100 Greatest ... Roman Denarii

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by rg3, Jan 14, 2017.

  1. Mikey Zee

    Mikey Zee Delenda Est Carthago

    Wonderful posts everyone!! Almost makes me wish i didn't spend the last of this month's budget on 'fossils' LOL
     
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  3. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    Thank you. I "VENI DIDI VICI" 'ed that one when I saw it! From one of my favorite / trusted suppliers. :)
     
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  4. rg3

    rg3 Well-Known Member

    Thank you all for sharing your thoughts and wonderful examples. It will take me a while to research each and I plan on revisiting this post and asking questions. This is an outrageous question. I have colleagues who ask similar questions like "what are the 100 greatest math books?" or "what are the 100 greatest theorems?" It seems ridiculous when posed, but then you learn a ton when someone tries to organize and puts pen to paper (finger to key, whatever).

    Since the Roman denarius was struck from 211BC to 235AD (this may be subject to debate, I am a beginner) you'd have about 450 years of strikes from which to pick 100 coins. So on average, about 2 coins per decade. On the other hand you've got about 250 years of empire, so maybe 50-60 coins should be devoted to imperial strikes. Should each of the 27 emperors be represented? If so, what denarius best embodies their reign? Not sure if this is the best way to select "the 100 greatest roman denarii", but it could be the means to tell an interesting story. Repeat picks include (not in any order):

    1. Vespasian's Judea Capta
    2. Trajan's Column
    3. Julia Domna's Four Seasons
    4. Mark Antony's Legionary series
    5. L. Calpurnius Piso Frugi's Apollo
    6. Sextus Pompey's Pharos/Scylla

    Other thoughts on what types may make an objective list? For instance, the Caesar elephant snake stomp, perpetual dictator, and venus/aeneas types were represented. If you only had 1-2 denarii to represent JCaesar what would they be? I know everyone included types they have, which I like from an availability viewpoint. One of the drawbacks of Berk's book (for me) is that I'd have to spend a considerable amount of time on a plane or rob a bank to see a reasonable percentage of the coins in person.

    I know some of you have expertise in particular time periods. For example,
    @dougsmit with the Severan dynasty. If you were to pick 10 denarii to represent (or to embody, or you consider to be the greatest of) the dynasty's ~45 year reign, what would they be? I now understand this question could be answered on levels, with respect to Eastern mints or Roman mints. I know @Bing is collecting MAntony's legionary series. If you had to choose one to represent that type, which would it be and why (I am guessing one of the legions was particularly BA)?

    I ask these questions with naivety but honesty.
     
  5. TIF

    TIF Always learning.

    Great questions and I enjoyed reading your approach to this "problem"-- very methodical :)
     
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  6. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    One I do not have: LEGIO COHORTIS SPECVLATORVM. Besides this, Legio X Equestris was Caesars favorite
     
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  7. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    I do love this one of mine:
    RImp Marc Antony 32-31 BCE AR Legio X Denarius B bankers mark Eagle Galley Standards Obv-Rev.jpg
    RImp
    Marc Antony 32-31 BCE
    AR Legio X Equestris - Caesar - Denarius
    B bankers mark Eagle Galley Standards
     
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  8. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    From Wiki:
    In 45 BC the legion was disbanded, and the veterans obtained lands in Narbonne, southern Gaul.

    During the civil war that followed Caesar's assassination, the Legio X was reconstituted by Lepidus (winter 44/43), and fought for the triumvirs until the final Battle of Philippi. The veterans obtained lands near Cremona, and an inscription reports that the name of the legion at the time was Veneria, "devoted to Venus", the mythical mother of gens Julia.

    The Tenth later followed Mark Antony in Armenia, during his Parthian campaign. During Antony's civil war, the legion fought for Mark Antony until the defeat in the Battle of Actium, after which the legion moved into Octavian's army. The veterans settled in Patras. When the legion rebelled under Augustus, it was disbanded, stripped of its Equestris title, and, being populated with soldiers from other legions, renamed X Gemina.
     
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  9. TypeCoin971793

    TypeCoin971793 Just a random guy on the internet

    My top five is easy, since I only have four denarii.

    1. Roman Republic, Lucius Hostilius Saserna, 48 BC

    IMG_8357.JPG IMG_8358.JPG

    2. Elagabalus, 218-222 AD

    IMG_8182.JPG IMG_8184.JPG

    3. Trajan, 98-117 AD

    IMG_8233.JPG IMG_8234.JPG

    4. Nero, 54-68 AD

    IMG_8425.JPG IMG_8426.JPG
     
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  10. David Atherton

    David Atherton Flavian Fanatic

    If one was to compose a list of 'The 100 Greatest Roman Denarii', I don't think any limits such as two per decade or one per emperor should apply. Either the coin type is great or it isn't. Some emperors or moneyers didn't produce anything noteworthy enough to make the cut and their coinage shouldn't artificially be included. That being said, the six you listed are worthy of inclusion, IMHO, so just 94 more to go!

