The Italian Emperor

great write up as usual MM, and a great coin to finish the year.

i don't have one of this guy, he's on my list....pretty high. i'd say he is a "priority target" for 2016.

 

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Keep those write-ups coming, M.M.

@Chris

 

Regarding the statue -

I know this ancient but I have to ask, why is he naked? Almost unnecessarily naked, hes got a wash cloth, did he get out of the shower and found the towels had been shrunk? This is not the body of a Greek god but rather body of some middle aged weekend warrior.

 

@Magnus Maximus, a very informative and educationnal writeup for an interesting Antioch coin, thanks


Trebonianus Gallus, Antoninianus Rome mint, AD 251-252
IMP CAE C VIB TREB GALLVS AVG, Radiate and draped bust of Trebonianus right
FELICITAS PVBLICA, Felicitas standing left, holding cornucopia and caduceus. Star in field
2.57 gr
Ref : Cohen #37, RCV #9629



Trebonianus Gallus, AE 8 Assaria SYRIA, Seleucis and Pieria. Antioch.
AYTOK K G OYIB TPEB GALLOC CEB, Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right /
ANTIOXEWN MHTPO KOLWN, Tyche seated facing within tetrastyle temple; below, river god Orontes swimming left; above temple, ram advancing right, head left; Delta and Epsilon across field. SC at exergue
21.08 g, (30mm, 6h)
Ref : Sear # 4350, McAlee 1181; SNG Copenhagen 292 (same rev. die).


The following one isn't in my collection any more

Trebonianus Gallus, Tetradrachm Antioch mint
AVTOK K GO VIB TPEB GALLOC CEB, Laureate and draped bust of Trebonian right, Z under bust
DHMAPX EX OYCIAC, Eagle facing, head right, Z between legs, SC at exergue
12,94 gr
Ref : Sear # 4349

Q

 

=> well, at least he's wearing shoes!!

Great OP-coin, Mag-Max (congrats)

I only have one example of T-Bone Gallus ...

 

I wondered that to.
I think this is the answer
"Portraits of the emperor served the highly important function in imperial propaganda of presenting the ruler to the public and of projecting the personality with which he wished to be perceived. Leadership and military strength are evoked in the heroic nudity of the figure and in the pose, which recalls the famous statue of Alexander the Great with the Lance by Lysippos. In contrast to the idealized body, the portrait head represents the emperor with brutish realism. Trebonianus likely would have cradled a parazonium, or short sword, in his left arm, and held a spear in his upraised right hand."
From
http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection-online/search/247117?=&imgno=0&tabname=label
I do know that 3rd century Roman art was very realistic and not big on idealization like during the Julio Claudians or Antonines.

 

Very nice coins, guys! Also, thanks for the kind words!

Greatest picture of all time!

 

The simple answer to the nudity question is that the emperor was being portrayed as a god. Roman gods were generally drawn in their birthday suits. The association seems straightforward to me. That statue may indeed be linked somehow to the statue of Alex III by Lysippos, but the average Roman citizen might not have known that. However, it would have been obvious that the emperor was being portrayed in the guise of Jupiter.

 

While what JA says is true, I think it's been pointed out before in a past thread that the head of the statue, disproportionately small, probably originally belonged to another statue.

While not Classically a godlike body, I bet the gladiator or boxer who likely served as the model for it did some serious damage in the arena and had his share of screaming fans back in the day. Here's another warrior with a non-godlike body. I think they called him, without irony, The American Dream.



Ps. I prefer if I'm not asked why I have a pic of him superimposed over a grid of my coins.

With apologies to MM - nice coin and thanks for the great writeup!

 

Excellent write up! I enjoy your moments of education! Great Finale for 2015!

I agree with your statement about how the Romans assimilated cultures, peoples, religions, etc. into the Empire. I love focusing on the Republic and found that what made Rome GREAT, was that they learned VERY early in their histories to assimilate peoples, religions, and cultures as they were growing. They created separate treaties with whomever they defeated, including absorbing their religions, celebrations, customs, etc... ie: Latins, Etruscans, Magna Graecia, Marsians, etc during their Republican Era struggles. They learned this early, and was probably one of the traits that made them great for a long history.

Perhaps a notable EXCEPTION may had been the Carthaginians whom they obliterated and eschewed as much about them that they could!

"Delenda est Carthago" as @Mikey Zee would always say... or was that Cato the Elder...

 

These are awesome coins and an awesome write up.
I dont know why @zumbly has a picture of Dusty Rhodes super imposed over his coins, but the bigger question why does AN have his favorite coin superimposed over Dusty Rhodes?

 

Well hey, come to think of it, I've got a body of a god myself.

Buddha!

 

Scrawny Asian man?

 

@Ancientnoob
I think JA means Budai, the Chinese god.

Seems like a guy I'd like to sit down and have a drink with!

 

Eh...somewhere in the middle. And definitely not made of gold, lol.

 

Thanks for the support guys!.

I agree! The fact that the MAJORITY of Emperors after Nerva were not Italian shows that Rome was a multicultural society. Hell, my namesake was a Spaniard, Constantine was an Illyrian, and Theodosius II was half FRANKISH! Cool stuff indeed.

 

So many theories as to why Rome "fell". I think taking another 1500 years after the Republic to "fall" ...(Western Empire, then Eastern Empire / Byzantium) is a testament to their adaptability as learned deep in their past of the Early Res Publica. (When they absorbed the Latin Cities, Etruria, Magna Graecia, the Marsic Cities, etc). Rather than "Fall"... my opinion is that they just faded into the background... Today's legacies are the Vatican, and many Nations basing their present democratic Republics on the Roman Res Publican model (United States as one.)

 

Trebonianus the Hut

 

Thanks guys. Now I know why it is so hard for me to lose a few (read lot of) pounds.
I AM A GOD!
Do I dare tell my wife?