THE ROMAN PATERA CHALLENGE

Every collectors of Roman coins have at least few examples of characters holding the famous patera.For those you doesn’t know what it is exactly, it was a round shallow dish or vase used at religious ceremonies. Patera is from latin, but it derives from the greek word ‘patane’, which also mean a flattened dish. It seems that the Etruscans were using it at first. It was employ to make libations of wine to the gods or for receiving the blood of sacrificial victims. On coinage, a figure is often depicted beside an altar, where he is pouring the contents of the patera. In ancient period, these ustensils were made of baked earth ; later of brass, silver or even gold.

In a frieze detail of the ‘Ara Pacis Augustae’, Rome’s altar of Augustan peace, notice the procession of sacrificial animals along with an attendant carrying a patera aloft.



Many museums have in their collections very nice examples of ancient patera. Let’s examine some of the nicest specimen I found. We will begin with the British Museum : this silver one is decorated with gods and legendary figures linked with the foundation and growth of Rome.



It has a diameter of 13.7 cm and was excavated in Syria , dated 2nd Century AD.
On the top of the handle is a bust of Juno or Diana. Below is a scene depicting Mars and Rhea Silvia, the parents of Romulus and Remus, with two cupids.



A second specimen from the same museum : a romano-british one from the 1st century , 24 cm of diameter, discovered in Kent England. It’s made in a copper alloy, but originally inlaid in silver, copper and niello. The central roundel depict the head of Medusa surrounded by a wreath of leave and birds. The handle terminates in a mask of Pan.



Now let’s travel to the Metropolitan Museum of Arts in New- York. We have a very nice example made in bronze. Early 1st century, 37.5. cm of diameter. Such high-quality bronze patera often have a wolf or ram’s finial to the handle.



Now we have to go in Paris, at the ‘Cabinet des médailles de la bibliothèque nationale de France’ to find an extraordinary sample of a gold patera. It has been elaborated by Roman artists in the 3rd century AD. 16 aurei, all very rare, have been used for his design. The sixteen coins set around were carefully selected, alternately an emperor and a personality of the imperial household. The emperors of the Severe Dynasty are related to the theme of the emblem showing Bachus and Hercules, tutelary gods of Lepcis Magna, birthplace of Septimius Severus. In order of their circular display, they are :
Caracalla
Marcus Aurelius
Faustina the young (wife of Marcus Aurelius)
Antoninus Pius
Geta
Commodus
Faustina the older (wife of Antoninus Pius)
Septimius Severus
Caracalla
Antoninus Pius
Faustina the older
Antoninus Pius
Commodus
Septimius Severus
Julia Domna (wife of Septimius Severus)
Hadrian
I now present you the Rennes Patera, 25 cm and 1.32 kg of pure gold...





If we go back to coins now, almost all deities are shown holding a patera. The next picture demonstrate some examples. Could you recognized them ?



The title of this thread is “The Roman patera challenge”. I will need hour help to achieve it. I am wondering how many different god/goddess or emperor holding or showing a patera we can find. Twenty? Thirty? Or maybe more ? Please show us your coins !

 

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PATERA


Pupienus CE 238
AR Denarius 3g
OBV: IMP CM CLOD PVPIENVS AVG, dr. laur. bust r.,
REV: CONCORDIA AVGG, Concordia seated l. on the throne holding patera and double cornucopiae
Seaby 6
Ex CJ Martin

 

I like threads that explore one specific type of iconography. Here is a provincial bronze of Severus Alexander, struck in Marcianopolis, with Concordia holding patera...

 

I got many that feature one, here is one.


Orbiana (225 - 227 A.D.)
AR Denarius
O: SALL BARBIA ORBIANA AVG, draped bust right.
R: CONCORDIA AVGG,Concordia seated left holding double cornucopia and patera.
Rome
19mm
3.8g
RIC IV 319, RSC III 1, BMCRE VI 287, SRCV II 8191

 

Fun thread!

That Rennes Patera... !

