Saturday, January 17, 2004
Billon antoninianus, Gallienus, Mediolanum, Göbl 966y
GALLIENVS AVG, Radiate cuirassed bust right, holding spear in left hand over left shoulder | VIRT GALLIENI AVG, Gallienus, riding horse right, spearing fallen enemy beneath.
A better preserved version of the obverse here. The reverse isn't an uncommon theme on Roman coinage, finishing off a fallen foe, but it's still a bit grim. As usual, the emperor is seen as a much larger person than his inferior enemy.
Friday, January 16, 2004
Æ22, Cyzikus in Mysia, Salonina, SNG Cop 143var (bust)
CΑΛΩΝΕΙΝΑ CΕΒ, Diademed draped bust left | ΚΥΖΙΚΗΝ / ΩΝ ΝΕΟΚΟΡΩ_Ν, Galley being rowed right.
Similar to the coin in Tuesday's post, but a different reverse die and the only left-facing Salonina I remember seeing, certainly the only one I've got.
Thursday, January 15, 2004
Billon antoninianus, Valerian, Rome, Göbl 29d
IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS AVG, Radiate draped cuirassed bust right | SALVS AVGG, Salus standing facing, head left, holding scepter right and feeding snake rising from altar left.
The artistic quality of Roman coins would soon decline badly, but for now they could still produce a portrait of good quality.
Wednesday, January 14, 2004
Æ sestertius, Trajan, 114-117 CE, Rome, RIC 658
IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS VI P P, Laureate draped bust right / Trajan in military garb seated right on platform, addressing soldiers. IMPERATOR VIIII | S · C in exergue.
This, I think, is why sestertii are so popular: they have enough room for complex scenes like this, especially when you're done listing all of Trajan's titles, which he seems to have insisted on.
The metal is brass, called oricalchum, which ages a bit differently that bronze. This has been harshly cleaned at some point and shows signs of erosion, particularly on the obverse, before the emperor's face.
Tuesday, January 13, 2004
Æ22, Cyzikus in Mysia, Salonina, SNG Cop 143
CΑΛΩ_ΝΕΙΝΑ CΕ, Diademed draped bust right / ΚΥΖΙΚΗΝΩΝ ΝΕΟΚΟΡΩ_Ν, Galley being rowed right.
An interesting companion to Sunday's post, with yet another coin that's similar to be posted on Friday.
Monday, January 12, 2004
Billon antoninianus, Gallienus, Mediolanum, Göbl 982o
GALLIENVS AVG, Radiate cuirassed bust right, holding spear in left hand over left shoulder / LEG I ADI VI P VI F, Capricorn springing right.
A suitably military bust for this example of Gallienus's legionary series, among my favorites of his issues.
My previous posts of legionary coins here, here, and here. I like this series.
Sunday, January 11, 2004
Æ22, Cyzikus in Mysia, Gallienus, unpublished?
ΑVΤ.Κ.Π.ΛΙΚ.ΓΑΛΛΙΗ, Laureate draped bust right / ΚΥΖΙΚΗΩΝ ΝΕΟΚΟΡΩ, Galley being rowed left.
Some more of these galley reverses in the next week, the others will be more crudely realized, and facing the other way.
Part of the pleasure of collecting ancients is because of their age: galleys like this were a common sight in harbor towns.
