The 12 Dii Consentes, the Roman equivalent of the Olympian gods

The Dii Consentes were twelve major deities in the pantheon of Ancient Rome, six gods and six goddesses, represented by twelve gilt statues in the Forum. Livy* arranges them in six male-female pairs: Jupiter-Juno, Neptune-Minerva, Mars-Venus, Apollo-Diana, Vulcan-Vesta and Mercury-Ceres.

Most of the Dii Consentes are amply represented on coins of Rome and make for an interesting subcollection. Let’s see your examples of any of these gods and goddesses!

*The Founding of the City XXII.10.9

JUPITER:


Licinius I, AD 308-324.
Roman billon follis, 3.43 g, 19.1 mm, 11 h.
Antioch, sixth officina, AD 321-323.
Obv: IMP C VAL LICIN LICINIVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust, right.
Rev: IOVI CONSERVATORI, Jupiter standing left, holding Victory on globe and eagle-tipped scepter, another eagle to feet to left, captive seated on ground to right; X/IIΓ in field, right; SMANTS in exergue.
Refs: RIC vii, p. 682, 35; Cohen 74; RCV 15225.

JUNO:


Julia Soaemias, Mother of Elagabalus, AD 218-222.
Roman AR Denarius, 2.65 g, 18.6 mm, 5 h.
Rome, AD 218.
Obv: IVLIA SOAEMIAS AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust right.
Rev: IVNO REGINA, Juno, veiled, standing right, holding scepter and Palladium.
Refs: RIC 237; BMCRE 41-43; Cohen 3; RCV 7718; CRE 464.

NEPTUNE:


Agrippa, 18-12 BC.
Roman Æ as, 10.35 g, 27.3 mm, 7 h.
Rome, under Caligula, AD 37-41.
Obv: M AGRIPPA L F COS III, head left, wearing rostral crown.
Rev: S - C, Neptune standing left, holding small dolphin and trident.
Refs: RIC 58 (Caligula); BMCRE 161 (Tiberius); RCV 1812; Cohen 3 (Agrippa); CBN 77.

MINERVA:


Domitian, AD 81-96.
Roman AR denarius, 3.44 g, 17.2 mm, 7 h.
Rome, AD 91.
Obv: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM P M TR XI (error; should read TR P XI), laureate head, right.
Rev: IMP XII COS XV CENS P P P, Minerva advancing right, brandishing a javelin and holding a shield.
Refs: RIC 156; RIC² 724; BMCRE p. 336, note; Cohen 269; RCV --.

MARS:


Trajan, AD 98-117.
Roman AR denarius, 2.92 gm, 20.1 mm, 7 h.
Rome, AD 114-117.
Obv: IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GER DAC, laureate and draped bust, right.
Rev: P M TR P COS VI P P S P Q R, Mars walking right with spear and trophy.
Refs: RIC 337; BMCRE 536; Cohen 270; RCV --; Woytek 520v; Strack 230; BN 819.

VENUS:


Lucilla, AD 164-169
Roman Æ as, 11.49 g, 25.4 mm, 11 h.
Rome, AD 164-166.
Obv: LVCILLAE AVG ANTONINI AVG F, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: VENVS S C, Venus standing right, raising drapery from shoulder and holding apple in left hand.
Refs: RIC 1770; BMCRE 1187; MIR 20; RCV 5523; Cohen 80.

 

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APOLLO:


Gordian III, AD 238-244.
Roman AE Sestertius; 20.01 gm, 28.2 mm, 11 h.
Rome, 5th officina. 9th emission, AD 241.
Obv: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust, right.
Rev: PM TRP IIII COS II PP SC, Apollo seated left, holding laurel branch and resting left arm on lyre.
Refs: RIC 302; Cohen 252; Sear --; Banti 72.

DIANA:


Faustina II, AD 147-175.
Rome, issued under Antoninus Pius, AD 154-156.
Æ Sestertius, 25.19 g, 31.2 mm, 6 h.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA AVG PII F, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: S C, Diana standing left, holding arrow and resting on bow.
Refs: RIC 1383; BMCRE 2180; Cohen 206; RCV 4717.

