#sestertius

[lionofchaeronea]

Sestertius of the notorious Roman emperor Commodus, minted at Rome in 192 CE, the last year of his reign. On the obverse, the bust of Commodus; on the reverse, the personification of Africa greets Hercules. Africa holds a sheaf of wheat (representing the grain the province produced) and a sistrum (the rattle associated with the goddess Isis), while Hercules stands on a ship's prow and holds his club.

The seemingly innocuous imagery of this coin masks the megalomania that characterized Commodus' final years. He is here styled Lucius Aelius Aurelius Commodus, his birth name; his father Marcus Aurelius had renamed him M. Aurelius Antoninus Commodus upon making him Caesar, but Commodus ultimately spurned both this name and his father's heritage. His identification with Hercules, a constant of his reign, reached a fever pitch at this time: the emperor officially styled himself "Roman Hercules" (Hercules Romanus) and engaged in beast-hunts (venationes) and gladiatorial matches designed to evoke Hercules' Twelve Labors. (In one infamous incident, he threatened to cast the audience in the arena as the Stymphalian Birds and mow them down with arrows.) Taking a dizzying array of new cognomina (Amazonius, Invictus, Exsuperatorius, etc.), Commodus demanded that each month of the year be named after one of his titles, and he even floated the idea of renaming Rome Colonia Aelia Commoda after himself. By December 192 his advisors had had enough, and a conspiracy was put in train, into which his mistress Marcia was recruited. She poisoned him; when this did not kill him, his personal trainer, one Narcissus, strangled him in his bath. With him ended the dynasty begun by Nerva nearly a century before.

Photo credit: Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. http://www.cngcoins.com

[alsadeekalsadouk]

Exceptional bronze Medallions 57,58 g; minted in Rome , For Philip the Arab (Marcus Julius Philippus) was a Roman Emperor who ruled from 244 to 249 CE. Obverse scripted : CONCORDIA AVGVSTORVM. Tiered: the draped armored bust of Philip the Arab with laurel wreath and the draped bust of Otacilia Severa with diadem, bust view to the left. Opposite: the draped armored bust of his son Philip II with laurel wreath, bust view. On Reverse scripts : SAECVLARES // AVGG. Chariot race in the Circus Maximus. In the front three teams to the right, one to the very left in the front view. In the middle ground the spina with palm tree and other architecture. In the background the stands and several buildings.

#archaeology #history #ancient #art #Caesar #ancienthistory #archaeological #rome #italy #roman_empire #roma #heritage #roman_republic #archaeologylife #Orichalcum #Roman_mythology #italia #medallion #romancoin #romanarcheology #romanancientcoins#aureus #denarius #dupondius #follis #antoninianus #sestertius #fils #alsadeekalsadouk #الصديق_الصدوق

[corporialus]

Nero sestertius struck at Lugdunum in 64 CE. Reverse depicts a "congiarium" distribution scene, in which the emperor makes donations to the citizens of Rome. Two citizens can be seen in the center, one handing a tessera to the other, Minerva can be seen in the background. Nero is situated on the reverse seated to the far right, the supervisor of grain standing behind him. Reverse legend reads "CONG II DAT POP"

Nero sestertius struck at Lugdunum in 66 CE. Reverse depicts another "congiarium" scene. Nero seated in a chair to the far left with one of his officials situated on another platform to his right, handing out congiarium (a donation) to a Roman citizen. The goddesses Libertas and Minerva are seen in the background. Legend reads "CONG I DAT POP".

Nero sestertius struck at Lugdunum in 66 CE. Reverse is an ADLOCVT (addressing the cohorts) type, a reverse that pops up quite a bit on Roman sestertii throughout the years. Nero is center right on the reverse, raising his hand and addressing three soldiers. Legend reads "ADLOCVT COH".

[witekspicsbanknotes]

Themed fantasy private issue notes: The Roman Empire, currency sestertius.

[blueiscoool]

Trajan Æ Sestertiu Rome, AD 104-107 25.77g, 33mm

Trajan (18 September 53 – August 117) was Roman emperor from 98 to 117. Officially declared optimus princeps ("best ruler") by the senate, Trajan is remembered as a successful soldier-emperor who presided over one of the greatest military expansions in Roman history and led the empire to attain its greatest territorial extent by the time of his death. He is also known for his philanthropic rule, overseeing extensive public building programs and implementing social welfare policies, which earned him his enduring reputation as the second of the Five Good Emperors who presided over an era of peace within the Empire and prosperity in the Mediterranean world.

