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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.paul1888
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71 Constantine II Ex John Quincy Adams CollectionAE Follis, Trier Mint
RIC VII Trier 539, Sear (2014) 17314
Ex John Quincy Adams Collection, 6th President of the United States, and His Descendants, ex Massachusetts Historical Society Collection, ex Stack’s Sale, 5-6 March 1971, Lot # 948
Bought by Christian Blom, then sold to Smithsonian Institution underwater archaeologist Mendel Peterson, then to D.C. coin dealer Gene Brandenburg, then to me.Sosius
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8 LiciniusAE Follis, Thessalonica Mint, 312-313 AD
RIC VI Thessalonica 59
Ex John Quincy Adams Collection, 6th President of the United States, and His Descendants, ex Massachusetts Historical Society Collection, ex Stack’s Sale, 5-6 March 1971, Lot # 944
Bought by Christian Blom, then sold to Smithsonian Institution underwater archaeologist Mendel Peterson, then to D.C. coin dealer Gene Brandenburg, then to me.Sosius
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822Carausius 287-93AD
Antoninianus
Obv "IMP C CARAVSIVS PF AVG"
Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right
Rev "LAETITI AVG"
Laetitia standing left holding wreath and baton
Unmarked mint
RIC 822
This coin is an obverse and reverse die duplicate of the coin illustrated in "Some Stratified Coins Of c. AD 390-400 From Bourton-On-The-Water" by O'neil in Numismatic Chronicle 1935 pp 275-81. The Bourton specimen plus an obverse brockage die duplicate of this coin can be seen here.mauseus
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Commodus, Moesia inferior, Nikopolis ad Istrum 177-192 CE.Obverse: M ANTWNEIN - OC KOMODOC, laureate, cuirassed bust right.
Reverse: NEIKOPOLEI - TWN / PROC I, river god, bearded, leaning left, left hand with patera(?) on his knees, resting with left arm on urn from which water flows.
22 mm, 7.9 g
Reference a) AMNG 1/1, 1238 (1 ex., wien)
b) Hristova/Hoeft/Jekov (2015) 8.10.32.8
NORMAN K
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JUSTINIAN I, AE Pentanummium (5 Nummi), struck 527 – 565 at ChersonObverse: D N IVSTINIANVS P P AG. Diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Justinian I facing right.
Reverse: Monogram of Cherson within wreath or foliated circle. (SBCV Monogram 1)
Diameter: 16mm | Weight: 1.8gms | Die Axis: 6
SBCV: 197 | DOC: 108.2
Cherson (in Greek it was spelt with a Chi) was a Byzantine military trading site located in the southern Crimea, centred at Chersonesus Taurica. Ancient Cherson was located near where Sevastopol is now, on the peninsula projecting into the north side of the Black Sea, but parts of the ruins of the city are now under water. Ancient Cherson was destroyed by the Mongols/Tartars in the 13th century and should not be confused with the modern city of Cherson which was not founded until 1779.
*Alex
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UNITED STATES TOKENS, Hard Times. Political issues.
CU Token (27mm, 6.59 g, 11 h)
Dies by Joseph B. Gardiner. Belleville (New Jersey) or Scoville mint. Struck 1840.
HENRY CLAY AND THE AMERICAN SYSTEM
Draped bust of Henry Clay right; IBG below
UNITED/ [WE]/ STAND within wreath
Rulau HT 79; Low 192
Rulau gives a struck date of 1840 for this issue, and assigns it to the Belleville mint. However, documentary evidence shows that Gardiner was by this time working at the Scoville mint in Waterbury, CT. Either the coin was struck prior to spring 1839, or it is an issue of the Scoville mint. Ardatirion
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CANADA, Tokens. Nova Scotia. William IV. King of Great Britain, 1830-1837.
CU Penny Token (34.5 mm, 14.27 g, 6 h)
Belleville (New Jersey) mint. Dated 1832, but struck circa 1835.
PROVINCE OF NOVA SCOTIA
Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right
ONE PENNY TOKEN, thistle with two leaves; 1832 below
Charlton NS-4A2; Breton 870
Canadian catalogs traditionally give this issue to an illicit mint in Montreal. Wayne Jacobs1 argues that these were struck in Belleville. While his methodology is somewhat questionable - most of his theory is based off a unreliable editorial in an 1893 edition of the Newark Sunday Call - his reasoning regarding this series is sound. He is able to clearly demonstrate that the halfpenny and penny tokens in question are a product of a single, cohesive establishment which could not have been located in Lower Canada. Finally, Jacobs' claim can be supported by documentary evidence from the Belleville mint's primary competitor, the Scoville Company of Waterbury, Connecticut. A letter from J.M.L. to W.H. Scoville, dated April 4 1839, states that, "a competitor was stamping Canada Nova Scotia and Southern coins at 35 cents a pound."
1. Jacobs, Wayne. 1996. “The Shadowy Issues of the Belleville Mint.” Canadian Numismatic Journal 41 1: 13–26.Ardatirion
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UNITED STATES TOKENS, Hard Times. Political issues
CU Cent Token (28mm, 8.11 g, 5 h)
Dies by William Eaves for the Scoville Co. of Waterbury, Connecticut.
Dually dated 1827 and 1835. Struck 1837.
MERCHANT EXCHANGE WALL ST N. YORK, facade of bank, BUILT 1827/ BURNT 1835
MILLIONS FOR DEFENCE, NOT/ ONE/ CENT/ FOR TRIBUTE within wreath
Rulau HT 293; Low -Ardatirion
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"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
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(0193) SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS193 - 211 AD
AE 27 mm 10,50 g
O: ΑΥ Κ Λ CΕΠ CΕΥΗΡΟC Π Laureate head right
R: [ΥΠ ΑΥΡ] ΓΑΛΛΟΥ ΝΕΙΚ[ΟΠ ΠΡΟ]C ΙC, Bearded River-god reclining left, right hand outstretched toward tree, left arm resting on urn from which river waters flow
Nikopolis ad Istrum, Moesia Inferior; cf Varbanov 2616, rare (R5) laney
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(0335) HANNIBALIANUS (Rex Regnum)335 - 337 AD
AE 15.5 mm max.; 0.80 g
O: FL HANNIBALLIANVS REGI draped and curiassed bust right
R: SEC-VRITAS PVBLICA river god Euphrates sitting right, leaning with right arm on scepter, pouring water from a vase with left hand; reed in back ground; CONSS in exe
Constinopolis Mint, RIC 248, rarelaney
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(502a) Roman Republic, L. Calpurnius Piso Frugi, 90 B.C.Silver denarius, S 235, Calpurnia 11, Crawford 340/1, Syd 663a, VF, rainbow toning, Rome mint, 3.772g, 18.5mm, 180o, 90 B.C. obverse: laureate head of Apollo right, scorpion behind; Reverse naked horseman galloping right holding palm, L PISO FRVGI and control number CXI below; ex-CNA XV 6/5/91, #443. Ex FORVM.
A portion of the following text is a passage taken from the excellent article “The Calpurnii and Roman Family History: An Analysis of the Piso Frugi Coin in the Joel Handshu Collection at the College of Charleston,” by Chance W. Cook:
In the Roman world, particularly prior to the inception of the principate, moneyers were allotted a high degree of latitude to mint their coins as they saw fit. The tres viri monetales, the three men in charge of minting coins, who served one-year terms, often emblazoned their coins with an incredible variety of images and inscriptions reflecting the grandeur, history, and religion of Rome. Yet also prominent are references to personal or familial accomplishments; in this manner coins were also a means by which the tres viri monetales could honor their forbearers. Most obvious from an analysis of the Piso Frugi denarius is the respect and admiration that Lucius Calpurnius Piso Frugi, who minted the coin, had for his ancestors. For the images he selected for his dies relate directly to the lofty deeds performed by his Calpurnii forbearers in the century prior to his term as moneyer. The Calpurnii were present at many of the watershed events in the late Republic and had long distinguished themselves in serving the state, becoming an influential and well-respected family whose defense of traditional Roman values cannot be doubted.
Lucius Calpurnius Piso Frugi, who was moneyer in 90 B.C., depicted Apollo on the obverse and the galloping horseman on the reverse, as does his son Gaius. However, all of L. Piso Frugi’s coins have lettering similar to “L-PISO-FRVGI” on the reverse, quite disparate from his son Gaius’ derivations of “C-PISO-L-F-FRV.”
Moreover, C. Piso Frugi coins are noted as possessing “superior workmanship” to those produced by L. Piso Frugi.
The Frugi cognomen, which became hereditary, was first given to L. Calpurnius Piso, consul in 133 B.C., for his integrity and overall moral virtue. Cicero is noted as saying that frugal men possessed the three cardinal Stoic virtues of bravery, justice, and wisdom; indeed in the Thesaurus Linguae Latinae, a synonym of frugalitas is bonus, generically meaning “good” but also implying virtuous behavior. Gary Forsythe notes that Cicero would sometimes invoke L. Calpurnius Piso’s name at the beginning of speeches as “a paragon of moral rectitude” for his audience.
L. Calpurnius Piso Frugi’s inclusion of the laureled head of Apollo, essentially the same obverse die used by his son Gaius (c. 67 B.C.), was due to his family’s important role in the establishment of the Ludi Apollinares, the Games of Apollo, which were first instituted in 212 B.C. at the height of Hannibal’s invasion of Italy during the Second Punic War. By that time, Hannibal had crushed Roman armies at Cannae, seized Tarentum and was invading Campania.
Games had been used throughout Roman history as a means of allaying the fears
of the populace and distracting them from issues at hand; the Ludi Apollinares were no different. Forsythe follows the traditional interpretation that in 211 B.C., when C. Calpurnius Piso was praetor, he became the chief magistrate in Rome while both consuls were absent and the three other praetors were sent on military expeditions against Hannibal.
At this juncture, he put forth a motion in the Senate to make the Ludi Apollinares a yearly event, which was passed; the Ludi Apollinares did indeed become an important festival, eventually spanning eight days in the later Republic. However, this interpretation is debatable; H.H. Scullard suggests that the games were not made permanent until 208 B.C. after a severe plague prompted the Senate to make them a fixture on the calendar. The Senators believed Apollo would serve as a “healing god” for the people of Rome.
Nonetheless, the Calpurnii obviously believed their ancestor had played an integral role in the establishment of the Ludi Apollinares and thus prominently displayed
the head or bust of Apollo on the obverse of the coins they minted.
The meaning of the galloping horseman found on the reverse of the L. Calpurnius Piso Frugi coin is more complicated. It is possible that this is yet another reference to the Ludi Apollinares. Chariot races in the Circus Maximus were a major component of the games, along with animal hunts and theatrical performances.
A more intriguing possibility is that the horseman is a reference to C. Calpurnius Piso, son of the Calpurnius Piso who is said to have founded the Ludi Apollinares. This C. Calpurnius Piso was given a military command in 186 B.C. to quell a revolt in Spain. He was victorious, restoring order to the province and also gaining significant wealth in the process.
Upon his return to Rome in 184, he was granted a triumph by the Senate and eventually erected an arch on the Capitoline Hill celebrating his victory. Of course
the arch prominently displayed the Calpurnius name. Piso, however, was not an infantry commander; he led the cavalry.
The difficulty in accepting C. Calpurnius Piso’s victory in Spain as the impetus for the galloping horseman image is that not all of C. Piso Frugi’s coins depict the horseman or cavalryman carrying the palm, which is a symbol of victory. One is inclined to believe that the victory palm would be prominent in all of the coins minted by C. Piso Frugi (the son of L. Calpurnius Piso Frugi) if it indeed signified the great triumph of C. Calpurnius Piso in 186 B.C. Yet the palm’s appearance is clearly not a direct reference to military feats of C. Piso Frugi’s day. As noted, it is accepted that his coins were minted in 67 B.C.; in that year, the major victory by Roman forces was Pompey’s swift defeat of the pirates throughout the Mediterranean.
Chrestomathy: Annual Review of Undergraduate Research at the College of Charleston. Volume 1, 2002: pp. 1-10© 2002 by the College of Charleston, Charleston SC 29424, USA.All rights to be retained by the author.
http://www.cofc.edu/chrestomathy/vol1/cook.pdf
There are six (debatably seven) prominent Romans who have been known to posterity as Lucius Calpurnius Piso:
Lucius Calpurnius Piso Frugi: (d. 261 A.D.) a Roman usurper, whose existence is
questionable, based on the unreliable Historia Augusta.
Lucius Calpurnius Piso Licinianus: deputy Roman Emperor, 10 January 69 to15 January
69, appointed by Galba.
Lucius Calpurnius Piso: Consul in 27 A.D.
Lucius Calpurnius Piso: Consul in 1 B.C., augur
Lucius Calpurnius Piso: Consul in 15 B.C., pontifex
Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus: Consul in 58 B.C. (the uncle of Julius Caesar)
Lucius Calpurnius Piso Frugi: Moneyer in 90 B.C. (our man)
All but one (or two--if you believe in the existence of "Frugi the usurper" ca. 261 A.D.) of these gentlemen lack the Frugi cognomen, indicating they are not from the same direct lineage as our moneyer, though all are Calpurnii.
Calpurnius Piso Frugi's massive issue was intended to support the war against the Marsic Confederation. The type has numerous variations and control marks.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucius_Calpurnius_Piso
http://www.forumancientcoins.com/catalog/indexfrm.asp?vpar=55&pos=0
Edited by J. P. Fitzgerald, Jr.
Cleisthenes
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-Ionia, Ephesus. Domitian. AD 81-96. Æ 27mm.Laureate head right / River-god Marnas reclining left, holding reed and resting arm on overturned urn from which water flows.
RPC 1074ancientone
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0006 Rider and Larissa SeatedThessaly Greece, the City of Larissa
Obv: Rider on a horse prancing r. on groundline, holding a single spear transversally with petasos flying backwards and chlamys on his back, beneath horse's belly a lion's head facing r. Border of dots or small grains.1
Rev: The nymph Larissa2 seated r. on a chair with a back ending in a swan's head, r. hand resting on her lap or thigh and holding a phiale, l. arm raised with palm forward,3 Λ and Α above to l. and r. of head with R and Ι to r. of body turned 90º and downward, all within a shallow incuse square.
Denomination: silver trihemiobol; Mint: Larissa; Date: mid- to late 5th Century BC4; Weight: 1.28g5; Diameter: 13mm; Die axis: 60º; References, for example: BMC Thessaly p. 25, 13; Warren 687 var. No mention of lion's head; Weber 2838; Traité IV, 651, pl. CCXCVI, 9; Herrmann Group II, pl. I, 7; Boston MFA 875 var. no lion's head and reference to two spears; Lorber 2008 pl. 41, 5; BCD Thessaly II 154; HGC 4, 466.
