scurra-vagus-imperial-blog

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Trajan. A.D. 98-117. AE sestertius (33.76 mm, 19.57 g, 6 h). Rome mint, ca. A.D. 103-104. Laureate bust right, slight drapery / The Circus Maximus, showing outer colonnade and partial view of interior. RIC 571 var. (bust type); Woytek 175b; Banti 273. Fair, brown patina, two long scratches across obverse.

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Augustus. 27 BC-AD 14. Æ Dupondius. Rome mint. Q. Aelius Lamia, moneyer. Struck 18 BC. Legend in three lines within wreath / Legend around large S C. RIC I 324; BMCRE 176; BN 236.

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Trajan. AD 98-117. Æ Sestertius (34mm, 25.52 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck circa AD 103-104. Laureate and draped bust right / Front of the Temple of Jupiter: monumental votive arch/gateway; on the sides, from top to bottom, are the following reliefs: biga driven by Victory, aegis, Gigantomachy, arms, and she-wolf suckling twins; the second tier surmounted by a trophy and giant to either side, gateway spandrels with Victories, pediment with Jupiter between two seated figures, panel above pediment inscribed IOM (= Iovi Optimo Maximo), the whole surmounted by six-horse chariot driven by Jupiter and flanked by Victories. RIC II 572-3 var. (bust type); Woytek 187f; Banti 280. Fair, brown patina, some green, areas of minor porosity and cleaning scratches. Rare. Banti cites only one example with this bust type.

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I have not seen Fortuna depicted this way except in coinages of Commodus. Commodus. AD 177-192. AR Denarius (17mm, 2.76 g, 12h). Rome mint. Struck AD 189. Laureate head right / FORTVNAE MA[NEN]TI around, C • V • P • P in exergue, Fortuna seated left, holding horse by bridle and cornucopia; rudder to right. RIC III 191a; MIR 18, 751-4/30; RSC 168a. VF, toned, some verdigris. Rare type.

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Orbiana. Augusta, AD 225-227. AR Denarius Rome mint. Special marriage issue, AD 225. Draped bust right, wearing stephane / Concordia seated left, holding patera and double cornucopia. RIC IV 319 (Severus Alexander); RSC 1. VF

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Constantine I Thessalonica Victory Advancing RIC VII Thessalonica 60 R4

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CONSTANTINE I. 307-337 AD. Æ Follis. Struck 312-313 AD. Rome mint. IMP CONSTANTINVS P F AVG, laureate and cuirassed bust right / S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI, legionary eagle between two standards; RT. RIC VI 349a. Good VF, dark brown patina.

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coin416.JPG Constantine I Constantinople GLORIA EXERCITVS GLORIA EXERCITVS

Constantine I the Great A.D. 307-337, AE 3, mint of Constantinople. Obv.: CONSTANTINVS MAX.AVG. His diademed head to right. Rev.: GLORIA EXERCITVS. Constantine standing right, holding spear and leaning on shield; in ex.CONS.

Ex-Varangian

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Carausius Æ Antoninianus. IMP C CARAVSIVS P F AVG, radiate, draped & cuirassed bust right / PAX AVG S-P, Pax standing left, holding olive branch and scepter, ML in ex. Possibly not official

