In ancient Mesopotamia, doves were a prominent symbol of Inanna-Ishtar, the goddess of love, sexuality, and war. In classical antiquity, many of the attributes of Inanna-Ishtar were incorporated into the goddess Aphrodite, including her association with love, sex, and doves. Quite naturally, Aphrodite's association with doves influenced the Roman goddess Venus, and she become associated with doves as well. Early fifth-century BC statue of Aphrodite from Cyprus, showing her wearing a cylinder crown and holding a dove. Neues Museum, Berlin. Aphrodite appears here with a dove on this volute krater of The Iliupersis Painter, ca. 365-355 BC, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston: In Roman numismatics, Venus and her dove appear on an anonymous quadrans from the time of Domitian to Antoninus Pius. Anonymous--Domitian to Antoninus Pius. Roman Æ quadrans, 12.9 mm, 2.37 g, 4 h Rome, A.D. 81-161. Obv: Bust of Venus, diademed, draped, right. Rev: S-C, dove standing right. Ref: RIC II, p. 218, 24; BMCRE --; Cohen VIII, p. 268, 10. She also appears holding a dove on this denarius of Faustina II: Faustina II, AD 147-175. Roman AR denarius, 3.30 g, 17 mm, 12 h. Rome, AD 158-161. Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: Venus standing facing, head left, holding dove and scepter. Refs: RIC 730; BMCRE 167-68; RSC 255; Strack 520i; RCV 5266; CRE 236. Venus continued to be portrayed with doves well into the modern period, such as on this painting of Ballerina Carlotta Chabert as Venus by Francesco Hayez in the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Trento and Rovereto (MART), Rovereto, Italy: Post your coins of Aphrodite/Venus with doves, coins with doves, comments, or anything you feel is relevant!
..kool RC...i have doves nesting in one of my trees in the yard and i feed them along with the other birds ( when the cats are in or i'm outside)..i have become quite the bird watcher..i'll take of pics of them tomorrow
Wonderful coins and write up, per Always! Love the juxtaposition of the stiff archaic, albeit perky, statue and the provocative 4th century classical vase It meshes really well with the coin-cept of the goddess of seduction and sexuality carrying a white dove, which we now a days consider a symbol of virtue and chastity. Domitian Circa 81-161 AD. Æ Rome Quadrans (14 mm, 1.34 gm). Diademed and draped bust of Venus right / Dove standing right. RIC II 24; Cohen 10. Near VF
Cool quadrans. I like the denarius too. I don't have a Roman to share, but here's a double dove drachm from Sikyon below. The dove was used by the city as a badge, possibly in connection with the worship of Aphrodite in the city. Her sanctuary in Sikyon contained the Aphrodite of Sikyon, sculpted by Kanachos, who had also made the famous Apollo of Didyma. SIKYONIA, Sikyon AR Drachm. 5.03g, 18mm. SIKYONIA, Sikyon, circa 431-400 BC. BCD Peloponnesos 180-4; HGC 5, 206. O: Dove alighting left; Σ - E flanking. R: Dove flying left within wreath. Ex BCD Collection
SIKYONIA SIKYON AR Hemidrachm OBVERSE: Chimaera standing left, with heads of snake, lion & goat, raising forepaw, ΣΙ below REVERSE: Dove flying left Struck at Skyon, Fourth Century BC 2.6g, 17mm SNGCop 57, BMC 111 Ex Doug Smith C NORBANUS ROMAN REPUBLIC; GENS NORBANA AR Denarius OBVERSE: C• NORBANVS, head of Venus right, wearing stephane, earring, and necklace; XVIIII behind REVERSE: Prow-stem, fasces, caduceus and grain ear. Rome 83 BC 3.9g, 18mm Crawford 357/1a. Sydenham 740. Norbana 1 JULIUS CAESAR AR Denarius OBVERSE: Diademed head of Venus right. REVERSE: CAESAR - Aeneas advancing left, carrying Anchises and palladium Carthage or military mint with Caesar in North Africa, 47 to 46 BC 4.0g, 17mm CRI 55, Sydenham 1013, RRC 458/1, S 1402
..my apologies RC, for i tried to take pics with my antique Canon, but they didn't turn out....i have to get another camera
Great write-up RC. I did not know that about Venus and doves. I do have a coin - the reverse is a bit clogged up with patina, but I'm fond of the obverse - sort of a bored-looking Venus. Anonymous Æ Quadrans Issued in period of Domitian to Antoninus Pius (c. 81-161 A.D.) Rome Mint Diademed and draped bust of Venus right / Dove standing right, SC in exergue. RIC 24; Cohen 10. (2.43 grams / 13 mm)
Interesting print by Bernieri depicting Venus in a chariot drawn by doves: From Girolamo Pozzoli, Dizionario d'ogni mitologia e antichita, Volume V. Batelli e Fanfani, 1825, p. 766.