Emperor Crybaby (Elagabalus) and a Roman Flamingo called Phoenix

@John Anthony sent me these coins I purchased from him. They are not expensive nor particularly super rare, nor are they shinny examples of coins of their kind, but I got them both for their own reasons:

We all know Emperor crybaby was a dirty and naughty boy, who wanted to be a God and thought he could kill at will with no consequences. This coin of Elagabalus has convenient brown tarnish on Elagabalus himself (as if he had been rolling in the mud out back from the senate house) , reminding us just what a nasty little boy Emperor he was.




Next up from @John Anthony, a Roman flamingo on a ball of yarn? Well, either that or a Phoenix sitting on the globe of planet Earth. I'll let you come to your own conclusions. This beautiful coin of Constantius II celebrates the 1,100 anniversary of Rome. Not as exciting as the 1,000 anniversary in the sense the Empire was already in severe decline, but hey, happy birthday Roma.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

He's my favorite screw up emperor too.


Elagabalus (218 - 222 A.D.)
SYRIA, Seleucis and Pieria. Antioch
Billon Tetradrachm
O: ΑΥΤ Κ Μ Α ΑΝΤWΝΕΙΝΟC CEB Laureate bust right, drapery on left shoulder.
R: ∆ΗΜΑΡΧ. ΕΞ. ΥΠΑΤΟC. TO. B. Eagle standing facing, head turned to r., wings spread, holding wreath in beak; ∆ − Ε across upper fields, star between legs.
Antioch Mint
13.99 g
24 mm
McAlee 761; Prieur 254.


Elagabalus (218-222 A.D.)
AR Denarius
Struck 220-222 AD.
O: IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG, Laureate and draped bust right, horn on head.
R: SACRED DEI SOLIS ELAGAB, Elagabalus standing right, holding branch (?) and sacrificing from patera over lighted altar; star in right field.
RIC IV 131; BMCRE 225 note; RSC 246
Rome mint
19mm
3.5g

 

@Mat I'm always saddened just how little publicity Elagabalus gets compared to Nero and Caligula, when Elabagalus was just as outrageous as them, if not even more. There need to be less documentaries on Caligula and Nero (too many already). Elagabalus is really fresh territory for those seeking to do a documentary on the outrageous behavior of some of the Roman Emperors.

 

Agreed and many emperors and even medieval figures they could do tv or movies on but its always the same tired ones.

 

My favorite little deviant!


Elagabalus, reigned 218-222 CE. AR denarius, 19.4 mm, 3.5 gm. Struck 218-219 CE, Antioch. ANTONINVS PIVS FEL AVG, Laureate draped cuirassed bust right / SANCT DEO SOLI / ELAGABAL, Quadriga right, bearing sacred Baetyl stone, flanked by four parasols. RIC IV 195, Antioch.

I had a great time writing a post about this coin. The diorama is permanently on display on my entryway shelves, although the Sacred Potato was eaten and replaced by a rock .

 

Good examples of both.

Elagabalus

Constans

 

Is it Constans or Constantius II? John said it was the later. I'm not sure now. Either way, I love those two 1,100 anniversary coins you have. They look like they just came freshly out of the ground after more than 1,700 years.

PS: Can you send me the official description on the second coin? John forgot to include a tag and I PMd him, but he must be busy.

 

Check your PM - I forgot to include the attribution on the Elagabalus, apologies! The coin I sent you is in fact Constantius II, with the obverse legend DN CONSTANTIVS PF AVG. Both Constantius and Constans struck the Phoenix types.

 

Thanks

 

I didn't have a Phoenix coin for Constantius II so I posted my Constans Phoenix's. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

 

I person could make quite a set of Phoenix variations. The Arles globe shows lines as found on an Armillary Sphere (invented c 200 BC).

 

This is a great coin because the sphere is so large and detailed. I have yet to come across one of these varieties, and I've been keeping my eyes peeled. I'm going to call them rare for now.

 

It doesn't help he didn't have a 'Suetonius' or 'Tacitus' to tell his tale. Ancient sources for the late RR and 1st century are abundant compared to those for the 3rd.

 

I just realized something, the patina's coloration makes it look like Constantius II is wearing a nasal strip. Maybe he snored so much and finally got tired of having the Empress send him to sleep on the couch.

 

nice! i had my eye on both of those. a phoenix on globe LRB is on my list, and that is a nice one.

i have several coins of his, but only picked up one this year. here's my most recent elagabalus....


Elagabalus, 218 - 222 AD, Nikopolis ad Istrum, Moesia Inferior, AE assarion
O: AVT K M ANTΩNINOC, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right R: ΝΙΚΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ ΠΡΟC ΙCΤΡΟΝ, Nike standing left, and Elagabalus standing right holding spear, they erect a trophy of captured arms with two bound captives at the base Varbanov 3859 17.5 mm 3.7 g

 

One of mine:


Elagabalus
Region, City: , Nikopolis ad Istrum
Coin:
AVT M AVPH ANTΩNINOC - Laureate head right
ΥΠ NOBIOΥ ΡOΥΦOΥ NIKOΠOΛITΩN ΠΡO-C I-CTP/ON - Artemis advancing right, drawing arrow from quiver and holding bow; hound at side.
Mint: (218-222 AD)
Wt./Size/Axis: 11.00g / 26mm / -
References:

• Moushmov 1378
• AMNG 1914
• Varbanov 3971

 

Elagabalus has such a wide variety of affordable coins. I really need an Emesa stone chariot coin of his.

In terms of the historicity of Elagabalus - a lot of the tales of depravity come from the unreliable Historia Augusta from the 4th century. I think of him as a misunderstood and maligned transgender youth. And really all that we know for sure about him is on his coins - eg the religious changes.

On the topic of the Emesa stone cult of El Gabal, the pride of my collection is this Syrian issue of Uranius Antoninus:
SYRIA, Seleucis and Pieria. Emesa. Uranius Antoninus. Usurper, AD 253-254.
Æ (32mm, 16.75 g, 12h). Dated SE 565 (AD 253/4). Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Baetyl of El–Gabal, decorated with eagle flanked by parasols, within hexastyle temple; crescent in pediment, ЄΞΦ (date) in exergue.
SNG Hunterian 3174 (same obv. die); BMC 24 (same obv. die)

 

Whilst I think of him as a completely out of control nutter

 

I agree. The written histories of him are unreliable.

 

Wow Sallent => you scored another two sweet examples (congrats)

Ummm, pretty sure that I have examples of both of those types ...