VICTORINUS OR SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS ?

Many of the types produced by the Gallic rulers are without a doubt directly copied from earlier reigns, but sometimes simply adapted and sometimes even misunderstood. But it was not the first time it happened. The Emperors Vespasian and Trajan issued coins using designs of the Roman Republic when these coins were being melted down for their intrinsic value; Trajan Decius struck coins in the names of previous emperors whose coins were being withdrawn. It was probably a Roman practice to reissue earlier types to keep the memory of these coins that, for economic reasons, had to be destroyed. Does this phenomenon explain the pattern observed on the coinage of the Gallic rulers, e.g. Victorinus ? In other words, were the earlier reverses deliberately chosen in order to keep alive memory of the imagines of these coins that had been withdrawn from circulation ? I don’t know the answer but one thing is for sure: hoards discovered in the last decades do indeed suggest that coins of the Severans were withdrawn from circulation in the 260s. Earlier coins were probably brought to the mint in order to be to be melted down, thus giving the engravers of the mint access to a wide range of earlier coin designs. This can certainly explain the influence of the coin types of the Severan period, but on the other side, bronze medallions of earlier reigns also were often copied, but these medallions were not in circulation and, therefore, were certainly not destroyed for their metal. So it’s not clear where the engravers and the new rulers got their inspiration before minting a certain coinage.


Some of Victorinus’ aurei reverses were also « cloned » from earlier reigns but the extent of this phenomenon remains surprising. Let me show you my favorites and I’ll try to prove you this bearded guy had a fixation on the Severan dynasty, especially on another bearded Emperor, Septimius Severus.

(I would like to specify that none of the coins presented below belong to me !)


Let’s start slowly with a type probably « borrowed » from a guy who lived 30 years before Victorinus; same reverse, same legend, nothing complicated…The joy of our Emperor ! Both were not joyful for a very long period of time; Gordian III was killed at 19 years old and Victorinus wore the purple for only two years.






Although Victorinus claims a victory for his success at Autun and for his defence of the south of Gaul against the Central Empire, the Gallic emperor still continues to honour Rome in the most traditional way, and weirdly still without an equivalent cult for Gallia….This is a proof showing that these emperors never imagined a "secessionist" project for Gaul, but they copied their government on the Roman model. The deity on Septimius’ aureus is believed to be Minerva, but I think the two goddess’ portraits really look alike. Don’t you agree with me ?






The reverse depicting a facing head of Medusa is copied from the coinage of Septimius Severus and Caracalla, but the same is true of the reverse with the emperor on horseback attacking a foe. The only difference between the two types is that the original inscription INVICTA VIRTVS was modified to INVICTVS AVG. The Medusa and Medusa-on-Aegis types on the precious metal coins of Septimius Severus and Caracalla probably were all struck in 207 AD since one of them names the 15th renewal of Severus’ tribunician power and the obverses are all contemporary. Thus we have two problems in interpreting the meaning of this design: the non-specific nature of the type (and its inscription), and the fact that virtually no ancient evidence exists concerning what happened in 207. Indeed, other coin types are the only evidence by which scholars believe Severus may have briefly visited Africa this year before he and the family set off in 208 for their grand expedition to Britain.









The reverse of aurei depicting a personification holding a child is usually described as Felicitas from its legend SAECVLI FELICITAS. However, there is little doubt that this reverse is directly copied from denarii of Julia Domna, where the goddess on the reverse is rightly identified as Isis and the child as Horus. This type of reverse with Isis and Horus was only used once for Julia Domna for this issue and possibly commemorates Septimius Severus' trip to Egypt. The same characters must be represented on Victorinus’ coins. It is the only representation of the Egyptian goodness on the coinage of the Gallic Empire, although Serapis appeared on the coinage of Postumus.





Now please show us your coins INSPIRED BY OTHER RULERS’ COINAGE !

 

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Fascinating and educational write-up, @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix! Way cool!

Faustina the Younger was the OG Mater Castrorum!

Faustina II, AD 147-175.
Roman orichalcum sestertius, 23.24 g, 29.5 mm, 1 h.
Rome, AD 174-175.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: MATRI CASTRORVM S C, Faustina standing left, sacrificing over lighted altar and holding incense-box; three standards before.
Refs: RIC 1659; BMCRE 930-31; Cohen 164; RCV 5280; MIR 23-6/10a.
Notes: BMCRE 929 erroneously gives FAVSTINA AVGVSTA on obverse. The obverse inscription on that coin is in the dative case.​

But that didn't stop Julia Domna from copying her!

Julia Domna, AD 193-217.
Roman AR denarius, 3.13 g, 16.0 mm, 7 h.
Rome, AD 198.
Obv: IVLIA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: MATRI CASTRORVM, Julia Domna standing left, sacrificing over lighted altar from patera held in right hand and holding box of incense in left hand; to left, two standards.
Refs: RIC 567; BMCRE 57; Cohen/RSC 134; RCV 6596; Hill 370.​

 

Very nice article with an interesting thesis @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix

 

Nice history.

But thinking Faustina ii used the type many decade before gordiano:

(Auction picture)

 

I agree, a really fascinating insight about the coinage of Victorinus.

 

Agreed. But since I am so misogynistic, couldn’t admit that a woman inspired my favorite Emperor.