Juno Sospita's Last Hurrah

We have many Roman Republic collectors here on CT, so the image of Juno Sospita - spear-throwing, snake-fancying, goatskin headdress-rocking Saviour Goddess of Lanuvium - is likely to be familiar to most of us. Moneyers such as Thorius Balbus, Roscius Fabatus and L. Procilius, by placing her on their issues, all proudly celebrated their familial ties to Lanuvium, a town about 20 miles south of Rome, where the goddess's cult originated.

Fast forward to the Imperial era, and Juno Sospita has all but vanished from coinage. This recent pick up, a rare denarius of Commodus, is on a very short list of exceptions. It names the goddess, IVNONI SISPITAE, and shows her in a familiar pose with all her usual accoutrements. The reverse was struck for Commodus only in 177, and celebrated the birthplace of the newly made 16-year old emperor. It's the last time Juno Sospita appears on a Roman coin.

Feel free to post your Juno Sospita or Commodus coins!


COMMODUS
AR Denarius
3.33g, 18mm
Rome mint, Autumn - Dec AD 177
RIC (Marcus Aurelius) 646; Cohen 270
O: L AVREL COMMODVS AVG GERM SARM, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
R: IVNONI SISPITAE TR P II IMP II COS P P, Juno Sospita, advancing right, brandishing javelin in right hand and holding shield in left; in front, snake.

 

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Wow, nice find. Never seen the reverse type for him.

I used to have the republic coin but parted with it.

I just have these.


Commodus (177 - 192 A.D.)
Æ18 of Philippopolis, Thrace
O: AV KOMMODOC ANTONINOC laureate head right.
R: FILIPPOPOLEITWN crescent and 4 stars.
18mm
4.5g
Varbanov 1006


Commodus (177 - 192 A.D.)
AR Didrachm
Caesaria, Cappadocia
O: AYT M AYP KOMO ANTωNI, laureate head right.
R: YΠATOC ∆ ΠAT ΠA-TPI, Mt. Argaeus surmounted by star.
Cos IV, struck 183-185 AD.
21mm
3.96g
Metcalf 155f; Sydenham 372a


Commodus (177 - 192 A.D.)
AR Denarius
189 A.D
O: M COMM ANT P FEL AVG BRIT, Laureate head right.
R: PIETATI SENATVS, CVPP, Commodus standing right, holding roll, clasping hands with senator standing left, holding scepter.
Rome mint
RIC III 194 cor, RSC II 408
3.649g

 

Thanks, Mat, I like those Commoduses!

 

Like Mat, that's the first type of Commodus I can recall running across----it's super!!!

I have a few 'common' issues of Commodus without Juno Sospita, but an RR type or two with her; a denarius of moneyer Thorius Balbus:

 

My only Commodus

Commodus AR Denarius. Rome Mint 181-182 AD. Obverse: M COMMODVS ANTONINVS AVG, laureate head right. Reverse: TR P VII IMP III COS III P P, Mars advancing right carrying spear & trophy. RIC: 25. Size: 17mm, 2.35g.

 

I never realized Juno Sospita disappeared from Roman coinage. I just never paid any attention. Wonderful Commodus Z.


L PROCILIUS ROMAN REPUBLIC; GENS PROCILIA
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: Bust of Jupiter right, SC behind
REVERSE: L PROCILI F, Juno Sospita advancing right with sheild, spear aloft and serpent before
Struck at Rome 80 BC
3.7g, 19mm
Cr379/1, Syd 771, Procilia 1

COMMODUS
Ae As
OBVERSE: M COMMODVS ANTONINVS AVG, laureate head right
REVERSE: TR P VI IMP IIII COS III P P S C, Commodus driving a quadriga to left
Struck at Rome, 181 AD
10.52g, 27mm
RIC 319

 

Only one I can find a photo of:

 

Roman Republic
L Thorius Balbus
105 BCE
AR Denarius
Obv: Head of Juno Sospita r, clad in Goat's skin, I S M R behind
Rev: Bull charging r, control letter L above, L THORIVS below, BALBVS in ex
Ref: Sear 192; Craw 316/1

 

Great find, Z! That's the sort of coin that you might look at and say, "Eh, just another worn denarius of Commodus," without realizing how rare it is. If you look long and hard enough, you might find a sestertius of Antoninus Pius with Juno Sospita, and I think there are a few other pretty scarce types, but she certainly didn't make her presence known on the Imperial coinage often.

