New Constans

Hi Doug. I should have remarked that it was the genitive case on the Constans coin. I actually had three years of Latin in high school so I could recognize that. I think on your last question you are referring to Constantine - there is a Constantino variety which I have an example of. Another one that I have seen that is interesting is the vocative case aureus of Gallienus which has the legend GALLIENAE AVGVSTAE, emperor crowned with a corn wreath...

 

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Here is that aureus...

 

.hoho...that darn google!

 

Dear Roman collector, very nice summary of the oblique cases and their uses. Just one point: you've indicated "locative" twice. For the second one, you meant to type "vocative", used when addressing someone. I have one of those medals too, earned for Latin in 1969. Then followed more Latin and Greek in college, and into grad. school, and 40 years later, still working in the field, I never did manage to get away from Classics.

 

Thank you so much; that has been corrected.

 

Lovely Aureus Ancient Coin Hunter! Love the reverse....

 

@Roman Collector
You have taken me back (over 50 years) to the old 'High School' Latin classes with Mrs Reinheimer out front. "Repeat after me."
Amo
Amas
Amat
Amamus
Amatis
Amant

and Cheryl De Forest used to sit in front of me.
Ahhhhhhhhh. Those WERE the days.

 

Languages change. Greek certainly did and if you ever read both Homer and New Testament, you get that point. English changes, too. One of my regrets is the abandonment of the English Subjunctive. When I was in school, we were taught to indicate something was not the case by saying, "If I were rich, I would be happier." Many teachers today would mark a student down for using 'were' instead of 'was' since 'I' needs to agree in number with its verb and 'were' is a plural. That same teacher may also be the drama teacher who has to put on 'Fiddler on the Roof' and explain why the main character sings "If I WERE a Rich Man."

 

You're most welcome. Happy to meet another Latinist!

 

Keep using that subjunctive, Doug - I do! If I am feeling particularly ornery, I sometimes use 15th c. English words and expressions, just to keep people wondering about me...
In modern Greek, the language change was sometimes violent. The spoken language, Demotike had always been there, of course developing as does any spoken language; along with it went Katharevousa, literally, "purified", an artificial, "high" language that sought to preserve Classical Greek. Katharevousa was the literary language, Demotike, the spoken. An older Greek friend of mine referred to it as "gutter" language! When the Bible was initially translated into Demotike , in the early years of the 20th c., I recall, there was rioting in Athens, that it would be translated into "low" Greek. I read the Bible in modern Demotike, and it is remarkably similar to that of Koine Greek. But I miss also those expressive, but more complicated constructions found in Classical Greek.

 

When I was in college taking Greek, I found a Greek New Testament in a used bookstore. My classes were all in Classical Greek but I thought it would be fun to read on the side. I was very disappointed. Later, I discovered the book was not Koine but modern Greek which explained some of the problems I had reading it. I later bought a proper NT in 'old' Greek which I found more readable. This year is the 50th since I was graduated and I have never worked in Classics so my problems reading Greek and Latin are much more deeply rooted than they were then. At the rate I'm going, I soon would forget the alphabet were it not for the letters found on my coins.

 

Here is my example, picked from a bargain box years ago. I appreciate it much more now, thanks to the information above. I'm half guessing at the attribution, so if anyone knows better, please let me know.

Unfortunately, I was a student who caused my high school Latin teacher a great deal of grief. I really love the language lessons now, though.



Constans AE3, 1.7 g, 16 mm.
Obv: CONSTANS-PF AVG.
Rev: VICTORIAE DD AVGGQ NN.
Mintmark SMTSB. RIC VIII 105 Thessalonica
http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/constans/i.html

 

The coins keep you young and your Classical languages alive!

 

LOL, I think this is the BEST post of the DAY!!! My thoughts are back over 40 years ago... ah, Annabel !!! Oh, and my language was Spanish Class... Miss Robey taught our Latin Class, and she taught my FATHER when he was in High School! LOL, NOPE not being in THAT class!

Here are a couple Constans:


RI Constans 337-350 AE3 19mm Thesalonika mint Reparatio stdg CHI RHO banner


RI Constans 337-350 Æ Follis 22mm 3.9g Heraclea AD348-351 holding globe - FEL TEMP REPARATIO soldier spear leads figure from hut

 

sum...es...est...sumus..estis...sunt, eram eras erat, eramus, eratis, erant..,good 'ol Mr Talbert was our latin teacher. Luckily Nancy sat in front of me, proving highly distracting to a 15-year old.