While Rome Burned

The Great Fire of Rome was an urban fire that started on the night between 18 and 19 July in the year 64 AD. It caused widespread devastation, before being brought under control after six days. Differing accounts either blame Emperor Nero for initiating the fire or credit him with organizing measures to contain it and provide relief for refugees. In response to the accusations that he was responsible for the fire, Nero blamed the devastation on the Christian community in the city, initiating the empire's first persecution of the Christians.




So, in honor of this auspicious anniversary, post your Nero coins.


NERO
AR Drachm
OBVERSE: NERO CLAVD DIVI CLAVD F CAESAR AVG GERM, laureate head of Nero right.
REVERSE: DIVOS CLAVD AVGVST GERMANIC PATER AVG, Claudius' laureate head right
Struck at Caesarea, Cappodocia, 63/4AD
3.6g, 17mm
RIC 621, RSC 3, RPC 3648


NERO
AE As
OBVERSE: NERO CAESAR AVG GERM IMP - Laureate head right
REVERSE: No legend - Victory advancing left, holding shield
Struck at Rome, 65AD
8.5g, 26mm
RIC 312, BMC 241, S 1976


NERO
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: NERO CAESAR AVGVSTVS - Laureate head right
REVERSE: No legend Exe: SALVS - Salus seated left, holding patera
Struck at Rome, 65/6AD
2.9g, 18mm
RIC 60, BMC 90, C 314


NERO
AR Billon Tetradrachm
OBVERSE: NERW KLAV KAIS SEB GER, radiate bust right, wearing aegis
REVERSE: AVTOKPA, draped bust of Alexandria right in elephant skin headdress, LIB to right, year 12
Struck at Alexandria, Egypt, 65/6AD
10.8g, 28mm
Köln 172-174; Curtis 36-54, Dattari 204, SGI 633, RPC 5289.

 

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I was reading the Wiki article on the Great Fire and from there went to the page about the Domus Aurea, the palace Nero built on land cleared by the fire, and found this line: '"Three hundred years after his death, tokens bearing his head were still being given out at public spectacles—a memento of the greatest showman of them all.'"

Anyone have any info on these supposed tokens? Are there any surviving examples?

BTW here is a Nero coin I used to own. I believe someone here on CT owns it now.

 

Nero (54 - 68 A.D.)
AR Tetradrachm
SYRIA, Seleucis and Pieria. Antioch
O: NEPΩNOΣ KAICAPOΣ ΣEBAΣTOY, Laureate bust right, wearing aegis.
R: Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, with wings spread; palm frond to left, H/IP (dates) to right.
Dated year 110 of the Caesarian era; RY 8 (AD 61/62).
27mm
13.4g
RPC I 4182; McAlee 258; Prieur 82.


Nero (54 - 68 A.D.)
AR Denarius
O: NERO CAESAR AVGVSTVS, Laureate head right.
R: IVPPITER CVSTOS, Jupiter seated left with thunderbolt & scepter.
Rome Mint (66 - 67 A.D.)
3.1g
18mm
RSC II 119, RIC I 53


Poppaea (63 - 65 A.D.)
Billon tetradrachm
O: NEPΩ KΛAY KAIΣ ΣEB ΓEP AY, radiate head right.
R.ΠOΠΠAIA ΣEBAΣTH, draped bust of Poppaea right, date LI right (year 10).
Alexandria mint 63 - 64 A.D.
12.5g
25mm
Milne 216, Curtis 132, RPC I 5275, Geissen 157

 

Awesome post and coin Bing!

The Domus Aurea probably had the first rotating dining room in history.


Achaea. Corinthia, Corinth. Nero Æ20. Claudius Anaxilaus and P. Ventidius Fronto
Corinthia, Corinth. Nero. 54-68 AD. Æ 20mm . Ti. Claudius Anaxilaus and P. Ventidius Fronto, Duovirs. Struck 67-68 AD. Laureate head of Nero left / Nero stands facing within tetrastyle temple. BCD Corinth 480. SNG Copenhagen 235-236. RPC I 1208.


Lycaonia, Iconium. Nero Æ20. Head of Perseus
Nero Æ20 of Iconium, Lycaonia. 54-68.
Obv: NEPWN KAICAP CEBACTOC Laureate head r.
Rev: KLAYDEIKONIEWN Head of Perseus r., harpa over shoulder.
RPC 3545. 4.3g, 20mm


Phrygia, Prymnessus. Nero. Æ 20mm. Ti. Julius Proclus, magistrate.
Obv: Laureate head right; NEPO NA KAISAP A - PRYMNHSSHS.
Rev: Dikaiosyne standing left, holding scales and grain ears; TI IOYLIOY PPKLOY in legend.
RPC I 3207; von Aulock, Phrygiens 1031.
Ti. Julius Proclus, magistrate.

 

my only nero...

 

Good opportunity, let's "Nero~ing" again !



