Roman Province of Alexandria

I participated on the last Gemini Auction trying to pick up some of the Alexandrian tetradrachms. A lot of the coins went above the estimation and there were two bidders that gobbled up most of the lots. This was especially true for all the coins that were marked ex-Dattari. I manged to pick up a few lots, so while I categorize them and get them properly attributed, here are two that I just finished:

Egypt, Alexandria: Gallienus (253-268 CE) Æ Tetradrachm, RY 14 (Köln 2932-3; Dattari (Savio) 5283; Milne 4145; Curtis Emmett 3802)

Obv: AVT K Π ΛIK ΓAΛΛIHNOC CЄB; laureate and cuirassed bust right
Rev: Eagle standing left, head right, holding wreath in beak, L IΔ before, palm behind

Former collection of the Art Institute of Chicago



Egypt, Alexandria: Valerian I (253-260 CE) Æ Tetradrachm, RY 4 (Köln 2867; Dattari (Savio) 5174; Milne 3936-38; Curtis 1520; Emmett 3721)

Obv: A K Π ΛI OVAΛEPIANOC EV EVC; bust laureate, cuirassed right, fold of cloak on front shoulder, Medusa head on cuirass
Rev: Tyche seated upon a throne left, holding a rudder in her right hand & cornucopia in her left hand, in field LΔ

Former collection of the Art Institute of Chicago



Feel free to post your coins from either the auction, Alexandria, or whatever rocks your boat

 

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Awesome!!

Egypt, Alexandria
AE Follis, City Commemorative s.337-347 AD
2.69 g x 18 mm
Obv: CONSTANTINOPOLIS, Helmeted and mantled bust of
Constantinopolis left, holding reversed spear
over shoulder.
Rev: Victory standing prow, holding scepter and
leaning on shield.
Mintmark SMALA
Ref: RIC VIII 17
Note: Rare

 

Congratulations, they're gorgeous! I did watch that part of the auction with interest and considered your lot. Glad it went to a CT'er

I did pick up one of the Gemini ex-museum/ex-Dattari lots but will wait until it arrives to post. I wasn't one of the very active bidders in that auction, only dropping bids on a handful of lots and winning only one.

Meanwhile, here's a Gallienus tetradrachm. It won't win any beauty pageants (although the portrait is nice) but it does have a notable pedigree.


EGYPT, Alexandria. Gallienus
year 13, CE 265/6
tetradrachm, 21 mm, 9.1 gm
Obv: Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right
Rev: AVTKΠΛIKΓAΛΛIHNOCCEB; eagle standing right, holding wreath in beak, palm over shoulder; L IΓ across field
Ref: Emmett 3806(13), R1
Ex Museum of Fine Arts, Boston 88.203 (accessioned 1888); Benjamin Pierce Cheney Collection

 

There is MUCH to like about that coin Ancientnoob!!!

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Wow, that Gallienus is amazing! Love that portrait, eagle and also the beard.

 

Ha, thanks @davidharmier60 , much appreciated.

I would also like to share my FIRST Ancient coin ever purchased.

Arcadius AD 383-408
AE 20.9mm x 5.89g
Struck.Between 15 May AD 392 and 17 January AD 395
Alexandira, Egypt; Roman Mint
Obv: rosette diademed, draped & cuirassed bust right-DN ARCADIVS P F AVG
Rev: Emperor standing facing, head right, holding labarum & globe-GLORIA ROMANORVM, ALEA in ex.

 

That one is cool too!

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Those are lovely tets!

 

WOW!!!

Absolutely gorgeous coins from @Quant.Geek on down....I'm jealous!!!

Here's one I picked up last year....of Claudius II:

 

@TIF: That one is also very nice with a good pedigree to boot! There was one lot that I really wanted, but now I regret not upping my bid. Oh well, maybe next time. Do post you coins here, would love to see what you got...

@Ancientnoob: WOW! That is a lovely one. I didn't realize some of those commemoratives were minted in Alexandria. Now I got to go back to mine and see if it was minted there as well. The Arcadius one is pretty cool as well. Don't have many of his coins...

@Mikey Zee: I am always Geeking down my friend. And I am always jealous of some of the coins you have posted. You have a sharp, eagle eye when it comes to picking out awesome coins...

 

Gorgeous pick-ups @Quant.Geek !

I have some, but here are a couple...


RProv Valeria Messalina m-Claudius 41-54 CE Alexandria BI Tet yr 42-43 13.1g 25mm RPC I 5131


RI Poppea-Nero BI tetradrachm of Alexandria LI yr10 63-64 CE Milne 217 RPC 5275

 

I love that Valerian TET Quant.Geek, great pick up, I only have 68-69 AD Alexandrian Tets and one Nero which I just posted in another thread. Top one Galba and two Otho, mainly bought for their historical value.