[catilinas]

at this point saying #hand theory is just too obvious. but anyway. #hand theory

[ancientrome]

Bronze sestertius of Trajan A.D. 103–111 x

[theantonian]

Mark Antony and Octavia. Late summer-autumn 38 BC. Æ Sestertius (34mm, 22.68 g, 2h). Fleet coinage. Uncertain mint in the Peloponese; Obv. L. Sempronius Atratinus, auger and consul designatus . M • ANT • IMP • TER • COS • DES • ITER • ET • TER • III • VIR • R • P • C, Bare head of Mark Antony right, facing draped bust of Octavia left / L • ATRATINV[S • AVGVR • COS • DESIG], Two standing figures (Antony and Octavia?) in quadriga of hippocamps right; HS in left field, Δ and astragalus(?) below. Green and brown patina. Extremely rare.

[twofielder]

Coin of the Day #126 (9/7/2024)

Popular game show, Wheel of Fortuna…

Roman Empire

AE Sestertius - 30mm 18.11g

Gordian III 244 AD

Rome Mint

Obverse IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG

Bust of Gordian III right, laureate, draped, cuirassed

Reverse FORTVNA REDVX S C

Fortuna seated left, holding rudder and cornucopiae, wheel under seat

RIC VI 331a

[lionofchaeronea]

Sestertius of the Roman emperor Gaius, better known as Caligula (r. 37-41 CE). This coin highlights the exceptional honors Gaius bestowed upon his three sisters. While the obverse features the traditional laureate bust of the emperor, the reverse features his sisters together, each identified with the personification of a Roman virtue: Agrippina as Securitas, Drusilla as Concordia, and Julia as Fortuna. Each sister holds a cornucopia to demonstrate abundance, while Drusilla also holds a patera (flat serving dish used in Roman religious rites) and Julia holds a rudder (to symbolize safe guidance of the ship of state). Photo credit: Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. http://www.cngcoins.com

[alsadeekalsadouk]

Colored project for #Julia_Domna , she was Roman empress consort from 193 to 211. She was born in Emesa in Roman #Syria to an Arab family of priests of the deity Elagabalus. In 187, she married Libyan-born #Septimius_Severus, who at the time was governor of the Roman province of Gallia Lugdunensis. They had two sons, #Caracalla and #Geta. #archaeology #history #ancient #art #Caesar #ancienthistory #archaeological #rome #italy #museum #roma #heritage #Orichalcum #antiquity #italia #medallion #romancoin #romanarcheology #romanancientcoins#aureus #denarius #dupondius #follis #antoninianus #sestertius #Julia_Domna

[corporialus]

Portraits of Elagabalus, every year

Denarius of Diadumenian, most notable for not being Elagabalus.

This extremely rare coin was struck between May and July 218 during his father Macrinus's war against Elagabalus and Julia Maesa, and portrays Diadumenian as a full blown emperor (coins of him as Caesar are much more common).

This coin is a prime example of the Severan art style when it came to portraying younger rulers, as even though Diadumenian was not a Severan, his portrait is incredibly similar to that of teenaged Caracalla/Geta and Elagabalus.

Aureus of Elagabalus, 218-219. Reverse depicts Elagabalus flanked by two soldiers, legend reads "FIDES MILITVM"

Portrait resembles the style used for Macrinus.

Aureus of Elagabalus, 219. Reverse depicts Roma seated left.

Aureus of Elagabalus, 220. Reverse shows the conical stone of Emesa, Elagabalus's famous prized rock (its the blob thing behind the eagle, I know, its hard to make it out) riding in a slow quadriga.

At this point we're getting depictions of Elagabalus that are probably closer to what they actually looked like.

Sestertius of Elagabalus, 221, reverse depicts the emperor sacrificing from Patera over altar.

Aureus of Elagabalus, 222. Obverse portrait features bust of Elagabalus laureate, bearded and facing right. Reverse portrays the emperor sacrificing from a patera over an altar to El-Gabal or Sol Invictus.

At this stage of their life Elagabalus was in complete eastern sun god priest mode, as seen on these "SACERDOS" types that are very common for their silver issues.

An interesting piece of this portrait is the weird strand on Elagabalus's head above the V in ANTONINVS. This is usually referred as "The horn", which is most likely supposed to be the penis of a bull.

