Hope by any other name...

Public Domain: Painting by John William Waterhouse (1847-1917)

Elpis (ἐλπίς) with a flower in hand is depicted on this Alexandrian tetradrachm of Salonina the wife of Gallienus. Elpis is the Greek equivalent of Roman Spes or Hope. Perhaps because these tetradrachms are so different than the Roman republican denarii, what started as a small distraction has become a small collection of Alexandrian coins from the reigns of Valerian and Gallienus. Here's the latest addition from regnal year (RY) 15 of Gallienus.

Egypt, Alexandria, Salonina, Augusta & wife of Gallienus, AD 254-268, Tetradrachm, dated RY 15 (AD 267/8)
Obv: KORNHLIA CALWNEINA CEB, draped bust right, wearing stephane
Rev: Elpis advancing left, holding flower and hem of skirt; palm frond before, IЄ/L (date) to right.
Ref: Dattari (Savio) 5334

This reverse type was introduced by Domitian and continued to be used to the time of Diocletian.[*] The regnal year ended on Aug 28 and the new year started Aug 29th, this coin was issued in the 15th and last year of Gallienus' reign.

The palm branch, a symbol of victory, does not appear on all tetradrachms with Elpis, but seems to always appear on all Elpis reverses for Gallienus and Salonina. Hope for victory?

In 268, Gallienus defeated invaders in Moesia, and put down a revolt in Milan by Aureolus only to be assassinated in a plot by the head of the praetorian guard together with Claudius II and Aurelian. Here's an unusual Gallienus from AD 259/260 - like the one above from Salonina - the portrait was the initial draw on this coin:

Egypt, Alexandria, Gallienus (AD 253-268), Tetradrachm, dated RY 7 of Valerian I & Gallienus (AD 259/260)
Obv: A K Π ΛI OV ΓAΛΛIANOC EV EV C, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right
Rev: Alexandria standing left, wearing turreted crown, holding bust of Sarapis and scepter, L-Z (date)

Prometheus gave mankind fire, and in return, Zeus gave Pandora, the first woman, to the brother of Prometheus, Epimetheus. Elpis, hope, is the one "misery" that fails to escape from Pandora's box in the telling by Hesiod.

For when the woman the unwieldy lid
Had once discover’d, all the miseries hid
In that curs’d cabinet dispers’d and flew
About the world; joys pined, and sorrows grew,
Hope only rested in the boxe’s brim,
And took not wing from thence…
- Hesiod, Work & Days 160​

The "box" was a πίθος (pithos) - which is really a large terracotta storage jar something like this one:

Public Domain image
There is scholarly debate about what it means that Hope (also translated as Expectation) stayed in the pithos. Is "hope" an evil (false expectation) or a good (motivating optimism)? Does it remain in the box for mankind or hidden from mankind?[*][*][*] The painting at the start of this post is of Pandora opening the box, from 1896, oil on canvas. Erasmus of Rotterdam (AD 1456-1536) is most often cited as the source of the mistranslation of Greek πίθος to Latin pyxis (“small box”).[*]

For anyone who made it this far in my wandering thoughts on this coin, Elpis, and Pandora, corrections, additions and comments are as usual appreciated. Share your coins of ἐλπίς, Elpis, Spes or Hope by any other name, coins of Gallienus and Salonina or anything else you find interesting or entertaining.

 

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Great tetradrachms and great write up!
I need to take better pictures before I post. Looking forward to seeing what others post though.

 

BOT on that Salonina!


Cilicia, Tarsos. AE35. Philip I or II / Spes
AVT KAI IOV ΦIΛIΠΠON ЄVT ЄVC CЄ around, Π - Π in field, radiate, draped, cuirassed bust right.
TAPCOV THC MHTPOΠOΛEΩC AMK, Elpis (Spes) standing left, holding flower and pulling on skirt, Γ B across fields.

Philip I or Philip II as Augustus, same obv. die as Ziegler, Smaller German Collections, pl. 42, 799 ("Philip II"); SNG Paris 1730 ("Philip I"); and SNG Aulock 6062 ("Philip I").