Notes:
1Forrer, BCD Thessaly II, and Hoover refer to the border as composed of dots; Babelon refers to the border as composed of small grains.
2Herrmann does not associate the figure on the reverse with the nymph Larissa. Instead he refers to the figure as a "sitting male" and cites two examples from Berlin and Warren 687 as having the indication of beards (p.9). He declares that the meaning [interpretation] of the sitter cannot be determined, but he invites us to think of a deity (p. 11). Brett in Boston MFA follows Herrmann's interpretation.
3Forrer and BCD Thessaly II state that Larissa is holding a mirror, Hoover mentions only that the arm is raised, Babelon indicates that the left arm is raised with palm forward, and Herrmann describes the left hand as raised in an "adoring gesture". On the coin here the left hand clearly has the thumb separated from the rest of the fingers with the palm facing forward; there is no indication that the hand is holding anything. I wonder what the intention of the gesture could have been.
4Dates in the sources cited here run the gamut of the 5th Century BC. Herrmann: c. 500 - 479 BC; Babelon: c. 470 - 430 BC; HGC: c. 440 - 420 BC; Forrer: c. 430 - 400 BC. In light of Kagen (2004) and his belief that Herrmann's Group I ended c. 460 BC it seems appropriate to choose the date range specified in BCD Thessaly II.
5Herrmann argues that Group II was struck on the Persian weight standard. (He believed that the same held true for Group I). Kagan (2004) demonstrates that Larissain coinage was not struck on the Persian weight standard.
The city of Larissa was named after the local water nymph, said to be the daughter of Pelasgos. He was said to be the ancestor of the pre-Greek Pelasgians. According to myth Larissa drowned while playing ball on the banks of the Peneios river. (HGC 4 p. 130).
Provenance: Ex Nomos AG December 8, 2019.
Photo Credits: Nomos AG
CLICK FOR SOURCESTracy Aiello
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0007 Horse Prancing Right Lion’s Head Right, Lion’s Head Spout Right Larissa Right Balancing HydriaThessaly Greece, the City of Larissa
Obv: horse prancing r., lion's head above facing r. All within a border of dots.
Rev: Λ-Α above l. to r., R-[I] in front and downwards, Larissa standing r. and balancing hydra on her raised l. knee, behind is a spout in the form of a lion's head from which pours water. All within incuse square.
Denomination: silver obol; Mint: Larissa; Date: c. 440 - 420 BC1; Weight: .95g; Diameter: 11.5mm: Die axis: 0º; References, for example: BMC Thessaly p. 25, 15; Imhoof-Blumer Nymphen: p. 69 no. 184 pl. V no. 16; Herrmann Group II pl. I 14 and 15; McClean II 4600 var. horse standing, no mention of lion's head on obv.; SNG München 54 and 55 var. lion’s head on obv. interpreted as a Lotus flower; Lorber 2008 pl. 41, 6; BCD Thessaly II 358.1; HGC 4, 482 var. horse standing and no mention of water pouring from the lion's head spout.
Notes:
1This is the date given in HGC 4
Provenance: Ex Nomos Obolos 15 Webauction Lot 169 May 24, 2020.
Photo Credits: Nomos AG
CLICK FOR SOURCESTracy Aiello
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00071 Horse Prancing Left Lion’s Head Left, Lion’s Head Spout Right Larissa Right Balancing HydriaThessaly Greece, the City of Larissa
Obv: horse prancing l., lion’s head above facing l. [protruding tongue or stream of water?]. All within a border of dots.
Rev: [Λ]-Α above l. to r., R-I in front and downwards, Larissa standing r. and balancing hydra on her raised l. knee, behind is a spout in the form of a lion’s head from which pours water. All within incuse square.
Denomination: silver obol; Mint: Larissa; Date: c. 440 - 420 BC1; Weight: .95g; Diameter: 13 mm: Die axis: 270º; References, for example: Herrmann Group II b 𝛼, pl. I 13; BCD Thessaly I 1433.5 var. no lion’s head above horse; BCD Thessaly II 160; HGC 4 483.
Notes:
1This is the date given in HGC 4
Provenance: Ex Dr. Busso Peus Nachf. December 10, 2023
Photo Credits: Dr. Busso Peus Nachf.
CLICK FOR SOURCESTracy Aiello
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00095 Facing Head of Larissa - AI SignedThessaly Greece, the City of Larissa
Obv: Head of the nymph Larissa facing ¾ l., wearing ampyx with ΓΕΥ inscription (not visible)1, hair floating freely above head, tiny IA above top locks of hair (off of flan), prominent raised right shoulder2 (garment clasp visible?), spherical earring with bead pendant. Border of dots.
Rev: Horse crouching r., bucranium brand on haunch, forelegs spread, raised tail (off of flan), tiny AI under belly3, reign trails into exergue with exergue line sloping downward under horse's muzzle, ΛΑΡΙΣΑΙ directly below exergue line with ΣΑΙ breaking into that line.
Denomination: silver drachm; Mint: Larissa; Date: c. 405/400 BC - c. 370 BC4; Weight: 6.11g; Diameter: 19mm; Die axis: 90º; References, for example: SNG Cop vol. 11, 126; Herrmann Group VII, Series I, Reverse II, pl. VI, 16 and 19; HGC 4, 434; Lorber - Shahar Group 3 Head Type 14 (O35/R2 - Sp. b, this very coin) = Florilegium Numismaticum Group One Head Type 11 with Reverse 21.2 - Sp. b (this very coin).
Notes:
1Lorber presumes that these letters are "...an abbreviated epithet of the nymph Larissa." (Lorber Early in FlorNum, p. 261).
2Lorber invites us to interpret this "distinctive gesture" as the nymph "...tossing her ball, an action regularly depicted on trihemiobols and obols of the fifth century." (Lorber Early in FlorNum, p. 262).
3Lorber understands these letters to be the signature of the mint's chief engraver, who replaced ΣΙΜΟ. See Lorber Early in FlorNum, p. 261.
4This is the date range provided in Lorber 2008, p. 126.
The city of Larissa was named after the local water nymph, said to be the daughter of Pelasgos. He was said to be the ancestor of the pre-Greek Pelasgians. According to myth Larissa drowned while playing ball on the banks of the Peneios river. (HGC 4 p. 130).
Provenance: Ex Shanna Schmidt Numismatics October 30, 2019; Ex Numismatica Ars Classica Auction 29, May 11, 2005, lot 176; Ex Numismatic Fine Arts Auction XXXIII, May 3, 1994, lot 929.
Photo credits: Shanna Schmidt Numismatics
CLICK FOR SOURCES
Tracy Aiello
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00097 Facing Head of LarissaThessaly Greece, the City of Larissa
Obv: Head of the nymph Larissa facing slightly r., wearing ampyx, pendant earring, and wire necklace. Border of dots.
Rev: reverse horse crouching l., l. foreleg raised, preparing to roll and lie down. ΛAPI above horse and ΣAIΩN in the exergue.
Denomination: silver drachm; Mint: Larissa; Date: c. 380 - 365 BC1; Weight: 5.812g; Diameter: 20.8mm; Die axis: 90º; References, for example: BCD Thessaly I 1149; BCD Thessaly II 283; McClean 4623; HGC 4, 441; Lorber - Shahar, Middle Series 1 Type A (O1/R42
Notes:
1This is the date range stated in BCD Thessaly I.
2Unfortunately this website no longer functions and it will not be brought back up (Catharine Lorber, personal communication, September 7, 2018).
The city of Larissa was named after the local water nymph, said to be the daughter of Pelasgos. He was said to be the ancestor of the pre-Greek Pelasgians. According to myth Larissa drowned while playing ball on the banks of the Peneios river. (HGC 4 p. 130).
Provenance: Ex Forum Ancient Coins November 5, 2018
Photo credits: Forum Ancient Coins
CLICK FOR SOURCESTracy Aiello
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00099 Facing Head of LarissaThessaly Greece, the City of Larissa
Obv: Head of the nymph Larissa 3/4 facing l., wearing ampyx flanked by two hornlike locks, round curl to the l. of the head1; earring on the r. (?), wearing wire necklace (?). Border of dots.
Rev: Horse crouching r., l. foreleg raised and bent (parallel with the lower part of the hind legs), preparing to roll, ΛAPIΣ above horse and AIΩN in the exergue.
Denomination: silver drachm; Mint: Larissa; Date: c. 356 - 346 BC2; Weight: 6.05g; Diameter: 19mm; Die axis: 130º; References, for example: Lorber Hoard, Phase L-III; SNG COP 121.
Notes:
1On p. 10 of Lorber Hoard Catharine Lorber observes that on later Phase L-III head types the round curl to the left of the head "...tends to evolve into a long wavy lock scarcely different from the others above and below it." Therefore, perhaps this coin falls earlier in Phase L-III.
2This is the date range given in Lorber Hoard, p. 11. She states that the Third Sacred War must have been the historical context for the intensive Phase L-III drachm production.
The city of Larissa was named after the local water nymph, said to be the daughter of Pelasgos. He was said to be the ancestor of the pre-Greek Pelasgians. According to myth Larissa drowned while playing ball on the banks of the Peneios river. (HGC 4 p. 130).
Provenance: Ex Harlan J. Berk Ltd. June 28, 2019; Ex Pegasi Auction, A22, lot 117 April 20, 2010.
Photo credits: Harlan J. Berk Ltd.
CLICK FOR SOURCESTracy Aiello
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000991 Facing Head of LarissaThessaly Greece, the City of Larissa
Obv: Head of the nymph Larissa facing slightly l., round curl to the l. of the head, wearing ampyx flanked by two hornlike locks, a pendant earring, and a simple necklace.
Rev: Horse crouching r., l. foreleg raised and bent (almost parallel with belly/ground), preparing to roll. ΛAPIΣ above horse and AIΩN in the exergue.
Denomination: silver drachm; Mint: Larissa; Date: c. 356 - 342 BC1; Weight: 5.920g; Diameter: 19.2mm; Die axis: 135º; References, for example: Lorber Hoard, pl. 3, 27 (same dies); BCD Thessaly I 11582; BCD Thessaly II 316; HGC 4, 4543.
Notes:
1This is the date range stated in BCD Thessaly I. This coin appears to fall within Lorber's Phase Late II or Phase Late III. See Lorber Hoard and Lorber 2008.
2The coin referenced in this auction catalogue is actually a silver stater, but in discussing the coin the catalogue states that the earliest Larissian staters "...bear the normal types of a drachm...."
3The picture of the coin in this reference does not show the foreleg raised and bent, but the entry does reference BCD Thessaly II, lots 312 - 320, which matches one of the references here.
The city of Larissa was named after the local water nymph, said to be the daughter of Pelasgos. He was said to be the ancestor of the pre-Greek Pelasgians. According to myth Larissa drowned while playing ball on the banks of the Peneios river. (HGC 4 p.. 130).
Provenance: Ex Forum Ancient Coins October 31, 2018; from the BCD collection, with his tag noting "Thz. G/ni ex Thess., Apr. 94, SFr. 100.-"
Photo credits: Forum Ancient Coins
CLICK FOR SOURCES
Tracy Aiello
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000992 Facing Head of LarissaThessaly Greece, the City of Larissa
Obv: Head of the nymph Larissa facing slightly l., round curl to the l. of he head, wearing ampyx flanked by two hornlike locks, a pendant earring represented by three pellets in a vertical line, and a simple necklace.
Rev: Horse crouching r., l. foreleg raised and bent (almost parallel with belly/ground), preparing to roll, small plant (control mark) below. ΛAPIΣ above horse and AIΩN in the exergue.
Denomination: silver drachm; Mint: Larissa; Date: c. 356 - 342 BC1; Weight: 5.869g; Diameter: 18.3mm; Die axis: 0º; References, for example: BMC Thessaly p. 30, 61; BCD Thessaly I 1156; BCD Thessaly II 323 var. [same obv. die, but no trident (control mark) below the horse pointing to the left].
Notes:
1This is the date range stated in BCD Thessaly I. This coin appears to fall within Lorber's Phase Late II or Phase Late III. See Lorber Hoard and Lorber 2008.
The city of Larissa was named after the local water nymph, said to be the daughter of Pelasgos. He was said to be the ancestor of the pre-Greek Pelasgians. According to myth Larissa drowned while playing ball on the banks of the Peneios river. (HGC 4 p. 130).
Provenance: Ex Forum Ancient Coins September 6, 2018; from the David Cannon Collection, ex Beast Coins.
Photo credits: Forum Ancient Coins
CLICK FOR SOURCES
Tracy Aiello
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0081 - Denarius Septimius Severus 201-10 ACObv/SEVERVS PIVS AVG, laureate head of Septimiusr.
Rev/INDULGENTIA AVGG, Dea Caelestis riding r. on a lion, holding thunderbolt and sceptre; below, waters gushing from rock.
Ag, 18.3mm, 3.25g
Mint: Rome.
RIC IVa/266 [C] - BMCRE V/335
ex-A.L.Romero Martíndafnis
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0114 Lucius Appuleius Saturninus - AR denariusRome
²101 BC / ¹104 BC
helmeted head of Roma left
Saturn in quadriga right holding harpa and reins
·T·
L·SATVRN
¹Crawford 317/3a, SRCV I 193, Sydenham 578, RSC I Appuleia 1
²Mark Passehl - Roman moneyer & coin type chronology, 150 – 50 BC
3,5g 19mm
As quaestor Saturninus superintended the imports of grain at Ostia, but had been removed by the Roman Senate (an unusual proceeding), and replaced by Marcus Aemilius Scaurus, one of the chief members of the Optimates. Standard view is that injustice of his dismissal drove him into the arms of the Populares. In 103 BC he was elected tribune. Marius, on his return to Rome after his victory over the Cimbri, finding himself isolated in the senate, entered into a compact with Saturninus and his ally Gaius Servilius Glaucia, and the three formed a kind of triumvirate, supported by the veterans of Marius and many of the common people. By the aid of bribery and assassination Marius was elected (100 BC) consul for the sixth time, Glaucia praetor, and Saturninus tribune for the second time. Marius, finding himself overshadowed by his colleagues and compromised by their excesses, thought seriously of breaking with them, and Saturninus and Glaucia saw that their only hope of safety lay in their retention of office. Saturninus was elected tribune for the third time for the year beginning December 10, 100, and Glaucia, although at the time praetor and therefore not eligible until after the lapse of 2 years, was a candidate for the consulship. Marcus Antonius Orator was elected without opposition; the other Optimate candidate, Gaius Memmius, who seemed to have the better chance of success, was beaten to death by the hired agents of Saturninus and Glaucia, while the voting was actually going on. This produced a complete revulsion of public feeling. The Senate met on the following day, declared Saturninus and Glaucia public enemies, and called upon Marius to defend the State. Marius had no alternative but to obey. Saturninus, defeated in a pitched battle in the Roman Forum (December 10), took refuge with his followers in the Capitol, where, the water supply having been cut off, they were forced to capitulate. Marius, having assured them that their lives would be spared, removed them to the Curia Hostilia, intending to proceed against them according to law. But the more impetuous members of the aristocratic party climbed onto the roof, stripped off the tiles, and stoned Saturninus and many others to death. Glaucia, who had escaped into a house, was dragged out and killed. (wikipedia)J. B.
