Roman coins offer quite a wide selection of reverse types. Some rulers used just a few; some used many. I really like it when a reverse type matches something we know about that particular ruler. There may be no better example of this concept than my new (arrived today) antoninianus of Valerian with a reverse honoring him as the Restorer of the East. His attempts to make advances in the East resulted in his being captured by Shapur I, the Sasanian king and spending the rest of his life as, among other things, a human footstool. Details of Valerian's captivity and death are far from certain with some conflicting details. I'll let you research the options but I think you will agree that a coin honoring his Eastern successes is a bit ironic. I so regret the fact that Sasanian kings did not use reverse types for propaganda. Wouldn't we love to have a type showing Shapur mounting his horse by stepping of Valerian's back. Rather than ask for your coins of Valerian, I'll ask for coins you consider to be particularly appropriate for that particular ruler. This would be the place to show your EID MAR denarius.
I remember reading that he was skinned after his death/murder and the skin showed off to visiting dignitaries.........maybe a myth, but I am sure his treatment and death were far from dignified in any case.
Shapur I used to be a very common coin 8 years ago. Must have been a hoard since I saw CNG with literally hundreds of them for sale at one time, most vf. Its kind of a poster child for buying into hoards when you have a chance, because good luck finding a nice Shapur for a good price nowadays, (sorry Mat).
Thats the trick, when uncommon coins become 'common' for a short period and prices drop, buy a few. as you say, it usually means a hoard has surfaced somewhere. Once they are eaten up by the market, the prices rise again. I have done this and am sat on a few groups......one day I'll sell them.
This one of Gordian III 241 AD shows the emperor with a spear. Since he died in battle its kind of fitting.
I happen to find some irony in my VRBS ROMA FELIX of Honorius, struck in Rome. This type was struck from 404-408 AD and the legend means "Happy City of Rome". The irony is what happened later that probably caused the Romans to stop striking this type any further: the sieges and later the sack of Rome by the Visigoths in 410 AD. Also, it was said when news of Rome's fall reached the imperial court in the Western capital Ravenna, Honorius' advisers came to him to tell him the unfortunate news. Honorius panicked; he thought they were referring to his favorite chicken, who also happened to be named Roma. When his advisers cleared up the confusion, Honorius became relieved that it was not his beloved pet that had run into trouble. Whether true or not, it helped to describe his ineptitude at ruling.
Interesting and sweet new Valerian I addition ... oh, and you're correct => what a nasty end-of-days for poor ol' Valerian (the sadest part being the fact that Gallienus didn't seem to make an extreme effort to rescue his poor ol' Footstool-Papa!!) ... yup, that's very sad ... although, who really knows what was truth and what was trashtalk, right? anyway ... Great coin and thread Ummm ... oh and here is my only Valerian I offering (I've always liked the looks of this desert-patina example)
i'll just post this, you don't need to see the obverse to know who this coin belongs to... well, it belongs to me....but you know what I mean.
Trajan annexed the Nabataean Kingdom to establish Provincia Arabia. No irony here. His efforts were a success.
In terms of appropriate reverse types, this coin is #1 in my collection: CLAUDIUS 10 B.C. - 54 A.D. AV Aureus (7.79 g.) Rome 44 - 45 A.D. Obv. TI CLAVD CAESAR AVG P M TR P IIII laureate head r. Rev. Battlemented wall IMPER RECEPT enclosing praetorian camp, Fides Praetorianorum left. In the confusion and terror following Caligula's assassination, Claudius was discovered cowering behind some drapery, in fear of his life, by members of the Praetorian guard. Recognizing him as royalty and Caligula's uncle, they raised him as their next emperor, and the senate was basically forced to agree since the Praetorian guard was such a powerful force. For the life of me, I don't understand how this coin isn't included in Berk's 100 Greatest Ancient Coins.
I find the reverse of this Severus Alexander to be appropriate in an ironic sort of way. It depicts Providentia, the figure in Roman mythology who represented divine personification of the ability to foresee and make provision. On this reverse she seems to be foreseeing prosperity and peace, holding two grain ears, over a modius of grain bushel and cornucopia, the ancient symbols of plenty. While Severus Alexander's reign started out as a time of relative prosperity, at least until the rise of the Sassanids in the east, it ended in war, strife and chaos within the empire. Severus Alexander was assassinated together with his mother in the mutiny of the Legio XXII near modern day Mainz in 235 AD, thus plunging the Roman empire into the Crisis of the Third Century; nearly fifty years of civil wars, foreign invasion, and collapse of the monetary economy. It appears Providentia may have been short sighted on this coin.