The light beard would speak for Philip I, yet the features look different and younger than other portrait dies at Tarsus that are definitely Philip I. -Curtis Clay

 

Great writeup @Sulla80 and great coins.

Here is a SPES reverse on an extremely rare Domitian 'O' m int denarius. If it did not have the hole I would never have been able to afford it.


Domitian AR Denarius Unknown mint in Asia Minor. ‘O’ mint. 76 CE
(19.15mm 3.13g)
Obv: CAES AVG F DOMIT COS III; Head Laureate right, a small ‘O’ is visible below the neck truncation.
Rev: PRINCEP IVVENTVT; SPES standing left with flower
RIC 1489 (R2); BMC 481 [VESPASIAN]; RSC 375a; RPC 1462 (this coin cited as example #2 on RPC online).

 

Excellent @Sulla80 . Again I'm gonna go to bed smarter tonight. Here's an As of Vespasian with Spes on reverse I've never posted here before:

Vespasian As
Rome 76AD 27mm 8.33g
IMP CAESAR VESP AVG COS VII / S-C
SPES holding flower & raising hem of skirt
RIC II 894

 

I love these busts of Gallienus on his Alexandrian tets! The first 2 have palms.

Gallienus, Ruled 253-268 AD
AE Tetradrachm, Egypt, Alexandria
Struck 262/263 AD
Obverse: AYT K Π ΛIK ΓAΛΛIHNOC CEB, laureate and cuirassed bust right.
Reverse: Eagle standing left, head right, holding wreath in beak; before, palm; behind, LI, RY 10.
References: Emmett 3806, Dattari 5276
Size: 23mm, 11.9g


Gallienus, Ruled 253-268 AD
BL Tetradrachm, Egypt, Alexandria
Struck 261/262 AD
Obverse: AVT K Π ΛIK ΓAΛΛIHNOC CEB, laureate and cuirassed bust right, seen from front, slight drapery on left shoulder.
Reverse: Eagle standing left, holding wreath in beak, palm over shoulder, ENATOV to left and L to right (year 9=261/262 AD).
References: Emmett 3802, Dattari 5286, Köln 2908


Gallienus, Ruled 253-268 AD
BL Tetradrachm, Egypt, Alexandria
Struck 263/264 AD
Obverse: AVT K Π ΛIK ΓAΛΛIHNOC CЄB, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Reverse: Tyche standing left, holding rudder and cornucopiae; L IA (retrograde) in left field, RY 11.
References: Emmett 3836, Dattari 5267
Size: 24mm, 9.69g
Notes: Fascinating retrograde date.


(attribution not handy at the moment, but will add. Ex: @jb_depew)

Also, the bust on your Salonina is quite unique... Thinner and more delicate, and more similar to earlier empresses. Mine all have palms.

Cornelia Salonina, Wife of Gallienus who ruled 253-268 AD
AE Tetradrachm, Egypt, Alexandria
Struck 264/265 AD
Obverse: KOPNHΛIA CAΛΩNЄINA CЄB, diademed and draped bust of Salonina right.
Reverse: Eirene standing left, holding olive branch and sceptre; palm before, IB/L (date), (RY 12 = 264/265 AD).
References: Köln 2969; Dattari 5331; Milne 4102; Emmett 3855
Size: 18mm, g
Notes: A very beautiful and intelligent woman, she was extremely loyal to her husband. Opinion is divided as to whether she was murdered in the purge of Gallienus’ family after his murder, or if she survived.

The same type as above.

(attribution not handy at the moment, but will add. Ex: @jb_depew)


Cornelia Salonina, Wife of Gallienus who ruled 253-268 AD
AE Tetradrachm, Egypt, Alexandria, Struck 265/266 AD
Obverse: KOPNEΛΙΑ CAΛΩNEINA CEB, draped bust right, wearing stephane.
Reverse: Eagle standing left, head right, wreath in beak; in left field, palm branch; LIΓ in upper right field, RY 13 (original envelope is incorrect)
References: Emmett 3853, Dattari 5347
Size: 22mm, 6.9g
Ex: The Reverend Willis McGill Collection (McGill was an American missionary stationed in Egypt, who started collecting there during World War I)

The only Alexandrian Elpis in my collection is this Tacitus.