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016a19. HadrianPhrygia, Apameia. AE (19 mm, 4.30 g). AΔΡIANOΣ KAI ΣEBA, laureate bust right, aegis over left shoulder / AΠAMEΩN, Marsyas as river-god reclining left in rocky cave, holding cornucopiae and double flute, beneath him an overturned urn from which waters flow, three chests (kibotoi) behind him. BMC 158; Slg. Leypold 1455. Agora Auc 2 (2023), Lot 302.lawrence c
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0258 - Semis Augustus 17-16 BCObv/ HIBERVS (II V) QVINQ, head of river divinity r., spitting water.
Rev/ C LVCI PF II V QVINQ, surrounded by dotted circle.
AE, 21.6 mm, 4.55 g
Mint: Carthago Nova.
RPC I/160 [7-20 dies] – ACIP 2542 [R3]
ex-Jesús Vico, auction e8, lot 17.dafnis
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026a03. Septimius SeverusSeptimius Severus. AR denarius (18.6 mm, 2.55 g, 1 h). Rome mint, struck A.D. 203. SEVERVS PIVS AVG, laureate head of Septimius Severus right / INDVLGENTIA AVGG, IN CARTH, the Dea Caelestis seated facing on lion galloping right over rushing waters, holding thunderbolt and scepter. RIC 266; BMCRE 335; RSC 222. VF. Agora Auction 102, Lot 184. NOTE:
This coin type was issued to commemorate numerous renovations and additions to the city of Carthage, most importantly, a new aqueduct. Dea Caelestis was the patron goddess of Carthage.lawrence c
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029a02. MacrinusAE 4 Assaria. 28.7mm, 14.56 g. Nikopolis ad Istrum, Moesia Inferior
Obv: AY K OΠΠEΛ CE YH MAKPINOC, laureate bust right. Rev: YΠ CTATATIOY ΛONΓINOY NIKOΠOΛITΩN ΠΡOC ICTΡQ, youth sitting left on mound, bare torso, himation around waist and legs, branch in right hand, left holding reeds and propped on vase or cave from which water flows. Moushmov 1297, Varbarov 3572 variant. A FORUM coin.lawrence c
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037b Marcus Aurelius (139-161 A.D. as Caesar, 161-180 A.D. as Augustus), RIC III 1142, Rome, AE-As, S/C//--, River god Tiber reclining left,037b Marcus Aurelius (139-161 A.D. as Caesar, 161-180 A.D. as Augustus), RIC III 11142, Rome, AE-As, S/C//--, River god Tiber reclining left,
avers:- M-ANTONINVS-AVG-TR-P-XXIX, Laureate head right.
revers:- IMP-VII-COS-III, River god Tiber reclining left, resting hand on prow of galley, leaning on jug from which waters flow.
exerg: S/C//--, diameter: 24-25,5mm, weight: 11,19g, axis: 6h,
mint: Rome, date:174-175 A.D., ref: RIC-III-1142-p-, C-348, Sear-,
Q-001quadrans
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044 - Antoninus Pius Sestertius - RIC III, p. 112, 643 Obv:- ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P COS III, laureate head right
Rev:- TIBERIS S-C, Tiber, crowned with reeds, reclining left, leaning on urn, which pours out water, resting right hand on boat and holding reed.
Minted in Rome. A.D. 140-144
Reference:- Cohen 819, RCV 4237. RIC III, p. 112, 643 (rare). maridvnvm
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049 Septimius Severus (193-211 A.D.), Rome, RIC IV-I 266, AR-Denarius, INDVLGENTIA AVG G, INCARTH, The Dea Caelestis, #1049 Septimius Severus (193-211 A.D.), Rome, RIC IV-I 266, AR-Denarius, INDVLGENTIA AVG G, INCARTH, The Dea Caelestis, #1
avers: SEVERVS PIVS AVG, Laureate bust right.
reverse: INDVLGEN TIA AVG G, The Dea Caelestis, wearing an elaborate headdress, looking right, riding right on a lion, holding thunderbolt and sceptre, below, water gushing from rocks at left.
exergue: -/-//INCARTH, diameter: 17,0-19,0mm, weight: 3,79g, axis: 1h,
mint: Rome, date: 203-04 A.D.,
ref: RIC IV-I 266, p-125, RSC 222, BMCRE 335,
Q-001quadrans
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051 Caracalla (196-198 A.D. Caesar, 198-217 A.D. Augustus ), RIC IV-I 130a, Rome, AR-Denarius, INDVLGENTIA AVG G, INCARTH, (but base metal, "limes" ?),051 Caracalla (196-198 A.D. Caesar, 198-217 A.D. Augustus ), RIC IV-I 130a, Rome, AR-Denarius, INDVLGENTIA AVG G, INCARTH, (but base metal, "limes" ?),
avers:- ANTONINVS-PIVS-AVG, Laureate draped head right.
revers:- INDVLGEN-TIA-AVG-G/INCARTH, Dea Caelestis riding lion right over flowing water, holding thunderbolt and scepter.
exe: -/-//INCARTH, diameter: 18,5-20mm, weight: 2,931g, axis: 6h,
mint: Rome, date: 201-206 A.D., ref: RIC-IV-I-130a, p-231, (but base metal, "limes" ?),
Q-001quadrans
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051 Caracalla (196-198 A.D. Caesar, 198-217 A.D. Augustus ), Rome, RIC IV-I 130a, AR-Denarius, INDVLGENTIA AVG G, INCARTH, Dea Caelestis riding lion right, (but base metal, "limes"!), #1051 Caracalla (196-198 A.D. Caesar, 198-217 A.D. Augustus ), Rome, RIC IV-I 130a, AR-Denarius, INDVLGENTIA AVG G, INCARTH, Dea Caelestis riding lion right, (but base metal, "limes"!), #1
avers: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG, Laureate draped head right.
reverse: INDVLGEN TIA AVG G/INCARTH, Dea Caelestis riding lion right overflowing water, holding thunderbolt and scepter.
exergue: -/-//INCARTH, diameter: 18,5-20,0mm, weight: 2,93g, axis: 6h,
mint: Rome, date: 201-206 A.D.,
ref: RIC IV-I 130a, p-231, (but base metal, "limes" !),
Q-001quadrans
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051 Caracalla (196-198 A.D. Caesar, 198-217 A.D. Augustus ), Rome, RIC IV-I 130a, AR-Denarius, INDVLGENTIA AVG G/INCARTH, Dea Caelestis riding lion right, #1051 Caracalla (196-198 A.D. Caesar, 198-217 A.D. Augustus ), Rome, RIC IV-I 130a, AR-Denarius, INDVLGENTIA AVG G/INCARTH, Dea Caelestis riding lion right, #1
avers: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG, Laureate draped head right.
reverse: INDVLGEN TIA AVG G/INCARTH, Dea Caelestis riding lion right overflowing water, holding thunderbolt and scepter.
exergue: -/-//INCARTH, diameter: 18,0-18,5mm, weight: 2,91g, axis: 7h,
mint: Rome, date: 201-206 A.D.,
ref: RIC IV-I 130a, p-231,
Q-001quadrans
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052 - Faustina Junior denarius - RIC 508d (Pius)Obv:- FAVSTINA AVGVSTA AVG P II F, Draped bust left, hair pulled back and tied in bun behind neck
Rev:- PVDICITIA, Pudicitia, veiled, standing left, sacrificing over altar
Minted in Rome, Undated. A.D. 161-164
Reference:- BMCRE Group V. 1094 (Pius) citing H. M. Treasury (Allerton Bywater Hoard, 1924). RIC III 508d (Pius, Scarce, citing BM)maridvnvm
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0629 Pherai - AE 11c. 404-369 BC
head of Nymph Hypereia right, wearing wreath
head of lion right, spouring water from mouth
ΦEPAI
Rogers 513; SNG Copenhagen 241
1,55g 11,5mmJ. B.
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064 - Septimius Severus denarius - RIC 266Obv:- SEVERVS PIVS AVG, Laureate head right
Rev:- INDVLGENTIA AVGG / IN CARTH, Dea Caelestis, goddess of Carthage, with elaborate headdress, looking front, riding right on springing lion, holding thunderbolt and sceptre, water gushing from rocks at left below
Minted in Rome, A.D. 203
References:- RIC 266 (Common), RCV02 6285, RSC222 maridvnvm
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064 - Septimius Severus denarius - RIC 266Obv:- SEVERVS PIVS AVG, laureate bust right
Rev:- INDVLGENTIA AVGG / IN CARTH, Dea Caelestis, goddess of Carthage, with elaborate headdress, looking front, riding right on springing lion, holding thunderbolt and sceptre, water gushing from rocks at left below
Minted in Rome, A.D. 203
Reference:- RIC 266. RSC 222.maridvnvm
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064 - Septimius Severus denarius - RIC 266Obv:- SEVERVS PIVS AVG, laureate bust right
Rev:- INDVLGENTIA AVGG / IN CARTH, Dea Caelestis, goddess of Carthage, with elaborate headdress, looking front, riding right on springing lion, holding thunderbolt and sceptre, water gushing from rocks at left below
Minted in Rome, A.D. 203
Reference:- RIC 266. RSC 222.maridvnvm
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064p Julia Mamaea ( ??-235 A.D.), Lydia, Tabala, Waddington 5305, AE-19, TABAΛEΩN/EPMOC, River-god Hermos reclining left, #1064p Julia Mamaea ( ??-235 A.D.), Lydia, Tabala, Waddington 5305, AE-19, TABAΛEΩN/EPMOC, River-god Hermos reclining left, #1
avers: IOY MAMAIA CE, Draped bust right, wearing Stephane.
reverse: TABAΛEΩN around, EΡMOC below, River-god Hermos reclining left, holding reed and cornucopiae, resting left arm on overturned urn from which waters flow.
exergue: -/-//--, diameter: 19,0mm, weight: 3,72g, axis: 6h,
mint: Lydia, Tabala, date: 222-235 A.D., ref: Waddington 5305, Paris 1384.
Q-001quadrans
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066 - Caracalla denarius - RIC 130dObv:– ANTONINVS PIVS AVG, Laureate bust right, draped
Rev:– INDVLGENTIA AVGG, Dea Caelestis, holding thunderbolt and scepter, riding lion over waters gushing from rock on left. Exe: IN CARTH
Minted in Rome, A.D. 204-205
References:– VM 29, RIC 130D, RCV02 6806, RSC 97maridvnvm
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067p Maximus (235-238 A.D.), Thrace, Deultum, Mushmov-3660, AE-23, COL F L PAC DEVLT, River god reclining left, #1067p Maximus (235-238 A.D.), Thrace, Deultum, Mushmov-3660, AE-23, COL F L PAC DEVLT, River god reclining left, #1
avers: C IVL VER MAXIMVS CAES, Bare-headed, draped, and cuirassed bust right.
reverse: COL F L PAC DE VLT, River god reclining left, holding reed and cornucopia, resting on an urn from which waters flow.
exergue: -/-//--, diameter: 23,0mm, weight:6,79g, axis:1h,
mint: Thrace, Deultum, date: 235-237 A.D.,
ref: Mushmov 3660, Jurukova 228,
Q-001quadrans
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0736 THRACE, Bizya, Pseudo-autonomous under Hadrian Tyche standingReference.
RPC III, 736; Jurukova 165
Obv. ΔΙΟΝΥСω ΚΤΙСΤΗ
Dionysos seated right on throne, holding grape bunch and a single grape; vine to left
Rev. ΒΙΖΥΗΝΩΝ.
River-god and Tyche; to left, river-god reclining right, resting right arm on water-urn, holding reed in left hand; to right, Tyche standing facing, head left, wearing long garment and kalathos, holding cantharus in right hand and two ears of corn in left hand.
6.59 gr
22 mm
6hokidoki
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0747 THRACE. Philippopolis Hadrian, Herbus Reference.
RPC III, 747/3; Mouchmov 15, Varbanov 640
Obv. ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟϹ ϹΕΒΑϹΤΟϹ
Laureate and cuirassed bust of Hadrian, r. with paludamentum seen from rear
Rev. ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΠΟΛΕΙΤΩΝ, ΡΟϹ (in ex.)
River god (Hebrus) reclining l., holding cornucopia in r. hand and reed in l., his l. arm resting on overturned amphora from which water flows
24.17 gr
34 mm
6h
Note.
Lanz 132, 27 Nov. 2006, lot 386okidoki
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079 B.C., L. Papius, Republic AR-Denarius Serratus, Crawford 384/1., Bonnano 108, Griphon leaping right, square basket or suitcase, L•PAPI, #1079 B.C., L. Papius, Republic AR-Denarius Serratus, Crawford 384/1., Bonnano 108, Griphon leaping right, square basket or suitcase, L•PAPI, #1
avers: Head of Juno Sospita right, wearing goat skin tied under the chin.Behind the head, symbol: flask or water-bottle.
reverse: Griphon leaping right, below symbol: square basket or suitcase. L•PAPI in exergue.
exergue: -/-//L•PAPI, diameter: 18,5mm, weight: 3,35g, axis: 6h,
mint: Rome, date: 79 B.C.,
ref: Crawford 384/1, Symbol pair Bonnano 108, Babelon 18, Sydenham 773,
Q-001
quadrans
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079 B.C., L. Papius, Republic AR-Denarius Serratus, Crawford 384/1., Bonnano 110, Griphon leaping right, water-flask, L•PAPI, #1079 B.C., L. Papius, Republic AR-Denarius Serratus, Crawford 384/1., Bonnano 110, Griphon leaping right, water-flask, L•PAPI, #1
avers: Head of Juno Sospita right, wearing goat skin tied under the chin. Behind the head, symbol: water-flask.
reverse: Griphon leaping right, below symbol: water-flask. L•PAPI in exergue.
exergue: -/-//L•PAPI, diameter: 18,0-18,5mm, weight: 3,57g, axis: 6h,
mint: Rome, date: 79 B.C.,
ref: Crawford 384/1, Symbol pair Bonnano 110, Sydenham 773, RRC 110, BMCRR 110, Babelon unlisted,
Q-001
quadrans
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0866 Maximius II - AE 1/4 follisprosecution issue
Antioch
312 AD
turreted and veiled Tyche of Antioch seated on rocks, holding grains; river-god Orontes, standing facing in waist deep water, arms outstretched
GENIO AN_TIOCHENI
Apollo standing left, holding patera and kithara
APOLLONI__SANCTO
I
SMA
McAlee 170(i), Van Heesch 3(a), Vagi 2954,
0,9g 16,5mm
ex Gitbud and NaumannJ. B.
