Hilaritas versus Laetitia -- what's the difference?

Over the long tenure of the Roman Empire, the personifications of Hilaritas and Laetitia were standard fare on coinage, particularly on the coins of empresses. Typically, they can be easily distinguished by the reverse inscriptions, though their attributes are different: Hilaritas typically holds a cornucopiae and palm branch or scepter and may be accompanied by children, whereas Laetitia typically holds some combination of a scepter, wreath, ears of grain, or an anchor or rudder.

Let's see your Hilaritas or Laetitias or anything you feel is relevant!

Here are a few examples of each from my collection:

Hilaritas:


Julia Domna, AD 193-217.
Roman AR denarius, 2.25 g, 17.5 mm, 6 h.
Rome, AD 202.
Obv: IVLIA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: HILARITAS, Hilaritas standing left, holding long palm branch and scepter.
Refs: RIC 555; BMCRE 32-33; Cohen/RSC 76; RCV 6585; CRE 347.



Tetricus I, AD 271-274.
Roman billon antoninianus, 2.73 g, 20.3 mm, 7 h.
Mainz or Trier, AD 273-274.
Obv: IMP TETRICVS P F AVG, radiate, cuirassed bust right.
Rev: HILARITAS AVGG, Hilaritas standing left, holding long palm and cornucopiae.
Refs: RIC 80; Cohen 54; RCV 11237; Elmer 789; Hunter 16.

Laetitia:


Faustina II, AD 147-175.
Roman AR denarius, 2.60 g, 17 mm, 7 h.
Rome, under Marcus Aurelius, AD 161-175 Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, draped bust right.
Rev: LAETITIA, Laetitia standing left, holding wreath and scepter.
Refs: RIC 700; BMCRE --; Cohen 147; RCV 5258 var; CRE 197.



Gallienus, AD 253-268.
Roman billon antoninianus, 3.20 g, 21.6 mm, 6 h.
Rome, AD 262-263.
Obv: GALLIENVS AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust, right.
Rev: LAETITIA AVG, Laetitia standing left, holding wreath and anchor, V in right field.
Refs: RIC 226F; Göbl 498q; Cohen/RSC 424; RCV 10250; Hunter 15.

The difference in meaning between hilaritas and laetitia:

Two personifications, two different sets of attributes, but what's the difference in meaning between hilaritas and laetitia? That's a little hard to answer because the difference is subtle, having more to do with connotation than denotation. It should be noted that the two words became synonymous in poetry and in later Latin prose. However, in classical Latin, hilaritas connotes a feeling of cheerfulness, gayety, joyousness, merriment, or hilarity ...


... whereas laetitia connotes a feeling of joy, exultation, rejoicing, gladness, pleasure, or delight.


A helpful way to think of them is that hilaritas conveys a sense of happiness along with a sense of cheerfulness or merriment. THIS is hilaritas:



Laetitia conveys more a sense of joy and delight. THIS is laetitia:

 

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Laetitia

 

Your coins are good examples of how Laetitia is not only depicted with a scepter, but often with an anchor or rudder instead of a scepter. I like the patina on your Philip I LAET FVNDATA bronze (sestertius or as?)!

 

Iit's a sestertius

 

HILARITAS:

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


LAETITIA:

RI Pertinax 193 BC AE Sestertius rome mint LAETITIA RIC 17 C 21

 

Hilaritas:

Laetitia:

 

It seems that Hilaritas is usually found on the reverse of issues for the royal ladies. But not always - in addition to the Tetricus in the OP, here is another masculine example on a sestertius for Commodus.



Commodus Æ Sestertius
(c. 186-187 A.D.)
Rome Mint
M COMMODVS ANTP FELIX AVG BRIT, laureate head right / HILARITAS AVG P M TR P XII IMP VIII COSV PP SC, Hilaritas standing left holding branch and long palm.
RIC 498 (or 497? HILARIT)
(24.15 grams / 29 x 26 mm)

 

This one came in the mail yesterday, courtesy of @Severus Alexander via AMCC's first auction! This is the same type as @gogili1977 's example, above:


Julia Domna, AD 193-217.
Roman AR denarius, 2.84 g, 18.5 mm, 6 h.
Rome, AD 208.
Obv: IVLIA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: HILARITAS, Hilaritas standing facing, head left, holding palm branch and cornucopiae, children to either side.
Refs: RIC 557; BMCRE 34-36; Cohen/RSC 79; RCV 6587; Hill 985; CRE 350.
Notes: ex AMCC; ex Spartan Numismatics.