This just arrived in the mail a few minutes ago. I put a low bid on it and was surprised to win at $20. I think it is pretty interesting since it shows Constantine VII along with his mother, Zoe, who was his mother, regent, and consort to his father Leo VI (Leo the Wise). Zoe Karvounopsina (Zoe of the coal-black eyes) is a pretty interesting character in Byzantine history. She was Leo VI's 4th wife. But they were only married after Constantine VII's birth and by a cooperative priest, since Leo VI wasn't supposed to have married more than 3 times. Constantine VII's name, Constantine Porphyrogenitus (meaning born in the Purple) was supposed to legitimize him as an heir since Zoe was not Leo's legitimate wife at the time. When Leo VI died in 912, his brother, Alexander expelled Zoe from the palace. During his short rule, he started a war with Bulgaria but when he died in 913, Zoe returned for a short period before being exiled to a convent in Constantinople. However, after things went poorly with the Bulgarians, Zoe was able to come back to the palace and regain her position as regent to Constantine VII, where she stayed until 919 when she was finally overthrown by Admiral Romanos Lekapenos who then married his daughter to Constantine VII and forced Zoe to return to the convent. Here is the coin that depicts Constantine VII and his mother Zoe. Constantine VII and Zoe AE Follis Constantinople 913-959 AD Obverse: CONSTANT CE ZOH b, crowned facing busts of Constantine, unbearded, on left, wearing loros, and Zoe, wearing chlamys, on right, holding patriarchal cross between them Reverse: CONS / TANTINO / CE ZOH bA / SILIS RO / MEON, legend in five lines Let's see some other coins that depict mothers and their sons. I know there have to be some good ones out there.
Bona of Savoy as regent for her son Gian Galeazzo Maria Sforza. He isn't pictured, but he's named in the legend IO (Giovanni) GZ (Galeazzo) M (maria)
Caracalla and Julia Domna: Caracalla, with Julia Domna, AD 198-217. Roman provincial Æ Pentassarion, 10. 66 g, 27 mm, 1 h. Moesia Inferior, Marcianopolis, AD 215 under Quintillianus, legatus consularis. Obv: ΑΝΤΩΝΙΝΟC ΑVΓΟVCΤΟC ΙΟV-ΛΙΑ ΔΟΜΝΑ, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Caracalla and draped bust of Julia Domna facing one another. Rev: VΠΑ ΚVΝΤΙΛΙΑΝΟV ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ, Apollo standing facing, head right, raising hand over head and holding bow; to left, Є (mark of value) above covered quiver; serpent-entwined stump to right. Refs: AMNG I 660 ff; Moushmov 471; H&J, Marcianopolis 6.19.7.1; Varbanov 1001; Mionnet --; BMC --; Sear --; Wiczay --.
Caracalla and Julia Domna Markianopolis 5 assaria /Tyche Unfortunately this example loses all but part of the IO from Julia's name. In a classic example of 'Plan Ahead', the end of the reverse legend would have run into the start so they stopped one letter short and placed a dot there putting the final N under the patera. I would have crowded it in where the dot is but I wasn't there to tell them ho to do their business. The same pair appear on this very slightly later coin (dated by Julia's hair) but this time the space fell two letters short so omega and nu appear in the field and there as no dot to separate the start from the finish. Most of these coins show the bust of Serapis facing right and do not reverse the denomination mark E as on this die. Both of these coins date to after Geta died so there are no Markianopolis facing bust coins with Julia and Geta. There is, however, the tetradrachm from Alexandria showing Julia on the obverse and both sons on the reverse. Dynastic denarii and aurei exist but I have none.
I knew there were coins with Caracalla and Julia Domna and her with both boys. Were there any with just Geta and Julia Domna? Just curious. I am currently listening to "Emperors of Rome" and am on the part discussing Caracalla. He has just murdered his brother so this is somewhat relevant
There's Severus Alexander and his mama, too: Severus Alexander and Julia Mamaea. Roman provincial Æ Pentassarion, 10.1 g, 25.7 mm. Moesia Inferior, Marcianopolis, AD 225-229. Obv: ΑVΓ ΚΜ Α[VΡ CΕVΗ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟC ΚΑΙ] ΙΟVΛΙΑ ΜΑΜΑΙΑ, confronted busts. Rev: ΗΓ ȢM [ΤΕΡΕΒΕΝΤΙΝΟV ΜΑΡ]ΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤ-ΩΝ, Dikaiosyne standing l., holding scales and cornucopiae, E (5) in field, r. Refs: AMNG --; Moushmov --; Varbanov --; BMC --; SNG Cop --; SNG von Aulock --; Hirstova and Jelov --.
What a serene expression Julia has on this one as she looks at her two lovely boys. JULIA DOMNA AR Denarius. 3.0g, 19.5mm. Rome mint, AD 201. RIC 540; Vagi 1723; BMC 4. O: IVLIA AVGVSTA, draped bust right; hair elaborately waved. R: AETERNIT IMPERI, laureate and draped bust of Caracalla right, vis-à-vis bareheaded and draped bust of Geta left. Ex Dr. Walter Neussel Collection
You want Julia Domna and just Geta? Well I do have one. It is very rare. It is also a fake - or, not even a fake, more of a fantasy, since it isn't imitating anything that ever existed in antiquity. When I got this, I thought it was my first Roman Provincial - responses to one of my first posts on Coin Talk disabused me of this notion. I still kind of like the goofy thing - it's about the diameter of a denarius but twice as thick:
