munda. Gnaeus Pompeius was executed, but young Sextus escaped once more, this time to Sicily.

Back in Rome, Julius Caesar was murdered on the Ides of March (March 15) 44 BC by a group of senators led by Cassius and Brutus. This incident did not lead to a return to normality, but provoked yet another civil war between Caesar's political heirs and his assassins. The second triumvirate was formed by Octavian, Mark Antony and Lepidus, with the intention of avenging Caesar and subduing all opposition. Sextus Pompeius in Sicily was certainly a rebellious man, but the Cassius and Brutus faction was the second triumvirate's first priority. Thus, with the whole island as his base, Sextus had the time and resources to develop an army and, even more importantly, a strong navy operated by Sicilian marines.

Brutus and Cassius lost the twin battles of Philippi and committed suicide in 42 BC. After this, the triumvirs turned their attentions to Sicily and Sextus.

But by this time, Sextus was prepared for strong resistance. In the following years, military confrontations failed to return a conclusive victory for either side and in 39 BC, Sextus and the triumvirs signed for peace in the Pact of Misenum. The reason for this peace treaty was the anticipated campaign against the Parthian Empire. Antony, the leader, needed all the legions he could get so it was useful to secure an armistice in the Sicilian front. The peace did not last for long. Octavian and Antony's frequent quarrels were a strong political motivation for resuming the war against Sextus. Octavian tried again to conquer Sicily, but he was defeated in the naval battle of Messina (37 BC) and again in August 36 BC. But by then, Octavian had Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, a very talented general, on his side. Only a month afterwards, Agrippa destroyed Sextus' navy off Naulochus cape. Sextus escaped to the East and, by abandoning Sicily, lost all his base of support.

Sextus Pompeius was caught in Miletus in 35 BC and executed without trial (an illegal act since Sextus was a Roman citizen) by order of Marcus Titius, Antony's minion. His violent death would be one of the weapons used by Octavian against Antony several years later, when the situation between the two became unbearable.

Sicilian Mint
Magn above laureate Janiform head
PIVS above, IMP below, prow of galley right
Sear RCV 348, RPC 671, Sydenham 1044a, Cohen 16
43-36 BC

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001. MARK ANTONYJULIUS CAESAR and MARK ANTONY. 43 BC.

Hardly any of his assassins survived Caesar for more than three years, or died a natural death. They were all condemned, and they perished in various ways---some by shipwreck, some in battle; some took their own lives with the self-same dagger with which they had impiously slain Caesar.

Fourré Denarius (19mm, 3.63 gm).

Obv: Bare head of Mark Antony right; lituus behind
Rev: Laureate head of Julius Caesar right, jug behind.
Ref: Crawford 488/1; CRI 118; Sydenham 1165; RSC 2. Near VF, porous, several large breaks in plating revealing the copper core.
Source: Ex Classical Numismatic Group 55 (13 September 2000), lot 1087.
Ex CNG Electronic Auction 105 lot 141 229/150
BFBV

I don't usually buy fourres; but in reality, I have no chance of owning this popular type given my budget.
1 commentsecoli
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001j. Octavian001j. Octavian
Great-nephew of Julius Caesar, who named him as heir in his will. Octavian used this de facto legitimacy to maneuver for power. In 43 BC he, Mark Antony and Marcus Lepidus formed the Second Triumvirate to defeat the assassins of Caesar. The Triumvirate began proscriptions in which over 2,000 (mostly wealthy) Romans were branded as traitors, deprived of their property, and either executed or driven into exile. This served both to eliminate enemies, and to fill the coffers of the three. Following their victory at the Battle of Philippi (42 BC), the Triumvirate divided the Roman Republic among themselves and ruled as de facto dictators. The Triumvirate collapsed, and Octavian and Antony eventually fell into all-out war. Primarily due to the military leadership of Agrippa, Octavian won the war, with the decisive victory at Actium in 31 BC. Although Octavian made displays of personal bravery on several occasions, he demonstrated little aptitude for generalship. Octavian then consolidated his power in Rome. A note on naming: he was born Gaius Octavius; after Julius Caesar's death, Octavian insisted on being called Caesar. It was primarily his opponents who continued to call him Octavian. It is now primarily a matter of convenience to use the name Octavian for him in the pre-Augustus period prior to 27 BC.

