The Genio on the reverse of this coin has unusual lines across his torso; which I suppose was the engravers awkward/ lazy way of showing muscles. Constantius I A.D. 303 Ӕ follis 27x29mm 9.9g CONSTANTIVS NOB C; laureate and cuirassed bust right. GENIO POPVLI ROMANI; Genius standing left, modius on head, naked but for chlamys over left shoulder, right holding patera, left cornucopiae. No mintmark RIC VI London 37a
I forgot to show a more typical Genio with a "six-pack" Maximinus II A.D. 313 21mm 4.1gm IMP C GAL VAL MAXIMINVS P F AVG; laureate head right. IOVI CONSERVATORI; Jupiter stg. l., cloak spread behind, right holding Victoriola on globe, l. leaning on sceptre; ✶ in left, Δ in right. In ex. SMN RIC VI Nicomedia 79
Lol, these are a great reminder that there is a fine line between the statuesque physique of a Greek god and that of a space alien! A few years ago I decided not to bid on a cheap one with 7 or 8 rows of abs and have regretted it ever sense. Below, a couple favorites from auction archives: NOT MY COINS: I guess if you're a Greek or Roman god it makes sense to have extra rows of muscles that wouldn't make sense on a human-human. And extra genitalia? https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=5195969 A particularly confusing one: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=7085701 Here's one weird Jupiter that is actually in my collection. For once Aurelian isn't the most oddly proportioned figure!
I don't think it's supposed to represent muscles. The Londinium die engraver probably imagined this genius as a charioteer (auriga). Late Roman charioteers in the circuses used to wear this kind of protection.