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089a01. HanniballianusAE16. 15.4mm, 1.61 g. 336-337 AD. Constantinople mint. Obv: FL HANNIBALLIANO REGI, bare-headed, draped, cuirassed bust right.
Rev: SE-CVRITAS PVBLICA, Euphrates seated right on ground, holding sceptre, overturned urn at his side, from which waters flow, reed in background. Mintmark CONSS. RIC VII Constantinople 147; Cohen 2; Sear 16905. A FORUM coin.lawrence c
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096 B.C. A.Postumius S.f. Albinus, Republic AR-Denarius, Crawford 335/10b, Rome, Dioscuri watering horse left, Crescent above, A•ALBINVS•S•F•, #1, Rare !!!096 B.C. A.Postumius S.f. Albinus, Republic AR-Denarius, Crawford 335/10b, Rome, Dioscuri watering horse left, Crescent above, A•ALBINVS•S•F•, #1, Rare !!!
avers: Laureate head of Apollo right, behind star below R, before X, border of dots.
reverse: Dioscuri watering horse (left) at the fountain of Juturna, in left field crescent above, border of dots.
exergue: -/-//A•ALBINVS•S•F•, diameter: 17,0-19,0mm, weight: 3,76g, axis: 5h,
mint: Rome, date:096 B.C., ref: Syd-612b, Crawford-335/10b, Postumia 6., Rare !!!
Q-001
"This issue is said to relate to the battle of Lake Regillius; the Roman army was commanded by A. Postumius Albus. Legend says that the Dioscuri were said to have assisted the Romans in obtaining the victory; the reverse of shows the Dioscuri watering their horses at the fountain of Futurna in the Roman Forum, where they were supposed to have arrived on the eve of the battle."quadrans
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1. Thrace, Byzantion, 340-320 BC, AR SiglosHeifer standing left above dolphin, VΠΥ above.
Incuse square of mill-sail pattern.
SNG BM Black Sea 21; SNG Copenhagen 476; Sear GCV 1579.
(17 mm, 5.36 g)
Classical Numismatic Group electronic Auction 146, 23 August 2006, 34.
Standing on the European side of the Bosporos, Byzantion with its twin city Kalchedon on the Asia Minor side of the Bosporos was the ancient gateway between the two continents, a role that continues to the present.
The symbolism of the bull and the heifer on the obverse of the coins of twin cities of Kalchedon (Asia Minor) and Byzantion (Europe) respectively is striking and points to a shared identity. They stood astride the southern entrance to the Bosporus. Both were 7th century BC foundations of Megara and jointly they controlled the vital grain trade from the Black Sea into the Mediterranean.
The grain ear upon which the bull of Kalchedon stands alludes to this fact. That of the dolphin beneath the Heifer of Byzantion is a reflection of the maritime orientation of the city and the bountiful pods of dolphins that even to this day frolic in swift flowing waters of the Bosporus beneath the old city walls of Constantinople which succeded Byzantion and was in turn succeded by Istanbul. n.igma
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100 Cruzeiros1992 CE
Obverse: Date left of the denomination. BRASIL 1992 100 cruzeiros
Reverse: Manatee below its local name peixe-boi. Probably the Amazon manatee (Trichechus inunguis) because of his wrinkled appearance, it lives exclusively in freshwater. The West Indian manatee (T. manatus) is found down to the coasts of Brazil and the Amazon Estuary. PEIXE-BOI Pericles J2
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109 AD: Improvement of the water supply of Rome under TrajanOricalchum sestertius (24.4g, 33mm, 6h) Rome mint. Struck AD 110.
IMP CAES NERVAE TRAIANO AVG GER DAC PM TR P COS V P P laureate head of Trajan right
AQVA / TRAIANA [in ex.] SPQR OPTIMO PRINCIPI [around edge] S C [left and right in ex.] River god reclining l. in arched grotto supported by two columns; left arm resting on urn; reed in right hand.
RIC 463 [S]; Cohen 20; Foss (Roman Historical Coins) 103:53
This type celebrates the construction of the Aqua Traiana which was dedicated on 20 June 109 constructed to improve the water supply of Rome. A branch of the Anio Novus was carried over the valley between the Caelian and the Aventine.
A lofty arcade was built upon the 'agger' of Servilius Tullius and passing over the Via Appia and the Porta Capena to the Piscina Publica. Terra-cotta water pipes with the name of Trajan and a leaden pipe inscribed AQVA TRAIANA have been found in excavations.Charles S
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1404a, Crispus, Caesar 317 - 326 A.D. Bronze AE 3, RIC 17, aEF, Cyzicus mint, 3.196g, 19.9mm, 315o, 321 - 324 A.D.; Obverse: D N FL IVL CRISPVS NOB CAES, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right; Reverse: IOVI CONSERVATORI, Jupiter standing left holding Victory on globe in right and scepter in left, eagle with wreath in beak to left, X / IIG and captive right, SMKD in exergue; scarce (RIC R3). Ex FORVM.
De Imperatoribus Romanis;
An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Emperors and their Families
Crispus Caesar (317-326 A.D.)
Hans Pohlsander
SUNY Albany
Crispus was the oldest son of the emperor Constantine I and played a fairly important role in the political and military events of the early fourth century. The regular form of his full name is Flavius Iulius Crispus, although the forms Flavius Claudius Crispus and Flavius Valerius Crispus also occur. His mother was a woman named Minervina, with whom Constantine had a relationship, probably illegitimate, before he married Fausta in 307. When Minervina died or when Constantine put her aside we do not know. Nor do we know when she gave birth to Crispus; we may assume, of course, that it was before 307. Some modern authorities, on good grounds, think that it was in 305. Crispus' place of birth must have been somewhere in the East, and it is not known when he was brought to Gaul and when, where, or under what circumstances he was separated from his mother.
Constantine entrusted the education of his son to the distinguished Christian scholar Lactantius, thereby giving a clear sign of his commitment to Christianity. We are not told when Lactantius assumed his duties, but a date before 317 seems likely. Nor do we know how successful he was in instilling Christian beliefs and values in his imperial pupil. No later than January of 322 Crispus must have married a woman named Helena -- not to be confused with Constantine's mother or daughter by the same name- and this woman bore him a child in October of 322. Constantine, we learn, was pleased.
Crispus' official career began at an early age and is well documented. On March 1 of 317, at Serdica (modern Sofia), his father appointed him Caesar. The consulship was his three times, in 318, 321, and 324. While nominally in charge of Gaul, with a prefect at his side, he successfully undertook military operations against the Franks and Alamanni in 320 and 323.
In 324, during the second war between Constantine and Licinius, he excelled as commander of Constantine's fleet in the waters of the Hellespont, the Propontis, and the Bosporus, thus making a significant contribution to the outcome of that war. The high points of his career are amply reflected in the imperial coinage. In addition to coins, we have his portrait, with varying degrees of certainty, in a number of sculptures, mosaics, cameos, etc. Contemporary authors heap praises upon him. Thus the panegyrist Nazarius speaks of Crispus' "magnificent deeds," and Eusebius calls him "an emperor most dear to God and in all regards comparable to his father."
Crispus' end was as tragic as his career had been brilliant. His own father ordered him to be put to death. We know the year of this sad event, 326, from the Consularia Constantinopolitana, and the place, Pola in Istria, from Ammianus Marcellinus. The circumstances, however, are less clear. Zosimus (6th c.) and Zonaras (12th c.) both report that Crispus and his stepmother Fausta were involved in an illicit relationship. There may be as much gossip as fact in their reports, but it is certain that at some time during the same year the emperor ordered the death of his own wife as well, and the two cases must be considered together. That Crispus and Fausta plotted treason is reported by Gregory of Tours, but not very believable. We must resolutely reject the claim of Zosimus that it was Constantine's sense of guilt over these deeds which caused him to accept Christianity, as it alone promised him forgiveness for his sins. A similar claim had already been made by Julian the Apostate. We must also, I think, reject the suggestion of Guthrie that the emperor acted in the interest of "dynastic legitimacy," that is, that he removed his illegitimate first-born son in order to secure the succession for his three legitimate younger sons. But Crispus must have committed, or at least must have been suspected of having committed, some especially shocking offense to earn him a sentence of death from his own father. He also suffered damnatio memoriae, his honor was never restored, and history has not recorded the fate of his wife and his child (or children).
Copyright (C) 1997, Hans A. Pohlsander. Published on De Imperatoribus Romanis;An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Emperors and their Families:
http://www.roman-emperors.org/crispus.htm
What If?
St. Nectarios, in his book, The Ecumenical Synods, writes "Hellenism spread by Alexander paved the way for Christianity by Emperor Constantine the Great."
Constantine's upward gaze on his "Eyes to Heaven" coins recall the coin portraits of Alexander the Great (namely coins struck by the Diodochi), which served as prototypes for the divine ruler portraiture of much of the Hellenistic age. The diadem, of which this is the most elaborate type, was adopted by Constantine and the members of his house as a new symbol of sovereignty.
In the Greek Orthodox Church, Constantine the Great is revered as a Saint.
Is it just possible? Constantine, knowing what happened (or thinking that he does) to Phillip II of Macedon—assassinated on the eve of his greatness, in a plot that most likely involved his wife—and possibly his son. . . isn’t it just possible that Constantine is growing obsessively jealous of his ever more successful and adulated son? Imagine the Constantine who has proven time and again (think: Licinius) that he is a completely self-serving liar and a murderer, decides to murder again? Why "must we resolutely reject the claim of Zosimus that it was Constantine's sense of guilt over these deeds which caused him to accept Christianity, as it alone promised him forgiveness for his sins [?] (see: above). A similar claim had already been made by Julian the [Philosopher]."
Perhaps it is time to cease being apologists for the sometime megalomaniacal Constantine. As Michael Grant notes, "It is a mocking travesty of justice to call such a murderer Constantine the Great . . ." (Grant, Michael. The Emperor Constantine. London: Phoenix Press, 1998. 226).
Edited by J. P. Fitzgerald, Jr.
Cleisthenes
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1404b, Crispus, Caesar 317 - 326 A.D. (Thessalonica)Bronze AE 3, RIC 118, VF, Thessalonica mint, 2.740g, 18.0mm, 180o, 320 - 321 A.D. Obverse: FL IVL CRISPVS NOB CAES, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust left; Reverse: CAESARVM NOSTRORVM, VOT V in wreath, TSDVI in exergue.
Flavius Julius Crispus was the son of Constantine I by his first wife. A brilliant soldier, Crispus was well loved by all until 326 A.D., when Constantine had him executed. It is said that Fausta, Crispus stepmother, anxious to secure the succession for her own sons falsely accused Crispus of raping her. Constantine, learning of Fausta`s treachery, had her executed too.
De Imperatoribus Romanis;
An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Emperors and their Families
Crispus Caesar (317-326 A.D.)
Hans Pohlsander
SUNY Albany
Crispus was the oldest son of the emperor Constantine I and played a fairly important role in the political and military events of the early fourth century. The regular form of his full name is Flavius Iulius Crispus, although the forms Flavius Claudius Crispus and Flavius Valerius Crispus also occur. His mother was a woman named Minervina, with whom Constantine had a relationship, probably illegitimate, before he married Fausta in 307. When Minervina died or when Constantine put her aside we do not know. Nor do we know when she gave birth to Crispus; we may assume, of course, that it was before 307. Some modern authorities, on good grounds, think that it was in 305. Crispus' place of birth must have been somewhere in the East, and it is not known when he was brought to Gaul and when, where, or under what circumstances he was separated from his mother.
Constantine entrusted the education of his son to the distinguished Christian scholar Lactantius, thereby giving a clear sign of his commitment to Christianity. We are not told when Lactantius assumed his duties, but a date before 317 seems likely. Nor do we know how successful he was in instilling Christian beliefs and values in his imperial pupil. No later than January of 322 Crispus must have married a woman named Helena -- not to be confused with Constantine's mother or daughter by the same name- and this woman bore him a child in October of 322. Constantine, we learn, was pleased.
Crispus' official career began at an early age and is well documented. On March 1 of 317, at Serdica (modern Sofia), his father appointed him Caesar. The consulship was his three times, in 318, 321, and 324. While nominally in charge of Gaul, with a prefect at his side, he successfully undertook military operations against the Franks and Alamanni in 320 and 323.
In 324, during the second war between Constantine and Licinius, he excelled as commander of Constantine's fleet in the waters of the Hellespont, the Propontis, and the Bosporus, thus making a significant contribution to the outcome of that war. The high points of his career are amply reflected in the imperial coinage. In addition to coins, we have his portrait, with varying degrees of certainty, in a number of sculptures, mosaics, cameos, etc. Contemporary authors heap praises upon him. Thus the panegyrist Nazarius speaks of Crispus' "magnificent deeds," and Eusebius calls him "an emperor most dear to God and in all regards comparable to his father."
Crispus' end was as tragic as his career had been brilliant. His own father ordered him to be put to death. We know the year of this sad event, 326, from the Consularia Constantinopolitana, and the place, Pola in Istria, from Ammianus Marcellinus. The circumstances, however, are less clear. Zosimus (6th c.) and Zonaras (12th c.) both report that Crispus and his stepmother Fausta were involved in an illicit relationship. There may be as much gossip as fact in their reports, but it is certain that at some time during the same year the emperor ordered the death of his own wife as well, and the two cases must be considered together. That Crispus and Fausta plotted treason is reported by Gregory of Tours, but not very believable. We must resolutely reject the claim of Zosimus that it was Constantine's sense of guilt over these deeds which caused him to accept Christianity, as it alone promised him forgiveness for his sins. A similar claim had already been made by Julian the Apostate. We must also, I think, reject the suggestion of Guthrie that the emperor acted in the interest of "dynastic legitimacy," that is, that he removed his illegitimate first-born son in order to secure the succession for his three legitimate younger sons. But Crispus must have committed, or at least must have been suspected of having committed, some especially shocking offense to earn him a sentence of death from his own father. He also suffered damnatio memoriae, his honor was never restored, and history has not recorded the fate of his wife and his child (or children).