    I think we can all agree a lifetime JC portrait and EID MAR denarius should be in the top five.

    N.B. If I was choosing Flavian types for the list: Vespasian's Judaea Capta with palm tree, Titus' elephant reverse, and perhaps Domitian's Germania Capta.

    V4.jpg

    T116.jpg

    D331sm.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jan 17, 2017
  11. Eduard

    Eduard Supporter**

    A super Germania Capta, David!
    Very difficult to find one in my part of the world due to its popularity.
     
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  12. stevex6

    stevex6 Random Mayhem

    Okay fine ... apparently we're allowed to post our Imperial denarii as well, eh?

    Ummm, how 'bout my top-five chick denarii ...

    => on the cat-walk

    Sabina
    Sabina.jpg

    Faustina-I
    Faustina Senior.jpg

    Faustina-II
    Faustina Jr II.jpg

    Julia Paula
    Julia Paula AR Denarius.jpg

    Orbiana

    Orbiana.jpg


    [​IMG]


    :rolleyes:
     
    Last edited: Jan 17, 2017
  13. Prokles

    Prokles Well-Known Member

    Great post!

    Really a mathematical approach! :)

    For my part, I would choose the coins based on their historical background. But even so, it would be a difficult choice ...
    A portrait of each emperor is interesting (that is for the obverse approach) but the reverses are also very rich, especially for the RR...

    I'm gonna stop watching this post because I've seen too many attractive Roman coins (the Piso Frugi and the Lentullus from @TIF are beautiful) and I fear for my budget.
    I have to stay focussed on Greek coins, I have to stay focussed on Greek coins, I have to stay focussed on Greek coins, I have to stay focussed on Greek coins
     
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  14. stevex6

    stevex6 Random Mayhem

    Oh, and I don't play favourites ... here are my top-five "Beef-cake" denarii boys

    => on the dog-walk!!

    Caracalla
    Caracalla Galley.jpg

    Geta
    Geta.jpg

    Macrinus
    Macrinus.jpg

    Thrax
    max a.jpg max b.jpg

    Domitian

    domitiana.jpg domitianb.jpg

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jan 17, 2017
  15. rg3

    rg3 Well-Known Member

    Good points! Titus provides an example to your observation (having only reigned 2-3 years, but having killer issues commemorating the construction of the Colesseum and the eruption of Vesuvius). Maybe it is best to order by general time period/dynasty. Let us see what we have (I put a few more in which are probably subject to debate. Of course I am probably missing quite a few which should WITHOUT A DOUBT make the list. I invite corrections, discussion, debate.):

    I. Republic
    1. L. Calpurnius Piso Frugi's Apollo
    2. Gladiator reverse (Didius or Regulus)
    3. L. Plautius Plancus
    II. Imperatorial
    1. Caesar Portrait (Perpetual Dictator)
    2. Brutus EID MAR
    3. Sextus Pompey's Pharos/Scylla
    4. Marc Antony Legionary (X (imp historically, not rare) or COHORTIS SPECVLATORVM)
    5. Antony and Cleopatra
    III. Imperial
    A. Julio-Claudian
    B. Year of the Four
    C. Flavian
    1. Vespasian's Judea Capta (with palm)
    2. Titus' Elephant
    3. Domitian's Germania Capta
    D. Nerva-Antonine
    1. Trajan's Column
    2. Commodus as Hercules
    E. Year of the Five
    F. Severan
    1. Septimius' Circus
    2. Julia Domna's Four Seasons
    3. Elagabalus' Sacred Stone

    I count 16 contenders so far (but basic arithmetic was never my strong suit).
     
    Last edited: Jan 17, 2017
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  16. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    When I said MA Legion X, I was speaking primarily of the history of the legion. There are others much more scarce and harder to acquire.
     
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  17. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

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  18. David@PCC

    David@PCC allcoinage.com

    This was confusing to me after watching Benhur and seeing it reference Legio X Fretensis. It seems two legions of the same number existed at the same time. Great coin @Bing
     
  19. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    They did exist at the same time, but different legions. Fretensis was a legion recruited by Octavian. This legion fought against Mark Antony's Legion X but was mostly involved in sea battles thus the trireme was one of its symbols along with the bull.
     
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