Coin: Summer 37 BC. AR Denarius (18.5mm, 3.68 g, 12h). Mint in southern or central Italy. Bare head right, wearing beard / Emblems of the augurate and pontificate: simpulum, aspergillum, guttus, and lituus. Crawford 538/1; CRI 312; Sydenham 1334; RSC 91; RBW 1826. From the Kalevala Collection. Ex Bacchus Collection (Heritage 61175, 25 October 2020), lot 97135. CNG Triton XXVII – Session 5, Lot 5665 (17 Jan 2024)
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001p. Cleopatra VIIPtolemaic queen of Egypt. She had an affair with Julius Caesar while he was in Egypt, probably producing the son Ptolemy XV Caesar, nicknamed Caesarion. She became a key figure in the struggle between Octavian and Mark Antony when the latter began a long-term affair with her. Several acknowledged children resulted from this affair. The affair was viewed with considerable dislike by the Romans, and Octavian and his supporters made the maximum propaganda use of it. Cleopatra provided significant military forces, particularly ships, to Mark Antony for his last war with Octavian. After losing the Battle of Actium and Octavian's occupation of Egypt, she committed suicide on 10 August 30 BC, at age 39.

Coin: AE20. Chalkis, Phoenicia. 32/31 BC. Obv: Diademed bust of Cleopatra right. Rev: Head of Marc Antony right. Svoronos 1887, BMC [Berytus] 15. RPC 4771. Roma Numismatics Auction 71 Lot 690.
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001t. Other Imperators CoinageSeveral other lesser imperators issued coins during this period. These included:

1. Cornuficius. Killed in battle, 42 BC.

2. Murcus. Executed, 40/39 BC.

3. Labienus. Allied with Parthians. Executed 39 BC.

4. Domitius Calvinus. Ally of both Caesar and Octavian. Not a particularly skilled general, he survived the wars of the imperators and seemed to prosper after the wars.
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001x1a. Kings of Galatia, Amyntas, 37 - 25 B.C.Coin: Bronze AE 23, RPC I 3505; SNG Cop 99; SNGvA 6108; SNG BnF 2377; BMC Galatia p. 3, 12, weight 8.214g, maximum diameter 22.5mm, die axis 0o, obverse bust of Herakles right, club over left shoulder, E - C behind; reverse Nemean lion walking right, B above, AMYNTOY monogram in exergue. A FORUM coin.

Amyntas was a King of Galatia and of several adjacent countries between 36 and 25 BC. He first seemed to have controlled Lycaonia and then added Derbe. He commanded the Galatian auxiliaries sent to help Brutus and Cassius against the Triumvires but deserted to Mark Anthony just before the battle of Philippi in 42 BC. After the death of Deiotarus, Amyntas was made king of Cappadocia in 37 as a client ruler of Mark Antony. He deserted to Octavian shortly before the battle of Actium, and he was confirmed as king of Galatia. After he took over Homonada and killed its ruler, he was killed in an ambush in 25 AD. After his death, Galatia became a Roman province.



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002. Augustus (31 BC- 14 AD)Augustus

He suffered but two severe and ignominious defeats, those of Lollius [15 B.C.] and Varus [9 A.D.], both of which were in Germany. Of these the former was more humiliating than serious, but the latter was almost fatal, since three legions were cut to pieces with their general, his lieutenants, and all the auxiliaries. In fact, they say that he was so greatly affected that for several months in succession he cut neither his beard nor his hair, and sometimes he would dash his head against a door, crying: "Quintilius Varus, give me back my legions!" And he observed the day of the disaster each year as one of sorrow and mourning.