Copyright (C) 1997, Hans A. Pohlsander. Published on De Imperatoribus Romanis;An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Emperors and their Families:
http://www.roman-emperors.org/crispus.htm
What If?
St. Nectarios, in his book, The Ecumenical Synods, writes "Hellenism spread by Alexander paved the way for Christianity by Emperor Constantine the Great."
Constantine's upward gaze on his "Eyes to Heaven" coins recall the coin portraits of Alexander the Great (namely coins struck by the Diodochi), which served as prototypes for the divine ruler portraiture of much of the Hellenistic age. The diadem, of which this is the most elaborate type, was adopted by Constantine and the members of his house as a new symbol of sovereignty.
In the Greek Orthodox Church, Constantine the Great is revered as a Saint.
Is it just possible? Constantine, knowing what happened (or thinking that he does) to Phillip II of Macedon—assassinated on the eve of his greatness, in a plot that most likely involved his wife—and possibly his son. . . isn’t it just possible that Constantine is growing obsessively jealous of his ever more successful and adulated son? Imagine the Constantine who has proven time and again (think: Licinius) that he is a completely self-serving liar and a murderer, decides to murder again? Why "must we resolutely reject the claim of Zosimus that it was Constantine's sense of guilt over these deeds which caused him to accept Christianity, as it alone promised him forgiveness for his sins [?] (see: above). A similar claim had already been made by Julian the [Philosopher]."
Perhaps it is time to cease being apologists for the sometime megalomaniacal Constantine. As Michael Grant notes, "It is a mocking travesty of justice to call such a murderer Constantine the Great . . ." (Grant, Michael. The Emperor Constantine. London: Phoenix Press, 1998. 226).
Edited by J. P. Fitzgerald, Jr.Cleisthenes
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1409a, Julian II "the Philosopher," February 360 - 26 June 363 A.D.Julian II, A.D. 360-363; RIC 167; VF; 2.7g, 20mm; Constantinople mint; Obverse: DN FL CL IVLIANVS P F AVG, helmeted & cuirassed bust right, holding spear & shield; Reverse: VOT X MVLT XX in four lines within wreath; CONSPB in exergue; Attractive green patina. Ex Nemesis.
De Imperatoribus Romanis,
An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Emperors
Julian the Apostate (360-363 A.D.)
Walter E. Roberts, Emory University
Michael DiMaio, Jr., Salve Regina University
Introduction
The emperor Flavius Claudius Julianus reigned from 360 to 26 June 363, when he was killed fighting against the Persians. Despite his short rule, his emperorship was pivotal in the development of the history of the later Roman empire. This essay is not meant to be a comprehensive look at the various issues central to the reign of Julian and the history of the later empire. Rather, this short work is meant to be a brief history and introduction for the general reader. Julian was the last direct descendent of the Constantinian line to ascend to the purple, and it is one of history's great ironies that he was the last non-Christian emperor. As such, he has been vilified by most Christian sources, beginning with John Chrysostom and Gregory Nazianzus in the later fourth century. This tradition was picked up by the fifth century Eusebian continuators Sozomen, Socrates Scholasticus, and Theodoret and passed on to scholars down through the 20th century. Most contemporary sources, however, paint a much more balanced picture of Julian and his reign. The adoption of Christianity by emperors and society, while still a vital concern, was but one of several issues that concerned Julian.
It is fortunate that extensive writings from Julian himself exist, which help interpret his reign in the light of contemporary evidence. Still extant are some letters, several panegyrics, and a few satires. Other contemporary sources include the soldier Ammianus Marcellinus' history, correspondence between Julian and Libanius of Antioch, several panegyrics, laws from the Theodosian Code, inscriptions, and coinage. These sources show Julian's emphasis on restoration. He saw himself as the restorer of the traditional values of Roman society. Of course much of this was rhetoric, meant to defend Julian against charges that he was a usurper. At the same time this theme of restoration was central to all emperors of the fourth century. Julian thought that he was the one emperor who could regain what was viewed as the lost glory of the Roman empire. To achieve this goal he courted select groups of social elites to get across his message of restoration. This was the way that emperors functioned in the fourth century. By choosing whom to include in the sharing of power, they sought to shape society.
Early Life
Julian was born at Constantinople in 331. His father was Julius Constantius, half-brother of the emperor Constantine through Constantius Chlorus, and his mother was Basilina, Julius' second wife. Julian had two half-brothers via Julius' first marriage. One of these was Gallus, who played a major role in Julian's life. Julian appeared destined for a bright future via his father's connection to the Constantinian house. After many years of tense relations with his three half-brothers, Constantine seemed to have welcomed them into the fold of the imperial family. From 333 to 335, Constantine conferred a series of honors upon his three half-siblings, including appointing Julius Constantius as one of the consuls for 335. Julian's mother was equally distinguished. Ammianus related that she was from a noble family. This is supported by Libanius, who claimed that she was the daughter of Julius Julianus, a Praetorian Prefect under Licinius, who was such a model of administrative virtue that he was pardoned and honored by Constantine.
Despite the fact that his mother died shortly after giving birth to him, Julian experienced an idyllic early childhood. This ended when Constantius II conducted a purge of many of his relatives shortly after Constantine's death in 337, particularly targeting the families of Constantine's half-brothers. ulian and Gallus were spared, probably due to their young age. Julian was put under the care of Mardonius, a Scythian eunuch who had tutored his mother, in 339, and was raised in the Greek philosophical tradition, and probably lived in Nicomedia. Ammianus also supplied the fact that while in Nicomedia, Julian was cared for by the local bishop Eusebius, of whom the future emperor was a distant relation. Julian was educated by some of the most famous names in grammar and rhetoric in the Greek world at that time, including Nicocles and Hecebolius. In 344 Constantius II sent Julian and Gallus to Macellum in Cappadocia, where they remained for six years. In 351, Gallus was made Caesar by Constantius II and Julian was allowed to return to Nicomedia, where he studied under Aedesius, Eusebius, and Chrysanthius, all famed philosophers, and was exposed to the Neo-Platonism that would become such a prominent part of his life. But Julian was most proud of the time he spent studying under Maximus of Ephesus, a noted Neo-Platonic philospher and theurgist. It was Maximus who completed Julian's full-scale conversion to Neo-Platonism. Later, when he was Caesar, Julian told of how he put letters from this philosopher under his pillows so that he would continue to absorb wisdom while he slept, and while campaigning on the Rhine, he sent his speeches to Maximus for approval before letting others hear them. When Gallus was executed in 354 for treason by Constantius II, Julian was summoned to Italy and essentially kept under house arrest at Comum, near Milan, for seven months before Constantius' wife Eusebia convinced the emperor that Julian posed no threat. This allowed Julian to return to Greece and continue his life as a scholar where he studied under the Neo-Platonist Priscus. Julian's life of scholarly pursuit, however, ended abruptly when he was summoned to the imperial court and made Caesar by Constantius II on 6 November 355.
Julian as Caesar
Constantius II realized an essential truth of the empire that had been evident since the time of the Tetrarchy--the empire was too big to be ruled effectively by one man. Julian was pressed into service as Caesar, or subordinate emperor, because an imperial presence was needed in the west, in particular in the Gallic provinces. Julian, due to the emperor's earlier purges, was the only viable candidate of the imperial family left who could act as Caesar. Constantius enjoined Julian with the task of restoring order along the Rhine frontier. A few days after he was made Caesar, Julian was married to Constantius' sister Helena in order to cement the alliance between the two men. On 1 December 355, Julian journeyed north, and in Augusta Taurinorum he learned that Alamannic raiders had destroyed Colonia Agrippina. He then proceeded to Vienne where he spent the winter. At Vienne, he learned that Augustudunum was also under siege, but was being held by a veteran garrison. He made this his first priority, and arrived there on 24 June 356. When he had assured himself that the city was in no immediate danger, he journeyed to Augusta Treverorum via Autessioduram, and from there to Durocortorum where he rendezvoused with his army. Julian had the army stage a series of punitive strikes around the Dieuse region, and then he moved them towards the Argentoratum/Mongontiacum region when word of barbarian incursions reached him.
From there, Julian moved on to Colonia Agrippina, and negotiated a peace with the local barbarian leaders who had assaulted the city. He then wintered at Senonae. He spent the early part of the campaigning season of 357 fighting off besiegers at Senonae, and then conducting operations around Lugdunum and Tres Tabernae. Later that summer, he encountered his watershed moment as a military general. Ammianus went into great detail about Julian's victory over seven rogue Alamannic chieftains near Argentoratum, and Julian himself bragged about it in his later writing. After this battle, the soldiers acclaimed Julian Augustus, but he rejected this title. After mounting a series of follow-up raids into Alamannic territory, he retired to winter quarters at Lutetia, and on the way defeated some Frankish raiders in the Mosa region. Julian considered this campaign one of the major events of his time as Caesar.
Julian began his 358 military campaigns early, hoping to catch the barbarians by surprise. His first target was the Franks in the northern Rhine region. He then proceeded to restore some forts in the Mosa region, but his soldiers threatened to mutiny because they were on short rations and had not been paid their donative since Julian had become Caesar. After he soothed his soldiers, Julian spent the rest of the summer negotiating a peace with various Alamannic leaders in the mid and lower Rhine areas, and retired to winter quarters at Lutetia. In 359, he prepared once again to carry out a series of punitive expeditions against the Alamanni in the Rhine region who were still hostile to the Roman presence. In preparation, the Caesar repopulated seven previously destroyed cities and set them up as supply bases and staging areas. This was done with the help of the people with whom Julian had negotiated a peace the year before. Julian then had a detachment of lightly armed soldiers cross the Rhine near Mogontiacum and conduct a guerilla strike against several chieftains. As a result of these campaigns, Julian was able to negotiate a peace with all but a handful of the Alamannic leaders, and he retired to winter quarters at Lutetia.
Of course, Julian did more than act as a general during his time as Caesar. According to Ammianus, Julian was an able administrator who took steps to correct the injustices of Constantius' appointees. Ammianus related the story of how Julian prevented Florentius, the Praetorian Prefect of Gaul, from raising taxes, and also how Julian actually took over as governor for the province of Belgica Secunda. Hilary, bishop of Poitiers, supported Ammianus' basic assessment of Julian in this regard when he reported that Julian was an able representative of the emperor to the Gallic provincials. There is also epigraphic evidence to support Julian's popularity amongst the provincial elites. An inscription found near Beneventum in Apulia reads:
"To Flavius Claudius Julianus, most noble and sanctified Caesar, from the caring Tocius Maximus, vir clarissimus, for the care of the res publica from Beneventum".
Tocius Maximus, as a vir clarissimus, was at the highest point in the social spectrum and was a leader in his local community. This inscription shows that Julian was successful in establishing a positive image amongst provincial elites while he was Caesar.
Julian Augustus
In early 360, Constantius, driven by jealousy of Julian's success, stripped Julian of many troops and officers, ostensibly because the emperor needed them for his upcoming campaign against the Persians. One of the legions ordered east, the Petulantes, did not want to leave Gaul because the majority of the soldiers in the unit were from this region. As a result they mutinied and hailed Julian as Augustus at Lutetia. Julian refused this acclamation as he had done at Argentoratum earlier, but the soldiers would have none of his denial. They raised him on a shield and adorned him with a neck chain, which had formerly been the possession of the standard-bearer of the Petulantes and symbolized a royal diadem. Julian appeared reluctantly to acquiesce to their wishes, and promised a generous donative. The exact date of his acclamation is unknown, but most scholars put it in February or March. Julian himself supported Ammianus' picture of a jealous Constantius. In his Letter to the Athenians, a document constructed to answer charges that he was a usurper, Julian stated that from the start he, as Caesar, had been meant as a figurehead to the soldiers and provincials. The real power he claimed lay with the generals and officials already present in Gaul. In fact, according to Julian, the generals were charged with watching him as much as the enemy. His account of the actual acclamation closely followed what Ammianus told us, but he stressed even more his reluctance to take power. Julian claimed that he did so only after praying to Zeus for guidance.
Fearing the reaction of Constantius, Julian sent a letter to his fellow emperor justifying the events at Lutetia and trying to arrange a peaceful solution. This letter berated Constantius for forcing the troops in Gaul into an untenable situation. Ammianus stated that Julian's letter blamed Constantius' decision to transfer Gallic legions east as the reason for the soldiers' rebellion. Julian once again asserted that he was an unwilling participant who was only following the desire of the soldiers. In both of these basic accounts Ammianus and Julian are playing upon the theme of restoration. Implicit in their version of Julian's acclamation is the argument that Constantius was unfit to rule. The soldiers were the vehicle of the gods' will. The Letter to the Athenians is full of references to the fact that Julian was assuming the mantle of Augustus at the instigation of the gods. Ammianus summed up this position nicely when he related the story of how, when Julian was agonizing over whether to accept the soldiers' acclamation, he had a dream in which he was visited by the Genius (guardian spirit) of the Roman state. The Genius told Julian that it had often tried to bestow high honors upon Julian but had been rebuffed. Now, the Genius went on to say, was Julian's final chance to take the power that was rightfully his. If the Caesar refused this chance, the Genius would depart forever, and both Julian and the state would rue Julian's rejection. Julian himself wrote a letter to his friend Maximus of Ephesus in November of 361 detailing his thoughts on his proclamation. In this letter, Julian stated that the soldiers proclaimed him Augustus against his will. Julian, however, defended his accession, saying that the gods willed it and that he had treated his enemies with clemency and justice. He went on to say that he led the troops in propitiating the traditional deities, because the gods commanded him to return to the traditional rites, and would reward him if he fulfilled this duty.
