Zeus is NOT happy!

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Roman Collector, Apr 17, 2019.

  1. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    Lightning injures tourists at the acropolis!

    Acropolis-Lightning.jpg


    [​IMG]
    Gallienus, AD 253-268.
    Roman billon antoninianus, 3.10 g, 20.1 mm, 6 h.
    Rome, AD 261.
    Obv: IMP GALLIENVS AVG, radiate head, right, both ribbons behind.
    Rev: IOVI VLTORI, Jupiter standing, head right, holding lightning bold in right hand, cloak flying right; S in left field.
    Refs: RIC 53; Göbl 348e; RCV 10247 var.; Cohen 407.

    Post your coins of lightning bolts, especially if they are being hurled by Zeus/Jupiter!
     
    Marsyas Mike, TJC, Shea19 and 18 others like this.
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  3. furryfrog02

    furryfrog02 Well-Known Member

    I've only got 2 thunder bolts in my collection. Unfortunately, neither are being hurtled by Zeus/Jupiter. Neither are in spectacular shape either.

    Antoninus Pius
    Æ Sestertius.
    Obv: ANTONINVS AVG PI-VS P P TR P COS III, laureate and cuirassed bust right
    Rev: PROVIDENTI-AE DEORVM S C, winged thunderbolt
    Antoninus Pius Æ Sestertius 138-161 AD Winged Thunderbolt Reverse.jpg

    Antoninus Pius
    Denarius
    Obv: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS PP Laureate head right.
    Rev: COS IIII Thunderbolt on decorated altar.
    Antonius Pius Denarius COS III.jpg
     
  4. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

    Lightning bolt being hurled by Zeus not apparent on this one, but apropos of the thread topic, it was issued in Athens.

    Athens AE Mithradates.jpg

    ATTICA, Athens
    AE17. 8.02g, 18.1mm. ATTICA, Athens, 87/6 BC. Struck under Mithradates VI of Pontos, and the Athenian tyrant Aristion. SNG Cop 307; HGC 4, 1710. O: Head of Athena, wearing crested Corinthian helmet to right. R: A-Ε/Θ Zeus standing right, hurling thunderbolt; to right, star between two crescents.
    Struck during the First Mithridatic War, when the city was under the control of the tyrant Aristion, an ally of Mithridates VI against Rome. Soon after, Athens would be besieged and sacked by Sulla.
     
  5. Jay GT4

    Jay GT4 Well-Known Member

    CommodusJupiter1.jpg

    Commodus
    M COMM ANT P FEL AVG BRIT
    laureate head right

    OPTIME MAXIME
    Juppiter sanding left holding thunderbolt and scepter
    CVPP

    Rome 149 AD
    SEAR 5664
     
  6. David Atherton

    David Atherton Flavian Fanatic

    A pulvinar type struck under Titus - thunderbolt on seat.

    T119Asm.jpg
    Titus
    AR Denarius, 3.31g
    Rome Mint, 80 AD
    RIC 119A. BMC 51 var. RSC, 316.
    Obv: IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M•; Head of Titus, laureate, bearded, r.
    Rev: TR P IX IMP XV COS VIII P P; Seat, draped; above, thunderbolt

    It's more common for the thunderbolt to be winged.

    T119.jpg
    Titus
    AR Denarius, 3.37g
    Rome Mint, 80 AD
    RIC 119 (C2). BMC 51. RSC, 316.
    Obv: IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M; Head of Titus, laureate, bearded, r.
    Rev: TR P IX IMP XV COS VIII P P; Seat, draped; above, winged thunderbolt

    The type carried over to Domitian's reign after Titus' death. First without wings.

    D4.JPG
    Domitian
    AR Denarius, 3.18g
    Rome mint, 81 AD
    RIC 4 (C). BMC 1. RSC 554.
    Obv: IMP CAESAR DOMITIANVS AVG; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r.
    Rev: TR P COS VII; Seat, draped; above, thunderbolt

    Later with wings.

    D36.jpg Domitian
    AR Denarius, 3.23g
    Rome mint, 81 AD
    RIC 36 (R). BMC 9. RSC 62.
    Obv: IMP CAES DOMITIANVS AVG P M; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r.
    Rev: COS VII DES VIII P P; Seat, draped; above, winged thunderbolt
     
    Last edited: Apr 17, 2019
  7. Terence Cheesman

    Terence Cheesman Well-Known Member

    Sestertius of Antoninius Pius 142 A.D. RIC 618 Rv Thunderbolt piuss16.png
     
  8. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    Tralles, Lydia.jpg
    TRALLES, LYDIA CITY COINAGE
    AE18
    OBVERSE: Laureate head of Zeus Larasios right
    REVERSE: DIOS TRAL-LIANWN, thunderbolt, all in wreath
    Struck at Tralles 200-1 BC
    6.51g, 17.86 mm
    Mionnet 661
     
  9. randygeki

    randygeki Coin Collector

  10. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    I believe Dea Caelestis is hurling a thunderbolt as she gallops along on lionback here, though the thunderbolt in question looks more like she's schlepping around an oversized cigar or maybe a big bean burrito.

