Saturday, December 31, 2005
Billon antoninianus, Gallienus, Köln, Göbl 891h
GALLIENVS P F AVG, Radiate cuirassed bust right | VICT GERMANICA,Victory advancing left, raising wreath in right hand, palm over left shoulder.
The Romans (and also the Greeks) kept using dies until they were quite used up. While this coin is well-worn, it doesn't look like it would have been very pretty when it was new as the dies were very worn out and still in use.
Friday, December 30, 2005
Æ21, Alexandria Troas, quasi-autonomous, SNG Copenhagen 108
COL TROAV, Turreted draped bust of Tyche right, vexillum behind | COL AVG TRO, Horse grazing right.
It's more realistic, I think, to say this is mid-3rd Century than to claim it's contemporary with Valerian and Gallienus. Still, why quibble?
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Billon antoninianus, Gallienus, Köln, Göbl 886c
VALERIANVS P F AVG, Radiate draped cuirassed bust right, one ribbon behind, one forward across shoulder | ORIENS AVGG, Radiate Sol, wearing chlamys, standing left, raising right hand and holding globe in left.
Of course there's no way of knowing if the emperor's portrait here is exceptionally realistic, but it seems so well-executed that it makes me think that this is what Valerian looked like, portrayed by someone who'd seen him.
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Æ15, Ptolemais-Ace in Phoenicia, Seleucid Empire, Antiochos IV Epiphanes, 175-164 BCE, Sear GCV 6046
Conjoined laureate heads of the Dioskouroi right. | Cornucopia, [A]NTIOXEΩN / TΩN right, [EN]ΠTOΛEM[AIΔI] left
A Wikipedia entry on the Seleucid Empire.
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Æ30, Thessalonica in Macedonia, Gallienus, unknown
AVT K ΠO ΛI· EΓN ΓAΛΛHNOC, Radiate draped cuirassed bust right | ΘECCAΛON_IK_H KOΛ M B NE, Nike advancing left, holding wreath in right hand.
Some background on the city.
Monday, December 26, 2005
Billon antoninianus, Gallienus, Rome, Göbl 375x
GALLIENVS AVG, Radiate cuirassed bust right | VIRTVS AVG, Mars standing left, resting right hand on shield at feet left and holding in left hand. VI in right field.
Martial virtue personified, as an attribute of the emperor.
Sunday, December 25, 2005
Æ30, Perga in Pamphylia, Salonina, SNG Copenhagen 365
KOPNHΛIA CAΛΩNINA CEB, Diademed draped bust right, I before | ΠEP&_#915;_AIΩN, Elpis standing left, hitching skirt right, holding flower left.
An interesting page on Spes, the Roman equivalent of Elpis, seen here in the pose she seems to always be shown in.