Tacitus, Ruled 275-276 AD
AE Tetradrachm, Egypt, Alexandria, Struck 275/276 AD
Obverse: A K K A TAKITOC CEB, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right.
Reverse: Elpis advancing left, holding flower, raising hem of skirt, ЄTOVC A to right and left, RY 1.
References: Emmett 3975, Dattari 5516
Size: 21.3mm, 9.1g
Ex: X6 Collection

And here are a few of my more recent imperial Spes.

Faustina II, Wife of Marcus Aurelius
AE Sestertius, Struck 145-161 AD, Rome mint
Obverse: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, Bust of Faustina the Younger, draped, right, hair is elaborately dressed in horizontal lines with ringlets down front: it is coiled in a chignon on back of head.
Reverse: AVGVSTI PII FIL, Spes, draped, standing front, head left, holding up flower-bud in right hand and gathering up fold of skirt in left, S-C across field.
References: RIC III 1371
Size: 30mm, 23.5g


Antoninus Pius, Ruled 138-161 AD
AE Sestertius, Struck 140-144 AD, Rome
Obverse: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P COS III, Laureate head right.
Reverse: Spes, draped, advancing left, holding dress and gathering up fold of skirt, S-C across fields.
References: RIC III 626
Size: mm, 25.57g


Trajan, Ruled 98-117 AD
AE Sestertius, Struck 103-111 AD, Rome
Obverse: IMP CAES NERVAE TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS V P P, laureate bust right, draped on left shoulder.
Reverse: S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI, Spes, draped, advancing left, holding up flower in right hand and raising skirt with left; S-C across fields.
References: RIC II 519
Size: 30mm, g

 

Spes on an eastern mint Severan:


Julia Domna, AD 193-217.
Roman AR denarius, 3.40 g, 17 mm, 12 h.
Eastern mint, AD 194-195.
Obv: IVLIA DO MNA AVG, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: BONA SPES, Spes standing left, holding flower and lifting fold of skirt.
Refs: RIC 614; BMCRE 412-13; Cohen/RSC 8; RCV 6575; CRE 387.

 

Wow, @Sulla80 ! Thanks for the great narrative, nice pics, and super coins! You pick’em purdy!

Here are a couple SPES

As an afterthought... how did Spes help these two rulers?

TETRICUS II


RI Tetricus II 273-274 CE BI Ant SPES w Flower


FAUSTA


RI Fausta 325-326 CE AE3 Spes stdg 2 infants SMHA 20mm 3.48g scratch over eye damnatio memoriae by Constantine

 

Wow, that is an eviable Salonina, @Sulla80! Great portrait and wonderful surfaces.


ANTONINUS PIUS
Billon Tetradrachm. 13.81g, 24mm. EGYPT, Alexandria, RY 11 = AD 147/8. Dattari-Savio pl. 111, 8160 (this coin); Emmett 1383.11; RPC Online Temp 13607 (this coin cited). O: Laureate bust right. R: L ENDEKATOV, Elpis standing left, lifting hem of skirt and holding flower.
Ex Robert L. Grover Collection of Roman-Egyptian Coinage, previously held by the Art Institute of Chicago (1981.511); ex Giovanni Dattari Collection


CLAUDIUS II GOTHICUS
Potin Tetradrachm. 9.24g, 22.7mm. EGYPT, Alexandria, RY 2 (AD 269/270). Emmett 3881; Dattari 5388. O: Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right. R: Elpis standing left, holding flower and raising skirt; L-B in field.
Ex E.E. Clain-Stefanelli Collection

 

Well here is a nearly invisible Spes.. hauntingly hovering behind Fortuna on this coin of Aelius Caesar. Again I have to thank our friend @Justin Lee for pointing this coin out to me on VCoins.. I was completing my inexpensive "Five Good Emperors" set and wanted to add a bargain Aelius sestertius to fill out the story. I think this was listed as an Antonius Pius (?) so was well under $20 ...

