Trajan's softer side, his wife and sister, Plotina & Marciana: Filling holes with a couple Empresses

Plotina and Marcian are not very easy to come by. Nor were they massively impactful to history. But possibly the greatest of all the Roman emperors, Trajan ("Sis felicior Augusto, melior Traiano" ("May you be more fortunate than Augustus and as good as Trajan) was delivered in the Roman Senate at the inauguration of late Roman emperors.), loved them. He loved them enough to have them put on coin (even if not very many). After all, they were his wife and sister. Heck, he even put Matidia, his niece on coins.

I know that around here it can be looked down upon to be a "hole filler". There have been a few threads about people collecting just for beauty or just for history and that just trying to collect each emp or their ladies is amatuer hour. I have to disagree. Though, yes, like many starting out trying for one of each was one of my earliest ancient collecting persuates. I still get a kick out of getting a rarity and then looking up all the information that I can find on that individual and their coins.
There is something to be said for collecting for collecting's sake. And let nobody tell you how you should collect. Take in the recommendations that you like and leave the rest. This is a hobby for all kinds of weirdos


On to the coins.
I really feel that I stole these coins despite their wear and being provincial. They are rarities and both beautiful enough for my collection (and at 75 and 160 euros respectively are considerably less expensive than similar examples listed on ACsearch and CNG). The hairstyle of Plotina is unique and interesting. And I really like how much of the portrait of sis Marciana you can see (plus mine has her nose!):


Lydia. Gordos-Iulia . Plotina AD 105-123.
Bronze Æ
13mm., 1,36g.
ΠΛΩΤЄΙΝΑ СЄΒΑСΤΗ, draped bust right / ΓΟΡΔΗΝΩΝ ЄΠΙ ΠΟΠΛΙΟΥ, Zeus seated left on throne, holding patera and sceptre.
very fine
RPC III 2550.7. Purchased from Savoca June 2021



LYDIA. Sardis. Marciana (Augusta, 105-112/4). Ae. Obv: ΜΑΡΚΙΑ СЄΒΑСΤΗ. Draped bust right. Rev: СΑΡΔΙΑΝΩΝ ΠЄΛΟΨ. Pelops, brandishing whip, on horse rearing right. RPC III 2398; BMC 132-3. Weight: 5.85 g. Diameter: 21 mm.
Purchased from Savoca June 2021

So please post those coins that have recently filled a hole in your collection, favorite empresses, any and all things Hadrian or anything that raises your column!

 

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Good score! I like Plotina more, and the price is very good!
Plotina, Marciana and Matidia are not present in my collection but I managed to add some ladies recently. I think all are good additions especially since they were also missing from my albums.
Julia Soaemias/Crispina/Sabina



And my most recent win, Plautilla

 

Nice acquisition for your coin cabinet, @Ryro! I do love provincials! They were just as "legal tender" as the imperial issues and often have far more interesting reverse types! Let's face it, your Pelops, brandishing whip, on horse rearing right is a lot more interesting than this dull old Jovian eagle on this consecration issue of the deified Augusta. Yeah, it doesn't exactly have 5/5 surfaces, but I'm not exactly Clio, either.


Marciana, Augusta, c. AD 105-112/4.
Roman AR Denarius, 2.72 g, 19 mm.
Rome Mint, AD 112.
Obv: DIVA AVGVSTA MARCIANA, diademed and draped bust right.
Rev: CONSECRATIO, eagle standing left, head right.
Refs: RIC II 743; BMC 650 (Trajan); Hill 562; RSC 4; RCV 3328.

Here's my favorite Plotina -- provincial, of course!


Plotina, c. AD 105-122.
Roman provincial Æ 20.0 mm, 5.43 g, 6 h.
Caria, Tabae, AD 105-122.
Obv: ΠΛΩΤЄΙΝ CЄΒΑCΤΗ, diademed and draped bust, right, hair in plait behind
Rev: ΤΑΒΗ-ΝΩΝ, stag standing right.
Refs: RPC III 2292; BMC 18. 170, 79; SNG von Aulock 2720; SNG München 455-6; Robert 143.
Notes: Reverse die match to SNG von Aulock 2720. "Plate" coin at Austin College's Virtual Catalog of Roman Coins.

Here's my SECOND favorite Plotina, because I only have two (or maybe three).