    Edit- oh, wait. This is described as "thunderbolt and scepter", so maybe the burrito-like object we're seeing in her right hand is the scepter. Never mind.

    [​IMG]
     
  11. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    upload_2019-4-18_3-58-2.png
    RR fourée mule anon Q Fabius Labeo denarius 18mm 2.9g after 124 BC Roma X Jupiter Quadriga tbolt scepter Cr 159 obv Cr 273-1 rev
     
  12. Pellinore

    Pellinore Well-Known Member

    There's my little Cremna bronze. Zeus on obverse, his thunderbolt on reverse.

    1707 Kremna ct.jpg


    And here's Jupiter (= Zeus) on a Roman coin of Licinius I:

    2699 Licinius ct.jpg

    Licinius I. AE reduced follis, Rome, 318. Obv. Laureated, draped and cuirassed bust r. IMP LICINIVS P F AVG. Rev. Jupiter standing left, chlamys across left shoulder, holding thunderbolt horizontally, and sceptre. Wreath in left field. IOVI CONSE-RVATORI/ RQ in exergue. 20 mm, 3.34 gr.
     
  13. gsimonel

    gsimonel Well-Known Member

    [​IMG]
    Constantine I ("the Great"), A.D. 307-337
    Thessalonica mint, A.D. 311-313
    RIC 47b
    Obv: CONSTANTINVS P F AVG
    Rev: IOVI CONSER-VATORI AVGG - Jupiter leaning on scepter and holding thunderbolt; eagle with wreath at feet
    [dot]SM]dot]TS[dot] in exergue; E in right field
    22 mm, 4.7 g.
     
  14. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    Here's mine - an Al exandrian tet of Commodus. Also currently is my avatar. I like the desert patina on this coin - makes me think it came out of the sand somewhere in Egypt.

    Type: Billon Tetradrachm, 25mm, 11.06 grams

    Obverse: M AVΡ KOMMO ANTΩNINOC CE, Laureate bust of Commodus right

    Reverse: VΠAT OCTOΔ, Zeus seated left, holding scepter and thunderbolt, K theta in field

    Reference: Milne 2567. I earlier had misattributed this coin but @TIF set me straight.


    commodus1.jpg

    commodus2.jpg
     
  15. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    My limited experience suggests there are more coins with Jupiter holding the bolt than ther are throwing it. Both of these are Postumus.
    rr1860bb1785.jpg rr1885bb3196.jpg
     
  16. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    What is VΠAT OCTOΔ?
    L KH
    pa0370bb0655.jpg
    L Ktheta
    pa0530fd3415.jpg
     
  17. gogili1977

    gogili1977 Well-Known Member

    Very nice variants.
    Marcus Aurelius
    image(8).jpg Macrinus
    image(5).jpg Diocletian
    image(6).jpg Maximian
    image(7).jpg
     
  18. PeteB

    PeteB Well-Known Member

    Septimius Severus. 193-211 AD. THRACE,. Pautalia. Æ (28mm, 13.84 gm, 6h). Obv: Laureate head right. Rev: Zeus advancing right, holding thunderbolt in r. hand and eagle in left hand over altar. Varbanov 4848, but this coin has an altar below eagle.
    SeptSevPautaliaZeus.jpg
     
  19. cmezner

    cmezner do ut des Supporter

    Diocletian, Antoninianus
    Rome, 290 - 291 AD, Mintmark XXI struck under Maximian, officina Z
    20 x 22 mm; 3.68 g;
    RIC V Diocletian 167;
    Obv.: IMP DIOCLE-TIANVS AVG Radiate, draped, bust right
    Rev.: IOVI F-VLGERATORI (to Jupiter who throws the lightning), Jupiter walking l. head right, left leg drawn back, right arm up about to hurl thunderbolt, mantle draped over left arm, eagle at foot to left, XXIZ in ex.

    upload_2019-4-18_16-24-11.png upload_2019-4-18_16-24-27.png
     
  20. Pellinore

    Pellinore Well-Known Member

    VΠATOC TO Δ or Hypatos to D' = consul for the fourth time. For Commodus that would be the year 183. By the way, I didn't see this inscription on the coin.
    L KH = year 28. In the case of Commodus, the years of his reign started in the first year of his father Marcus Aurelius, being 161 - this was also the year Commodus was born. That makes 188.
    L KΘ = year 29.
     
    Last edited: Apr 19, 2019
  21. Justin Lee

    Justin Lee I learn by doing

    It appears that the coins that have that reverse legend have the date below in exergue rather than in field, as in ACH's example.
    https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?term=VΠATOC TO Δ commodus Alexandria&category=1-2&en=1&de=1&fr=1&it=1&es=1&ot=1&images=1&thesaurus=1&order=0&currency=usd&company=

    ACH's coin appears like this one:
    221467.m.jpg
    https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=221467
    Emmett 2567, Milne 2677
     
    Last edited: Apr 19, 2019
    Marsyas Mike, Pellinore and Bing like this.
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