Being that it is Valentine's Day, I thought it might be fun to see some coins with Venus, Eros, Cupid etc. I don't have a good example of Cupid by himself... (only Thanatos ) So to start off the love, here is Venus: Julia Domna IVLIA PIA-FELIX AVG draped bust right VENVS GENETRIX Venus seated left, holding apple and sceptre; cupid to left Ar Denarius 17-20mm; 3.01g RIC 389b, S 7107, C 205 (yr 217 Rome) Silver denarius, Laodicea ad Mare mint, 198 - 202 A.D. 3.326g, 22.0mm, die axis 0o, IVLIA AVGVSTA draped bust right VENVS FELIX Venus standing slightly left, head left, apple in raised right, scepter vertical behind in left RIC IV 646, RSC III 197, BMCRE IV 620, IVLIA AVGVSTA Draped bust right VENVS VICTRIX Venus standing left, helmet in right, palm frond in left, resting elbow on column, cuirass right, Cupid holding shield at feet left RIC 581 var (no Cupid or cuirass); . C. - . BMC - . Hill 1199 var; RSC 218 var (no Cupid) Let's see some coins!
We have Valentine's day because of this guy In 268/9, apparently Claudius II decided that single men make better soldiers, having no family and nothing to lose. According to the apocryphal history, he issued a declaration that forbade men of military age to get married. Saint Valentine would have none of it, and performed marriages in secret, for which he was imprisoned and beheaded on February 14, 269.
My favorite couple of chubby cupids: Roman Republic moneyer L. Julius L. f. Caesar, 103 BC AR denarius, 17mm, 3.9 gm Obv: Helmeted head of Mars left; CAESAR; ・C (retrograde) Rev: Venus Genetrix in chariot left, drawn by two Cupids; lyre to left; ・C (retrograde) above Ref: Crawford 320/1 ex RBW Collection
Province Moesia Inferior City Markianopolis Size (mm) 16 Weight (g) 2.99 Die Axis 0 Ob. Leg. M OPELLIOC ANTWNINOC Ob. Desc. Bare headed and draped bust of Diadumenian right Meaning Marcus Opellius Antonius Rev. Leg. MARKIANO-POLEITWN Rev. Desc. Eros/Thanatos standing left, resting chin on palm, leaning on (extinguished) inverted brand Meaning (Coin) of the people of Markianopolis – A prince crowned by the gods References: Hristova/Jekov (2014) 6.25.16.1 (same dies), scarce Notes: Eros was worshiped as a fertility god and associated with love and sexual desire. Sometimes thought of as Thanatos, ‘god of death’, due to his association with the concept of life after death. The symbolism here, of the extinguished torch, may represent joy after sexual fulfilment, or hope for life after death.
LOVE this thread. What's more romantic then Persephone's tale?? Her true love loses her to Hades himself because the lovestruck lad couldn't keep his eyes off her! (My pics of my https://www.cointalk.com/threads/one-in-a-million-girl.331820/page-2#post-3357517) Lokris, Opuntia Hemidrachm around 350 BCE 2.60 g. Head of a nymph/Persephone with reed wreath, simple ear pendants and necklace to the right / Ajax in the Corinthian helmet with drawn short sword storming to the right, holding above the left arm oval shield with a lion as inner jewelry, spear lying on theground. BMC 26
VENUS / CUPID RR Fonteius 85 BC AR Den Apollo tbolt Cupid riding Goat, Pilei above, surrounded by Wreath Sear 271 Craw 353-1a RR L and C Memmius L F Galeria 87 BCE AR Denarius Saturn harpa EX S C Venus driving Biga Cupid flying above, Sear 262 Crawford 349-1 RR Egnatius Maxsumus 76 BCE Bust Libertas pileus behind- Roma Venus stndg, cupid on shoulder, Wolf Head at feet Sear 326 Cr 391-3 RR Cordius Rufus 46 BCE AR Denarius Jugate Dioscuri Venus holding scales Sear 440 Craw 463-1 Roman Republic (barely!) AR Denarius 42 BCE Moneyer L Mussidus Longus 16.45mm x 18.5mm elongated, 3.8g Obv: Radiate and draped bust of Sol, 3/4 face r Rev: L MVSSIDIVS LONGVS, Shrine of Venus Cloacina, circular platform inscribed below CLOACIN, 2 statues of Venus Cloacina RR Naevius Balbus 79 BCE AR Denarius, obv: head of Venus SC behind, rev: TRIGA Sulla S 309 Cr 382-1 RR Faustus Cornelius Sulla 56 BCE AR Denarius, bust of Venus, Signet of Pompey Sear 386 Craw 426-3
PERSEPHONE SICILY Kentoripai Æ Hexas 16mm 3.0g 344-336 BCE Persephone r grain ear plow w bird two pellets Calciati III BMC Sicily 12ff Sicily Syracuse Hieron II 275-269 BC AE 22 Persephone Bull LEFT Bruttium - Carthage / Hannibal occupation during the 2nd Punic War AR Half-Shekel 216-211 BCE Tanit (Persephone / Demeter) - Horse SOLAR-O HN Italy 2016 SNG Cop 361-3
Denarius of Crassus with Venus on obv. Ant. of Caracalla with Venus on reverse.Ant. of Caracalla with Venus on reverse.
Great thread, @arizonarobin! Here's the same Eros as @7Calbrey posted... I like this type a lot: (It seems to me Eros is looking kinda smug...)