Lyons mint, 2 BC - ca 13 AD. CAESAR AVGVSTVS DIVI F PATER PATRIAE. laureate head right / AVGVSTI F COS DESIG PRINC IVVENT, C L CAESARES below, Gaius & Lucius standing front, each with a hand resting on a round shield, a spear, & in field above, a lituus right & simpulum left ("b9"). BMC 533, RSC 43

This is one of my first 12 caesar coins. I got this from an all text list from M&R coins.
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005c. GermanicusGermanicus

After the death of Augustus in 14, the Senate appointed Germanicus commander of the forces in Germania. A short time after, the legions rioted on the news that the succession befell on the unpopular Tiberius. Refusing to accept this, the rebel soldiers cried for Germanicus as emperor. But he chose to honor Augustus' choice and put an end to the mutiny, preferring to continue only as a general. In the next two years, he subdued the Germanic tribes east of the Rhine, and assured their defeat in the Battle of the Weser River in 16.

Germanicus died in Alexandria, Egypt. His death was surrounded with speculations, and several sources refer to claims that he was poisoned by Gnaeus Calpurnius Piso, governor of Syria, under orders of the emperor Tiberius.

AS, struck under Caligula. GERMANICVS CAESAR TI AVGVST F DIVI AVG N, bare head left / C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS PON M TR POT around large SC. Cohen 1.

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006c. PoppeaPoppea was Nero's second wife, married in 62 AD. She had been the wife of Otho, who was sent out of Rome so that she could become Nero's mistress. After Nero married Poppea, when she was pregnant, he kicked her to death.

Coin: PHRYGIA. Acmonea. Ae. Lucius Servenius Capito, archon, with his wife Julia Severa. Obv: ΠOΠΠAIA CEBACTH. Drapedbust right, wearing grain wreath; to right, forepart of lion right. Rev: CEPOYHNIOY KAΠITΩNOC / KAI IOYΛIAC CEOYHPAC AKMONEΩN. Artemis advancing right, drawing arrow and holding bow; monogram to left; to right, monogram above lyre. 16mm, 3.36 g. RPC I 3175; BMC 48-50. Naumann Auction 108, Lot 448.
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006c1. PoppeaPHRYGIA. Acmonea. Ae. Lucius Servenius Capito, archon, with his wife Julia Severa. Obv: ΠOΠΠAIA CEBACTH. Drapedbust right, wearing grain wreath; to right, forepart of lion right. Rev: CEPOYHNIOY KAΠITΩNOC / KAI IOYΛIAC CEOYHPAC AKMONEΩN. Artemis advancing right, drawing arrow and holding bow; monogram to left; to right, monogram above lyre. 16mm, 3.36 g. RPC I 3175; BMC 48-50. Naumann Auction 108, Lot 448.
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01. Constantine II / 2 soldiers and standard.AE 4, 337 - 341, Siscia mint.
Obverse: CONSTANTINVS MAX AVG / Diademed bust of Constantine II.
Reverse: GLORIA EXERCITVS / Two soldiers, each holding spear and shield, one standard between them. Christogram on standard.
Mint mark: ASIS (crescent and dot)
1.70 gm., 15 mm.
RIC #95; LRBC #770; Sear #17432.

Several mints used the title MAX for all three sons of Constantine the Great for a short time after his death. It's use on coins of Constantius II and Constans was quickly dropped, and P F (Pius Felix) was used instead, reserving MAX for the senior emperor (Constantine II).
Callimachus
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02 Augustus RIC 288Augusts 27 B.C.- 14 A.D. AR Denarius. Rome mint, 19 B.C. P. Petronius Turpilianus, moneyer. (3.65g, 18.2m, 0h). Obv: TVRPILIANS IIIVIR FERON, Diad. and draped bust of Feronia r. Rev: CAESAR AVGVSTVS SIGN RECE, Parthian kneeling r. presenting standard w. X marked vexillum. RIC 288, BMC 14, RSC 484.

A historical type commemorating the return of the standards lost by Crassus at the battle of Carrhae during his Parthian campaign in 53 B.C. Rome was humiliated by the defeat and loss of several Legionary Eagles. Crassus and several of his generals were killed. Through diplomacy, Augusts secured the return of the Eagles, an important victory to tout on his coinage.

I've been wanting this type for some time because of it's historic significance, but as it's outside of my primary collecting area, I was willing to compromise on condition. This example is worn, but clearly recognizable. The obverse has banker's marks which seem to disappear or become much more scarce on denarii towards the end of the Republic and beginning of the Empire.
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026/3 Litra or 1/8 ounceAnonymous. Æ Litra or 1/8 ounce. Rome. 234-231 BC. ( 3.43g, 15mm, 5h) Obv: Laureate head of Apollo right Rev: Horse rearing left, wearing bridle, bit, and reins; ROMA below.

