Yes, TGIFF!! Time for the latest installment of Faustina Friday! This week's edition deals with a couple of coins that may celebrate sweet, sweet, sweet victory, yeah! Faustina II, AD 147-175/6. Roman orichalcum sestertius, 27.25 g, 30.7 mm, 6 h. Rome, c. AD 166. Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, Bust of Faustina II, draped, with band of pearls, right. Rev: VENVS VICTRIX S C, Venus standing facing, head left, holding Victory in extended right hand and resting left hand on shield set on helmet. Refs: RIC 1688; BMCRE 960-65; Cohen 283; RCV 5288; MIR 40-6/10b. This Venus Victrix type was used only on aurei and sestertii. In contrast, the following Hilaritas reverse type was struck in all metals: Faustina II, AD 147-175. Roman AR denarius, 3.40 g, 17.4 mm, 5 h. Rome, c. AD 166. Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bust of Faustina II, draped, right. Rev: HILARITAS, Hilaritas standing left, holding long palm-branch in right hand and cornucopia in left hand. Refs: RIC 686; BMCRE 100; RSC 111; RCV 5254; CRE 182. Notes: Also known with a bust wearing a circlet of pearls in the hair (RSC 111a, BMCRE 101-102) and with a left-facing bust (RSC 111b, BMCRE 103). Faustina II, AD 147-175. Roman orichalcum sestertius, 23.36 g, 30.0 mm, 6 h. Rome, AD 161-175. Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bust, right, with two strands of pearls. Rev: HILARITAS S C, Hilaritas standing facing, head left, holding long palm and cornucopiae. Refs: RIC 1642; BMCRE 911-13; Cohen 112; RCV 5275. The empress's coins are undated. Therefore, dating the coins of Faustina II, particularly after her inscriptions lost their filiation in AD 157 and simply read FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, has been problematic. The most ambitious attempt prior to the publication of Martin Beckmann's die study earlier this month had been Szaivert's volume in the MIR series. Szaivert had assigned each of these reverse types to "phase 2," which he dates to AD 161-164 (p. 230). However, Beckmann's die-linkage study of the aurei of Faustina II suggests a somewhat later date of AD 166. He notes a die link sequence (chain 8) that begins with three reverse types that make their first appearance: HILARITAS standing with palm and cornucopiae, VENVS VICTRIX standing with Victory and shield, and CONCORDIA seated with patera. Die-linkage chart of Faustina's aurei diagramming the appearance of the Venus Victrix, Hilaritas, and Concordia reverse types, c. AD 166 (Beckmann, p. 62). On stylistic grounds, particularly the appearance of the type 9 hairstyle (as on the coins depicted above), Beckmann concludes that chain 8 must follow chain 7, a very long sequence that began c. AD 161-163. He notes that two die pairs in chain 8 (including the Hilaritas H7 die illustrated above) were found on aurei in the great Trier hoard. He notes (p. 63): The latest coins in this hoard are three die-linked aurei of Marcus Aurelius dated by tribunician power to AD 166. This gives a probable terminus ante quem of 166 for chain 8. The three aurei of Marcus in the Trier hoard dating to 166 (all struck with the same reverse die) show Victory with a shield inscribed VIC PAR; they celebrate the Parthian victory which he shared with Lucius Verus, for which the co-emperors celebrated a triumph in October 166. Relevant to the coins under discussion, Beckmann continues: Faustina's type Venus Victrix may have been intended to complement her husband's Victory type. There is a difference between Hilaritas, which means almost exclusively "cheerfulness," and Laetitia, which has associations (like Felicitas) with fertility. The addition of the palm branch would seem to specify the reason for the cheerfulness: a victory, as the palm is also the traditional attribute of Victoria. If Victory was the intended resonance of these reverses, it would be a striking example of Faustina sharing in the commemoration of a military victory, an event that until now had remained reserved for the male members of the imperial household. Beckmann's hypothesis about the purpose of the issue is plausible and intriguing; however, purpose is impossible to prove. I do think Beckmann's dating is on less rocky ground. His die study establishes that the hairstyles shown on these two coins (type 9 in the case of the Hilaritas denarius and type 9, variant 9b on the Venus Victrix sestertius; see pp. 89-91) is Faustina's penultimate hairstyle before her death. Therefore, Szaivert's date of AD 161-164 is clearly too early. Given the hoard data and the die-linkages, Beckmann's date of c. 166 is quite probable. Faustina's coiffures can only provide a rough estimate of date of issue and are more helpful at establishing a terminus post quem than a terminus ante quem, because hairstyles introduced at one point may continue to appear on coins produced much later and a reverse type may occur paired with obverses featuring two or three different hairstyles. For example, the hairstyle on this middle bronze with the Hilaritas reverse type was introduced before the type 9 coiffure on the denarius and sestertius shown above. Faustina II, AD 147-175. Roman Æ As, 8.31 g, 25.2 mm, 5 h. Rome, AD 161-164. Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: HILARITAS S C, Hilaritas standing left, holding long palm-branch in right hand and cornucopia in left hand. Refs: RIC 1643 var.; BMCRE 982 var.; Cohen 113 var.; RCV 5296; MIR 15-7/10b. Notes: This coin is a variety of the RIC, BMCRE and Cohen specimens in that Faustina wears no strands of pearls in the hair. The empress' coiffure on this coin is a bare-headed variety of Beckmann's type 7 hairstyle (p. 90); the British Museum specimen depicts her with the expected type 9, variety 9b style. Let's see your coins celebrating military victories, Hilaritas, or anything you feel is relevant! ~~~ Notes 1. Szaivert, Wolfgang, Die Münzprägung der Kaiser Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus und Commodus (161/192), Moneta Imperii Romani 18. Vienna, 1989. 2. Beckmann, Martin, Faustina the Younger: Coinage, Portraits, and Public Image, A.N.S. Numismatic Studies 43, American Numismatic Society, New York, 2021.
