O Mighty Isis!

Although not as commonly depicted on coins as the Greco-Roman goddesses, such as Venus or Athena, Isis was a popular diety in the Roman world and she appears on a number of coins, particularly in her avatar as Isis Pharia (though I have no examples in my collection). I have but three coins with Isis. Show me yours.


Julia Domna, AD 193-211
Roman AR denarius under Septimius Severus
Rome, AD 201
3.61 g; 17.7 mm
Obv: IVLIA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right
Rev: SAECVLI FELICITAS, Isis standing right, foot on prow, nursing infant Horus
Refs: RIC 577; BMCRE 75; Hill 504; Cohen 174; RCV 6606


Annia Faustina, 3rd wife of Elagabalus, Augusta, 221 CE
Isinda, Pisidia, AE 25 mm
8.55 g; 25.0 mm
Obv: ANNIAN FAVCTEINAN, Draped bust of Faustina, right
Rev: Confronted heads of Serapis and Isis, in field, E-Delta (yr. 4 )
Refs: Ex Lindgren I A1322A, ex von Aulock, Pisidia I 833 (Plate coin for both references)


Ptolemy V Epiphanes, 203 BC-180 BC
AE 28
Alexandria, 203-180 BC
18.84 g; 28.4 mm
Obv: Corn-wreathed head of Isis, right
Rev: ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ, eagle standing on winged thunderbolt, left
Refs: Svoronos 1235; Sear Greek 7880; BMCG 6.94,72; SNG VIII (Hart) 1175; Forrer 80

 

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Nice. I only have a couple of coins with Isis reverses.

VESPASIAN
Æ Diobol
OBVERSE: AYTOK KAIΣ ΣEBA OYEΣΠAΣIANOY, laureate head right
REVERSE: LE, Draped bust of Isis right wearing uraeus crown
Struck at Alexandria, Egypt, Year 5 = 72/73 A.D
9.15 g, 24.9mm
RPC 2438; Milne 427; Emmett 217
Ex Zuzim Judaea Coins, New York

JULIA DOMNA
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: IVLIA AVGVSTA, draped bust right
REVERSE: SAECVLI FELICITAS, Isis, wearing polos on head, standing right, left foot on prow, holding Horus; behind, rudder
Struck at Rome, 200 AD
2.37 grs, 19mm
RIC 577, RSC 174, BMC 75

 

Isis sailing towards Pharos of Alexandria, AE Drachm, 148/49 AD Antoninus Pius,
35mm, 23.8gm. Emmett 1592.

 

Lovely! That's the Isis Pharia type on my wish list.

 

I like that Vespasian!

 

That Domna denarius has beautiful detail, great coin.

 

@Ancient Aussie - terrific example! I'd love to have one as nice as that one.

 

Bust of Isis on one of those enigmatic issues associated with the Festival of Isis.


FESTIVAL OF ISIS
Anonymous (temp. Julian II). Rome mint, mid 4th Century. AE. 0.79g, 12mm. Alföldi, Festival pl. VIII, 11; Vagi 3393. O: [ISIS F-A]RIA, draped bust of Isis right, wearing [hem-hem crown] and necklace. R: [VOTA P-]VBLICA, Hermanubis standing left, holding sistrum and caduceus.

Some others featuring Isis...

BITHYNIA, Tium (present day Filyas in Turkey) - Marcus Aurelius, AE19


THRACE, Serdica (present day Sofia in Bulgaria) - Marcus Aurelius, AE19


SYRIA, Antioch (present day Antakya in Turkey) - Claudius Gothicus, Antoninianus

 

That Isis/Hermanubis is one of the coolest coins I've ever seen!

They say that cat Hermanubis is a bad muthah...

Shut yo' mouth!

I'm talking 'bout Hermanubis!

We can dig it!

 

Some very cool coins!


Galba
AE25 Diobol
Alexandria, Egypt.
Obv. Laur. head left.
Rev. Bust of Isis right.
Dattari 320. Year 2 = 68/69 AD.

 

During the Flavian era the cult of Isis was somewhat in vogue at Rome. Interesting to see it still going strong 130 years later!

 

Love the Isis posts!!

There's just something special about Roman coin and Egyptian themes. Hope @TIF catches this thread.

 

Roman Collector => congrats on the cool-OP winner

Ummm, I only have this one humble example of an Isis coin ...

Ptolemy V AE26
204-180 BC
Isis & Eagle



Oh, and Ancient Aussie and Z-Bro => wow, two of the coolest examples
(totally jealous)

 

I figured out why Hermanubis looks so creepy in @zumbly 's coin:

 

My only example is like Steve's---Ptolemy VI and Cleopatra II as Isis.

