Just won this at auction for a good price and want to show it off. The theme of handshakes and agreement (concordia) is a common on on Roman coins. Let's see your handshakes! Today's purchase: Faustina Senior, wife of Antoninus Pius, Augusta AD 138-141 Roman AR denarius Rome, AD 142 3.73g, 17mm Obv: DIVA AVG FAVSTINA, draped bust right. Rev: CONCORDIA, Antoninus standing right, holding scroll, clasping right hands with Faustina I, standing left, holding sceptre. Refs: RIC 381b; BMCRE 288; RCV 4592; Cohen 159. Others in my collection: Denarii of Plautilla, RIC 361 and 362: Denarius of Julia Paula, RIC 214: Sestertius of Orbiana, RIC 657: Antoninianus of Severina, RIC 3 Antoninianus of Diocletian, RIC 306
Brilliant purchase Roman Collector, with great detail. In fact all very nice, congrats. Is hand shakes a collecting theme of yours? as you seem to have quite a few.
Very nice purchase, RC. Trajan Decius (249 - 251 A.D.) AR Antoninianus O: IMP C M Q TRAIANVS DECIVS AVG; radiate, draped & cuirassed bust right. R: PANNONIAE; the two Pannoniae, veiled, standing right and left facing one another, clasping right hands in front of standard between them. Rome Mint, 251 A.D. 22mm 3.2g RIC IV Rome 26 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
Oops, another. Crispina (178 - 182 A.D.) AR Denarius O: CRISPINA AVG, draped bust right. R: CONCORDIA, clasped hands. 2.7g 18mm RIC 279 (Commodus); BMCRE 29 (Commodus); RSC 9
Iberia Castulo Late 2nd C BC AE As 25mm Bust Nose Hand Sphinx RImp Marc Antony AR Quinarius Concordia Clasped Hands Caduceus Craw 529/4b RI Marius 269 Gallic Usurper BI Ant CONCORD MILIT Clasped Hands
Who noticed how the handshake style shown on the OP differs from the way our culture does it (or did it if you have moved on to fist bumping)? Find me a close up view that clearly shows the fingers wrapped around the other hand rather than extended down. The OP coin is, IMHO, a real winner. Thanks for showing it off.
Thanks for the kind words! No, actually, I don't go out of my way to collect this type; they were just commonly used as motifs on coins from the days of the Republic until pretty late in the Imperial period.
Lovely coins, all, as expected! Hands clasping from the Republic all throughout the Imperial period represented!
Where did the idea come from that Romans shook eachother's forearms instead of their hands? Clearly someone forgot to tell the guys who made these coins!