Friday, April 20, 2007
Æ30, Perga in Pamphylia, Gallienus, Lindgren III, 653var
AVT K Π ΛIK ΓAΛΛIHNON CEB, Radiate draped bust right, I before | ΠEP_ΓAIΩN, Tyche standing left, holding rudder left and cornucopia right.
I should be able to muster more excitement about this: it's a big coin, about over 1,600 years old, from an interesing city today an attractive heap of ruins. The coin is a rough mix of colors, though, and the reverse is unexciting. I am, it seems, jaded.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Æ antoninianus, Gallienus, Antioch, Göbl 1654g
GALLIENVS AVG, Radiate cuirassed bust right | VENER VICTRICI, Venus standing left, leaning on sheld right, holding long scepter diagonally and helmet left.
Stained and worn, this shows Venus as a victorious martial goddess. While warrior isn't the most common thought of Venus, it wasn't an aspect unheard of in antiquity, when Venus was used for more than Valentine's Day imagery.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
AR antoninianus, Herennius Etruscillus, Rome, RIC 147c
Q HER ETR MES DECIVS NOB C, Radiate draped bust right | PRINCIPI IVVENTVTIS, Herennius standing left, holding wand in right and transverse spear in left.
Quintus Herennius Etruscus Messius Decius was the son of Trajan Decius and Herennia Etruscilla.
He was raised to the office of emperor by his father in early 251 and served with him until they were killed by Gothic tribesmen in June of that year.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Æ tetradrachm, Alexandria, Gallienus, Emmett 3816(13)
AYT K Π ΛIK ΓAΛΛIHNOC CEB, Laureate draped bust right | LIΓ, Homonia standing left, holding double cornucopias right, raised hand left. Palm in lower right field, regnal year in lower left.
While coins of Alexandria are generally grouped with Provincials, the details of Roman Egypt include a closed economy using local coins only, with base-metal coins substituting for precious metal. The other provinces issued low-value coins for local use in small change with Roman silver circulating alongside the local bronze.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Silvered Æ antoninianus, Gallienus, Cyzikus, Göbl 1547Ac?
GALLIENVS AVG, Radiate draped cuirassed bust right, no pellets beneath | SALVS AVG,Salus standing right, holding snake in right arm, feeding it from small patera held in left hand. SPQR in exergue.
Uncertainly that's very unlikely to resolve is very frustrating. While I'm ca;;omg this 1547Ac, which with two pellets beneath the bust and is attested by Göbl in two examples, the pellets can't be seen certainly so this could be 1547Ab with one pellet, attested in a single example or 1547Aa, without pellets, and not attested as existing at all.
