Ive come to the conclusion I will be sticking with purchasing Ancients for the time being. My flip flopping from one area one week to U.S. to World or Currency seems to have stopped. Below is my 3 latest purchases probably for the rest of the year. All are seller's photos that are fixed up in photoshop to match the coins look in-hand. There was some emperors I wanted but they got bought before I could submit a offer & have the money for them. I already had a julia domna but this coin just stood out like a sore thumb during my skimming for new purchases. I have read this reverse is a scarcer version due to Pudicitia facing forward. Got a pretty good deal on it. Kind of a upgrade to the Maesa I had posted before. Soft reverse doesnt bother me. Again a decent deal from a ebay best offer. Needed a Julia Mamaea & this was really worth the best offer price I got compared to Vcoins & Forvm offered. It does have a slight grainy look to it but in hand its decent.
That really is a gorgeous Julia Domna Denarius, beautiful. And I'm still amazed at how nice the reverse of the Julia Mamaea - Juno denarius is. The detail on Juno's face, and on the base of the sceptre as well as on the peacock on the ground. Just a great reverse, not that the obverse isn't nice too Great additions, and good call to stick with the Romans, I find them delightful. I just added a new Gordian III 4drachm to my collection, and I don't plan on stopping anytime soon, as long as I can afford it that is, heh.
Julia Maesa was Domna's sister and Mamaea's mother. I have always wondered why Hollywood has not picked up her life story for a major motion picture. What she saw and influenced was huge. This Domna with the PIA FELIX legend is from the later period when she was the mother of Caracalla after the death of he husband Septimius Severus. She issued coins for 25 years so there is a wide variety available. Oddly enough the youngest looking portraits are not from the start of the reign. Perhaps this can be attributed to the die cutters not being familiar with her appearance at the beginning and possibly the young and beautiful portraits were simply to flatter the empress. Maesa did not come to power until she was a grandmother. The coin here is rather young looking for her. There is another Julia that belongs in the set. Another of Maesa's daughter's was Julia Soaemias whose son was the extremely strange Elagabalus.
Ive looked at Julia Soaemias coins but shes pricy, wanna get in the "julia" only cant forget Paula & titi despite a earlier period. Im just buying what appeals to me still. Your Julia Soaemias looks like a older aged version. Great example though. I still want a Aquilia Severa & the right Julia Paula. I still need a Elagabalus & Geta but the ones I look at dont have that "buy me" feeling.
Nice example doug. Mat: Well... I'm sure when the right coin of Elagabalus or Geta comes around, it will speak to you, and you will know it is the one to buy. Nice collection you have going there.
As to complete the "julia's", I can add some : a young Maesa : Paula : Soemias : And, just for the pleasure of showing off, Mamaea : Q
Very sweet additions Cucumbor, I especially like the young Maesa & Mamaea's. And if you "really" want to complete Julia's, get a Julia Titi, lol.
Don't be in a rush to buy a poor Geta or Elagablaus. There is a lot of variations in their coins beyond the different mints. Especially with Elagabalus there is a variation in the metal quality found. If you will only have one Elagabalus, I suggest being really picky and getting one with the portrait showing a horn on his head. One of the horned reverses even honors his namesake god Elagabal. The emperor's name was Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (just like Caracalla's) but if you are only to have one coin maybe you want this type with 'Elagabal' on the reverse. My example is not the nicest by far but it shows the horn and the reverse name. SACERD DEI SOLIS ELAGAB
A lot has been speculated about the reason behind the 'horn' and there is no real agreement on what it was and why it was removed shortly after making its first appearance on the coins. Those interested may search for discussions elsewhere online.
Note that when Venus appeared on coins of Domna, she traded the staff for a palm and the helmet for an apple (and lost a few pounds?).
Lol, yeah, definitely a nicer figure on doug's example.... both beautiful reverses though. I always liked that reverse where she is nude, leaning on column and semi-cloaked with her butt exposed. Cucumbor: I am very impressed with the Sestertius you posted of Julia Mamaea.... the portrait is striking, and extremely well detailed. I can even see the design on her tiara! Beautiful!!! I also really like the detail on the Caduceus held by Felicitas on the reverse of the Mamaea Denarius you posted above the Sestertius. All the coins you posted are great examples though. ------------------------------------------------------------ Here are two of my Julia Mamaea coins: On the two photos of the obverse alone of the VENUS VICTRIX coin, there is a hair on her neck that looks like a scratch, but if you look at the first pic, you can see it isn't there. Also, that coin weighs 24.9 grams. the other one 19.6 grams
Roman coins of the four Severan Julias I managed to get Roman denarii from all four of the "Severan Julias", the four women who partly ran the Roman Empire after the death of Septimius Severus, from AD 211 to AD 235. Julia Domna Denarius - Pudicitia Obverse: Draped bust right IVLIA AVGVSTA Reverse: Pudicitia seated left, veiled and right hand on her breast; left arm at side PVDICITIA Catalog: RIC 576 RSC 168 - Struck 196-211 Julia Domna was the wife of Septimius Severus and the mother of Caracalla and Geta Julia Maesa Denarius - Pudicitia Obverse: Draped bust right IVLIA MAESA AVG Reverse: Pudicitia seated left, raising veil and holding scepter PVDICITIA Catalog: RIC 268 RSC 36 - Struck 220-222 Julia Maesa was the sister of Julia Domna and the mother of Julia Soaemias and Julia Mamaea Julia Mamaea Denarius - Vesta Obverse: Diademed and draped bust right IVLIA MAMAEA AVG Reverse: Vesta standing half-left, holding palladium and scepter VESTA Catalog: RIC 360 RSC 81 Julia Mamaea was the mother of Severus Alexander Julia Soaemias Denarius - Venus Obverse: Draped bust right IVLIA SOAEMIAS AVG Reverse: Venus seated left, holding scepter, extending her hand to Cupid standing before her VENVS CAELESTIS Catalog: RIC 243 RSC 14 - Struck AD 220 Julia Soaemias was the mother of Elagabalus For more information on these ladies: http://www.roman-emperors.org/sevjulia.htm http://womenshistory.about.com/od/romanempire/tp/roman_julias.htm