VULCAN:


Valerian I, AD 253-260.
Roman AR antoninianus, 2.69 g, 21.2 mm, 7 h.
Colonia Agrippina (Cologne) mint, AD 259-260.
Obv: VALERIANVS·P·F·AVG, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right.
Rev: DEO VOLKANO, Vulcan standing left within tetrastyle temple, hammer raised in right hand, tongs downward in left.
Refs: RIC 5 (inaccurately attributed to the Lugdunum mint); Cohen 2 (inaccurately attributed to Valerian II); RSC 50c; Göbl 884d; Hunter IV 56; RCV 9934.

VESTA:


Julia Mamaea, AD 222-235.
Roman AR denarius; 3.15 g, 18.3 mm, 5 h.
Rome mint, 7th emission, AD 227.
Obv: IVLIA MAMAEA AVG, diademed and draped bust right.
Rev: VESTA, Vesta standing left, holding patera and transverse scepter.
Refs: RIC 362; BMCRE 440; Cohen 85; RCV 8218; CRE 513.

MERCURY:


Gallienus, AD 253-268.
Roman billon Antoninianus, 3.34 g, 21.2 mm, 11 h.
Antioch, AD 267.
Obv: GALLIENUVS AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right.
Rev: FIDES AVG, Mercury with six-pack abs, standing left, holding purse and caduceus; PXV (= TR P XV) in exergue.
Refs: RIC 607F; RSC 219b; Göbl 1667k; RCV 10212; Hunter p. lxx.

CERES:


Faustina I, AD 138-141.
Roman orichalcum sestertius; 22.86 g, 30.5 mm, 6 h.
Rome, AD 147-161.
Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: AVGV STA SC, Ceres standing left, holding corn ears in right hand and short torch slightly inclined to right in left hand.
Refs: RIC 1117; BMCRE 1513; Cohen 79; RCV --.

 

Great coins RC, I suppose most of us have one or two in our collection. I will throw in a silver republican Vesta and her temple.

 

MERCURY



Q HER ETR MES DECIVS NOB C - Draped bust of Herennius Etruscus right
PIETAS AVGG S C - Mercury standing left, holding purse in right hand, caduceus in left
Sestertius, Rome, spring 250-mid 251 AD
28mm / 15.72 gr
RIC IV 167a corr. (draped) (R 2); Cohen 12, Banti 1

 

Great coins and post

 

Interesting post! Looking through my file for my examples of each of these, it was striking to note how infrequently some of the 12 (eg., Vulcan, Ceres, Diana) appeared on coins compared to how often other deities or personifications like Sol, Pax, Pietas, Concordia etc etc featured.

JUPITER (Licinius, AE Follis)


JUNO (Crispina, AR Denarius)


NEPTUNE (Claudius II, AE Antoninianus)


MINERVA (Domitian, AR Denarius)


MARS (Gordian III, AR Antoninianus)


VENUS (Julia Domna, AR Denarius)

 

APOLLO (Caracalla, AR Denarius)


DIANA (Antoninus Pius, AR Denarius)


VULCAN (Valerian, Billon Antoninianus)


VESTA (Caligula, AE As)


MERCURY (Gallienus, Billon Antoninianus)


CERES (Claudius, AE Dupondius)

 

We rarely get an original subject here anymore but this is a good one. I find the six pairings an interesting idea. We have the king and queen; strength and wisdom; war and love. Apollo is the male who best displayed a feminine side while his sister Diana, the huntress, had no problem keeping up with the boys. Vulcan and Vesta gave us the commonly paired concepts of hearth and home. I am at a bit of a loss to tie up Mercury and Ceres in a neat little package like the others. Help, please!

Religions tend to develop over time. The twelve here had to yield a bit in later days to new (to Rome) gods which also came as a pair. Here is Isis and Serapis from the time of Commodus.


We were challenged to show coins of the twelve. Some are easier than others. Most difficult will be to show coins with the pairs shown together. I doubt there are very many of the six pairs. I know I do not have them.
Apollo and Diana.
SEVERUS ALEXANDER SELEUCIA AD CALYCADNUM 222-235 AD
AE25 ARTEMIS/APOLLO BUSTS ex. Ken Dorney 1999



I'll rush to be third to show the Valerian Vulcan. Who has a different coin of this god?

 

All nice examples zumbly, I really love that Claudius Ceres an excellent example
with ceres in great detail and best of all I love the Claudius portrait with his tough don't get in my way or I will step on you look.

 

Lovely coins, @Ancient Aussie @Julius Germanicus @zumbly and @dougsmit !

Doug, thanks as always for your insightful and thought-provoking comments.