Trajan and Plotina, AD 98-117.
Roman Æ triassarion, 19.72 g, 28.7 mm, 1 h.
Cilicia, Anazarbos, year 132 = AD 113-114.
Obv: AYTO KAI NЄP TPAIANOC CЄ ΓЄP ΔA, laureate head of Trajan, right.
Rev: KAICAPЄ ANAZAPBΩ ΠΛΩTЄINAN CЄ, diademed and draped bust of Plotina, right; in field, ЄT - BΛP (year 132).
Refs: SNG Levante 1384; RPC 3369; Ziegler 115-121.

And from this same series from Anazarbos, I have Matidia! I was excited as could be when I finally filled that hole in my collection.


Trajan and Matidia, Augusta AD 112/114? - 119.
Roman Æ triassarion, 10.99 g, 26 mm, 1 h.
Cilicia, Anazarbos, year 132 = AD 113-114.
Obv: AYTO KAI NЄP TPAIANOC CЄ ΓЄPM ΔA, laureate head of Trajan, right.
Rev: KAICAPЄ ΠΡ ANAZAPBΩ ΜΑΤΙΔΙΑΝ CЄB, bare-headed and draped bust of Matidia, right; in field, ЄT - BΛP (year 132).
Refs: RPC III 3370; SNG Levante 1385; Von Aulock 5477; SGI 1103; Ziegler 110-114.

 

@Ryro.....Nice pick ups of those very difficult ladies to find at a reachable price.
Really like the Marciana and when you look through the encrustations it has actually got quite nice detail!...
Here's my happy couple..
Trajan ar Denarius 98-117AD 20mm/2.66gr (Minted 103-111AD)
Obverse-IMPTRAIANO AVG GER DAC PMTRP laureate bust right, slight drapery on left shoulder
Reverse-COS VPPS PQR OPTIMO PRINC Aequitas standing left, holding scales and cornucopiae.
RIC II# 118

Plotina, AE18 of Gordus-Julia, Lydia. 98-117. Magistrate Poplios.
Obverse..ΠΛΩTEINA CEBACTH, draped bust right
Reverse..EΠI ΠOΠΛIOY ΓOΡΔHNΩ, Zeus seated left, holding patera and sceptre.
BMC 18.

 

Foxy Crispina And coingrats on the new (slightly used) Plautilla

 

Yowza!!! Some rare beauties right here! And that Marciana portrait is smoking!
Reminds me of one of my early Empress purchases of Sabina, but much better and more rare:


And great score with your Matidia!
Makes me wonder if there are any other Emperors that share a coin with a niece?
... Claudius comes to mind. Wasn't his third wife Agrippina the younger also his niece?

 

She sure was! Here are my coins featuring Claudius and his niece, who also turned out to be his killer.


Claudius, AD 41-54 and Agrippina II, AD 50-59.
Roman provincial Æ 20.2 mm, 5.81 g, 10 h.
Lydia, Thyatira, AD 50-54.
Obv: ΤΙ ΚΛΑYΔΙΟC CЄΒΑCΤΟC, bare head of Claudius right.
Rev: ΑΓΡΙΠΠΙΝΑΝ CЄΒΑCΤΗΝ ΘΥΑΤΙΡΗΝΟΙ, draped bust of Agrippina right.
Refs: Sear 507; RPC I 2380; BMC 22. 301, 57; SNG München 611; SNG von Aulock --; SNG Copenhagen --; Mionnet --; Wiczay --.


Claudius, AD 41-54, and Agrippina II, AD 50-59.
Roman provincial Æ 19.6 mm, 4.19 g, 12 h.
Lycaonia, Iconia (as Claudiconium), magistrate M. Annius Afrinus, AD 50-54.
Obv: ΚΛΑΥΔΙΟϹ ΚΑΙϹΑΡ ϹЄΒΑ, laureate head of Claudius, right.
Rev: ϹЄΒΑϹΤΗ ЄΠΙ ΑΦΡЄΙΝΟΥ ΚΛΑΥΔЄΙΚΟΝΙЄѠΝ, bare-headed and draped bust of Agrippina II, right.
Refs: RPC I 3542; von Aulock Lyk. 258–62.


Claudius, AD 41-54 and Agrippina II, AD 50-59.
Roman provincial Æ 12 Nummia, 9.30 gm, 25.0 mm.
Bosporos, under King Kotys I, AD 50-54.
Obv: ΤΙ ΚΛΑΥΔΙΟΥ ΚΑΙCΑΡΟC, laureate head of Claudius, right.
Rev: ΙΟΥΛΙΑΝ ΑΓΡΙΠΠΙΝΑΝ CΕΒΑCΤΗΝ, head of Agrippina II, left, in loop ponytail; BAK before.
Refs: SGI 5438; RPC 1925; BMC 13.52,7; Anokhin Bosporus 348; SNG Copenhagen 31.