During 360 an uneasy peace simmered between the two emperors. Julian spent the 360 campaigning season continuing his efforts to restore order along the Rhine, while Constantius continued operations against the Persians. Julian wintered in Vienne, and celebrated his Quinquennalia. It was at this time that his wife Helena died, and he sent her remains to Rome for a proper burial at his family villa on the Via Nomentana where the body of her sister was entombed. The uneasy peace held through the summer of 361, but Julian concentrated his military operations around harassing the Alamannic chieftain Vadomarius and his allies, who had concluded a peace treaty with Constantius some years earlier. By the end of the summer, Julian decided to put an end to the waiting and gathered his army to march east against Constantius. The empire teetered on the brink of another civil war. Constantius had spent the summer negotiating with the Persians and making preparations for possible military action against his cousin. When he was assured that the Persians would not attack, he summoned his army and sallied forth to meet Julian. As the armies drew inexorably closer to one another, the empire was saved from another bloody civil war when Constantius died unexpectedly of natural causes on 3 November near the town of Mopsucrenae in Cilicia, naming Julian -- the sources say-- as his legitimate successor.
Julian was in Dacia when he learned of his cousin's death. He made his way through Thrace and came to Constantinople on 11 December 361 where Julian honored the emperor with the funeral rites appropriate for a man of his station. Julian immediately set about putting his supporters in positions of power and trimming the imperial bureaucracy, which had become extremely overstaffed during Constantius' reign. Cooks and barbers had increased during the late emperor's reign and Julian expelled them from his court. Ammianus gave a mixed assessment of how the new emperor handled the followers of Constantius. Traditionally, emperors were supposed to show clemency to the supporters of a defeated enemy. Julian, however, gave some men over to death to appease the army. Ammianus used the case of Ursulus, Constantius' comes sacrum largitionum, to illustrate his point. Ursulus had actually tried to acquire money for the Gallic troops when Julian had first been appointed Caesar, but he had also made a disparaging remark about the ineffectiveness of the army after the battle of Amida. The soldiers remembered this, and when Julian became sole Augustus, they demanded Ursulus' head. Julian obliged, much to the disapproval of Ammianus. This seems to be a case of Julian courting the favor of the military leadership, and is indicative of a pattern in which Julian courted the goodwill of various societal elites to legitimize his position as emperor.
Another case in point is the officials who made up the imperial bureaucracy. Many of them were subjected to trial and punishment. To achieve this goal, during the last weeks of December 361 Julian assembled a military tribunal at Chalcedon, empanelling six judges to try the cases. The president of the tribunal was Salutius, just promoted to the rank of Praetorian Prefect; the five other members were Mamertinus, the orator, and four general officers: Jovinus, Agilo, Nevitta, and Arbetio. Relative to the proceedings of the tribunal, Ammianus noted that the judges, " . . . oversaw the cases more vehemently than was right or fair, with the exception of a few . . .." Ammianus' account of Julian's attempt at reform of the imperial bureaucracy is supported by legal evidence from the Theodosian Code. A series of laws sent to Mamertinus, Julian's appointee as Praetorian Prefect in Italy, Illyricum, and Africa, illustrate this point nicely. On 6 June 362, Mamertinus received a law that prohibited provincial governors from bypassing the Vicars when giving their reports to the Prefect. Traditionally, Vicars were given civil authority over a group of provinces, and were in theory meant to serve as a middle step between governors and Prefects. This law suggests that the Vicars were being left out, at least in Illyricum. Julian issued another edict to Mamertinus on 22 February 362 to stop abuse of the public post by governors. According to this law, only Mamertinus could issue post warrants, but the Vicars were given twelve blank warrants to be used as they saw fit, and each governor was given two. Continuing the trend of bureaucratic reform, Julian also imposed penalties on governors who purposefully delayed appeals in court cases they had heard. The emperor also established a new official to weigh solidi used in official government transactions to combat coin clipping.
For Julian, reigning in the abuses of imperial bureaucrats was one step in restoring the prestige of the office of emperor. Because he could not affect all elements of society personally, Julian, like other Neo-Flavian emperors, decided to concentrate on select groups of societal elites as intercessors between himself and the general populace. One of these groups was the imperial bureaucracy. Julian made it very clear that imperial officials were intercessors in a very real sense in a letter to Alypius, Vicar of Britain. In this letter, sent from Gaul sometime before 361, the emperor praises Alypius for his use of "mildness and moderation with courage and force" in his rule of the provincials. Such virtues were characteristic of the emperors, and it was good that Alypius is representing Julian in this way. Julian courted the army because it put him in power. Another group he sought to include in his rule was the traditional Senatorial aristocracy. One of his first appointments as consul was Claudius Mamertinus, a Gallic Senator and rhetorician. Mamertinus' speech in praise of Julian delivered at Constantinople in January of 362 is preserved. In this speech, Claudius presented his consular selection as inaugurating a new golden age and Julian as the restorer of the empire founded by Augustus. The image Mamertinus gave of his own consulate inaugurating a new golden age is not merely formulaic. The comparison of Julian to Augustus has very real, if implicit, relevance to Claudius' situation. Claudius emphasized the imperial period as the true age of renewal. Augustus ushered in a new era with his formation of a partnership between the emperor and the Senate based upon a series of honors and offices bestowed upon the Senate in return for their role as intercessor between emperor and populace. It was this system that Julian was restoring, and the consulate was one concrete example of this bond. To be chosen as a consul by the emperor, who himself had been divinely mandated, was a divine honor. In addition to being named consul, Mamertinus went on to hold several offices under Julian, including the Prefecture of Italy, Illyricum, and Africa. Similarly, inscriptional evidence illustrates a link between municipal elites and Julian during his time as Caesar, something which continued after he became emperor. One concrete example comes from the municipal senate of Aceruntia in Apulia, which established a monument on which Julian is styled as "Repairer of the World."
Julian seems to have given up actual Christian belief before his acclamation as emperor and was a practitioner of more traditional Greco-Roman religious beliefs, in particular, a follower of certain late antique Platonist philosophers who were especially adept at theurgy as was noted earlier. In fact Julian himself spoke of his conversion to Neo-Platonism in a letter to the Alexandrians written in 363. He stated that he had abandoned Christianity when he was twenty years old and been an adherent of the traditional Greco-Roman deities for the twelve years prior to writing this letter.
(For the complete text of this article see: http://www.roman-emperors.org/julian.htm)
Julian’s Persian Campaign
The exact goals Julian had for his ill-fated Persian campaign were never clear. The Sassanid Persians, and before them the Parthians, had been a traditional enemy from the time of the Late Republic, and indeed Constantius had been conducting a war against them before Julian's accession forced the former to forge an uneasy peace. Julian, however, had no concrete reason to reopen hostilities in the east. Socrates Scholasticus attributed Julian's motives to imitation of Alexander the Great, but perhaps the real reason lay in his need to gather the support of the army. Despite his acclamation by the Gallic legions, relations between Julian and the top military officers was uneasy at best. A war against the Persians would have brought prestige and power both to Julian and the army.
Julian set out on his fateful campaign on 5 March 363. Using his trademark strategy of striking quickly and where least expected, he moved his army through Heirapolis and from there speedily across the Euphrates and into the province of Mesopotamia, where he stopped at the town of Batnae. His plan was to eventually return through Armenia and winter in Tarsus. Once in Mesopotamia, Julian was faced with the decision of whether to travel south through the province of Babylonia or cross the Tigris into Assyria, and he eventually decided to move south through Babylonia and turn west into Assyria at a later date. By 27 March, he had the bulk of his army across the Euphrates, and had also arranged a flotilla to guard his supply line along the mighty river. He then left his generals Procopius and Sebastianus to help Arsacius, the king of Armenia and a Roman client, to guard the northern Tigris line. It was also during this time that he received the surrender of many prominent local leaders who had nominally supported the Persians. These men supplied Julian with money and troops for further military action against their former masters. Julian decided to turn south into Babylonia and proceeded along the Euphrates, coming to the fortress of Cercusium at the junction of the Abora and Euphrates Rivers around the first of April, and from there he took his army west to a region called Zaitha near the abandoned town of Dura where they visited the tomb of the emperor Gordian which was in the area. On April 7 he set out from there into the heart of Babylonia and towards Assyria.
Ammianus then stated that Julian and his army crossed into Assyria, which on the face of things appears very confusing. Julian still seems to be operating within the province of Babylonia between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The confusion is alleviated when one realizes that,for Ammianus, the region of Assyria encompassed the provinces of Babylonia and Assyria. On their march, Julian's forces took the fortress of Anatha, received the surrender and support of several more local princes, and ravaged the countryside of Assyria between the rivers. As the army continued south, they came across the fortresses Thilutha and Achaiachala, but these places were too well defended and Julian decided to leave them alone. Further south were the cities Diacira and Ozogardana, which the Roman forces sacked and burned. Soon, Julian came to Pirisabora and a brief siege ensued, but the city fell and was also looted and destroyed. It was also at this time that the Roman army met its first systematic resistance from the Persians. As the Romans penetrated further south and west, the local inhabitants began to flood their route. Nevertheless, the Roman forces pressed on and came to Maiozamalcha, a sizable city not far from Ctesiphon. After a short siege, this city too fell to Julian. Inexorably, Julian's forces zeroed in on Ctesiphon, but as they drew closer, the Persian resistance grew fiercer, with guerilla raids whittling at Julian's men and supplies. A sizable force of the army was lost and the emperor himself was almost killed taking a fort a few miles from the target city.
Finally, the army approached Ctesiphon following a canal that linked the Tigris and Euphrates. It soon became apparent after a few preliminary skirmishes that a protracted siege would be necessary to take this important city. Many of his generals, however, thought that pursuing this course of action would be foolish. Julian reluctantly agreed, but became enraged by this failure and ordered his fleet to be burned as he decided to march through the province of Assyria. Julian had planned for his army to live off the land, but the Persians employed a scorched-earth policy. When it became apparent that his army would perish (because his supplies were beginning to dwindle) from starvation and the heat if he continued his campaign, and also in the face of superior numbers of the enemy, Julian ordered a retreat on 16 June. As the Roman army retreated, they were constantly harassed by guerilla strikes. It was during one of these raids that Julian got caught up in the fighting and took a spear to his abdomen. Mortally wounded he was carried to his tent, where, after conferring with some of his officers, he died. The date was 26 June 363.
Conclusion
Thus an ignominious end for a man came about who had hoped to restore the glory of the Roman empire during his reign as emperor. Due to his intense hatred of Christianity, the opinion of posterity has not been kind to Julian. The contemporary opinion, however, was overall positive. The evidence shows that Julian was a complex ruler with a definite agenda to use traditional social institutions in order to revive what he saw as a collapsing empire. In the final assessment, he was not so different from any of the other emperors of the fourth century. He was a man grasping desperately to hang on to a Greco-Roman conception of leadership that was undergoing a subtle yet profound change.
Copyright (C) 2002, Walter E. Roberts and Michael DiMaio, Jr. Used by permission.
In reality, Julian worked to promote culture and philosophy in any manifestation. He tried to reduce taxes and the public debts of municipalities; he augmented administrative decentralisation; he promoted a campaign of austerity to reduce public expenditure (setting himself as the example). He reformed the postal service and eliminated the powerful secret police.
by Federico Morando; JULIAN II, The Apostate, See the Julian II Page on NumisWiki
Flavius Claudius Iulianus was born in 331 or maybe 332 A.D. in Constantinople. He ruled the Western Empire as Caesar from 355 to 360 and was hailed Augustus by his legions in Lutetia (Paris) in 360. Julian was a gifted administrator and military strategist. Famed as the last pagan emperor, his reinstatement of the pagan religion earned him the moniker "the Apostate." As evidenced by his brilliant writing, some of which has survived to the present day, the title "the Philosopher" may have been more appropriate. He died from wounds suffered during the Persian campaign of 363 A.D. Joseph Sermarini, FORVM.
Edited by J. P. Fitzgerald, Jr.
Cleisthenes
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144 Hannibalianus (335-337 A.D.), Constantinoplis, RIC VII 147, AE-3, -/-//CONSS, SECVRITAS PVBLICA, Euphrates seated right on ground, Very Rare!!144 Hannibalianus (335-337 A.D.), Constantinoplis, RIC VII 147, AE-3, -/-//CONSS, SECVRITAS PVBLICA, Euphrates seated right on ground, Very Rare!!
avers: F L HANNIBALLIANO REGI (11b, A4), Bare-headed, draped, cuirassed bust right.
reverse: SECVRITAS PVBLICA (no break in the legend !!!), Euphrates seated right on ground, holding sceptre, overturned urn at his side, from which waters flow, reed in background.
exergue: -/-//CONSS, diameter: 15mm, weight: 1,32g, axis: 6h,
mint: Constantinoplis, date: 336-337 A.D., ref: RIC VII 147-p-589, Very Rare!!
Q-001quadrans
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1543 Hadrian Denarius Roma 130-38 AD Nilus with HippoReference.
Strack 306; RIC II, 310; C. 989; RIC III, 1543
Bust A1
Obv. HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P
Laureate head
Rev. NILVS
Nilus, reclining right, holding reed and cornucopia; hippo on right, crocodile in waters below
2.98 gr
18 mm
6hokidoki
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1544 Hadrian Denarius Roma 130-38 AD Nilus with HippoReference.
Strack 306; RIC II, 310a; C. 989; RIC III, 1544
Bust A1+
Obv. HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P
Bare head
Rev. NILVS
Nilus, reclining right, holding reed and cornucopia; hippo on right, crocodile in waters below
3.29 gr
18 mm
6hokidoki
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1544 Hadrian denarius Roma 130-38 AD Nilus with reedsReference.
RIC II 311; BMC 865; C 991e; RIC III, 1544; Strack 308
Bust A1+
Obv. HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P
Bare head
Rev. NILVS
Nilus reclining right, holding reed and cornucopia; in water below, crocodile swimming left; before, two reeds.
2.62 gr
17 mm
6h okidoki
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161Marcus Aurelius 161-80 AD
AE as
Obv: "M ANTONINVS AVG TRP XXIX"
Laureate bust right.
Rev: "IMP VII COS III SC"
River-god Tiber, nude to waist, reclining l., resting his r. hand on side of boat, holding reed in his l. hand, his l. arm resting on urn of which water flows.
Rome mint
RIC 1142mauseus
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1667var. MYSIA, Pionia Hadrian River-GodReference
RPC III, 1667/4 (no cornucopia)
Obv. ΑΥΤΟ ΤΡΑΙΑ ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟС
Laureate head of Hadrian, right
Rev. [ΠΙΟ]ΝΙΤΩΝ
River-god reclining l., holding reed in his r. hand, l. arm resting on vase from which water runs
2.54 gr
17 mm
12hokidoki
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1703 Hadrian AS Roma 130-38 AD Nilus Reference.