Crawford 26/3; Sydenham 29 (Half-litra); Kestner 56-65; BMCRR Romano-Campanian 70-74 (Half-litra)

This coin is attributed as a Litra by Crawford, others define it as half-litra. However, it could be argued that "1/8 ounce piece" is the better description.

First of all, on litra and half-litra:

"According to Crawford, the weight standard of the series 26 litra and half litra are based on a litra of 3.375 grams . The half litra in Crawford is described as having a dog on the reverse rather than a horse, and the average weight of the half litra of several specimens is described as 1.65 grams. BMCRR does refer to these as half litrae; but keep in mind that Grueber was writing circa 1900 and based on older scholarship. Sydenham was writing in the 1950s. Of the three major works cited, Crawford is the most current and likely based on a greater number of more recent finds."

Andrew Mccabe:

"It's very doubtful to me that the word "litra" is correct. Much more likely, these small bronze coins were simply fractions of the Aes Grave cast coinage system, as they come in weights of 1/4, 1/8 and 1/16 ounce, and the Aes Grave coinage generally had denominations from As down to Semuncia (1/2 ounce). So this coin would be 1/8 ounce coin. That's my view, which differs from their long term designation as "Litra", which presume them to be overvalued token bronze coinage on the Sicilian model, whereby bronze coins had value names that indicate a relationship to the silver coinage.

Litra, the word, is from the same stem as Libra, i.e. pound, would suggest a denomination of a (light) Sicilian pound of bronze, which sometimes equates in value to a small silver coin in Sicily weighing about 1/12 didrachm (about 0.6 grams) so by this definition, a Litra = an Obol. But it hardly stands up to scrutiny that such a tiny bronze coin, weighing 3.375 grams, could have been equivalent to a 0.6 gram silver obol. It would imply a massive overvaluation of bronze that just does not seem credible.

So. throw out the Litras, and call these coins 1/8 ounce pieces, and I think we have a sensible answer."

Paddy
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027a. CaracallaCaesar 195 (or 196) - 198.
Co-Augustus with Septimius Severus 28 January 198- 4 February 211.
Co-Augustus with Geta 4 February 211 - 26 December 211
Sole Augustus 26 December 211 - 8 April 217

Originally named Septimius Bassianus, then, after the Severans self-adopting into the Antoninan family, Marcus Aurelius Antoninus; nicknamed Caracalla for cloak he wore. Once Severus died, Caracalla had his brother Geta killed, followed by a massacre of anyone associated with Geta. He became noted for ruling brutally. Spent much of his reign campaigning, He gave Roman citizenship to all free men in the Empire. He introduced a new coin denomination that is now called the antoninianus (although what the Romans called it is not known). Although he was supported strongly by the army, he was killed by a disaffected soldier.

Coin: Antoninianus. Rome. Obv: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG GERM. Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. Rev: P M TR P XVIII COS IIII P P. Serapis standing facing, head left, raising hand and holding sceptre.
RIC 263e. 5.35 g., 24 mm. Naumann Auction 120, Lot 592.

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029. Galba.Denarius, 68-69 AD, Rome mint.
Obverse: IMP SER GALBA CAESAR AVG / Laureate bust of Galba.
Reverse: DIVA AVGVSTA / Livia standing, holding patera and sceptre.
3.44 gm., 17 mm.
RIC #4, Sear #2102 var.

The DIVA AVGVSTA on the reverse of this coin is Livia. She was the second wife of Augustus, and the mother of Tiberius. She had a falling out with her son, and became the patroness of the young Galba. When she died, she left him a fortune in her will - certainly a reason to remember her on a coin several decades later.
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029a. MacrinusAugustus 11 April 217 -- 8 June 218

Mauretanian origin. Became Praetorian Prefect under Caracalla. While he was with Caracalla on operations against the Parthians, he learned of a prophecy that he would become emperor. Before Caracalla could act on this, Macrinus arranged for Caracalla's assassination and took the office of emperor. He then made a quick peace with the Parthians, which did not sit well with the army. Female members of the Severan family then took a major role in plotting for Macrinus's overthrow. A revolt broke out in Emesa, Syria, with Elegabalus as the putative leader. Macrinus fought a battle with them, lost, and was executed while fleeing.