Here's Priapus with a patera:


MOESIA INFERIOR, Nikopolis ad Istrum. Elagabalus
AE 18 mm, 2.8 gm
Obv: AVT K M AVP ANTΩNINOC, laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right
Rev: NIKOΠOΛITΩ NΠPOCICTPO N, Priapus standing left, drawing back his cloak to expose his phallus, bowl of fruit balanced on phallus, right hand extended pouring from patera
Ref: Varbanov 3811, AMNG 2022 (I own neither of those references and cannot verify the numbers)

 

Felicitas with patera:


Elagabalus
AR denarius, 2.4g, 19mm, 6h; Antioch mint.
Obv.: ANTONINVS PIVS FEL AVG; Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Rev.: TEMPORVM FEL; Felicitas standing left, holding caduceus and patera.
Reference: RIC IVb 201, p. 44.
ex Doug Smith Collection #527

Elagabalus with patera:


Elagabalus
AR denarius, Rome mint. Struck CE 221-222. 3.55 gm
Obv: IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG; laureate and draped bust right, with “horn” on forehead
Rev: SACERD DEI SOLIS ELAGAB; Elagabalus standing right, holding club and sacrificing from patera over lighted altar; star to right; faint star in left field (likely engraved and then mostly removed by grinding the field).
Ref: RIC IV 131; Thirion 302; RSC 246

Homonoia with patera:


EGYPT, Alexandria. Aelius
137 CE
Billon tetradrachm; 23 mm, 13.16 gm
Obv: ΛAIΛIOCKAICAP; bare head right
Rev: ΔHM EΞOVC VΠAT B; Homonoia standing left, holding cornucopiae and patera over garlanded altar
Ref: Köln 1271; Milne 1539; Emmett 1350.2
Ex John A. Seeger Collection
Gift from my CoinTalk Secret Saturn, 2018

 

Sometimes Hilaritas holds a patera:


Julia Domna, AD 193-217.
Roman AR denarius, 3.53 g, 20.0 mm, 12 h.
Rome, AD 202-203.
Obv: IVLIA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: HILARITAS, Hilaritas standing left, holding patera and palm branch.
Refs: RIC 558; BMCRE p. 161, *; Cohen/RSC 78; RCV --; CRE 351; Hill 554; ERIC II 97.
Notes: Ex-CNG; Ex-AK collection; Wildwinds "plate" coin.

 

How about an top view of a patera, without a god/emperor/empress holding it?


ROMAN REPUBLIC, M. Piso M.f. Frugi
58 BCE (redated from Crawford's 61 BCE by Hersh and Walker, 1984)
AR denarius, 20 mm, 3.94 gm
Obv: terminal bust of Mercury right, wearing winged diadem; calix below chin; to left, star above wreath; dotted border
Rev: M·PISO·M·F / FRVGI above secespita (sacrificial knife) and patera; all within laurel wreath
Ref: Crawford 418/2b; Sydenham 825; Calpurnia 23
formerly slabbed, NGC XF, 4/5 strike, 4/5 surface

 

Juno with a patera:


Faustina Jr, AD 161-175.
Roman orichalcum dupondius, 12.76 g, 24.7 mm, 6 h.
Rome, AD 161-175.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: IVNO S C, Juno standing left, holding patera and scepter.
Refs: RIC 1647; BMCRE 983; Cohen 123; RCV 5297; MIR 17.

 

Vesta with patera:


Caligula (Gaius), CE 37-41
CE 37-38, Rome mint
AE As, 30 mm, 10.6 gm
Obv: C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS PON M TR POT, bare head left
Rev: VESTA above, S C across field, Vesta seated left, holding patera and sceptre
Ref: RIC 38, Sear5 1803, Cohen 27

 

My secret Santa gift from December which I just opened the other day....

 

Vesta with a patera:


Julia Mamaea, AD 222-235.
Roman AR denarius, 3.15 g, 18.3 mm, 5 h.
Rome mint, 7th emission, AD 227.
Obv: IVLIA MAMAEA AVG, diademed and draped bust right.
Rev: VESTA, Vesta standing left, holding patera and transverse scepter.
Refs: RIC 362; BMCRE 440; Cohen 85; RCV 8218.

I love the empress's Mona-Lisa-style smile on this denarius.

 

Apollo holding PATERA and Lyre.
Antoninus Pius
Antoninus Pius AE Sestertius 22.5gm, RIC 598, Sear 4199. Rome 142 AD.