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In 326, Crispus was suddenly executed according to the orders of his own father in Pola, Istria. Though the decision of Constantine was certainly cruel and unexpected, historians remain more interested in the motivation leading to it. Zosimus in the 5th century and Joannes Zonaras in the 12th century both reported that Fausta, step-mother of Crispus, was extremely jealous of him. She was reportedly afraid that Constantine would put aside the sons she bore him. So, in order to get rid of Crispus, Fausta set him up. She reportedly told the young Caesar that she was in love with him and suggested an illegitimate love affair. Crispus denied the immoral wishes of Fausta and left the palace in a state of a shock. Then Fausta said to Constantine that Crispus had no respect for his father, since the Caesar was in love with his father's own wife. She reported to Constantine that she dismissed him after his attempt to rape her. Constantine believed her and, true to his strong personality and short temper, executed his beloved son. A few months later, Constantine reportedly found out the whole truth and then executed his wife Fausta at the end of 326. This version of events has become the most widely accepted, since all other reports are even less satisfactory. A treason against Constantine jointly plotted by Fausta and Crispus is rejected by most historians. They would have nothing to gain considering their positions as favourites of Constantine. Another version suggests that Constantine killed Crispus because as an illegitimate son, he would cause a crisis in the order of succession to the throne. However, Constantine had kept him at his side for twenty years without any such decision. Constantine also had the authority to appoint his younger, legitimate sons as his heirs. Nevertheless, Crispus' status as a legitimate or illegitimate son remains uncertain. Some reports claimed that Constantine was envious of the success of his son and afraid of him. This seems improbable, given that Constantine had twenty years of experience at Emperor while Crispus was still a young Caesar. Similarly, there seems to be no evidence that Crispus had any ambitions to harm or displace his father. So while the story of Zosimus and Zonaras seems the most believable one, there are also problems relating to their version of events. Constantine's reaction suggest that he suspected Crispus of a crime so terrible that death was not enough. Crispus also suffered damnatio memoriae, meaning his name was never mentioned again and was deleted from all official documents and monuments. Crispus, his wife Helena and their son were never to be mentioned again in historical records. The eventual fate of Helena and her son is a mystery. Constantine may have been eventually convinced of Crispus' innocence. But he did not restore his son's innocence and name, as he probably would have on learning of his son's innocence. Perhaps Constantine's pride or shame at having executed his son prevented him from publicly admitting having made a mistake. Beyond doubt there was a connections between the executions of Crispus and Fausta. Both happened too close in time to be coincidental. Such agreement among different sources connecting the two deaths is extremely rare in itself. A number of modern historians have suggested that Crispus and Fausta really did have an illegitimate affair. When Constantine found out, his reaction was executing both of them. What delayed the death of Fausta may have been a pregnancy. Since the years of birth for the two known daughters of Constantine and Fausta remain unknown, one of their births may have delayed their mother's execution. Crispus, 316-326, Bronze Reduced Anepigraphic Follis, RIC-VII-53-R5, struck 324-325 at Antioch, 1.87 grams, 17.9 mm. Nice VF Obv: Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Crispus facing left Rev: CRISPVS CAESAR SMANTZ - Legend and mint signature in three lines, star above, dot below An excessively rare coin of Crispus. Nicely centered and struck with even wear to both surfaces. Important and MUCH nicer than the image projects. Ex-Glenn Woods

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Numerianus Æ Antoninianus Siscia Mint Radiate and cuirassed bust, r. IMP C NVMERIANVS P F AVG Emperor and Carinus sacrificing at altar; two ensigns in background; In ex.: SMSXXI(gamma) VOTA PVBLICA

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Antoninus Pius. AD 138-161. Æ As Rome mint. Struck AD 155-156. Laureate head right / TR POT / XIX / COS IIII /S C in four lines within laurel wreath. RIC III 958

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Licinius I (Augustus) Bronze AE Follis IMP LICI-NIVS AVG - Laureate, cuirassed bust right. IOVI CONSERVATORI AVG - Emperor borne by eagle standing right, left wing pointing downwards, looking back. Emperor holds sceptre in left hand and thunderbolt in right. Mintmark TARL.

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Postumus. Romano-Gallic Emperor, AD 260-269. AR Antoninianus Treveri (Trier) mint. 1st emission, 3rd phase, AD 260-261. Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Hercules standing right, holding club, bow, and lion skin. RIC V 64; Mairat 13; AGK 25; RSC 91a.

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Crispina married the sixteen year-old, Commodus in the summer of 178 and brought him, as a dowry, a large number of estates. These, when added to the Imperial holdings, gave him control of a substantial part of Lucanian territory. The actual ceremony was modest but was commemorated on coinage and largesse was distributed to the people. An epithalamium for the occasion was composed by the sophist Julius Pollux.

Upon her marriage, Crispina received the title of Augusta, and thus, became Empress of the Roman Empire as her husband was co-emperor with her father-in-law at the time. The previous empress and her mother-in-law, Faustina the Younger, having died three years prior to her arrival.

