Ancients => She's my new gal => She's my Galeria Valeria

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by stevex6, Jan 15, 2015.

  1. stevex6

    stevex6 Random Mayhem

    Hey, I found myself a sweet new girlfriend ... funny name, but super cute!!

    Galeria Valeria. Augusta, Æ Follis
    Cyzicus mint, 4th officina
    Struck circa AD 308
    293(?)-311 AD
    Diameter: 26 mm
    Weight: 6.34 grams
    Obverse: Diademed and draped bust right
    Reverse: Venus standing facing, head left, lifting dress and holding apple; MKΔ
    Reference: RIC VI 38
    Other: 1h … dark brown to black patina


    Galeria Valeria a.jpg Galeria Valeria b.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jan 15, 2015
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  3. John Anthony

    John Anthony Ultracrepidarian

    A beautiful example of a less-common coin! You're going Roman on us Steve.
     
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  4. Pishpash

    Pishpash Well-Known Member

  5. TIF

    TIF Always learning.

    She's beautiful! She has the JackieO look going on.

    Are you feeling okay, Steve? That's two coins without animals you've purchased recently :D
     
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  6. TIF

    TIF Always learning.

    @Pishpash, posting the actual images in the thread is preferable (to me, at least!) to clicking a link. I often don't bother to click on thumbnails or links to view "pile on" images. Your coins might get more appreciation if you post full images . If you want to drive traffic to your Tantalus gallery, just put it in your sig line :)
     
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  7. Pishpash

    Pishpash Well-Known Member

    Thanks TIF will do, I am just being lazy :singing:
     
  8. TIF

    TIF Always learning.

    And I'm being lazy by not wanting to make a few extra clicks to view the thumbnails or links :D

    It's really no harder to post the images than to post the link though.
     
  9. Pishpash

    Pishpash Well-Known Member

    I know where they are on Tantalus :dead:
     
  10. John Anthony

    John Anthony Ultracrepidarian

    I have a man who clicks the mouse for me. However, he sometimes right-clicks when he's supposed to left-click. You can't seem to find good help these days.
     
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  11. TIF

    TIF Always learning.

    Right-click on your Tantalus image; copy. On CoinTalk, in your reply just click the picture icon in the thread tools, right-click and paste the image URL. Easy :)
     
  12. chrsmat71

    chrsmat71 I LIKE TURTLES!

    super centered, struck, and detailed..sweet surfaces...she's hot stevex! :woot:

    the venus reverse is cool as well.
     
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  13. krispy

    krispy krispy

    @stevex6

    => Valeria.
    I once knew a gal(eria) by the name.

    Makes me think of a song, by similar sounding name, Velouria. :singing:




    Perhaps a lexical stretch. Though like ones love for a coin or girl,


    "Say to me, where have you been?"

    Without further astray, what a lovely coin! A Venus in surfaces, conditions, colour, etc.

    Thanks for sharing your new
    beau. :joyful:
     
    Last edited: Jan 15, 2015
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  14. John Anthony

    John Anthony Ultracrepidarian

    This coin was minted during her happy years, when she was married to Galerius. Her life is an intriguing window into the politics of the Tetrarchy. For whatever reasons, she had no children with Galerius, but she had the generosity of heart to adopt his illegitimate son Candidianus. Would you have done the same?

    After Galerius died, her life went downhill in a hurry. She and her mother were entrusted to the care of Licinius, but they fled from him. Is there any scholarship on why they were averse to Licinius?

    She refused the marriage proposal of Maximinus, so he confiscated all her property and banished her to Syria. When Maximinus died, Licinius, obviously still smarting from his rejection, ordered the death of both women. Valeria fled to Thessalonica, but she was discovered by the mob, beheaded in the central square, her body tossed into the sea.

    What could have provoked such anger and violence? There doesn't seem to be any record of Valeria inciting scorn through any actions other than spurning a few powerful men. She was sympathetic to Christians, and perhaps that was enough. In fact, she was eventually canonized.

    Her life appears to ask the age-old existential question of why bad things happen to good people...
     
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  15. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    rx4070bb1589.jpg

    At Antioch a flaming altar is added.
     
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  16. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    Looks like one of my Harems has departed me, but looking at the OP, she looks drugged up....."DUDE!!...why am I in icy Canada & not sunny L.A." :D

    Nice addition Steve.

    Her "stern" sister is below:
    [​IMG]
     
  17. Dirk D

    Dirk D Active Member

    Good quality never disappoints. A beautiful coin.

    On the death of Galeria, J.J. Norwich says that Licinius saw room for only one imperial family, Constantine's, of which he was a member by his marriage to Constantia, half-sister of Constantine. The Thessalonican mob has probably been incited by agents of Licinius.
    On the whole, all this didn't help Licinius one bit: in the end he was executed on charges of treason by Constantine.
     
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  18. ro1974

    ro1974 Well-Known Member

    great coin!!!:blackalien:
     
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  19. John Anthony

    John Anthony Ultracrepidarian

    Since I don't own a coin of Valeria, I'll chip in an attractive Helena - a coin of similar style...

    helena2.jpg
     
  20. Eng

    Eng Senior Eng

    Steve love the corn rows in her hair.great details as always, here's mine..

    Galeria Valeria..305-311
    24x26mm x 6.50g.
    old new 001_opt.jpg
    old new 002_opt.jpg

    Also have Helena..328-329..AD..
    really like the double cresent
    18mmx 2.63g.
    old new 003_opt.jpg
    old new 004_opt.jpg
     
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  21. icerain

    icerain Mastir spellyr

    Some really cool coins.

    Steve, best not let the wife see that title when your surfing CT. :D
     
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