Nero, Denarius, Rome mint, AD 64/65
NERO CAESAR, laureate head of Nero right
AVGVSTVS GERMANICVS, Nero standing facing, holding branch and victory on globe
3,32 gr
Ref : RCV #1941, Cohen #45, RIC # 47
The following comment, from NFA, auction XX catalog, # 118 :
Nero's coinage reform of A.D. 64 saw a reduction in the weight standard of both the aureus and denarius denominations. A whole new range of reverse types was introduced with an unmistakably imperial flavor, in marked contrast to the senatorial types of the pre-reform coinage. This coin depicts a standing figure of the emperor, wearing the radiate crown of the sun god Sol, holding a branch of peace and a small figure of Victory. An allusion to the settlement of the Parthian question, following Corbulo's successes in Armenia in A.D. 63, seems unmistakable. It is tempting to identify this reverse type with the statue of the sun god, with the facial features of the emperor, erected by Nero in front of his Domus Aurea (Golden House), which was one of the principal features of the reconstruction following the Great Fire of Rome in A.D. 64. The Flavian Amphitheatre (Colosseum) was later erected on the site of the Domus Aurea's ornamental lake, and received its popular name from its close proximity to Nero's statue



Nero, Dupondius minted in Rome in 65 AD
NERO CLAVD CAESAR AVG GER PM TR P IMP PP, Radiate head of Nero right
ROMA in ex, SC in field, Roma seated left holding wreath and parazonium, , right foot on a helmet
13.06 gr
Ref : RCV #1966, Cohen #280



Nero and Poppaea, tetradrachm Alexandria mint, AD 63-64
NERO KLAY KAIS SEB TEP AY, radiate head of Nero right
TTOTTTTAIA SEBASTH, draped bust of Poppaea right, LI in right field
12.3 gr
Ref : RCV # 2002 v, Emmet # 129

Q

 

Here is my Nero addition Bing, probably one of the buildings that burned the Macellum Magnum.

 

my only nero...



Egypt. Alexandria. Nero. 54-68 AD. Billon Tetradrachm

Dated year 10 (63/4 AD). Obv.: radiate head right. Rev.: draped bust of Serapis right, wearing calathus; LI in lower right field. Milne 222, 25 mm, 13.4g

 

It's called a Contorniate, I have had the luck of actually holding a few but I never have owned one.
From A Vcoins dealers' description:
CONTORNIATES were manufactured mainly in the fourth century AD as New Year's gifts intended to bring good fortune. The obverses often bear portraits of highly respected Greek and Roman rulers (e.g. Alexander the Great) or philosophers (e.g. Homer), whereas the reverses often show themes from mythology. In addition, there are various motifs such as successful charioteers or gladiators. The term contorniate is derived from the Italian word contorno (rim) and denotes the deep furrow on the edge of the medallion. As private persons generally could not afford the artistically manufactured contorniates, they often used old sestertii, generally bearing the portraits of "good" emperors, and hammered up the rim. So also the less wealthy citizens were able to give a "self-made" New Year's token to beloved persons.

https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/an...new_years_token_read_story/13931/Default.aspx

 

Wonderful coins!

I don't have a Nero to share, only this Ustinov.

 

I think the ancient historians gave Nero a bad rap, not only about his liability or nonchalance about the fire but to most things about his reign.

Perhaps that just my own bias speaking because I love his coins!

His Imperials are wonderfully varied and artistic.


Nero
struck in Rome, CE 63
Orichalcum sestertius, 34 mm, 26.7 gm
Obv: NERO CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG GERM P M TR P IMP PP; laureate head right, wearing aegis
Rev: ANNONA AVGVSTI CERES; Ceres, veiled and draped, seated left, holding corn ears and torch, her feet on stool, facing Annona standing right, holding cornucopia; between them, modius on garlanded altar; in background, stern of ship
Ref: RIC 98. Cohen 24

On the opposite end of the artistry scale are his Alexandrian tetradrachms with their ramen noodle devices:


EGYPT, Alexandria. Nero
year 13, CE 66/7
tetradrachm
Obv: NEPΩKΛAYKAIΣΣEBΓEP; radiate head right
Rev: Laureate bust of Apollo right; AYTOKPA; LIΓ
Ref: Emmett 110(13) R1, Milne 248

 

RI Nero AR Tetradrachm 54-68 CE Eagle


RI Prv Lydia Hierocaesarea 54-59 CE Capito under Nero Artemis STAG Leaping RPC 1 2391-2

 

Beautiful sestertius TIF.

 

While Rome burned... did Nero take a selfie?

 

One of the very first Roman coins I bought years ago after randomly stumbling across HJB store in downtown Chicago. Purchased it from Harlan himself.
Denarius, Rome, 65-6 AD, 3.02 g, RIC-60.
Obv: NERO CAESAR AVGVSTVS Head laureate right.
Rx: SALVS in exergue, Salus seated left, resting left elbow on armrest and holding patera with right hand.

 

NERO
AE As. 10.11g, 27.6mm. Rome mint, AD 65. RIC 312. O: NERO CAESAR AVG GERM IMP, laureate head of Nero right. R: Victory, winged, draped, moving left, holding in both hands shield inscribed S P Q R; S C in field.

 

First one is just a little too over the top, for my liking. Justin'credible!

 

All Beautifull coins! The @TIF Sestertius is sublime!

This is my Nero, closed doors:



Nero, 54-68 AD
AE As, Rome mint, ca. 66 AD
Obv.: IMP NERO CAESAR AVG GERM, laureate bust right.
Rev.: PACE P R VBIQ PARTA IANVM CLVSIT, temple of Janus, in field S C
RIC 347