Featured Apparently this was Maximianus's hunting lodge

On my way to Agrigento and the valley of temples, I stopped at this amazing Roman Villa, near Piazza Armerina called Villa Romana del Casale famous for it's well preserved floor and wall mosaics, one of which you may of heard of before the famous "Bikini Girls". This splendid hunting residence was thought to be owned by Maximianus Herculeus, built in the early part of the fourth century covering 3,500 square metres, they are one of the most important works of Roman art. The most impressive mosaics of the villa are the ones which decorate the floors in the atrium, baths, peristyles and above all in the Corridoio della Grande Cassia and in the Sala della Dieci Ragazze which depict hunting scenes of which it is thought the animals from all regions that were gathered and transported to amphitheatre's such as the Coliseum. What saved these wonderful mosaics was a mudslide which coverered the villa and protected it from most looting and the Vandal's.

LOOKS LIKE THEY HAD SOME MODESTY BACK THEN.











Catalog: RIC 118; Coh. 64
Material: Bronze
Weight: 7.11 g
Maximianus I. Herculius, 2nd Government 307-310 AD
Follis
Aquileia, 1st Officina, 307 AD
Vs .: IMP C MAXIMIANVS PF AVG, head with laurel wreath on the
reverse: CONSERV VRB SVAE / AQP, six columnar Temple with cult image of the Roma

ex Münzzentrum Müller, auction 72, 1992, lot 533.

IN CELEBRATION OF THIS SAVED VILLA AND ROMAN ARTISTRY AT IT'S BEST POST YOUR AGRIGENTO AND OR MAXIMIANUS COINS.

 

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that is fantastic!..thanks for sharing.....i think this is one of the dude

 

Interesting hunting scenes.

 

Thanks for the pictures, AA. Those mosaics are incredible! What a treat it must have been to visit.


MAXIMIANUS
AR Argenteus. 3.11g, 17.9mm. Nicomedia mint, circa AD 295-296. RIC VI Nicomedia 25b; RSC 553c. O: MAXIMIANVS AVG, laureate head right. R: VICTORIAE SARMATICAE, campgate with four turrets, doors open, and star above archway; SMNΓ in exergue.


MAXIMIANUS
AE Follis. 10.03g, 26.5mm. Carthage mint, AD 297. RIC VI 21b. O: IMP MAXIMIANVS P F AVG, laureate head right. R: FELIX AD-VENT AVGG N N, Africa standing left, holding standard in right hand, tusk in left, lion at feet left; B in left field, PKS in exergue.
Ex Giovanni Dattari Collection


MAXIMIANUS
AE Follis. 10.5g, 26.7mm. Alexandria mint, 1st officina, AD 304-305. RIC VI 38. O: IMP C M A MAXIMIANVS PF AVG, laureate head right. R: HERCVLI VICTORI, Hercules standing slightly right, head left, holding club and apples, with lion skin draped over arm; S in left field, P over A in right field, ALE in exergue.

 

Thanks for sharing. Here is an interesting article about the villa :
https://www.penn.museum/documents/publications/expedition/PDFs/53-2/Pensabene.pdf
And my Maximianus :


Ae nummus
Rome. (Rare A mint)
297-298 AD RIC 76b

 

Thanks for sharing Aussie, great pics !

Agrigento (Akragas) Sicily


Maximianus

 

Great coin and write-up! Thanks for the cool pics...you must have had a lotta fun!


RI MAXIMIANUS HERCULIUS 286-305 CE antoninianus Antioch 292-295 CE Pre-Reform CONCORDIA MILITVM Jupiter RIC V 621 H-officina 8

 

I've seen the mosaics on the web but it sure must have been a treat to see them up close...

 

Thanks, very nice detailed coin, love the portrait.

 

Great coins gogili1977, very nice indeed.

 

Thanks zumbly, it makes you wonder how many skillful slaves were used to produce the mosaics....by the way that AR Argenteus is one of the best I've seen simply splendid coin.

 

And thank you for the link I downloaded it as I didn't get any maps or guides when I was there.

 

Thanks, love those two coins. Interesting Maxiamanius the celator must have been in a hurry when he engraved the pediment.

 

Amazing coin and photos. Thanks so much for sharing!
I suppose he would need a shack to go along with his lodge. That must be what my humble version is of...

 

Thanks, WOW that is one great obverse.

 

Yes I was expecting to see the bikini girls but was totally gobsmacked when I seen the rest.

 

Love those bikini girls! All those mosaics are so lovely, would be great to see them in person!

I'm pretty week in the Maximianus department..,

 

Very cool, great photos!


Maximianus, Silvered Antoninianus,
Lugdunum. (22mm., 3.53), Radiate and cuirassed bust R, Rev.- PAX AUGG, RIC V 399

 

Maximianus Hercules Argenteus Serdica Obv head right laureate MAXIMIANVS AVG Rv. Camp gate VIRTVS MILITVM RIC 1 304-305 A.D. 3.35 grms 20 mm

 

I've enjoyed your posts from Sicily. I took an extensive trip through the island a few years back and have seen all of these places myself and can highly recommend a visit to anyone who enjoys history and fantastic ruins. Piazza Armerina, in particular, is simply amazing and hard to fully appreciate unless you see the mosaics in person.

Thank you for sharing.