RIC II 862; C. 996; Strack 728; RIC 1703; BMCRE 1774
Bust C2+
Obv. HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P
Bare head draped bust
Rev. NILVS; S C
Nilus reclining right , holding reed and cornucopia; to right hippopotamus; below crocodile in water.
12.23 gr
30 mm
6h okidoki
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1704 Hadrian Sestertius Roma 130-38 AD NilusReference.
RIC 1704; Strack 730; Banti 561; RIC 863
Bust C2
Obv. HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P
Laureate, draped bust viewed from side
Rev. NILVS; S C in ex.
Nilus reclining right, holding reed and cornucopia, amongst playing children; to right hippopotamus and reeds; below crocodile in water.
24.46 gr
32 mm
12h
Note.
From the Antonio Carmona Collection.
okidoki
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1783. Louis XVI. Burgundy Canal Inauguration.Obv. Draped bust right LUDOVICO XVI FR ET NAVAR REGI OPTIMO COMITIA BURGUND
Rev. Female water nymph, holding caduceus, surrounded by three male water nymphs on rocks surrounded by various symbols of prosperity UTRIUSQUE MARIS JUNCTIO TRIPLEN FOSSIS ABARARI ADLISER SEQUAN RHENUM SIMUL APERTIS MDCLXXXIII
Commemorates the construction of a canal system in Burgundy.LordBest
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1795 AE Halfpenny, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, ScotlandObverse: NUNQUAM ARESCERE. River God reclining facing right, right arm resting on an urn, inscribed CLYDE, from which water flows, left hand holding oar inscribed with St Andrew's cross; in exergue, MDCCXCI (1791).
Reverse: RULE BRITANNIA. Britannia facing left, seated on globe, her right hand holding spear, her left arm holding laurel-branch and resting on shield at her side; in exergue, 1795.
Edge: PAYABLE IN LONDON, the rest engrailed.
Dalton & Hamer: 9
RARE
This is one of a series of mule halfpennies by Lutwyche. In the 18th century, token manufacturers often used their dies to their own advantage by striking “mules”, solely with the object of creating rare varieties which were sold to the collectors of the day.
The inscription NUNQUAM ARESCERE (Never dries) is taken from a passage in Ovid's Metamorphoses, "Naidas his venam, quae nunquam arescere posset, supposuisse ferunt" (They tell us that the Naiads converted them into a stream which never dries).*Alex
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1809 - 1810 "BRUTUS" Undated AE Halfpenny, Walthamstow, Essex.Obverse: BRUTUS. Bare head of Lucius Junius Brutus facing left.
Reverse: Britannia seated left holding olive branch and trident, a shield at her side, BCC (British Copper Company) on the ground below; all within an oak-wreath.
Edge: Grained.
Diameter: 28mm
Bowman: 24 | Withers: 621
The principal die engraver for this token was Thomas Wyon the elder (1767–1830).
This token was issued by the British Copper Company, a Welsh based company who, in 1808, bought the Walthamstow site beside the River Lea. Walthamstow is now a suburb of north east London. The copper was smelted in "Landore" near Swansea in South Wales and brought by barge around the south coast up the Thames and the Lea to the mill. The copper ingots were then rolled into thin sheets which were sent all over the country to be stamped into coins. The main purpose of the BCC would have been to sell its copper, whether in the form of tokens, or sheets of metal. These penny and half penny tokens were not issued exclusively for use in Walthamstow, the halfpennies in particular do not bear the name of a place where they could have been redeemed except the very tiny BCC found on the ground by Britannia's shield. The copper rolling mill buildings at Walthamstow were converted into a pumping station in the 1860s and were later incorporated, by Thames Water, into a large water treatment works.
Lucius Junius Brutus, one of the first two consuls of Rome, was said to have killed two of his sons who were plotting to restore the monarchy of the Tarquins, he thus became a hero for patriotism and freedom.*Alex
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1857. Sir William Chambers and Somerset House. Taylor 52a.Obv. Bust of William chambers to right. CHAMBERS 1725-1796 Signed B WYON AFTER WESTMACOTT
Rev. Elevation of Somerset House to the Strand, featuring nine bayed entrance block. SOMERSET HOUSE 1781 SIR WILLIAM CHAMBERS RA ARCHITECT. Signed B WYON. Edge inscription: ART UNION OF LONDON 1857.
AE55. Taylor 52a.
Issued as one of the Art Union series. The medal gives an incorrect date of birth to chambers, 725 as opposed to 1723. The portrait is based on a bust displayed at the Royal Academy in 1797 by Sir Richard Westmacott, this is now in Sir John Soanes museum.
Built under an act of 1775, as a great new administrative centre to house official and academic bodies. Designed by Sir William Chambers, the Surveyor- General, and completed in the nineteenth century by Sir Robert Smirke (eastern extension to Kings College) and Sir James Pennethorne (western extension to Waterloo Bridge). Chambers decided on a central courtyard, approached through a block of narrow frontage, which was to house the learned societies, including the Royal Academy and Society of Antiquaries. It is the Strand façade of this entrance block which is shown on the medal, it was complete by 1781 and incorporated sculpture by fellow Academicians Bacon, Carlini and Wilton.LordBest
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1885 AEOLIS, Elaea. Hadrian, Basket with PoppiesReference.
RPC III, 1885; Sear 1161v; BMC 42 (pag. 129); SNGvA 1611; SNG Munchen 424, SNG Cop -
Obv. ΑΥΤΟ ΤΡΑΙ ΑΔΡΙ
Laureate, draped & cuirassed bust right.
Rev. ΕΛΑΙΤΩΝ
Basket containing ears of corn & poppy-heads.
3.20 gr
16 mm
12h
Note.
FORVM, from the Butte College Foundation, ex Lindgren
laea was the ancient port of Pergamum, located near the modern town of Zeytindag, Izmir Province, Turkey. The name of Elaea occurs in the history of the kings of Pergamum. According to Strabo, from Livy (xxxv. 13), travelers who would reach Pergamum from the sea, would land at Elaea. One of the passages of Livy shows that there was a small hill near Elaea, and that the town was in a plain and walled. Elaea was damaged by an earthquake in the reign of Trajan, at the same time that Pitane suffered. The ruins of the silted port's breakwater can be seen on satellite photos.okidoki
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1888 Tibetan Silver TangkaTibet, Silver Ga-den Tangka, 1½ Sho, ND (1888), L&M 628, Rhodes Biv, SCWC KM YB13.4, Type B, single line base (NW), aUNC, plain edge, weight 4.49g, composition Ag, diameter 27.0mm, thickness 1.0mm, die axis 0°, Dodpal mint, 1888; obverse Eight Auspicious Symbols of Tibetan Buddhism (Victory Banner, Two Fish, Lotus Flower, Endless Knot, Wheel of Law, Parasol, Conch Shell and Vase) clockwise from 12:00, within radiating petals of eight-petalled lotus flower arrayed around circle, beads in inner angles and three beads in outer angles, ornate lotus flower set on double waterline at centre, linear pearled border surrounding; reverse དགའ་ལྡན་ཕོ་བྲང་ ཕྱོ་ ལས་རྣམ་ རྣམ་རྒྱལ། (Ganden Palace, Victorious In All Directions) clockwise from 12:00, within oval frames of eight-petalled lotus flower arrayed around concave octagon, wavy lines between outer angles, eight-spoked Wheel of Law with three crescents within central hub, linear pearled border surrounding; from the Roger Belmar Collection; ex NumisCorner 846549 (31 Jul 2022); £83.73.Serendipity
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1931A AEOLIS, Cyme Hadrian River-god ErmosReference.
RPC III, 1931A; BMC 132var. bust
Issue Without name of strategos
Obv. ΑΥ ΚΑΙ ΤΡΑ ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟС
Laureate and cuirassed bust of Hadrian, right seen from rear (var.)
Rev. ΑΙΟΛΕΩΝ ΚΥΜΑΙωΝ, ΕΡΜΟС (in ex.)
River-god Ermos wearing himation over lower limbs reclining l., holding reed in r. hand, l. arm on urn from which water flows
7.70 gr
24 mm
12hokidoki
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193bSeptimius Severus 193-211 AD
AE 17 mm
Serdica
Fountain head with water spouting from three lion heads
Ruzicka -; Varbanov (engl.) 1914; Hristove & Jekov 12.14.47.2mauseus
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198Caracalla 198-217 AD
AR denarius
Obv "ANTONINVS PIVS AVG"
Laureate head right
Rev "PONTIF TRP X COS II"
Caracalla standing half-left, head turned right, holding spear and parazonium; at feet seated female (Armenia) and two reclining river-gods (Euphrates and Tigris) each holding a palm frond or reeds and leaning upon overturned urn from which water flows
Rome mint
RIC 96mauseus
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1ck Pupienus238
Sestertius
Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust, right, IMP CAES PVPIEN MAXIMVS AVG
Pax seated left with branch & scepter PAX PVBLICA SC
RIC 22b
Herodian, continuing the story of the rebellion against Maximinus, wrote: [Pupienus] led most of these soldiers out to attack Maximinus; the rest remained behind to guard and defend the city. . . . In the meantime, having completed his march, Maximinus was poised on the borders of Italy; after offering sacrifices at all the boundary altars, he advanced into Italy. . . . When no opposition was offered, they crossed the Alps without hindrance. . . . While the army was in the plain, the scouts reported that Aquileia, the largest city in that part of Italy, had closed its gates and that the Pannonian legions which had been sent ahead had launched a vigorous attack upon the walls of this city. In spite of frequent assaults, they were completely unsuccessful. . . .
As time passed, the army of Maximinus grew depressed and, cheated in its expectations, fell into despair. . . . As Maximinus rode about, the [people of Aquileia] shouted insults and indecent blasphemies at him and his son. The emperor became increasingly angry because he was powerless to retaliate. . . . The emperor's soldiers were. . . in need of everything. There was scarcely even sufficient water for them. . . .
Without warning, the soldiers whose camp was near Rome at the foot of Mount Alba, where they had left their wives and children, decided that the best solution was to kill Maximinus and end the interminable siege. . . . [T]he conspirators went to Maximinus' tent about noon. The imperial bodyguard, which was involved in the plot, ripped Maximinus' pictures from the standards; when he came out of his tent with his son to talk to them, they refused to listen and killed them both. . . .
For the rest of the time the two emperors governed in an orderly and well-regulated manner, winning approval on every hand both privately and publicly. The people honored and respected them as patriotic and admirable rulers of the empire. . . . It so happened that the two men were not in complete accord: so great is the desire for sole rule and so contrary to the usual practice is it for the sovereignty to be shared that each undertook to secure the imperial power for himself alone. Balbinus considered himself the more worthy because of his noble birth and his two terms as consul; [Pupienus] felt that he deserved first place because he had served as prefect of Rome and had won a good reputation by his administrative efforts. Both men were led to covet the sole rule because of their distinguished birth, aristocratic lineage, and the size of their families. This rivalry was the basis of their downfall. When [Pupienus] learned that the Praetorian Guard was coming to kill them, he wished to summon a sufficient number of the German auxiliaries who were in Rome to resist the conspirators. But Balbinus, thinking that this was a ruse intended to deceive him (he knew that the Germans were devoted to [Pupienus]), refused to allow [Pupienus] to issue the order. . . . While the two men were arguing, the praetorians rushed in. . . . When the guards at the palace gates deserted the emperors, the praetorians seized the old men and ripped off the plain robes they were wearing because they were at home. Dragging the two men naked from the palace, they inflicted every insult and indignity upon them. Jeering at these emperors elected by the senate, they beat and tortured them. . . . When the Germans learned what was happening, they snatched up their arms and hastened to the rescue. As soon as the praetorians were informed of their approach, they killed the mutilated emperors. Blindado
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2. Bithynia, Kalchedon, 340-320 BC, AR Siglos Bull standing left on grain ear, KAΛX above.
Granulated mill-sail incuse square.
SNG BM Black Sea 112; SNG von Aulock 482; Sear 3738.
(18 mm, 5.31 g).
Ephesus Numismatics.
The symbolism of the bull and the heifer on the obverse of the coins of twin cities of Kalchedon (Asia Minor) and Byzantion (Europe) respectively is striking and points to a shared identity. They stood astride the southern entrance to the Bosporus. Both were 7th century BC foundations of Megara and jointly they controlled the vital grain trade from the Black Sea into the Mediterranean.
The grain ear upon which the bull of Kalchedon stands alludes to this fact. That of the dolphin beneath the Heifer of Byzantion is a reflection of the maritime orientation of the city and the bountiful pods of dolphins that even to this day frolic in swift flowing waters of the Bosporus beneath the old city walls of Constantinople which succeded Byzantion and was in turn succeded by Istanbul.
The twin cities merged in the modern era to become the great and fascinating metropolis of Istanbul. Ancient Kalchedon dominated the Asian side of the Bosporus. The remains of the ancient city lie ben.igma
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2014.061.2Siscia, 3.80 g
Obverse: IMP C M AVR PROBVS AVG; Radiate, cuirassed bust right.
Reverse: SISCIA PROBI AVG; XXIT in exergue; Siscia, seated left, holding out the ends of her drapery, flanked by two river gods (Savus and Colapis) holding urns and emerging from the water.