This may actually be the first "photo bomb" ever in recorded history..



super rough but a fun coin.... most wouldn't have this in their collection but it has found a good home.

 

RIC Vol. I, CLAUDIUS, SESTERTIUS, Rome, No. 99
41-50 AD, (36mm, 25.3gm)
Obverse depiction: Claudius, laureate head facing right
Inscription: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG PM TRP IMP
Reverse depiction: Personification of Spes
holding flower in right hand and raising skirt with left hand
Inscription: SPES AVGVSTA - S C (exergue)

 

Elpis Holding Flower and Hitching Skirt...

Marcus Aurelius as Caesar:

Type: AE Drachm, 33mm, 22.95 grams of Alexandria

Obverse: Bare headed and draped bust of Aurelius right
M AVPHLIOC KAICAP

Reverse: Elpis Standing left holding flower and hitching skirt
LEND EKATOV

Reference: BMC 1238 listed as "rare" by R.A. Numismatics



Nice portrait to me on this Salonina tet of Alexandria:

EGYPT, Alexandria

Billon Tetradrachm, 23mm, 9.8 grams, 12h

Dated RY 15 (A.D. 267-268)

Obverse: KOPNHALA CAAONEINA CEB;
Diademed and draped bust right.

Reverse: Eagle standing right, holding wreath in beak; palm in left field, L IE to right

Reference: Koln 2983; Dattari 5346; Milne 4189; Curtis 1642; Emmett 3854

 

unique obverse on this Spes RIC 703b var

 

An amazing and diverse gallery of hopes - spanning centuries from Claudius (41–54 CE) to Tetricus (271-274 CE) and 1000s of km, spanning Trier, Gaul to Tarsus, Cilicia to Alexandria, Egypt to Rome...all consistent with a standing hope, raising a flower, holding her skirt.

 

SPES

EUGENIUS


RI Eugenius 392-394 CE AE 12mm 1.0g Aquileia SPES wreath palm Victory RIC59


MACRIANUS


RI Macrianus 260-261 CE Usurper AR 22mm 4.4g BI Ant Spes Publica star Sear 3.10811. RIC 13 pg 581 R2 Rare

 

Herennius Etruscus Caesar (son of Trajan Decius), AR Antoninianus, 250 AD. Obv. Radiate & draped bust right, Q HER ETR MES DECIVS NOB C / Rev. Spes advancing left, raising skirt & holding flower, SPES PVBLICA. RIC IV-3 149, RSC IV 38. 22 mm., 4.37 g.



Here's Mom, holding a long-barreled revolver to her forehead:

Herennia Etruscilla (wife of Trajan Decius) AR Antoninianus, 249-251 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. HER ETRVSCILLA AVG, Draped bust right, wearing stephane, crescent behind / Rev. PVDICITIA AVG, Pudicitia standing left lifting her veil and holding scepter. RIC IV-3 58b, RSC IV 17. 21.77 mm., 3.82 g.

 

I lost track. Did anyone show the Philip I Eastern mint antoninianus with SPES FELICITATIS ORBIS?


Septimius Severus issued Spes in more than one declension from 'Emesa'.


As did Julia Domna:


I did not check to see how many of my Alexandrian Elpis tetradrachms had already been shown so I'll ask forgiveness for the duplicates.
Antoninus Pius year 11


Commodus year 30


Philip I year 4


Tacitus year 1


Diocletian year 9

 

I was too distracted admiring the hopeful coins to notice anything duplicate...BONAE SPEI / BONA SPES series is great fun - the Philip "hope of joyful world"!

 

@Sulla80 Best post/thread ever!! Incredible coins galore...

 

The only coin of Elpis that I have, is a potin tetradrachm which was struck at Alexandria. Salonina is on obverse.