Tell me, is there anything cooler than Cybele riding in a quadriga pulled by lions? I've wanted one of these for years and I was the successful bidder in today's Leu auction. Post anything you feel is relevant! The Phrygian great mother goddess, Cybele, guardian of vegetation and fertility, was particularly venerated in the Ancient Roman world from the 1st century A.D. on. Towards the end of the 4th century A.D., Emperor Julian the Apostate unsuccessfully tried to revive the cult of the goddess, in an attempt to oppose the growing popularity of Christianity. I was going to write an essay about Cybele as Magna Mater, but I have nothing to add that Bill Welch hasn't already covered in this excellent piece here. Julia Domna, AD 193-217. Roman AR denarius, 3.30 g, 19 mm, 6 h. Rome, 21st emission, AD 205. Obv: IVLIA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: MATER AVGG, Julia Domna, as Cybele, seated left in quadriga of lions and holding branch in her right hand. Refs: RIC 562; BMCRE 48; Cohen/RSC 117; RCV 6592; Hill 759; CRE 354. The motif of Cybele in a quadriga drawn by a team of lions is a common one in the ancient world. One of the most famous depictions of this scene is on the Parabiago Plate, found near Milan in 1907. The piece dates from the 4th-5th century, AD. It can be seen in the Archeological Museum, Milan: Another depiction is this bronze statuette of Cybele in a cart drawn by lions from the second half of the second century, AD. It can be seen at the Metropolitan Museum of Art: Coins featuring Cybele are an interest of mine. You may see other examples from my collection in this thread from earlier this year.
@Roman Collector That is a wonderful coin and a very interesting writeup. As usual you have managed to combine a great coin with a informative piece of writing. Definitely not. What an absolutely wonderful reverse. Congrats on adding this superb coin to your collection.
Congrats!! What a wonderful type . Well, maybe not cooler but perhaps as cool... Poseidon pulled by a quadriga of hippocamps: PHOENICIA, Berytos 1st century BCE Æ19.5, 5.9 gm Obv: Turreted head of Tyche right Rev: Poseidon standing left in quadriga drawn by four hippocamps Ref: SNG Copenhagen 83
Very nice example, RC. A lion quadriga is definitely one of the cooler things out there. If there was no danger of getting eaten, I’d be riding one myself. I was really pleased to score 3 Domnas in Leu today. Here’s one of them, a reverse type I’ve always wanted. Julia Domna, Augusta, 193-217. As (Copper, 24 mm, 8.89 g, 6 h), Rome, 196-209. IVLIA AVGVSTA Draped bust of Julia Domna to right. Rev.FECVNDITAS / S C Fecunditas reclining to left under vine stock, placing her right hand on globe adorned with stars and resting her left arm on basket of fruit; before her, four children, representing the four seasons, standing on and next to the globe. BMC 783. Cohen 37. RIC 872. Rare. Somewhat rough, otherwise, very fine. From the G.G. Collection of Roman Imperial third century middle bronzes.
I, too, love the reverse type on that Domna bronze. I had a lowball bid in on it in the hopes that it would be a sleeper, but the month's budget didn't allow me to put in competitive bids on both the lion quadriga and the FECVNDITAS reverse. So, it worked out well for the both of us. Our coins have happy homes!