Coin: AR Denarius. 217 AD. Obv: IMP C M OPEL SEV MACRINVS AVG, laureate, long bearded, and cuirassed bust right. Rev: FIDES MILITVM, Fides standing left, holding two standards. RIC 67, RSC 23.
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029a01. MacrinusMacrinus. AR Denarius. 217 AD. Obv: IMP C M OPEL SEV MACRINVS AVG, laureate, long bearded, and cuirassed bust right. Rev: FIDES MILITVM, Fides standing left, holding two standards. RIC 67, RSC 23.

NOTE: Emperor 11 April 217 -- 8 June 218. Mauretanian origin. Became Praetorian Prefect under Caracalla. While he was with Caracalla on operations against the Parthians, he learned of a prophecy that he would become emperor. Before Caracalla could learn of this, Macrinus arranged for Caracalla's assassination and took the office of emperor. He then made a quick peace with the Parthians, which did not sit well with the army. Female members of the Severan family then took a major role in plotting for Macrinus's overthrow. A revolt broke out in Emesa, Syria, with Elegabalus as the putative leader. Macrinus fought a battle with them, lost, and was executed while fleeing.
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030e. Aquilia SeveraSecond and fourth wife of Elagabalus. Aquilia was a Vestal Virgin who was forbidden to marry. Nevertheless, Elagabalus went ahead with the marriage despite opposition from the Roman ruling class. This opposition became significant enough that his grandmother coerced him into divorcing Aquilia and marrying Annia Faustina. After a very short time, Elagabalus divorced her and returned to Aquilia.

Coin: AR Denarius. Obv:IVLIA AQILIA SEVERA AVG, draped bust right. Rev: CONCORDIA, Concordia standing left by altar, holding patera and double cornucopiae; star in left field. RIC 225; RSC 2a; Sear (1988) 2158.
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030e01. Aquilia SeveraAR Denarius. Obv:IVLIA AQILIA SEVERA AVG, draped bust right.
Rev: CONCORDIA, Concordia standing left by altar, holding patera and double cornucopiae; star in left field. RIC 225; RSC 2a; Sear (1988) 2158.
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030e02. Aquilia SeveraBillon Tetradrachm. Alexandria, Egypt. Dated Year 5 of Elagabalus (221-222 AD). Obv: IOVLIA AKYLIA CEVHPA CEB, diademed & draped bust right. Rev: L-E, eagle standing left, head right, wreath in its beak.
Köln 2374, Dattari 4188, Emmett 3010.
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030f. Annia FaustinaGreat-granddaughter of Marcus Aurelius and third wife of Elagabalus who was coerced into marrying her. She reportedly was considerably older than him. He divorced her at the end of that year and returned to Aquilia Severa.

Coin: Æ 20mm, 4.15 g. Ephesus, Ionia. Obv: ΦAVCTЄINA CЄB, bare-headed and draped bust to right. Rev: ЄΦЄCIΩN, Victory advancing to left, holding wreath and palm. RPC VI Online 4941 (temporary); SNG München 188; Karwiese 710. Provenance: Acquired from Dorotheum; Ex Grohs-Fligely collection 1875-1962, with collector's ticket. Roma Numismatics Auc 82, Lot 947
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030f02. Annia FaustinaAE 23mm, 7.08 g. Hierapolis, Phrygia. (near Pamukkale, Turkey). Obv: IEPA•CY-NKLHTO-C, draped bust right. Rev: IEPAPOLEITWN NEWKOPWN, A/KTI/A in three lines within a demos crown (laurel wreath). Johnston Hierapolis 74; BMC Phrygia p. 242, 89; SNG Cop 444; Waddington 6128. RPC 5459 (temporary)

NOTE: Great-granddaughter of Marcus Aurelius and third wife of Elagabalus who had executed her first husband in order to marry her in July 221. He divorced her at the end of that year and returned to Aquilia Severa.

A FORUM coin.
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