Mercury was the god of transporting and selling stuff while Ceres was the goddess of growing stuff. The Yin and Yang of Ceres and Mercury might be seen as that of groceries and grocer.

I like how you've linked Isis and Serapis to the original twelve. It never dawned on me to include them, but now that you've pointed it out, their parallel to the other members of the Dii Consentes is obvious!

So I shall add SERAPIS and ISIS:


Annia Faustina, AD 221.
Roman provincial AE 25.0 mm, 8.55 g.
Pisidia, Isinda, AD 221.
Obv: ANNIAN FAVCTEINAN, bare-headed and draped bust right.
Rev: [ΙΣ] ΙΝ ΔΕΩΝ, Confronted heads of Serapis and Isis, in field, E-Delta (yr. 4 ).
Refs: Ex Lindgren I A1322A, ex von Aulock, Pisidia I 833.

 

Roman Collector, you are risking an outburst of jelousy and rage from Vulcan! Venus is his wife! And you coupled her with Mars!

 

GREAT idea @Roman Collector ! Great coins and great collecting idea.

DII Under the ROMAN REPUBLIC (yeah, the folks who STARTED them.)

JUPITER:

RR Anon AR Heavy Quinarius Quadrigatus Drachm 216-214 BCE Janus ROMA Jupiter Victory Quadriga LEFT Cr 29-4 Sear 35 Scarce

JUNO:

RR Hd Juno Sospita R goat skin hddrss She-wolf R placing stick on fire eagle stndng fanning flames 45 BCE 19.0mm 4.07g Cr 472-1

NEPTUNE:

RR Lucretius Trio 76 BCE AR Den Neptune dolphin boy S 322 Cr 390-2

MINERVA:

RR Anon AE Triens 157-156 BC Minerva Prow RARE Cr 198B-3 S 989

MARS:


RR Anon Ca 240 BCE AR Heavy Quinarius Drachm 16mm 3.0g Rome Helmet Hd Mars r - Horse’s hd sickle Cr 25-2 Syd 25 RSC 34a Rare

VENUS:

RR Naevius Balbus 79 BCE AR Den Venus SC TRIGA Sulla S 309 Cr 382-1

 

APOLLO:

RR Anon 234-231 BCE AR Heavy Denarius - Didrachm Apollo-Horse prancing Crawford 26-1 Sear 28

DIANA:

RR C Hosidius C F Geta 68 BCE Diana bow quiver Boar Hound spear Sear 346 Craw 407-2

VULCAN:

Samnium Aesernia 263-240 BC AE 20 Vulcan Pilos Tongs Jupiter Biga

VESTA:

RI Vitellius 69 CE AR Denarius Pont Max Vesta Seated RIC 107

MERCURY:

RR Anon AE Semuncia 217-215 Mercury Prow S 620 Cr 38-7

CERES:

RI Titus 79-81 CE AR Denarius Ceres seated corn ear poppy torch

 

I believe out of all these I only have Apollo...

 

Speak of the Devil (or Neptune!) Just received this in the mail today. It's from the venerable John Anthony (ex @Sallent collection)...

Septimius Severus, A.R. Denarius, Rome mint, 210 C.E.

3.3 grams, 19.1 mm

Obverse: Laureate head right, SEVERVS PIVS AVG

Reverse: PMTRP XVIII COS III PP

Neptune standing left, nude but for cloak over left shoulder and right arm, right foot on rock, right arm resting on right knee, trident vertical behind in left hand

 

One of my favorite reverses is on this Augustus aureus, with Diana in full hunting regalia:

DIANA:



AUGUSTUS
AV Aureus (7.90 g.) Lugdunum circa 11 - 10 B.C. RIC 196
AVGVSTVS - DIVI-f Laureate head right. Rev. IMP - XII Diana, wearing polos and long drapery, advancing right, holding bow and taking arrow from quiver. In exergue, SICIL.
From the Biaggi collection, ex Gilhofer & Ranschburg and Hess 22 May 1935

 

The reverse of the following coin seems to be marrying Apollo wit Diana. Don't need to post 2 coins. Claudius II

 

Awesome Republican examples!!

 

That's an awesome idea for a collection @Roman Collector !

I missing a couple, but I've accumulated several coins of Juno.


2 with peacock buddy.





This one Sospita flavored.

 

I just noticed your coin is an obverse and reverse die-match to one in my collection:

Yours:


Mine: