Article: An unnoticed portrait of Hadrian’s first heir, L. Aelius Caesar, in Rome’s Casino Aurora?

An interesting article:

An unnoticed portrait of Hadrian’s first heir, L. Aelius Caesar, in Rome’s Casino Aurora?

https://villaludovisi.org/2019/11/1...-heir-l-aelius-caesar-in-romes-casino-aurora/



I have none, but show your Aelius coins!

 

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My only Aelius example, and it's in realy poor condition.


AELIUS
AE As
OBVERSE: L AELIVS CAESAR - Bare head right
REVERSE: PANNO-NIA S-C across field, TR POT COS II,
Pannonia standing right, head left, holding vexillum in
right hand and pulling swath of drapery across legs with
left hand
Struck at Rome, 137 AD
23.5g, 30mm
RIC 1071 (Hadrian), S 1217

 

Cool article, thanks for posting it.


Aelius (136 - 138 A.D.)
AR Denarius
O: L AELIVS CAESAR, bare head right.
R: TR POT COS II, Felicitas standing left, caduceus in left, cornucopia in right.
Rome Mint, 137 A.D.
3.16g
18mm
SRCV II 3973, RIC II Hadrian 430, RSC II 50, BMCRE III Hadrian 969

 

Here’s my recent example.

Aelius: The Emperor Who Wasn’t

Roman Empire
Aelius as Caesar (AD 136-138)
AR Denarius, Rome mint, struck AD 137
Dia.: 17 mm
Wt.: 3.24 g
Obv.: L AELIVS CAESAR Bare head right
Rev.: TR POT COS II Felicitas standing left holding caduceus and cornucopia
Ref.: RIC II 430 (Hadrian) Scarce
Ex Pars Sale 3, lot 357 (Oct. 2019), Ex Numismatik Naumann 75, lot 643 (Mar. 2019), Formerly slabbed by NGC

 

Wow. I'd think any collector of ancient Roman coins looking at that bust would immediately think "that's Aelius". Perhaps in the absence of a prominent placard stating the (now presumed incorrect) name of the emperor, coin collectors who saw this bust simply assumed it was Aelius, so they had no reason to inform the management of Pallavicini Casino dell'Aurora about the error?


EGYPT, Alexandria. Aelius
137 CE
Billon tetradrachm; 23 mm, 13.16 gm
Obv: ΛAIΛIOCKAICAP; bare head right
Rev: ΔHM EΞOVC VΠAT B; Homonoia standing left, holding cornucopiae and patera over garlanded altar
Ref: Emmett 1350.2; Köln 1271; Milne 1539
Secret Santa gift 2018; Ex Theodosius Collection
Ex John A. Seeger Collection

 

Maybe somewhere along the line the labeling of that bust as Marcus Aurelius rather than Aelius was purposeful. Marcus Aurelius is a much more interesting and important historical figure. Perhaps a seller of the bust was being devious?

 

AELIUS, Caesar. 137 AD. Philippopolis, Thrace. (Æ 33; 21.34 gm)
Obv: Λ AIΛIOC KAICAP, cuirassed bust of Aelius, r., bare head, with paludamentum seen from rear. Rev. ΦIΛIΠΠOΠO - LEITΩN, Female figure wearing polos standing l., holding patera in r. hand and poppy and two ears of corn in l. hand; on l., river-god (Hebrus) reclining. BMC__ ; SNG Cop.__; Moushmov__; Varbanov 643, rarity 9; RPC III, 753.

 

My only Aelius:


RI Aelius Caesar 138 CE AE As 26mm Rome mint Fortuna-Spes cornucopia and rudder

 

Mine is a very rough sestertius...



AELIUS (136-138). Sestertius. Rome.
Obv: L AELIVS CAESAR.
Bare headed and draped bust right.
Rev: TR POT COS II / S-C.
Fortuna standing right, holding rudder and cornucopia, Spes standing left, holding flower.
30MM . 22.32GM

 

Terrific article - thanks for sharing it. I wouldn't be surprised if there are other Imperial busts tucked away in Italian palaces and villas misidentified in cobwebby nooks. These "heads" were avidly collected for centuries and I'd imagine often over-optimistically labeled - Aurelius, Hannibal, Scipio, etc. rater than "unidentified guy with a beard."

I wish I had an Aelius coin to share, but I don't.

 

Very interesting. Aelius is high on my list, too. Preferably an Alexandrian coin.

 

I agree. Looking at coins are how most ancient busts are attributed anyway. Collectors who look at coins obsessively are the ones to ask (We don't know anyone like that, do we?)



Aelius. Sestertius. 30 mm.
PANNONIA
TR POT COS II (137)
Sear II 3981. RIC (Hadrian) 1059.

 

Here's a humble sestertius of the man!


Aelius, Caesar AD 136-138.
Roman orichalcum sestertius, 27.19 g, 30.6 mm, 7 h.
Rome, AD 137.
Obv: L AELIVS CAESAR, bare head, right.
Rev: TR POT COS II, Spes advancing left, holding flower and raising skirt.
Refs: RIC 1055; BMCRE 1914; Cohen 56; RCV 3986; UCR 825.

 

I'm glad this thread was revived so I had a chance to read the article -- fascinating.

My one Aelius Caesar coin: Aelius Caesar AR Denarius, 137 AD. Obv. AELIVS CAESAR, bare head right / Rev. TR POT COS II, Felicitas standing left, holding caduceus and cornucopiae. RSC II 50, RIC II Hadrian 430 (1926 ed.). 18 mm., 2.70 g.



(Interesting that all three of the Aelius denarii posted in this thread are of this type.)

 

That is interesting. I had to look to see what I have and it is the same too.

 

4 for 4! A small sample size, I know, but I still think it's quite a coincidence, given that there are more than 25 different types of Aelius Caesar denarii -- not as many as actual emperors, of course, but enough to make it rather odd that all of us seem to have the same one.