Friday, April 06, 2007
Æ tetradrachm, Alexandria, Salonina, Emmett 3853(13)
KOPNHΛIA CAΛωNEINA CEB, Diademed draped bust right | LIΓ, Eagle standing left, head right, holding wreath. Palm branch left, regnal year right.
Unlike Imperial coins, it's quite common for provincials to use the same design for obverse and reverse, and so this eagle is seen, at this time, paired with both Salonina and with Gallienus, her husband.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Æ 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.
I admit to be able to think of nothing of VIRTVS coins, or of Virtus, that I haven't already said. What's more disappointing than wasting time posting that?
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
AR antoninianus, Otacilia Severa, Rome, RIC 125b
M OTACIL SEVERA AVG, Tiaraed, draped bust right, on crescent. | CONCORDIA AVGG, Concordia seated left, holding patera in right arm and double cornucopia in left.
Marcia Otacilia Severa was the wife of the emperor Philip “the arab” and was little remarked for anything else. She presumably was killed in 249, along with her husband or soon after his murder.
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Æ30, Aspendos in Pamphylia, Gallienus, cf. Lindgren III, 640
[...]ΛI ΓAΛΛI[...], Laureate draped bust right, I before | [...]ΔIΩN, Tyche standing left, holding cornucopia right.
Even as degraded as this coin is, just enough of the legends are legible to clearly identify the emperor and issuing city. I'm not clear how much of the damage is from wear when it was circulating and how much is from reactions to chemicals in the environment in the years since it stopped circulating. It does not seem to have suffered from overcleaning, as some of my coins have.
Monday, April 02, 2007
Silvered AR antoninianus, Gallienus, Rome, Göbl 573w
GALLIENVS AVG, Radiate cuirassed bust right | ABVNDANTIA AVG, Abundantia standing right, emptying cornucopiae right.
The cornucopiae, then as now a symbol of plenty, is seen overflowing with the harvested goods. The Emperor here takes credit for all good things of the earth, as he takes credit for all victories on reverses showing soldiers.
