Caracalla and his momma--Pentassaria from Marcianopolis

A couple of well-circulated bronze provincials of Marcianopolis, each depicting Caracalla and Julia Domna. It's interesting to note that Caracalla bears the Latin title of Augustus simply transliterated into Greek as ΑVΓΟVCΤΟC rather than translated as CEBACTH, as might be expected.

We know the coins were issued between 212 and 217 because they bear the name of Quintilanus, known only from coins of Caracalla and Domna during his sole reign.

Each bear the mark of value, Є (=5), in the left field on the reverse, marking the denomination (pentassarion).

Post your Caracalla and Domna coins, pentassaria from Marcianopolis, Homonoia coins, Serapis coins, or anything you feel is relevant!

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Homonoia (ὁμόνοια) was the personification of oneness of mind, unanimity, and concord. She is the Greek equivalent of the Latin Concordia.


Caracalla, AD 198-217, with mother, Julia Domna, AD 193-217.
Roman provincial Æ pentassarion, 26.1 mm, 10.68 g, 7h.
Moesia Inferior, Marcianopolis; Quintilianus, legatus consularis, AD 212-217.
Obv: ΑΝΤΩΝΙΝΟC ΑVΓΟVCΤΟC ΙΟVΛΙΑ ΔΟΜΝΑ, confronted busts of Caracalla and Domna.
Rev: VΠ ΚVΝΤΙΛΙΑΝΟV ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ, Homonoia standing at altar, holding patera and cornucopiae; Є (=5) in field, left.
Refs: AMNG I 677; Moushmov 489; BMC --.

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At the outset of his reign, Caracalla declared divine support for the Egyptian deity Serapis, a god of healing. The temple of Isis and Serapis in Alexandria was apparently renovated during Caracalla's co-rule with his father Septimius Severus. Upon Caracalla's ascension to sole ruler in 212, the imperial mint began striking coins bearing Serapis' image. This was a reflection of the god's central role during Caracalla's reign. This provincial issue therefore comes as no surprise; it depicts a tetrastyle temple containing a cult statue of Serapis within.


Caracalla, AD 198-217, with mother, Julia Domna, AD 193-217.
Roman provincial Æ Pentassarion, 25.5 mm, 12.01 g, 7 h.
Moesia Inferior, Marcianopolis; Quintilianus, legatus consularis, AD 212-217.
Obv: ΑΝΤΩΝΙΝΟC ΑVΓVCΤΟC ΙΟVΛΙΑ ΔΟΜΝΑ, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Caracalla right vis-à-vis draped bust of Julia Domna left.
Rev: VΠ ΚVΝΤΙΛ-ΙΑΝ ΜΑΡΚΙΑ-NΟΠΟΛΙΤΩ-Ν, Tetrastyle temple with peaked roof and clipeus in pediment, statue of Serapis within, standing left, raising right hand and holding scepter; Є (mark of value) to left of Serapis.
Refs: AMNG 689 var.; H&J Marcianopolis, 6.19.46.7 (same dies); Varbanov 1049; Moushmov 508; SNG Evelpides 812 var.; Lindgren II 713 var.; BMC 3. 30, 19 var.; SNRIS Marcianopolis 09.

 

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Love the temple of serapis congrats Roman collector. Caracalla made many offerings to Serapis , hoping to get ride of his nightmares where his bro Geta and his father Severus were pursuing him with their gladius trying to kill him.

 

Nice Caracalla and mommy coins. I only recently acquired my first, also from Marcianopolis. The denomination mark on it is retrograde.


CARACALLA with JULIA DOMNA
AE28. 13.41g, 28mm. MOESIA INFERIOR, Marcianopolis. Varbanov 1010. O: ANTΩNINOC AVΓOVCTOC IOVΛIA ΔOMNA, Laureate head of Caracalla and draped bust of Julia Domna facing one another. R: VΠ KVNTILIANOV MAPKIANOΠOΛITΩN, Roma (or Athena) standing left, holding patera and poppy; serpent-entwined tree to left, shield and spear to right; Э in right field.

 

Nice @Roman Collector . Mommy and son...so quaint for a little monster. I always wondered who the REAL Julia Domna was producing such as son...

Provincials are not really my strong suit...

Here is a Markianopolis and Serapis rolled into one...

RI Didumenian and Macrinus 217-218 CE AE28 Markianopolis mint Serapis

Nope, not mommy and son together...
Caracalla

RI Caracalla 198-217 AR Quinarius CE 213 1.3g 13.6mm Laureate - Victory Wreath Palm RIC IV 101 RSC 450 RARE

Julia-D

RI Julia Domna 196-211 CE AE As Hilaritas cornuc RIC IVa 877

My only Homonoia:

RI Diadumenian 217-218 AE26 Nicopolis ad Istrum Homonoia stdg

And, I do not have a Pentassarion per se.... BUT: Penta is 5 and Assarion is reminiscent of Roman Asses... HEY! I have a QUINCUNX that represents 5 UNCIA!

For @dougsmith: It may be ugly, but it be FIVE...Uncia

RR Anon 210 BCE AE 23 Quincunx 6.96g Apollo P behind Dioscuri Luceria 5 pellets Craw 99-4 Syd 309 Sear 910 Very Rare

 

I have a son and mother pentassarion as well..Forntuna reverse.

 

Not sure if I have posted this before, apologies if I have.
Same type as RC's coin with maybe an Obverse die match, the Reverse has the end of the legend in the fields though.

 

Nice coin, @Andres2 ! I have one that is similar, but issued five years later, dated TR P XX COS IIII, RIC 289c:

Wow, @zumbly ! Lovely coin with a gorgeous patina and interesting reverse type. Now I need to get one of those serpent-entwined tree types!

Provincials may not be your strong suit, @Alegandron , but you picked a winner with that Serapis! The god's image on the reverse of your Didumenian and Macrinus from Marcianopolis is very well-rendered.

Nice one, @chrsmat71 ! That's a nicely-preserved example, too. I like Domna's pensive portrait on the obverse.

Yes, @tenbobbit , that's an obverse die-match to my example. If you look at the letters in the inscription, you can see they are completely superimposable:



This is probably the die described in Pick (AMNG 1, p. 226) as having the M and N in ΔΟΜΝΑ tied together, such that the final downstroke of the M is also the first downstroke of the N. This is the example in Vienna (#5) he cites as "Wien Froelich 4 tentam. 261, 133 Abb. d.":



You'll also note Pick describes the reverse die (with ΩΝ in the field) used on your coin as being used in examples 3 (Neapel Cat. 6294) and 4 (Sophia).

Pick is very helpful and, while I have a print copy, it is available online here: Vol. I, part 1 and part 2.

 

Thanks for the extra info RC, unfortunately this is where I fail miserably due to my lack of computer skills.
I can just about get by with my limited ability but advanced searches are beyond me.
Still at the " fingers " background stage of PC skills

 

Not a full Serapis, just his head.