Saturday, January 15, 2005
Billon antoninianus, Gallienus, Antioch, Göbl 1665i
GALLIENVS AVG, Radiate draped cuirassed bust right | LVNA LVCIF, Luna standing right, crescent on head, carrying long torch. PXV in exergue.
Back in July, I posted a similar coin showing a cuirassed bust on the obverse and a longer legend on the reverse.
In the early part of the reign, this mint issued similar coins using the legend DIANA LVCIFERA, and afterwards these, naming LVNA.
I don't know the reason for the change, but note the difference in the figures: the Luna figure wears a crescent on her head, and Diana does not.
Friday, January 14, 2005
Æ24, Heliopolis in Coele-Syria, Gallienus, SNG Copenhagen 444
IMP CAES P LIC GALLIENVS AVG, Laureate draped cuirassed bust right | COL VI AVG FEL HEL, Tyche seated facing between two vexilla.
Some coins are just difficult to photograph. This one beat me, clearly. It shows quite a bit of detail when seen by eye, but its almost all washed out in the patina here. The three pellets on the vexillum to the right of Tyche are visible here, but its almost impossible to see them on the other vexillum, or to see the detail in Gallienus's hair.
Frustrating.
Thursday, January 13, 2005
At last!
Added to the sidebar today, dadscoins, someone else blogging the collecting of ancient coins!
Billon antoninianus, Gallienus, Antioch, Göbl 1652g
GALLIENVS AVG, Radiate cuirassed bust right | VENERI VICTRICI, Venus standing left, leaning on sheld right, holding helmet left and transverse spear.
The Göbl book, Moneta Imperii Romani 36, 43, 44: Die Münzprägung der Kaiser Valerianus I, / Gallienus / Saloninus, Regalianus und Macrianus / Quietus, is much more recent, and complete, than the corresponding volume of the English-language The Roman Imperial Coinage, itself published in 1927.
But Göbl died before the book was published, and I don't think the book was quite finished, or that the continuators were able to correct every minor mistake.
The book does not attest any examples of this bust for this reverse in the chart, but the plate for 1652f, draped and cuirassed bust, clearly shows this cuirassed bust instead.
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
AR denarius, M. Caecilius Q.f. Metellus, 127 BCE, Roman Republic, Crawford 263/1b
Head of Roma right, ROMA behind, XVI monogram below chin | M·METELLVS·Q·F·, Legend around elephant's head at the center of a Macedonian shield, all within wreath.
Depiction of the living wasn't acceptable on coins of the Roman Republic, apparently seen as ambition to rise too far above one's equals, which wasn't tolerable.
Honoring ancestors, though, was acceptable, even laudable. After initial reluctance, this loophole was extensively exploited.
This coin, presumably issued in 127 BCE by Marcus Caecilius Metellus, consul in 115 BCE, honors his ancestor Quintus Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus, who had considerable sucess in Third Macedonic War.
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
Æ30, Side in Pamphylia, Gallienus, cf. SNG Copenhagen 427
ΑVΤ ΚΑΙ ΠΟV ΛΙ ΕΓΝ ΓΑΛΛΙΗΝΟC CΕΒ, Radiate draped bust right, I before | CΙΔ[ΗΤΩΝ ΝΕΩΚ]ΟΡΩΝ, Galley with sail raised and oars out, left. ΝΑΥΑΡ / ΧΙC in two lines in exergue.
While Imperial coins were used to declare the good qualities of the emperor and his family, and often of the armies, provincial coins advertised the events and honors of their city of origin. Here, Side takes pride in their importance to the Roman navy.
Monday, January 10, 2005
Billon antoninianus, Gallienus, Medilanum, Göbl 979q
GALLIENVS AVG, Radiate cuirassed bust left with shield on near shoulder and spear on far | COHH PRAET VI P VI F, Radiate lion walking right.
Like this coin I posted in 2003, this honors the Praetorian Cohorts, a military force charged with guarding the emperor, for the part in his victory over the Alemanni. Coins were also struck for each legion that took part, featuring their emblems. Very popular series.
Sunday, January 09, 2005
Æ29, Tyre in Phoenicia, Gallienus, cf. Lindgren I, A2392A
IMP C P LIC GALLIENVS AVG, Radiate cuirassed bust right | COL TVRO MET, Shrine with baetyl within, murex shell in lower left field.
My first post was a Tyrian coin, and there have been a number since then. With no particular intent, I find I've become quite fond of coins from this city.