 

HADRIAN
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS, laureate head right, slight drapery on far shoulder
REVERSE: COS III, Concordia seated left on throne, holding patera & resting left arm on statuette of Spes on column at side of throne
Struck at Rome, 125-8 AD
2.3g, 18mm
RIC 172

HADRIAN
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG, laureate head right, draped far shoulder
REVERSE: P M TR P COS III, Clemency standing left, holding patera over altar and staff, CLEM in ex.
Struck at Rome, 124 AD
2.9g, 18mm
RIC 117c, S 3463

SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: SEVERVS PIVS AVG, laureate head right
REVERSE: P M TR P XVI COS III P P, Concordia seated left on throne, holding patera and sceptre
Struck at Rome, 208 AD
3.42g, 20mm
RIC 218

JULIA MAMAEA
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: IVLIA MAMAEA AVG, draped bust right
REVERSE: IVNO CONSERVATRIX, Juno standing left, holding patera & scepter, peacock at feet left
Struck at Rome, 222 AD
3.3g, 20mm
RIC 343

 

Bummer is... NONE of my Etrurians feature a patera!


Etruria Populonia AR 1 As 0.60g 10.0mm after 211 BCE Male Head L - Plain Rev Vecchi 3 68-70 HN Italy 181 RARE

 

I like the challenge and the writeup @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix! Here's Septimius holding a Patera and with vows taken (vota suscepta) for 20 (XX) years, this would be celebrated on his 10th anniversary with 10 years paid (soluta) and renewing for 20 years. This coin would commemorate or anticipate the event of 203.


Septimius Severus, 193-211 AD
AR Denarius circa 202-210
Obv: SEVERVS PIVS AVG, Laureate head right
Rev: VOTA SVSCEPTA XX, Septimius Severus standing left, sacrificing out of patera over lighted altar to left
Size: 18mm, 3.71g
Ref: C 791, RIC 308

 

Licinius I
Mint: Trier
AE 3
316 AD
Obvs: IMP LICINIVS PF AVG.
Revs: GENIO POP ROM, Genius holding patera and cornucopia. T & F in fields.
19mm, 3.3g
Ref: RIC VII.173.121

 

Vitellius Denarius. 69 AD (19.61 mm, 3.09 g)
Obv: A VITELLIVS GERM IMP AVG TR P, laureate head right
Rev: PONT MAXIM, Vesta seated right, holding sceptre and patera.
RIC 107 (S), RSC 72, BMC 34. SRCV I (2000) 2200
Ex: Frank Robinson.
Purchased from Frank Robinson Coins



Vespasian, 69-79. Denarius (Silver, 17 mm, 3.11 g, 1 h), Ephesus, 69-70. IMP CAESAR VESPAS AVG Laureate head of Vespasian to right. Rev. LIBERI IMP AVG VESPAS Titus and Domitian, veiled and togate, standing front, each with patera. BMC 430. Cohen 248. RIC 1395. RPC II 805. Rare. Minor marks and slightly rough, otherwise, about very fine.
From the R. Marbacher Collection, Switzerland.
Leu Numismatic December 09 2018 Lot 908



Titus AR Denarius.Under Vespasian 76 CE (first issue)
3.14 g
Obv:Leaureate head right, T CAESAR IMP VESPASIAN
Rev:Jupiter standing facing with patera over altar, IOVIS CUSTOS
RIC 863 [VESP] (R2)
Purchased from ebay February 21, 2019



Domitian as Caesar Denarius 79 to 24 June
18mm., 3,15g.
Obv:Head laureate l; CAESAR AVG F DOMITIANVS COS VI
Rev: Salus stg r resting on column feeding snake out of patera; PRINCEPS IVVENTUTIS
RIC 1085 [Vespasian] BMC page 47 note. RSC 385.
Ex: Savoca Blue 19thauction April 21, 2019 Lot 1138

 

The Roman patera resembles the Greek phiale. But this one had no handles, but in the middle a hump, the omphalos. This is why these vessels are called phiale omphalos, and these are usually seen on the Roman provincial coins.

Jochen

 

Here's Apollo all butt naked getting the steam room ready.
Not sure of his intentions with that fistful of olive branches