Here's someone you don't see every day - Galeria Valeria, daughter of Diocletian! The wikipedia page on her is so short I may as well quote it in its entirety: "Born as Valeria to Diocletian and Prisca, she married Galerius in 293, when her father elevated him to the position of Caesar. This marriage was clearly organized to strengthen the bonds between the two emperors. Valeria was raised to the title of Augusta and Mater Castrorum in November 308. Since Galerius fathered no child with her, Valeria adopted her husband's illegitimate son, Candidianus, as her own. In her honor, Galerius renamed the province of Upper Pannonia Valeria, which he had improved by draining marshes and removing forests.[1] When Galerius died, in 311, Licinius was entrusted with the care of Valeria and her mother Prisca. The two women, however, fled from Licinius to Maximinus Daia, whose daughter was betrothed to Candidianus. After a short time, Valeria refused the marriage proposal of Maximinus, who arrested and confined her in Syria and confiscated her properties. At the death of Maximinus, Licinius ordered the death of both women. Valeria and Prisca fled, hiding for a year, until they were recognized by residents in Thessaloniki. She and her mother were captured by Licinius' soldiers, beheaded in the central square of the city, and their bodies thrown in the sea.[2] Valeria was sympathetic towards Christians, while Galerius persecuted them. She was canonized as a Christian saint with her mother (see Saint Alexandra)" SOURCE - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galeria_Valeria I got this medium-size follis of Galeria for a very low price. I had no clue who she was, but I figured I couldn't not get this coin for the $12 or whatever it cost. GALERIA VALERIA AE Follis Obv: GALVALERIAAVG. Diademed and draped bust right. Rev: VENERI VICTRICI. Venus standing left holding apple and drapery Diam: 25mm Wt: 4.9g Ref: RIC VI Siscia 211, G Now, the reverse type is rather interesting. This coin is the first time I've been introduced to the VENERI VICTRICI reverse type, with Venus holding apple and drapery. This is rather neat, as I am absolutely certain that this reverse represents a famous Greek bronze of Venus with apple. Although the Greek original is, of course, long gone, we can see a Roman copy called the Venus of Arles, that is very similar to the pose and style of the statue this coin type represents. Although the pose is slightly different between this extant statue and the coin reverse, I think we can be pretty certain that the coin represents the original, and the extant statue represents a Roman interpretation of that statuary type. We also have another version, called the Venus Genetrix that is closer in some ways but different in others. The Arles statue has the right apple-hand pose, but the other arm isn't right. The Genetrix version has the drapery hand correct, but the apple hand off. It appears the Romans interpreted the statue in two similar, but different ways. I always liked coins that have a known statuary type on the reverse. Its lots of fun to try to find surviving examples of that type and compare and contrast the coin vs the copy. Please see here for an excellent thread about Greek masterpieces on Roman coins, this time focusing on the Farnese Heracles: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/a-greek-artistic-masterpiece-on-roman-coins.344521/
Nice addition and write up. Galeria Valeria AE Follis O: GAL VAL-ERIA AVG, diademed and draped bust right. R: VENERI V-ICTRICI, Venus standing facing, head left, holding up apple and raising drapery; K-Γ/P, ALE in exergue. Alexandria Mint 23mm 6.85g RIC VI 110
Nice coin. I wonder what all those field letters mean. Looking on Wildwinds, there's a million different field symbol and letter combinations.
h.w.earl, Those are some sexy looking sculptures . Pictured below is my only example of Galeria Valeria . I wonder if she looked anything like those sculpture ?
This Antioch mint version has a small alter at her feet. I find it interesting that the V of Victrici was crowded in on the left while the I and C on the right were spaced out wider taking the space there the V could have gone. It would seem that it was important to the mint to have this separation rather than breaking at the word as did the OP Siscia coin. All of the others shown here have the V---I split. 'Why' is a mystery to me.
Interesting! Mine has VICTRICI as one word, with a neat split in the middle. Wonder why the other ones here have the V squished to the left.
What a wonderful piece of history. Galeria Valeria's history seems to be a very tragic one, indeed. One would think that her being Diocletian's daughter would have spared her the ignominious fate of a public execution.
It is indeed quite tragic. I couldn't imagine how it would have been to have your head chopped off in the city center of one of the largest of the metropoles in the Empire, with the common citizenry watching. Oh, and all this together with your mom? Ouch. Galeria Valeria AE Follis 310 A.D., Alexandria Mint, 3rd Officina 7.440g, 24.6mm, 12H Obverse: GAL VAL-ERIA AVG, Bust of Galeria Valeria, diademed, draped, right Reverse: VENERI V-ICTRICI, Venus, draped, standing front, head left, holding up apple with right hand, raising drapery over left shoulder with left hand Exergue: (✱ on K)/(Γ on P)//ALE Provenance: Ex. CNG Electronic Auction 456, Lot 751 (part of), Ex. Forum Ancient Coins Reference: RIC VI Alexandria 122
Nice write up @hotwheelsearl! Galeria Valeria AE Follis VENERI VICTRICI Galeria Valeria Æ Follis. GAL VALERIA AVG, diademed & draped bust right / VENERI VICTRICI, Venus standing facing, head left, holding up apple & raising drapery over shoulder.
Here's my Nicomedia mint one: Galeria Valeria, AD 293(?)-311. Roman Æ Follis, 26 mm, 6.64 gm. Nicomedia mint, 308-310 CE. Obv: GAL VAL-ERIA AVG, diademed and draped bust right. Rev: VENERI VI-CTRICI CMH, Venus standing facing, head left, holding apple and drapery; in exergue, SMNA.
My one Galeria Valeria, from the Cyzicus Mint (like @Al Kowsky's), also with a Veneri Victrici reverse, and also with the split between the V and the rest of the letters in Victrici. Galeria Valeria (wife of Galerius and daughter of Diocletian). AE Follis, 308-310 AD, Cyzicus Mint (4th Officina). Obv. Diademed and draped bust right, GAL VAL-ERIA AVG / Rev. Venus standing facing, head left, right hand holding up apple, left hand raising drapery over left shoulder, VENERI V-ICTRICI; Δ [Delta = 4th Officina] in left field; MKV [Cyzicus] in exergue. RIC VI Cyzicus 46 (p. 586), Sear RCV IV 14597. 24x26 mm., 5.7 g. I think Galeria has a softer face on mine than she does on some of the other coins shown here.
Here's my Alexandria example to pile on with the others ROMAN EMPIRE, GALERIA VALERIA, follis RIC 110 - Alexandria mint, 3rd officina, AD 308-310 GAL VAL ERIA AVG, draped and diademed bust right VENERI V ICTRICI, Venus standing left, holding apple and raising her dress, K | P in lower field, Γ in right field, ALE at exergue 8.46 gr Ref : RIC # 110, Cohen # 2 var, RCV # 14607 (250) Q
Mine's pretty mad looking but one of my favs, Thessalonica.... Galeria Valeria AD 305-311, AE follis of Thessalonica. 27.63mm/ 5.79 grams Obverse > GAL VALE-RIA AVG, Diademed bust facing, head right, hair weaved in rows and curled around side of head at base of neck, wearing embroidered robes with two necklaces. Reverse > VENERI V-ICTRICI,Venus standing facing, head left, apple in uplifted right hand, raising drapery over left shoulder with left hand. Star in left field,Gamma in right field. Mintmark > dot SM dot TS dot. RIC VI #36 Thessalonica ; Officina 3, AD December 308- May 310.
The coins of Galeria Valeria, issued over a relatively short time, have extremely diverse busts. Makes one wonder if this was a case where no "imago" models were sent to the mints and they all had to improvise. SC
