Fortuna Redux

Fortuna Redux was the tutelary of the emperor's safe return after travels abroad. She was introduced as an aspect of Fortuna in 19 BC, upon the return of Augustus from Asia Minor. She is the most common depiction of Fortuna on Roman coinage during the first three centuries. Although she was officially introduced as a protectress of emperors, she found her way into the everyday religious practices of common citizens, particularly soldiers (as one might expect).

In AD 113, Trajan embarked on his last campaign, against the Parthians, to which the reverse of this coin refers. The history of his Eastern travels is complex, punctuated by significant military successes, but the invocation of Fortuna Redux was to no avail - he fell ill and died of edema before he could return to Rome.



Post your coins of Fortuna Redux.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

This denarius was minted in Emesa in 194-195, during Septimius Severus' campaigns against Pescennius Niger in the East. Fortuna Redux smiled on him, as he did return victorious to Rome. Notice the spelling variant REDVC.

 

That's a wonderful example JA

I'll have to recheck if I have any of the type....but I think I'm missing a 'Fortuna Redux' (or REDVC).

 

nice coins, interesting....

 

Nice, I like those bust types of Trajan.

My only Fortuna.


Quintillus
Æ(S) Antoninianus
O: IMP CM AVR CL QVINTILLVS AVG, radiate, draped bust right.
R: FORTVNA REDVX, Fortuna standing left with rudder and cornucopiae. Z in exergue.
Rome Mint, 270 A.D.
2.65g
18mm
Appleshaw hoard 305; RIC 19 var (cornucopiae)

 

Nice Mat! I hadn't seen one from Quintillus yet. She seems to have fallen out of fashion by the time of the Tetrarchies. I don't see her on coins after Aurelian. Here is an ant of Gallienus...

 

Acid reflux........

 

What a wonderful coin John, thanks for posting it!

Your request for Fortuna Redux coins made me think of this Vespasian denarius for the first time in years.



Vespasian
AR Denarius
Rome mint, 69-70 AD
RIC 19 (C), BMC 7, RSC 84.
Obv: IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG; Head of Vespasian, lauerate, r.
Rev: COS ITER FORT RED; Fortuna, draped, standing l.,setting r. hand on prow and holding cornucopiae in l. hand

Struck for his safe return from Egypt to Rome after the Civil Wars of 69.

 

These are all Syrian Septimius. REDVC is an abbreviation for REDVCI which is dative of Redux 'for the return'. Fortuna drops the E which should be there as dative in agreement but few coins read FORTVNAE REDVCI. My first one only had room for the endings because they forgot the first R leaving FOTVNAE REDVCI.


Spelling is hard for those who stutter as shown on this FORTVNAE REREDVC. If they had not doubled the RE they might have had room for the I???


Finally I have a FORTVNA REDVCI missing only the E.


These are all a bit rare but I know Martin has the second so they are not all that rare. Notice all three show Fortuna in a different guise. There are others but showing three is too much like hijacking the thread for Septimius so I'll stop.

 

Doug, I like your posts on Septimius Severus. The more you post on him the more interested I become.

I do not know if you have seen this but there is a great video on the mystery of the headless romans in York that tells some of the later story of Septimius Severus.

 

I like FORTVNA types a lot. Here is one of Constantius I (293-306):


Constantius I, Caesar 293-305 and Augustus 305-306
CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES
FORTVNAE REDVCI AVGG NN
A in field left and * in field right. TR in exergue.
Follis. 27 mm. 8.79 grams. 6:00 die axis.
Some surface silvering.
Struck at Trier, c.298-301.
RIC Trier 394variety.
Failmezger 2.
This pairs the obverse of a Caesar with the reverse legend appropriate to an Augustus (which is not uncommon)
but the exact variety is not in RIC because it has A in the left field which is not listed with this obverse.
In RIC the obverse is given to AD 298-299 and the control marks to 300-301.

For more about this series (including what the REDVCI refers to) of large folles which was struck only at Trier under the tetrarchy, see my site:
http://esty.ancients.info/Fortuna/Fortuna.html

 

Super page, Warren - that adds a great deal to my knowledge of the types.

 

Those are some nice coins JA.

LUCIUS VERUS
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: L VERVS AVG ARM PARTH MAX, laureate head right
REVERSE: FORT RED TR P VIII IMP V, Fortuna seated left, holding rudder & cornucopiae. COS III in ex.
Struck at Rome, Feb to Dec AD 168
2.5g, 19mm
RIC 586 (Marcus Aurelius), C 111

GALLIENUS
Antoninianus
OBVERSE: GALLIENVS AVG, radiate head right
REVERSE: FORTVNA REDVX, Fortuna standing left, holding rudder on globe and cornucopiae, digamma in right field
Struck at Siscia,260-8 AD
2.7g, 20mm
RIC V-1, Siscia 572

AURELIAN
Antoninianus
OBVERSE: IMP AVRELIANVS AVG, radiate cuirassed bust right
REVERSE: FORTVNA REDVX, Fortuna seated left on wheel, holding rudder & cornucopiae, T in ex
Struck at Mediolanum, 274-5 AD
3.30g, 20mm
RIC 128

 

i have fortuna...but not redux...on the list.

the parthian legend is a plus...cool! nice pick up JA

that was a cool vid orfew, thanks for posting.

 

Sweet addition, and nice coins all. Heres mine.

IVLIA DOMNA AVG, Draped bust right; FORTVN REDVC, Fortuna standing left, holding rudder and cornucopia
Unlisted Syrian mint.

 

Here's mine - Clodius Albinus, Fortuna Redux:

 

Carinus
obv. IMP CARINVS P F AVG, Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right
rev. FORTVNA REDVX, Fortuna seated left, holding rudder and cornucopiae
Ticinum, Ex. TXXIT
25mm, 2.6gr, Die 0, 5th emission Aug.283

 

Lots of interesting coins and discussion here.

 

I really like Fortuna Redux, but for variety's sake will show a coin with her in a less familiar guise. FORTVNAE MANENTI ('Abiding Fortune') is a type unique to Commodus, and instead of her usual rudder, she can be seen here holding a bridled horse.


COMMODUS
AR Denarius
2.33g, 18.7mm
Rome mint, AD 186-189
RIC 191A (scarce); Sear 5642
O: M COMM ANT P FEL AVG BRIT, laureate head right.
R: FORTVNAE MANENTI, Fortuna seated left, holding horse by bridle in right hand and corncucopiae in left; C V P P in exergue.