[elucubrare]

if i had a sestertius for every time someone tripped and told everyone it was a good omen, i'd have two sestertii, which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice

[siderealscribblings]

Ten sestertius for whoever scopes this shout-out

[zanmor]

playing Pontus in Total War: Rome Remastered has surprisingly been the most enjoyable experience I've had in the game.

the early game is the hardest I've had. after failing in the short campaign twice, my third run found using diplomats to sell map info for every sestertius I could get gave me the funding necessary to power out of the early game with armies that could actually do something. that and securing trade deals and alliances with as many neighbors as I could manage set me up to build a small empire before exterminating city after city on the march to 15 provinces with Thrace and Armenia crushed

enraptured, I jumped straight into the long campaign

same opening strat, raising armies with my map money, sending diplomats far and wide. but a major hiccup in this run, everyone refused an alliance save for Egypt, and they didn't even bother to fight anyone else aside from, best as I can tell, taking one Numidian and one Seleucid town

and all those folks refused to ally with me, instead allying with each other and almost simultaneously all declaring war. at one point I was actively at war with Greece, Seleucia, Macedonia, Armenia, and Thrace. I managed to knock Thrace out only for Dacia and Scythia to jump me shortly thereafter

but one by one I managed to fend off my attackers in some truly desperate defenses as my offensive armies took an eternity to consign them each to oblivion in turn. one of my favorite defenses saw me sally forth with 400 light cavalry, knocking out 4 of 6 Scythian battering rams but losing all my horse in trade. but it was exactly what I needed as then the walls were breeched in only two places and my 4 phalanxes massacred the assaulting forces. even just one more successful ram would have turned that into a defeat

I've also had to do similar but without the cavalry: just a small horde of eastern spearmen rushing from my gates to take out a ram so that my single phalanx can post up at one opening and repel the invaders

overall it's just made every battle, every settlement, and every unit feel immensely more important. I've since pushed through to the mid/late game and it's a little bit more like a more typical game of Rome now, but there are still some intensely close battles because overall my troops still have a lot of weak units. also with the early diplomat rush I now have more diplomats spread more widely than ever before with bribe money to spare. I've "gone to war" with my Egyptian ally by bribing Memphis and Thebes without gaining their ire yet

also have encountered some errors I haven't seen before. once defended against a siege force only for them to turn around and attack again the next turn, without taking a turn to build any equipment in between. the game loaded the battle map and the enemy army just turned and ran, lifting the siege, because they didn't actually have any means to break my walls

also at one point my bank account had nearly $70k in it and I took a look at the graphs and saw something odd. the Scipii were down to 3 provinces, one of which I had under siege--at their height I believe they had 6 or 7 provinces, so still not a lot--and yet the finances graph showed them with nearly $160k in the bank. definitely more than double my own position on the graph. had they just been stockpiling gold since the start of the game? why not spend more of that on war?

just a surprisingly enjoyable campaign that's made me approach the game in some new ways I never would have considered before. doing more with less, especially in the early game, aware that everything matters then

[blueiscoool]

Roman Emperor Hadrian Coin Found at Carlisle Archaeological Dig

A LOCAL metal detectorist has unearthed a unique Roman coin displaying Emperor Hadrian whilst at Carlisle’s Roman Bathhouse dig site in the Cricket Club grounds.

he coin, part of the Uncovering Roman Carlisle project, is said to be one of the most significant of the coins found by the team of archaeologists and volunteers, known as The Diggers.

The coin features Emperor Hadrian, who reigned from AD 117 to 138 and ordered the construction of the nearby Hadrian's Wall.

The reverse side depicts Fortuna, the Roman goddess of chance, fate, and fortune.

Dan Bell, from Carlisle, who has been metal detecting for four years and involved in the archaeological dig site for the past two years, made the discovery.

"I just thought it was your average Roman coin," Dan said.

"They've found many in better condition, but because of what is on it, it's special.

"Frank (Wardell), who organises the digs, thinks it’s the best one we’ve found so far."

Despite finding numerous medieval coins from the reigns of Edward I, Elizabeth I, and Charles I, Roman coins have been much rarer in his collection.

"The only Roman ones have been at the bathhouse," Dan said.

One commenter on social media indicated the coin was a 'sestertius', saying four of these were equivalent to a day's pay for a Roman soldier.

The coin adds to more than 4,000 significant finds at the site, including more than 700 Roman coins, painted wall plaster, military artefacts like arrowheads and spear tips, over 400 hairpins, imperial stamped tiles, North African-style roof tubes, glass beads, gaming pieces, and a rare Roman doll’s foot.

By Paul McTaggart.