 

What's a Gallienus tet without a couple of Saloninas?


Cornelia Salonina, AD 253-268
Roman billon tetradrachm; 8.96 g, 21.7 mm
Egypt, Alexandria, AD 266-267
Obv: ΚΟΡΝΗΛΙΑ CΑΛωΝͼΙΝΑ CͼΒ, diademed and draped bust, right
Rev: Eagle standing l., wings open, holding wreath in beak, L IΔ before, palm behind.
Refs: Dattari 5345; BMCG 2278; Köln 2977; Milne 4151; RCV 10717


Cornelia Salonina, AD 253-268
Roman billon tetradrachm; 9.95 g, 22.3 mm
Egypt, Alexandria, AD 267-268
Obv: ΚΟΡΝΗΛΙΑ CΑΛωΝͼΙΝΑ CͼΒ, diademed and draped bust, right
Rev: Eagle standing r., wings open, holding wreath in beak, L Iͼ before, palm behind.
Refs: Dattari 5346; BMCG 2280; Köln 2983; Milne 4189; RCV 10723

 

I don't want to repeat myself, but I've mentioned before that Egypt seemed, in many ways, as enlightened (if not more scientifically advanced) as any other part of the Empire.

I have posted this article before. It gives an alternative history had Antony beaten Octavian at Actium:

http://web.stanford.edu/group/dispersed_author/docs/NotbyANose_Ober.pdf

This scene from HBO's Rome still is enjoyable:



Here are some friends of mine (but not my pictures):

 

I almost forgot I also have this 69 AD Vespasian, from the time it was all happening in Alexandria.

 

Not from Alexandria, but still a Roman tetradrachm:

Herennius Etruscus, Roman Empire
AR tetradrachm
Obv: EPENN ETPOY ME KV DEKIOC KECAP. bare-headed draped bust right, one dot below
Rev: DHMARC EX OVCIAC, eagle standing left on thunderbolt, wings open, wreath in beak, S C below
Mint: Antioch
Date: 250-251 AD
Ref: Prieur 628; BMC 610

 

Very nice coins, I reckon that Rome series is one of the best shows made thanks for sharing a truly memorable moment of it. Spartacus a close second.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canopic_jar

"Canopic jars were used by the Ancient Egyptians during the mummification process to store and preserve the viscera of their owner for the afterlife.
The jars were four in number, each charged with the safekeeping of particular human organs: the stomach, intestines, lungs, and liver. The design of these changed over time.
The canopic jars were placed inside a canopic chest and buried in tombs together with the sarcophagus of the dead. It was also done because it was believed the dead person would need their organs to help them through the afterlife."

These jars reflect the Ancient Egyptians' familiarity and comfort with the extraction, storage, and preservation of human organs (used for the dead person's preparation for the afterlife). With this background, it is not surprising that the city of Alexandria became possibly the only site for human anatomical research and dissection in the Ancient World.

The Egyptian city of Alexandria was not only a site of research and education, but it was also unique in its tolerance of human dissection for research and training. (Human dissection was not practiced anywhere else in the Roman Empire.) This coin is a reminder of the importance of Ancient Alexandria and its place in history.

 

Wow, @Bart9349 , that is a very cool Tet!

 

My god those coins are awesome!

I'm afraid all my Roman coins from Alexandria are LRBs. All the same, here they are:


Constantius II, AD 337-361
AE Reduced Follis, 15mm, 1.6g, 12h; Alexandria mint, AD 340-341.
Obv.: CONSTANT-IVS AVG, laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right
Rev.: GLOR-IA EXERC-ITVS, two soldiers holding spears and shields with one standard between them. Dot on banner
In Ex.: SMALA


Constantius II
AE, 2.76g, 17mm; 6h; Alexandria
Obv.: FL IVL CONSTANTIVS NOB C; laureate cuirassed bust right
Rev.: GLOR-IAEXERC-ITVS; two soldiers standing between two banners with dots, holding shield and spear
In Ex.: SMALB


Constantine I, AD 306-337
AE, Follis, 2.95g, 23mm; 6h; Alexandria
Obv.: CONSTAN-TINVS AVG; laureate (pearl diademed?) head right
Rev.: PROVIDEN-TIAE AVGG; campgate with two turrets and star above, six rows, no doors
In Ex.: SMALB
Ex. Rick Morton Capitoline Collection

I can't forget this one!


Probus, AD 276-282
Potin, tetradrachm, 7.5g, 20mm; 11h; Alexandria, AD 276/277 (regnal year 2)
Obv.: A K M AVP PPO-BOC CEB; laureate cuirassed bust right
Rev.: LB; Dikaiosyne standing left holding scales & cornucopiae
Ref.: Geissen 3127, Dattari 5527
Dikaiosyne is a personification or spirit of jusitice and righteousness. Her primary sources include Orphic hymns and Philostratus.