Cleopatra II (Ptolemy VI Philometor)
Alexandria, Egypt
AE 27 mm x 19.33 grams
Obverse: Anepigraphic, Cleopatra I as Isis
Reverse: Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, wings outstretched within beaded circle.
Ref : Laffaille- Cop.279 GC.7903 BMC.6 MP.201

 

RI AR Den Julia Domna 200 CE Felicitas Isis Horus RIC 577

 

And I was so sure they were going for Hermanuby-Doo...

 

Super cool OP's @Roman Collector! I really like the Annia Faustina from Isinda.



Aeolis, Kyme. AE18. Amazon Kyme/Isis
Obv: K VMH Amazon Kyme bust r., turreted.
Rev: KVM AIWN Isis standing l., sistrum in r., situla in l.
Time of Valerian to Gallienus.
BMC 120


Thrace, Serdica. Marcus Aurelius AE20. Bust of Isis
Obv: AY KAI M AYPH ANTΩNINOC Head facing r.
Rev: CEPΔWN Bust of Isis decorated with lotus r.


Thrace, Perinthos. AE23. Osiris and Isis
Obv: Jugate heads of Osiris and Isis right.
Rev: PERIN-QIWN, bull standing left, two-headed horse below.
23mm.
c350 BC.

 

Thanks for the heads-up, Mikey! I'm very behind on browsing CoinTalk.

I do love "pagan" gods and have a number of iterations of Isis

Z-- I'm so envious of your Hermanooby Doo


EGYPT, Alexandria. Vespasian
year 4, CE 71/2
diobol? (weight is of an obol but no Isis obols are listed for Vespasian), 25.4 mm, 5.45 gm
Obv: AVTOKKAIΣΣEBAOVEΣΠAΣIANOV; laureate head right
Rev: bust of Isis right; LΔ in right field
Ref: c.f. Emmett 217.4 (diobol) It's probably just an extremely underweight diobol


EGYPT, Alexandria. Domitian
year 9,
AE diobol; 25 mm, 9.1 gm
Obv: AVTKAIΣAPΔOMITIANOΣΣEBΓEPM; laureate bust right
Rev: bust of Isis right; ETOVΣ ENATOV
Ref: Emmett 296.9, Geissen 329; Dattari-Savio Pl 19, 6747 (this coin)
Ex Dattari Collection

A favorite from last year despite its humble condition and lack of cool pedigree:

EGYPT, Alexandria. Domitian
AE obol, 20 mm, 5 gm
regnal year 10, CE 90/91
Obv: laureate head right
Rev: AVTKAIΣAPOMITIANOΣΣEBΓEPM; Isis-Thermouthis standing right; LI in right field
Ref: Emmett 321.10, R5; RPC 2593; Geissen 376

A grotty but rare tetradrachm (rare only for person/year; the type in general is plentiful)

EGYPT, Alexandria. Hadrian
year 9, CE 124/5
tetradrachm, 24 mm, 11 gm
Obv: AVTKAITPAI AΔPIACEB (in theory...); laureate bust right
Rev: ETENAT; Isis Pharia standing right, holding billowing sail
Ref: Emmett 868.9 (R5); Köln 3463; Dattari (Savio) 1404; K&G 32.302

A pretty nice example of a common but popular drachm showing Isis Pharia and one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the Lighthouse of Alexandria:

EGYPT, Alexandria. Hadrian
year 18, CE 133/4
Æ drachm, 32 mm, 23.3 gm
Obv: AYT KAIC TPAIAN A∆PIANOC CEB, laureate and draped bust right
Rev: Isis Pharia right holding a billowing sail with both hands and left foot, sailing toward the Lighthouse of Pharos, which is surmounted by a statue and two Tritons, each blowing a buccinum (sea shell trumpet); L IH (year 18) above center
Ref: Emmett 1002.18

A somewhat shoddy example of relatively common drachm from a large mixed lot; these are frequently available in better condition:
EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius
AE drachm, year 10 or 11
Obv: Laureate draped bust right
Rev: Isis as a mother, seated right on throne, holding and suckling Harpocrates
Ref: Emmett 1585, year 10 or 11


Ptolemy V-VI
204-145 BCE
Æ 27mm, 18.4g; Alexandria mint.
Obv: diademed head of Isis right
Rev: ΠTOΛEMAIOΥ BAΣIΛEΩΣ; eagle on thunderbolt.
Ref: Svoronos 1234 and SNG Cop 247 (as Ptolemy IV)

 

Lovely coins, TIF!