According to the old Roman tradition, Romulus founded Rome on April 21, 753 BC. The emperor Claudius, who was also an historian, celebrated the Saecular Games in 47 AD for the 800th anniversary of this foundation, but he did not order any special coin type for the circumstance. One century later, in 148 AD, Antoninus Pius celebrated the Saecular Games for the 900th anniversary of Rome. There were lavish hunts and gladiator shows. Coins were minted in 148/9 with the legend Munificentia Aug., showing an elephant or the personification of Munificentia with a lion. Antoninus Pius AE As. Rome, 148/9. Obv. : ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XII, laur. head right. rev.: MVNIFICENTIA AVG / COS IIII / S C, Munificentia standing left, holding sceptre ans patera, a small lion at her feet. These coins celebrated the very expensive games offered to the people of Rome for the 900th anniversary of the city's foundation. After another century, the most famous anniversary was the 1000th, celebrated in 248 by Philip the Arab. Many special coins were introduced, representing wild animals, the goddess Roma seated, or the Temple of Rome with the legend "Saeculum novum". Too bad, I don't have any Philip millenium coin. Another century later, the Christian emperor Constantius II did not celebrate the Saecular Games in 348, but he nevertheless celebrated the 1100th anniversary of Rome through coinage. New coins had the reverse legend FEL TEMP REPARATIO which might be read Fel(icium) temp(orum) or Fel(ix) temp(orum) reparatio : "happy renewal of times". Constantius Gallus Caesar, AE centenionalis, Antioch 348 Obv.: D N CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES, draped and cuirassed bare headed bust right. rev.: FEL TEMP REPARATIO / ANT[.], Virtus spearing a fallen barbarian horseman. There were other types with the same legend, like this smaller coin : Constantius II, AE half-centenionalis, Trier 348/50 Obv.: D N CONSTANTIVS P F AVG, draped and cuirassed pearl-diademed bust right Rev.: FEL TEMP REPARATIO / TRP•, radiate phoenix standing right on rocky mount. The Phoenix was the symbol of renewal. Please share your Saecular Games coins, or coins celebrating anniversaries of Rome.
Great post! I’d love to get more coins that celebrate the Saecular Games or other celebrations. I have a few but my photography efforts have yet to make it to my Philip coins… but I do have one photographed. Philip I AE sestertius. IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG, laureate and draped bust right AETERNITAS AVGG, elephant and driver walking left, SC in ex. RIC 167a, Cohen 18.