Ref: RIC 765; Alfoldi Type 69, no 3; gordian_guy
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2016 Somalian 1oz Gold ElephantSomalia, 1oz Gold Elephant, 1000 Shillings, 2016, SCWC KM 263, UNC, edge milled, weight 31.21g (AGW 1oz), composition 0.9999 Au, diameter 38.7mm, thickness 2.0mm, die axis 0°, Bavarian State mint, 2016; obverse SOMALI REPUBLIC arcing above, 1000 SHILLINGS arcing below, Coat of Arms of Somalia: five-pointed star on horizontally ruled shield, Moorish battlements crown above, supported on each side by rampant leopard, ribbon wrapped around two crossed lances over two crossed palm fronds below, 20-16 across fields, beaded border surrounding; reverse AFRICAN WILDLIFE arcing above and • ELEPHANT • 1 oz Au 999.9 • arcing below around inner linear circle, elephant walking left along water bank in savannah in foreground to right, trunk raised, trees in background to left, sun above left, raised border surrounding; from the Roger Belmar Collection; ex Bleyer Bullion (6 Jan 2020); £1,320.15.Serendipity
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2024-P Australian 1oz Silver Lunar DragonAustralia, Elizabeth II (1952-2022), 1oz Silver Lunar Dragon, 1 Dollar, 2024-P, Lunar Series III: Year of the Dragon commemorative, UNC, edge milled, weight 31.21g (ASW 1oz), composition 0.9999 Ag, diameter 40.6mm, thickness 3.21mm, die axis 0°, Perth mint, 2024; obverse ELIZABETH II 1952 – 2022 • AUSTRALIA arcing above and • 1oz 9999 Ag 1 DOLLAR • arcing below around inner linear circle, sixth crowned, draped and uncouped bust right, JC raised on shoulder to left for engraver Jody Clark, two-tone matt background and polished relief, raised border surrounding; reverse flying five-clawed Imperial serpentine dragon facing, coiled leftward, tail upturned to left, with water gushing from its mouth, flaming Pearl of Celestial Wisdom to left, stylised waves around, P (micro-engraved laser mint mark) on wave above dragon's top left talon, 龍 (Dragon)/DRAGON/2024 in three lines in exergue, P125 (anniversary mint mark) to upper right of exergue, IJ (Ing Ing Jong) monogram on wave to right, two-tone matt background and polished relief, raised border surrounding; from the Roger Belmar Collection; ex Chards (17 Nov 2023); £36.06.Serendipity
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2065 IONIA, Ephesus Hadrian, Kenchrios ricliningReference. very rare
RPC III, 2065/2; Type reference K 182; Helios 3, 29 April 2009, lot 375
Obv. ΑΥ ΚΑΙ ΤΡΑ ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟС СΕ
Laureate head of Hadrian right
Rev. ΕΦΕСΙΩΝ, ΚΕΝΧΡΙΟС (in exergue)
River-god Kenchrios reclining, l., holding branch in his r. hand, cornucopia in his l., his l. arm on an inverted vase from which water flows.
11.45 gr
23 mm
12hokidoki
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213 AD - CARACALLA denariusobv: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG BRIT (laureate head right)
rev: PROFECTIO AVG (Caracalla in military dress standing right, holding spear; behind two standard)
ref: RIC IVi 225 (S), RSC 508 (10frcs)
mint: Rome
2.57gms, 19mm
Scarce
This coin is commemorate the departure for a short visit to Gallia and a campaing along the borders of Upper Germany and Raetia.
Historical backround: During the German war (213 AD), the emperor visited the shrine of the Celtic healing-god Grannus.
In classical Celtic polytheism, Grannus was a deity associated with spas, the sun, fires and healing thermal and mineral springs. He seems to have embodied the notion of therapeutic heat. One of the god’s most famous cult centres was at Aquae Granni (now Aachen, Germany). Aachen means ‘water’ in Old High German, a calque of the Roman name of "Aquae Granni".
berserker
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22125 Caracalla/Dea CaelestisANTONINVS PIVS AVG
Laureate bust right, draped.
INDVLGENTIA AVGG IN CARTH
Dea Caelestis, holding thunderbolt and sceptre, riding lion over waters.
RIC 130a. 3.00g, 17mm, 6h
Ex Roma Numismatics
AD 204
Blayne W
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2225 CARIA Harpasa Hadrian, Harpasos recliningReference.
RPC III, 2225; BMC 7, Delrieux 28/HP/5; Paris 676 = Wa 2394
Obv. ΑΥ ΚΑΙ ΤΡΑ ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟС
Laureate head of Hadrian, right
Rev. ΑΡΠΑСΗΝΩΝ
River-god Harpasos reclining l., holding reed in r. hand, l. resting on overturned vase form which water flows
5.79 gr
23 mm
12hokidoki
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2586 PHRYGIA, Apameia. Hadrian, MarsyasReference.
RPC III, 2586; BMC PHRYGIA, 155 (P. 96); SNG Copenhagen 211; SNG von Aulock 3492.
Obv. AΔPIANOC KAI CEB
Laureate bust right, aegis tied at shoulder.
Rev. : AΠAMEΩN MARCYAS KIBΩTOI
Marsyas, naked but for chlamys over lower limbs, reclining l. in rocky cave, above which are two or five chests, holding cornucopia in his raised r. hand, double flute in l.; beneath him, inverted vase from which water flows.
5.28 gr
20 mm
6h
Note.
CNG
The figure on the reverse is not the satyr Marsyas, who does have his mythological orgins in Phrygia, but rather the personification of the river Marsyas, which flows from a spring in the heights above Apamea and eventually joins the Maeander. Apamea was known as Kelaenai before being re-founded by Antiochos I, and had the additional epithet of Kibotos, or "chest," for its importance as a regional trading center.okidoki
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2586A PHRYGIA, Apameia. Hadrian, MarsyasReference.
RPC III 2586A/2; SNG v. Aulock 3493 var.; BMC 155-8
Obv. ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟϹ ΚΑΙ ϹΕΒΑ
Laureate and cuirassed bust of Hadrian r., with aegis
Rev. ΑΠΑΜΕΩΝ
Marsyas, naked but for chlamys over lower limbs, reclining l. in rocky cave, above which are two or five chests, holding cornucopia in his raised r. hand, double flute in l.; beneath him, inverted vase from which water flows
5.89 gr
22 mm
6hokidoki
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4 Innocent XII 1699 Half Piastre M 28An amazingly frank portrait of this elderly and ailing pope who died the next year. The reverse features Noah's ark landing on Mt Ararat with water gushing out from below as it makes landfall. The reverse translates " His place is made in peace" and is an abbreviation of Ps 75:5.stlnats
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4" Spinosaurus ToothSpinosaurus (meaning "spine lizard") is a genus of theropod dinosaur which lived in what is now North Africa, from the lower Albian to Cenomanian stages of the Cretaceous period, about 106 to 93.5 million years ago. This genus was first known from Egyptian remains discovered in the 1910s and described by German paleontologist Ernst Stromer. These original remains were destroyed in World War II, but additional skull material has come to light in recent years. It is unclear whether one or two species are represented in the described fossils. The best known species is S. aegyptiacus from Egypt, although a potential second species, S. maroccanus, has been recovered from Morocco. Spinosaurus is often postulated as a piscivore, and work using oxygen isotope ratios in tooth enamel suggests that it was semiaquatic, living both on land and in water like a modern crocodilian.ancientone
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501. Constantine I Lyons SolLyons
Originally, the important city in this area was that of Vienne, at a crossroads of Celtic trails, and port for the Greek trade. They had been largly Hellanised during the 2nd - 1st centuries BCE, then caught up in the conflicts involving Rome and Athens. Roman traders had settled there and competition started a revolt, driving the Romans to the north. At the present site of Lyons, they sought and received refuge from the Gallic tribe called Segusiavi. At that time, Lyons was just a tribe of Celts occupying the top of a hill, later to be called Fourviere. A Roman settlement was begun, and then later used by Julius Caesar to launch his campaigns against the Helvetii in 58 BCE.
The site of Lyons, being on a crossroads as well as a connection to the Mediterranean, was early recognised as being strategically important. In 43 BCE, the city of Lugdunum became an official Roman colony recognised by the Roman senate, founded by the governor of Gallia Comata (province of Comata), Lucius Munatius Plancus. Later, in 27 BCE, then Emperor Augustus divided Gallia Comata into three provinces, and Lugdunum became the capital of Gallia Lugdunensis. [The third province was Gallia Aquitania.]
Lyons became the financial center for taxation purposes of Aquitania and Lugdunum provinces, and an official mint was established there. Also, the state cult honoring Augustus [or the present Emperor] was established at Lyons, drawing many pilgrims and supplicants. Drusus, the father of Claudius, (born 10 BCE) was stationed at Lyons, being in charge of Gallia Comata. Also, a cohort of Roman policemen were stationed at lyons, to protect the mint. A bronze inscription found at Lyons records the speech given to the Roman Senate in 48 CE by Emperor Claudius, arguing for the acceptance of admission of senators from Gallia Comata.
Through Lyons [and Vienne] passed the great roads leading to the different regions of Gaul and towards Italy. Trade with Gaul, Britain and Germany passed through Lyons, mostly supplying Roman colonies on the the frontier. Later, these routes were paved by the Romans to facilitate trade and troop movement. Lyons became an important trade and military center. However, intercity rivalry with Vienne to the south never died, and indeed Vienne became jealous over time.
Lyons was burnt to the ground in 65 CE but quickly rebuilt. It prospered until 197 when it was sacked in a civil war. The city of Lyons had backed the unfortunate loser in a battle between two Roman generals. Cities to the south [Arles, Vienne, and to the north, Trier] took over the economic functions of Lyons; and the city of Lyons was again plundered 269. Lyons fought back, and the trade wars raged on, until early in the 4th century when the aqueducts of Lyons were destroyed. Without water, the hillsite of Lyons [the Fourviere Hill] became untenable. The merchants moved down to the city below, or out of the city entirely. The protection of Lyons was thus much more difficult. And the decline of the Roman Empire also spelled the decline of many of its cities.
RIC VII Lyons 34 C3
ecoli
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501. Constantine I Ostia SolOstia
Although Ostia was probably founded for the sole purpose of military defence — since through the Tiber's mouths armies could eventually reach Rome by water — in time the port became a commercial harbour, and a very important one too. Many of the goods that Rome received from its colonies and provinces passed through Ostia. In this role, Ostia soon replaced Pozzuoli (Puteoli, near Naples).
In 87 BC, the town was razed by Marius, and again in 67 BC it was sacked by pirates. After this second attack, the town was re-built and provided with protective walls by Cicero. The town was then further developed during the 1st century AD, mainly under the influence of Tiberius, who ordered the building of the first Forum. The town was also soon enriched by the construction of a new harbour on the northern mouths of the Tiber (which reaches the sea with a larger mouth in Ostia, Fiumara Grande, and a narrower one near to the current Fiumicino international airport). The new harbour, not surprisingly called Portus, was excavated from the ground at the orders of the emperor Claudius; it has an hexagonal form, in order to reduce the waves strength. The town was provided with all the services a town of the time could require; in particular, a famous lighthouse. Archaeologists also discovered the public latrinas, organised for collective use as a series of seats that lets us imagine today that the function was also a social moment. In addition, Ostia had a large theatre, public baths and a fire fighting service. You can still see the mosaic floors of the baths near today's entrance to the town.
Trajan too, required a widening of the naval areas, and ordered the building of another harbour, again pointing towards the north. It must be remembered that at a relatively short distance, there was also the harbour of Civitavecchia (Centum Cellae), and Rome was starting to have a significant number of harbours, the most important remaining Portus.
Ostia grew to 50,000 inhabitants in the 2nd century AD and in time focused its naval activities on Portus. With the end of the Roman Empire, Ostia fell slowly into decay, and was finally abandoned in the 9th century due to the fall of the Roman empire in combination with repeated invasions and sackings by Arab pirates; the inhabitants moved to Gregoriopolis. In the Middle Ages, bricks from buildings in Ostia were used for several other occasions. The Leaning Tower of Pisa was entirely built of material originally belonging to Ostia. A "local sacking" was carried out by baroque architects, who used the remains as a sort of marble store for the palazzi they were building in Rome. Soon after, foreign explorers came in search of ancient statues and objects. The Papacy started organising its own investigations with Pope Pius VII and the research still continues today. It has been estimated that two thirds of the ancient town have currently been found.
001. Constantine I Ostia
RIC VI Ostia 85 S
ecoli
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504. Constantius II Campgate NicomediaNicomedia
Titular see of Bithynia Prima, founded by King Zipoetes. About 264 B.C. his son Nicodemes I dedicated the city anew, gave it his name, made it his capital, and adorned it with magnificent monuments. At his court the vanquished Hannibal sought refuge. When Bithynia became a Roman province Nicomedia remained its capital. Pliny the Younger mentions, in his letters to Trajan, several public edifices of the city — a senate house, an aqueduct which he had built, a forum, the temple of Cybele, etc. He also proposed to join the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmora by a canal which should follow the river Sangarius and empty the waters of the Lake of Sabandja into the Gulf of Astacus. A fire then almost destroyed the town. From Nicomedia perhaps, he wrote to Trajan his famous letter concerning the Christians. Under Marcus Aurelius, Dionysius, Bishop of Corinth, addressed a letter to his community warning them against the Marcionites (Eusebius, "Hist. Eccl.", IV, xxiii). Bishop Evander, who opposed the sect of the Ophites (P.L., LIII, 592), seems to have lived at the same time. Nicomedia was the favorite residence of Diocletian, who built there a palace, a hippodrome, a mint, and an arsenal. In 303 the edict of the tenth persecution caused rivers of blood to flow through the empire, especially in Nicomedia, where the Bishop Anthimus and a great many Christians were martyred. The city was then half Christian, the palace itself being filled with them. In 303, in the vast plain east of Nicomedia, Diocletian renounced the empire in favour of Galerius. In 311 Lucian, a priest of Antioch, delivered a discourse in the presence of the judge before he was executed. Other martyrs of the city are numbered by hundreds. Nicomedia suffered greatly during the fourth century from an invasion of the Goths and from an earthquake (24 Aug., 354), which overthrew all the public and private monuments; fire completed the catastrophe. The city was rebuilt, on a smaller scale. In the reign of Justinian new public buildings were erected, which were destroyed in the following century by the Shah Chosroes. Pope Constantine I visited the city in 711. In 1073 John Comnenus was there proclaimed emperor and shortly afterwards was compelled to abdicate. In 1328 it was captured by the Sultan Orkhan, who restored its ramparts, parts of which are still preserved.
RIC VII Nicomedia 158 R2
ecoli
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57 Licinius RIC 77bLicinius I. 308-324 AD. Ae Follis. Ostia 312 - 313 AD (4th officina)(23 mm. 4,33 g) Obv: IMP LICINIVS P F AVG, Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right. Rev: GENO P-OP ROM, Genius standing left, patera with flowing water in right hand, cornucopiae in left hand, chlamys over shoulder.
RIC VI, Ostia 77bPaddy
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6.02.004 LiciniusLicinius
Obv IMP LICINIVS P F AVG
(R. laur. cuir)
Rev GENIO POP ROM
(Genius stg l holding patera and cornucopiae)
T | F
PLN in ex
London
RIC VI 117b LMCC 6.02.004 (R)
4.8g, 22.2 mm x 22.7 mm
(Bourton on the Water Hoard)
(ex Den of Antiquity)
(The Bourton on the Water hoard was found in March 1970, in a field adjoining the Fosse Way roman road. The main part of the hoard consisted of 2707 coins from the Constantinian period. It was concealed beneath flat stones and its shape suggested it was buried in a bag.)Noviomagus
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