Favorite Roman Portraits

Really like the TD portrait!

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

I chose Emperor Caracalla and Empress Aelia Flaccilla.

 

Galba is my favorite, you see a warior emperor/ Commodus hercules type to
most all draped bust types i like

 

Commmodus sestertius portret i like

 

Aside from the Hadrian in my avatar, which I've treated on elsewhere, my favourite is almost certainly this Domitian:


Domitian, 88AD: O: laureate head right, IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM P M TR P VII / R: Minerva standing left, holding spear, IMP XIIII COS XIIII CENS P P P. Seller's photo.

I suspect the guy's been given a slightly unfair shake by Suetonius, Tacitus and the rest, but without doubt he was exceptionally vain and narcissistic. His appearance here I feel must be more or less exactly how he wished himself to be idealised: perfect hair, impossibly strong jawline, the distinctive Flavian nose discreetly reduced a little. It's a pleasingly expressive portrait, as well: the imperial hauteur comes across very directly, and the hints of a curled lip and furrowed eyebrow combine to give him a faintly sneering quality as well. Good stuff all round.

 

"You sunk my battleship!"

 

The variation in Septimius portraits in the early period makes you wonder what he really looked like but the fact that he had been away with the army for years makes it easy to understand. There is even a 193 AD Rome mint portrait that has something of a triple fork. Perhaps that really is how he wore the beard when he had time for grooming but the field expedient cuts were less formal. We will never know. One thing we lack in ancient history is a complete set of their equivalents of today's tabloid journalism. I might not go so far as to say I am happy that we have National Enquirer, The Sun, Entertainment Tonight and a thousand other purveyors of all the news that really might not be fit to print but sells well anyway. I will say that our knowledge of 'news' (real and 'fake') from antiquity is painfully compromised from a lack of multiple and contemporary sources. Few of them emphasize things like how the emperor wore his hair and who designed gowns for the 'First Lady'. If we had such things, we would have less trouble getting young people to sign up for Latin in school (but much more convincing the school board that it was a proper subject).

 

Must I pick just one! great posts you guys.


Roman Empire
Antoninus Pius, AD 138-161
AR Denarius, Rome mint, Struck ca. AD 140-143
Wt.: 3.01 g
Dia.: 17 mm, 6h
Obv.: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS PP TR P COS III; Laureate head right
Rev.: AEQVITAS AVG; Aequitas standing left, holding scales and sceptre
Ref.: RIC III 61; RSC 14


Roman Empire
Constantius Chlorus, AD 293-306
AE Follis, Siscia mint, struck ca. AD 295
Wt.:9.79
Dia.: 28 mm
Obv.: CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES; Laureate bust right
Rev.: GENIO POPVLI ROMANI; Genius standing left holding patera and cornucopia, *SIS in exergue, B in right field.
Ref.: RIC VI 90a

We should do a Greek busts thread next

 

Sorry to post again...but I forgot one.

 

Well I would have to show a few, as I'm not certain of which to prefer




























Of course, asking me tomorrow might imply a different answer

Q

 

CLAUDIUS
AE As
OBVERSE: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG P M TRP IMP P P - Bare head left
REVERSE: CONSTANTIAE AVGVSTI - Constantia standing left, raising hand and holding spear; S C across fields
Struck at Spain, 42/3AD
12.7g, 25mm
RIC111, BMC201, S1858

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

DOMITIAN
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG - GERM P M TR P VIII Head laureate right
REVERSE: IMP XVII COS XIIII CENS P P P Minerva fighting right with spear and shield atop capital of rostral column, owl at her feet
Struck at Rome, 88-89 AD
3.55g, 18.44mm
RIC 657 (R )

 

WOW knockouts.

 

Love collecting Gallienus, also really like his early stuff.
One of my first ancient coins, bought after finishing HBO's Rome. Always had a soft spot for this ZOmbie Agrippa.

 

I like the Jovian, but he wasn't very victorious, was he?

 

Great portraits everyone!!! Keep them coming!!

 

A Caligula with no back/ is for me i buy a house with no back door

 

Sorry Ro. The thread was on portraits; hence, the obverse-only photo. Here's the whole coin.

 

thanks

 

Thank you, I agree! It's my only Decius. I held out for it because I thought it was an exceptional portrait compared to most.

As an aside, I wish I knew who "CG" is. I find the anonymity of these kinds of provenances very frustrating. They almost might as well not bother to tell me. CG might as well be random letters the auction house threw together. There's an AK collection too. Maybe someday AK and CG and all the others will reveal themselves.