 

Thanks for the coin shares and kind comments, all. Now I really need to get me a few of those RR Juno Sospitas. It really is a very distinctive incarnation of Juno.

 

Neither have I seen the Juno for Commodus. I like the wide range of portrait styles available for Commodus but most seem to have less interesting reverses. Like most maniacal rulers, Commodus was better looking as a child so coins as Caesar are nice to have. Mine is Spes. Rome's hope for a worthy successor to Marcus Aurelius did not work out so well.


Early portraits as Augustus can be attractive, too, but I see this one as a bit like Eddie Haskell from Leave it to Beaver. The reverse is Liberalitas.



This curly bearded mid-age portrait with Felicitas reverse has always struck me as well done.


I suppose if you can only have one Commodus it should be one where he is dressed like Hercules. His face looks tired. Being a god is hard work.


My most rare Commodus is one from the Alexandria mint. The theory is that these were made to support Commodus' planned visit to Alexandria. The same obverse was used with a CONSECRATIO reverse when Commodus died. When I got mine in 1997 they were considered very rare but now there are at least a dozen of them known. It is interesting that two P's on the reverse were cut R in error but the PP is normal.

 

Interesting history, @zumbly. Here is Juno Sospitas in a biga.


L. Procilius, 80 BC
AR denarius 3.61 gm - 19 mm
Obv: Head of Juno Sospita, r., wearing goat's skin.
Rev: Juno Sospita in biga, r., serpent below horses.
Ref: Crawford 379/2, Syd 772, SR307

 

i don't have either.

i had a nice commodus sestertius ordered but it never made it to my house, seller sold it to someone else.

an interesting denarius Z!

 

I just remembered that Juno Sospita makes an appearance on the reverse of my Q. Cornuficius denarius. That's her on the right with a crow on her shoulder, crowning the eponymous Imperator:

 

My only Commodus:


Commodus; Philppopolis, Thrace; AD 180-192
AE, 4.07g, 18mm; 6h
Obv.: AY K? M?...-KOMOΔOC; laureate head right
Rev.: [Φ]ΙΛΙΠΠΟ[ΠOΛEITΩN]; coiled serpent with something in it's mouth
Ref.: Varbanov 994 - Wildwinds offers no description of the legend. Looking at other coins the obverse description may read AY K AI AYP KOMOΔOC. The K on the obv is hard to read and the AI looks a lot like an M. My understanding is Varbanov is not clear on this coin either.

 

So, it's time for Sospitation !!

I wasn't aware of the association Commodus/sospita at which I never payed attention before. Some interesting specimens all around. I have two RR sospitas though



L. Thorius Balbus, Denarius Rome mint, 105 BC
Head of Juno Sospita right, wearing a goat's skin, ISMR behind
Bull charging right, L above (control letter), L. THORIVS BALBVS in two lines at exergue
3.93 gr
Ref : RCV # 192, RSC, Thoria # 1



L. Procilius L.F., Denarius Rome mint, 80 BC
Laureate head of Jupiter right, S . C behind
Juno Sospita right holding spear and shield. A snake at her feet. L . PROC[ILI/F] behind
3.77 gr
Ref : RCV # 306, RSC, Procilia # 1

Please note that the second one features a Sospita throwing her spear with her right arm, but from above her left shoulder....You wouldn't want to try that, would you ?

Q

 

Interesting coin Z! I think coins like this show the mint had a memory and was aware of its own history.

 

That is going to be a new Sport in the upcoming Rio 2016 Olympics!!!

The Estupido Javelin Toss!

 

Heh, great observation about the spear! I think it's safe to say the engraver was an arty sort who had no time for sports as a youth. Note that on the other examples upthread the spear is being thrown normally, the way actual humans would do it. I guess the engraver of your coin just couldn't bear to impinge on the elegant lines of Juno's neck.

 

I really wouldn't want to fight someone who could do it. I wonder how may other such errors/oddities we could find on coins.