Elagabalus: Fall of an eccentric Emperor

Here is my Elagabalus. The portrait includes the horn (dehydrated bovine phallus) signifying divine power. I believe this coin was owned by a few CoinTalkers before it found a home in my collection.


ELAGABALUS
AR Denarius
A.D. 218 – 222 (struck A.D. 221)
3.73 grams, 19.5 mm diameter
Obv: IMP.ANTONINUS PIVS AVG, Laureate draped bust right with horn over forehead.
Rev: P.M.TR.P.IIII.COS.III.P.P. Elagabalus standing left sacrificing over small fire alter holding branch/club in left arm and patera in right hand with star above.
Grade: Good EF, well centered on good silver fabric.
Other: Variety with horn (DBP) with extensive CoinTalk provenance. Ex Littleton coin. Sear Roman Coins and their values #2112, depicted on plate 7.

 

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I only have 3 coins of this fine, upstanding Roman. I am just getting into learning how to photograph coins and I just got a copy stand yesterday. My digital camera is really old and limited. I may get a new one soon but will play with this one for a while first.

Obv. IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG, Laureate bust right with horn
Rev. SVVMVS SACERDOS AVG, Elagabalus standing left holding branch and sacrificing from patera over alter.

Obv. IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG, Laureate bust right
Rev. SACERD DEI SOLIS ELAGAB, Elagabalus sacrificing over lighted alter, star in right field.

Obv. IMP CAES AVR ANTONINVS AVG, Radiate draped bust right
Rev. P M TR P COS PP, Roma seated left on throne, holding victory and sceptre, shield at side.

 

A couple of mine.

Elagabalus denarius

Obv:– IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG, laureate draped and cuirassed bust right
Rev:– INVICTVS SACERDOS AVG, Elagabalus standing holding a patera over an altar and a club. Star in left field. Bull behind the altar
Minted in Rome. A.D. 220-222
Reference– BMC 209-210. RIC 88. RSC III 61b



Elagabalus denarius

Obv:– IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG, laureate, horned, draped and cuirassed bust right
Rev:– INVICTVS SACERDOS AVG, Elagabalus standing holding a patera over an altar and a club. Star in left field. Bull behind the altar
Minted in Rome. A.D. 220-222
Reference– BMC 209-210. RIC 88. RSC III 61



Elagabalus denarius

Obv:– IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG, laureate, horned, draped and cuirassed bust right
Rev:– INVICTVS SACERDOS AVG, Elagabalus standing holding patera over an altar and branch. Star in right field. Horn on ground to his left
Minted in Rome. A.D. 222
Reference– BMC 209 note. RIC 87 (where it is rated Common citing Cohen). RSC III 58. Cohen 58 (illustrated with star in right field) valued at 50 Fr. No examples in RD.
ex Numismatica Ars Classica NAC AG Sale 42, Lot 379, 20th November 2007, ex Barry Feirstein Collection, previously privately purchased from Harlan J. Berk.
Described as Lightly toned and good extremely fine by NAC.
21 mm. 3.11 gms. 0 degrees.

 

Okay...Somebody please explain the horn to me.
Thanks

 

Not sure of the religious significance, I think it was some eastern custom symbolizing divine power, but I heard it was made from a desiccated bull penis. Maybe the person that told me that was pulling my leg. Maybe someone else here knows.

 

There's a discussion here:
http://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=38335.msg242650#msg242650

Upshot is that someone suggested the bull penis hypothesis in one article, but it doesn't seem to be widely accepted. The "horn" must be somehow connected with the priesthood of Elagabal, but what it is we may never know. (I wonder if it's something that's difficult to depict from a side view... it might look totally different from the front.)

 

Awesome write up and coins @Sallent. There's some sweet coins from everyone else here too. I only have this pretty ugly Elagabalus I got in an uncleaned lot.