Commodus gateway Augusta Traiana

I was lucky enough to pick up this rare coin at the recent Gorny auction, it seems the earlier coins like this and his father's had an arched doorway and later Septimius Severus and sons had renovations and included a larger square door as my Sept/S below.
AUGUSTA TRAIANA. Commodus, 177 - 192 AD AE ø 27mm (19.57g). 191-192 AD Governor Lucius Aemilius Iustus. Obv .: ΑΥ ΚΑΙ Μ ΑΥ ΚΟΜΟΔΟΣ, draped bust with laurel wreath rev ΗΓΕ Λ ΑΙΜ ΙΟΥΣΤ ΑΥΓΟΥ / ΣΤΗΣ ΤΡΑΙ-ΑΝΗΣ, Stadttor. Varbanov, GIC II -; RPC online IV.1 10823.

My Septimius Severus.

Thrace, Augusta Traiana, Septimius Severus, AE 29mm, 15.4gm, City Gate flanked by two towers, third raising from centre. Varbanov 961. R5 Varb.
ΑVT K CΠTI CΕΒΕΗΡΟC ΠΕ - Laureate and draped bust right
ΑVΓΟVCΤΗC ΤΡΑΙΑΝΗC - City gate with open door, flanked by two towers, a third tower rising up behind.

Founded by the Emperor Trajan on the border between Moesia Inferior and Thrace, Augusta Traiana was provided with a strong set of city walls which figure prominently on its coinage. This great large bronze provides architectural details of the city gateway, which included three tall crenellated towers, each with its own set of arched doorways and windows, flanking the central portcullis. Fortifications such as these, only rarely featured on Roman coins of the first and early second centuries, became far more prevalent as the Empire came under unceasing attack from circa AD 162 on; by the Tetrarchy era, the "camp gate" had become the dominant reverse type.


ANY CITY GATEWAY/CAMPGATE COINS OUT THERE IN CT LAND, WOULD LOVE TO SEE THEM.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Great architectural details on those coins, @Ancient Aussie! Very attractive reverses with the towers.





AE Follis 2.80g. 19mm. 328-329 A.D. Nicomedia Mint. Pearl-diademed head right, CONSTAN-TINVS AVG / Campgate surmounted by two turrets, no doors; star above; in ex.: SMNΔ PROVIDEN-TIAE AVGG
RIC VII 153.

 

Out of all the great many types of campgate coins out there, I have only two:

Constantine II Caesar (son of Constantine I), Æ reduced Follis. small bust type, Heraclea Mint (5th Officina), 317 AD. Obv. Small laureate half-bust of young Constantine II left, wearing imperial mantle, holding mappa in right hand and globe and scepter in left hand, D N FL CL CONSTANTINVS NOB C / Rev. Camp gate with three turrets and no door, PROVIDEN-TIAE CAESS; in exergue, mintmark MHTЄ [Epsilon = 5th Officina]. RIC VII 20 (p. 545), Sear RCV V 17140, Cohen 107. 18 mm., 3.31 g. (Purchased from Kirk Davis).



Constantius II Caesar (son of Constantine I), silvered billon centenionalis, Trier Mint (2nd Officina) 326 AD. Obv. laureate, draped and cuirassed bust left, FL IVL CONSTANTIVS NOB C / Rev. Camp-gate with no doors and two turrets, star above; PROVIDEN-TIAE CAESS. In exergue: STR followed by pellet in crescent. RIC VII Trier 480S (p. 209), Sear RCV V 17618. 19 mm., 3.09 g.

 

Thanks Carl, These are my favorite type of campgate types especially if they have windows like my newest type. I like your coin absolutely fantastic detail and eye appeal.

 

I see closed doors.

My pair from Anchialus seem to show two different gates (the first below is the earlier portrait) or a major renovation.

 

Super find, @Ancient Aussie ! Cool progression of changes.

I have very few architectural coins in my collection.

Campgates



RI Crispus 317-326 CE AE Folles Caesar in Trier Campgate - Heraclea mint



RI Constantine I CE 306-337 Æ Follis 19mm 3.2g Siscia CE 326-7 AVG Laureate R - PROVIDENTIAE AVGG Camp gate 2 turrets no door star RIC 200



RI Flavius Victor 384-388 CE AE4 14mm 1-8g Aquileia Camp Gate Star SMAQS RIC IX 55b-2 LRBC1104

 

Valens
A.D. 364- 378
22mm 4.4g
D N VALEN-S P F AVG; pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right.
GLORI-A ROMA-NORVM; campgate with two turrets, no doors; S above.
in ex. SMTR
RIC IX Trier 29b

 

Those are nice specimens, Ancient Aussie. I really like those portraits.

This Anchialus camp gate is in pretty bad condition, even by my low standards. It came in a big lot of Provincials which worked out to $1.29 each. So that's my excuse.

This one has the three loopy things between the towers as shone in one of Doug's examples:


Septimius Severus Æ 26
(193-211 A.D.)
Thrace, Anchialus
[AV K Λ] CЄΠT CЄVHPOC, Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / OVΛΠIANΩN AΓXIAΛΕΩN, camp gate, with open door, three arches and two towers, with windows.
Varbanov 204.
(8.50 grams / 26 mm)

 

Very neat coins!

 

Septimius Severus. 193-211 AD. THRACE, Anchialus..Æ (28mm, 15.99 gm, 1h). Obv: Laureate head right. Rev: City-gate with two turrets; Mark of value Δ above (4 assaria). No door. Mouchmov 2811.

 

Is your second coin the same type as my Constantine II? It looks like it might be.

 

Nice gate's Doug, the "door open" is probably a copy and paste from centuries ago and probably centuries into the future if I don't change it , good pick up.

 

I love that type of your's PeteB, I have a similar type and asked the experts on another forum why it didn't have a door and the answer was that being a coastal city it was probably the view of the wall from the sea.

 

Great looking campgates Donna, very well struck with great detail.

 

Thanks, still some good detail on your reverse, I can even see the windows and door. Absolute bargain for $1.29.

 

Thanks, love that Flavius Victor, yet to acquire an AE4 Camp Gate but when I do I looking to get one of your one's standard.

 

From Sear:

Constantine II AE follis. AD 317. D N FL CL CONSTANTINVS NOB C, laureate draped bust left, holding globe, sceptre and mappa / PROVIDEN-TIAE CAESS, Campgate with three turrets, no door and two stars above. Mintmark MHT epsilon.
Heraclea
RIC VII 20 Cohen 167

 

Thanks, love your top Constantine camp gate fantastic detail, I'm sure those dots in the top row represent people looking out.