During the Flavian era Minerva is best known for her almost monolithic domination of Domitian's denarii, however, she also shows up quite frequently on the bronze. For instance, on my latest purchase Minerva gets top billing on a quadrans. Domitian Æ Quadrans, 2.47g Rome Mint, 84-85 AD Obv: IMP DOMIT AVG GERM; Minerva bust, helmeted, r., draped Rev: S C in laurel wreath RIC 236 (R). BMC 484. BNC 520. Acquired from London Ancient Coins, July 2020. An undated issue of small bronzes were struck early in Domitian's reign. RIC places them within the 84-85 time period based on Domitian titled as 'Germanicus' (which could only be post 83) and before 85 (after which all these small issues were dated). RIC also speculates many of these quadrantes were struck 'al marco', i.e. by batch weight, because of the variable weights encountered on many specimens. Minerva features prominently on the obverse of this quadrans with a draped bust, which is a fairly uncommon variant. Feel free to share your Minervas - extra points for a non-Domitianic one!
Nice find on the Quadrans, @David Atherton . Non-Domitian MINERVA Greek Pamphylia-Side 190-36 BCE AE 15mm Minerva R - Nike L wreath Sear Grk 5440 SNG Cop 408ff Ex: @Valentinian Roman Empire - CLAUDIUS RI Claudius Ae As 28mm Minerva S-C RIC 100
Maximianus A.D. 292- 293 Ӕ Antoninianus 21x23mm 3.1g IMP MAXIMIANVS AVG; radiate helmet and cuirassed bust right PAX AVGG; Minerva stg. l., leaning on shield, holding olive branch and spear; B in left field. In ex. crescent RIC Vii Lugdunum 404
Anonymous quadrans - maybe Domitian, maybe later? Septimius Severus had several poses from the mint formerly known as Emesa. Some are more rare than others but none are common. Geta revived her at Laodicea and Rome Caracalla used her with a Securitas legend on this Sestertius as Caesar.
Clodius Albinus. As Caesar, 193-195 AD. AR Denarius (18mm; 3.41 gm; 5h). Rome mint. Struck under Septimius Severus, 194-195 AD. Obv: Bare head right. Rev: Minerva standing left, holding olive branch, spear, and shield set on ground. RIC IV 7; RSC 48.
MINERVA - Roman Republic Pre-211 BCE Reform RR Anon AE Litra Minerva ROMANO Horse Head 270-269 BCE S 592 Cr 17-1g RR Anon AE Litra 260 BC Minerva star ROMANO Horse Hd BLACK Cr 17-1g S 593 MINERVA - Roman Republic Post-211 BCE Reform RR Anon AE Triens 211-206 BC Minerva Prow Cr 56-4 S 911 RR Anon AE Triens 157-156 BC Minerva Prow Cr 198B-3 S 989 Very Scarce RR Servius Rullus 100 BCE AR Den Minerva Victory Biga S 207 Cr 328-1 Left RR Vibius Pansa 90 BCE AR Den Apollo V control - Minerva Quadriga Sear 242 Cr 342-5 Social-Marsic War
A non-Domitian Minerva: Clodius Albinus Caesar, AR Denarius 194 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Bare head right, D CLOD SEPT ALBIN CAES / Rev. Minerva, helmeted, standing left, holding olive branch and spear, and resting hand upon shield to right, MINER PACIF COS II. RIC IV-1 7, RSC 48, Sear RCV II 6144, BMCRE 98. 17 mm., 2.72 g. {The same type as @PeteB's, but it looks very different.)
Here's my Clodius Albinus, similar to PeteB's above (his is nicer), a common reverse type for this emperor. Clodius Albinus (as Caesar), 193-195 AD AR Denarius, Rome Mint, Struck under Septimius Serverus in 194-195 AD Obverse: D CLOD SEPT ALBIN CAES, bare head right. Reverse: MINER PACIF COS II, helmeted Minerva, standing front, head left, holding olive-branch, resting hand on shield set on the ground, spear against arm. References: RIC IV 7; BMCRE 98; RSC 44 Size: 18mm, 3.0g Ex: Pliego, 43rd Online Auction (March 26, 2019), Lot #100 And my pride and joy, Minerva sestertius reverse by a young Marcus Aurelius. Marcus Aurelius, as Caesar 139-161 AD, Ruled as Emperor 161-180 AD AE Sestertius, Struck 145 AD, Rome mint Obverse: AVRELIVS CAESAR AVG PII F COS II, bare head, right. Reverse: Minerva, helmeted, draped, standing, left, holding spear, vertical, in right hand and resting left on round shield set on ground; S-C across fields. References: RIC III 1245 Size: 32mm, 23.56g
Thanks everyone for sharing your non-Flavian Minervas! I would be curious to know if the post-Flavian coin designs were copied from the coinage (i.e. the mint had a memory) or from well-known cult images? Unfortunately, without surviving mint records we probably shall never know the answer.
Domitian Silver Denarius Rome mint, A.D. 88 Obv: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM P M TR P VII Rev: IMP XV COS XIIII CENS P P P - Helmeted Minerva, standing, facing left, holding spear in right hand. RIC (New) 594 (not listed in old edition) 18mm, 3.1g.
She appears on the reverse of this antoninianus of Diocletian, similar to @Victor_Clark 's Maximian: Diocletian, AD 284-304 Roman billon antoninianus, 4.21 gm, 24.6 mm Lugdunum, AD 291 Obv: IMP DIOCLETIANVS AVG, radiate, helmeted and cuirassed bust right Rev: PAX AVGG; star in left field; A in exergue Minerva standing left, holding olive branch and spear, leaning on shield Refs: RIC V(2)-63; Cohen 362.
Minerva seated? Septimius Severus denarius Obv:– IMP CAE L SEP SEV PERT AVG II CO, laureate head right Rev:– MINER VICT, Minerva seated left, holding victory in right hand, spear in left, shield beneath Minted in Emesa. A.D. 194 Reference:– BMCRE -. RIC -. RSC -. 3.35g, 18.91mm, 0o
