I just bought this denarius of Julia Mamaea from Harlan Berk's most recent auction. It's RIC 341. Now, RIC describes the reverse as portraying Juno seated left, holding flower and short scepter. However, Berk's catalog description reads "Juno seated l. holding flower and swathed child." I've seen other examples of this coin, and a few look like a scepter. Many others, however, are not clearly identifiable as to what the goddess is holding. Juno, in her guise as Juno Lucinae, who was the protectress of midwives and women in labor and her role was to ease delivery and bring the baby safe into the light. She is featured on many coins and is typically portrayed with or holding children. Most often, she is featured holding a flower (which Juno obtained from the goddess Flora and by which she conceived Mars), but occasionally with a patera and scepter (attributes of Juno). Thus, it's possible this coin features Juno Lucinae and the object portrayed is a baby, not a short scepter. Curtis Clay at Harlan Berk certainly knows his coins, so I think the catalog description was purposeful in its disagreement with RIC. What do you guys think? Baby or scepter?
It certainly doesn't look like a sceptre! I wonder what the argument is for it being a 'swathed child'?
Nice coin, I would say scepter. Looks more scepter to me. Berk I am sure makes mistakes, he has others working for him too. Imagine holding a child like that in the coin, one wrong move from baby, baby go splat. Julia Mamaea (222 - 235 A.D.) AR Denarius O: IVLIA MAMAEA AVG, Diademed and draped bust right. R:VENVS GENETRIX, Venus standing left, head left, holding scepter and apple; at feet to left, Cupid standing right with hands raised. Rome 3.6g 20mm RIC 355 (Severus Alexander), RSC 072 Julia Mamaea (222 - 235 A.D.) Æ20 Thrace, Deultum O: IVLIA MAMAEA AVG, diademed and draped bust right. R: CFPD, forepart of bull left. 20mm 3.5g Varbanov (E) 2380; Jurakova 202var.
A quick browse of various archives demonstrates what you found... that sometimes the thing in the crook of her left arm is sometimes called an infant and sometimes a scepter. On most of the coins, to me it looks more like an infant. On many of the coins, the engraving isn't detailed enough to tell, the dies or worn, or the artistry doesn't adequately depict the object regardless of which it is. On your coin, the infant seems to be facing backwards, carelessly held, and is about to reach out and grab the S. Juno seems to be very distracted by that flower.
I'll be the oddball and say it looks like a short scepter. I certainly do not see a child in any manner of attire.
More then likely its a baby, here is my IVNONI LVCINAE Got standing too thats also infant but this is my seated. Lucilla (164 - 182 A.D.) AR Denarius O: LVCILLA AVGVSTA, draped bust right. R: IVNONI LVCINAE Juno seated left, holding flower and infant. 3.2g 19mm RIC M. Aurelius 770. C. 36. BMC M. Aurelius 342 Ex. Goldberg Auctions, Sept. 22, 2013, Sale 75 Lot 2706 (part of)
That's an awesome OP-addition, Roman Collector (nice!!) Ummm, I also have a Julia Mamaea example ... ... oh look, and she brought her cool friend, Serapis (nice hat, buddy!!)
After looking at the several coins on acsearch, I'm with scepter. That doe not mean anything. My suggestion would be to look for a mint state sestertius. There are no aurei of the type. My sestertius is not nice enough be be of help. The fourree is a joke.
well, it's a very nice lookin' coin whatever the heck that is. on mat's it lucilla it very much looks like an infant, on dougs it looks like a scepter. looks like a penguin sort of...beak is pointing left, wing is curving right.
I'm with "swathed infant". Maybe a starving one but still ! I seem to remember Ivno Lvcinae has to be represented with such a "thing" on her left arm Might be wrong though Q