Like most marriages of young members of the nobiles, it was arranged by paters: in Crispina’s case by her father and her father-in-law, Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Crispina probably meant little to her egocentric husband though she was a beautiful woman. The other possible reason being that Commodus was known to prefer the company of men. Crispina is described as being a graceful person with a susceptible heart, but there is no medal extant of her.

As Augusta, Crispina was extensively honoured with public images, during the last two years of her father-in-law’s reign and the initial years of her husband’s reign. She did not seem to have any significant political influence over her husband during his bizarre reign. However, she was not exempted from court politics either as her sister-in-law, Lucilla, was an ambitious woman and was reportedly jealous of Crispina, the reigning empress, due to her position and power.

Crispina’s marriage failed to produce an heir due to her husband’s inability, which led to a dynastic succession crisis. In fact, both Anistius Burrus (with whom Commodus had share his first consulate as sole ruler) and Gaius Arrius Antoninus, who were probably related to the imperial family, were allegedly put to death ‘on the suspicion of pretending to the throne’.

After ten years of marriage, Crispina was falsely charged with adultery by her husband and was banished to the island of Capri in 188, where she was later executed. After her banishment, Commodus did not marry again but took on a mistress, a woman named Marcia, who was later said to have conspired in his murder.

Crispina, wife of Commodus, 177-192, AE Dupondius or As (24x25mm), aVF. Sear RCV 6018. Obv. CRISPINA AVGVSTA, draped bust right. Rev. IVNO LVCINA S C, Juno standing left holding patera and scepter. The coin is brown and green, on a squarish flan.

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Felicitas was the goddess or personification of good luck and success. She played an important role in Rome's state religion during the empire, and was frequently portrayed on coins. She was very closely associated with the imperial family. Felicitas was unknown before the mid-2nd century BC, when a temple was dedicated to her in the Velabrum in the Campus Martius by Lucius Licinius Lucullus, using booty from his 151–150 BC campaign in Spain. The temple was destroyed by a fire during the reign of Claudius and was never rebuilt. Another temple in Rome was planned by Julius Caesar and was erected after his death by Marcus Aemilius Lepidus on the site of the Curia Hostilia, which had been restored by Lucius Cornelius Sulla but demolished by Caesar in 44 BC. This temple no longer existed by the time of Hadrian, and its site probably lies under the church of Saints Luca and Martina. The word felicitas, "luck", is also the source of the word and name felicity. Carinus Billon Antoninianus. IMP CARINVS P F AVG, radiate, draped & cuirassed bust right / FELICIT PVBLICA, Felicitas standing left with cauduceus, leaning on column, TXXI in ex. RIC 295, Cohen 24.

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Marcus Aurelius Carus (c. 230 - late July/early August, 283), Roman emperor (282-283), was born probably at Narbona (more correctly, Narona – now the ruins at Vid, Croatia) in Illyria, but was educated at Rome. He was a senator, and had filled various civil and military posts before he was appointed prefect of the Praetorian Guard by the emperor Probus. After the murder of Probus at Sirmium, Carus was proclaimed emperor by the soldiers.

Although Carus severely avenged the death of Probus, he was himself suspected of having been an accessory to the deed. He does not seem to have returned to Rome after his accession, but contented himself with an announcement of the fact to the Senate.

Bestowing the title of Caesar upon his sons Carinus and Numerian, he left Carinus in charge of the western portion of the empire, and took Numerian with him on the expedition against the Persians which had been contemplated by Probus. Having defeated the Quadi and Sarmatians on the Danube, Carus proceeded through Thrace and Asia Minor, conquered Mesopotamia, pressed on to Seleucia and Ctesiphon, and carried his arms beyond the Tigris.

His hopes of further conquest were cut short by his death. One day, after a violent storm, it was announced that he was dead. His death was variously attributed to disease, the effects of lightning, or a wound received in a campaign against the Huns. However it seems more probable that he was murdered by the soldiers, who were averse to further campaigns against Persia, at the instigation of Arrius Aper, prefect of the Praetorian Guard.

VF/VF Carus AE Antoninianus / Virtus Attribution: VM 16 Date: 282-283 AD Obverse: IMP C M AVR CARVS P F AVG, radiate bust r. Reverse: VIRTVS AVGGG, Carus receiving globe from Jupiter Size: 20.32 mm