Great write up with some real stunners Thanks RC I better bring some Concordia to the party Faustina II AR Denarius. Rome, c. 147-150. Draped bust r. / Concordia seated l., holding flower and resting l. arm on cornucopiae set on globe below seat. RIC Pius 502a; RSC
Another great Fasutina Friday, RC - very helpful information from Beckmann's book, which I do not have yet (maybe someday). That these may be empress victory types is a fascinating theory. As for the Venus Victrix reverse type, I have one of these. I was wondering if there was any additional information in Beckmann's new book on the images that can be seen on the shield (sometimes). OCRE notes: Type: Venus, draped, standing left, holding Victory in extended right hand and resting left hand on shield on which are the Dioscuri or she-wolf and twins http://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.3.m_aur.1688 Many of these are unclear, including mine (wolf-twins is a guess). Some on OCRE are quite clear. Some are mysterious - such as the OP's. What is that thing? An aegis? Shield detail: Faustina II Æ Sestertius (161- 176 A.D.) Rome Mint FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, draped bust right, with band of pearls / VENV VICTRIX SC Venus standing left, holding Victory in right hand, resting left hand on shield on which is the she-wolf & twins, set on helmet. RIC 1688; BMCRE 960-65; (23.64 grams / 30 x 26 mm) Here's the Hilaritas type: Faustina II Æ Sestertius (161-175 A.D.) Rome Mint FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, draped bust right, double row of pearls / HLA[RITAS] SC, Hilaritas standing left, holding long palm and cornucopiae. RIC 1642; Cohen 112; BMC 911 (27.75 grams / 30 x 28 mm) Extrapolating a bit here, what about Lucius Verus and his wife? He issued a Victory over Parthia series: Lucius Verus Æ Sestertius (166 A.D.) Rome Mint [L VERVS AV]G ARM [PARTH MAX], laureate head right / [TR POT VI IMP IIII] COS II S C: Victory standing r. [holding palm?] attaching shield inscribed VIC PAR to palm tree. RIC 1456, Cohen 206. (20.48 grams / 28 mm) Lucilla, Verus's wife (and Faustina II's daughter) also issued a Hilaritas type - my example being quite wretched, unfortunately. Could this have been issued as a parallel "victory type" with her mom/husband? Lucilla Æ Sestertius (wife of Lucius Verus) n.d. (c. 164-169 A.D.) Rome Mint LVCILLA AVGVSTA, draped bust right / H[ILARITA]S S-C, Hilaritas standing left, holding long palm and cornucopiae RIC III 1740 (Aurelius); BMCRE 1203 (Aurelius); (17.51 grams / 27 mm)
Thanks for another great Faustina Friday article, @Roman Collector! I don't have a Faustina with Venus Victrix reverse in my small collection. However, here is a bronze piece with Hilaritas instead. Faustina Junior. Æ As. Rome Mint. Circa AD 161-164. Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, Draped bust right. Rev: HILARITAS S C, Hilaritas standing left, holding palm frond and cornucopia. RIC III 1643 (Aurelius); MIR 18, 15-6b. 25mm, 11.75g, 12h. Ex: Phil Peck collection
Thank you for the kind words! I do love me some Concordia! That denarius participated in thousands of transactions! I'm sure it has traces of gladiator blood and centurion sweat on it! Beckmann (p. 61) notes only two types of shield in his study of aurei: the wolf and twins, such as this one, ANS 1958.223.11 ... ... and Aeneas, ANS 1955.191.17: Whether the sestertii such as our examples depict other scenes is not clear. I can't figure out what design the shield on mine is supposed to be. As to your Lucius Verus VIC/PAR, it was issued simultaneously with Marcus Aurelius' version of that reverse type (13th issue, both numbered 142 in MIR, pp. 110-11), so may also be a companion piece to the Faustina type. While writing about Faustina's VENVS VICTRIX type, I immediately thought of this coin: Lucilla, AD 164-169. Roman AR denarius, 3.41 g, 17.3 mm, 11 h. Rome, AD 166-169. Obv: LVCILLA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust right. Rev: VENVS VICTRIX, Venus standing facing, head left, holding Victory and resting left hand on shield. Refs: RIC 786; BMCRE 353; Cohen 89; RCV 5492; CRE 268. Sear dates this issue to 166-169. Szaivert (MIR p. 233) to 164-167. I wonder if Sear considers this a parallel issue to the VIC/PAR issues of her husband and her father. Temeryazev and Makarenko (pp. 82-3) note a few different varieties of designs on Venus' shield, ranging from a simple dot-like boss to an eight-pointed star to the wolf and twins. Interestingly, Sear also dates this Hilaritas issue to 166-169 as well. Lucilla, AD 164-169. Roman AR denarius, 3.11 g, 18.1 mm, 7 h. Rome, AD 166-169. Obv: LVCILLA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: HILARITAS, Hilaritas standing left, holding long palm and cornucopiae. Refs: RIC 769; BMCRE 338; Cohen/RSC 28; RCV 5484; MIR 31; CRE 251. As Alice says ... Thank you for your kind words. It's always a pleasure to know my efforts are appreciated. That's a lovely middle bronze you have. It's an excellent example of Beckmann's type 7 hairstyle with the strand of pearls.
