Here is my latest purchase – the third ancient coin I bought this year: Caracalla, Roman Empire, AR denarius, 201–206 AD, Rome mint. Obv: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG; laureate head of Caracalla r. Rev: RECTOR ORBIS, Sol or emperor standig facing, laureate, holding globe and sceptre or spear pointing down. 18mm, 3.35g. Ref: RIC IV Caracalla 141. I very much like the style of the portrait, but I bought this coin mostly because of its reverse. "Rector orbis," which translates to "master of the world," is as pompous a title as it gets. Two details strike me as particularly noteworthy and raise questions: 1.) RIC describes the figure on the reverse as Sol. But while Sol is usually depicted wearing a radiate crown, the figure on my coin clearly wears a laurel wreath. The same applies to all other examples I found on acsearch. This makes me wonder whether the reverse actually shows not the deity Sol, but the young emperor Caracalla himself as "master of the world." What do you think? 2.) RIC calls the object in the reverse figure's left hand an "inverted spear." The object on my coin, though, misses the spearpoint visible on most examples, making me assume that we rather see a sceptre. Looking at the coins on acsearch, I found multiple examples without the spearpoint struck from different dies. This implies that this is not an engraver's mistake. Should RIC Caracalla 141 thus be split into two reverse variants, one with a spear and the other with a sceptre? Please show your coins of Caracalla!
Not as nice, but also showing Caracalla's self esteem Caracalla AD 198-217. RomeDenarius AR 19 mm., 2,22 g. Date Range: AD 210 - AD 213 RIC IV Caracalla 227 (denarius) Obverse Legend: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG BRIT Type: Head of Caracalla, laureate, bearded, right Reverse Legend: PROVIDENTIAE DEORVM Type: Providentia, draped, standing left, holding wand in right hand over globe and sceptre in left hand
CARACALLA QUINARIUS RI Caracalla 198-217 AR Quinarius CE 213 1.3g 13.6mm Laureate - Victory Wreath Palm RIC IV 101 RSC 450
Umm, I'm pretty sure being master of the universe this guy is also master of the world: When looking at coins of young Caracalla I often think of Adam Sandler's first comedy album:
Here's a Caracalla sestertius: Caracalla Æ Sestertius (215 A.D.) Rome Mint [M AVRE]L ANTONINVS PIVS AVG GERM, laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right / [P M TR P] XVIII IMP III [COS IIII PP] SC Asclepius standing facing, resting on serpent-entwined staff, Telesphorus standing left, globe on ground to right. RIC 538a. (23.61 grams / 31 x 29 mm)
Neat coin @Orielensis ! It does not appear to be a spear to me, either. Also, I agree that the headdress is not a radiate crown. Therefore perhaps Caracalla is saying he is "master of the world." Judging how he turned out later as a megalomaniac who thought he was Alexander the Great reborn, I am not surprised.
Everyone knows that Geta was not "master of the world." The real master of the world was Didius Julianus! (for 66 days in 193) RECTOR ORBIS (very worn legend). Sestertius. 28 mm. 19.24 grams. RIC 16. Sear II 6077.
He promised 25k sesterces per man to the Praetorians. But he had trouble delivering on that promise, and the Guard was cowed by the approaching Severan legions, so....
Nice new pickup, I like that reverse. I think you’re right that it looks more like a scepter than a spear in his hand. Here is a denarius of his father as "Restorer of the World". Septimius Severus, AR Denarius, 200-201 AD, (19mm., 3.23g), Laureate head of Septimius right/Rev. RESTITVTOR ORBIS, Septimius standing left, sacrificing with patera over tripod and holding spear. RIC 167
I like the coin, but I wonder if the legend and image was actually the work of Caracalla, considering his father was still alive a ruling at the time. One of my favorite young Caracalla coins was also issued by Septimus Severus: Imperial Rome Caracalla, r. 198-217 A.D. (204 A.D.) Rome Mint, AR Denarius, 20.4mm x 3.21 grams Obv.: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG, laureate and draped bust right Rev.: INDVLGENTIA AVGG, IN CARTH in ex, Dea Caelestis seated facing on lion galloping right over rushing waters, holding thunderbolt and scepter Ref.: SRCV 6806, RIC IV-1 Caracalla 130a, p. 231.
Great coin! I wasn't aware of that reverse type. I have a rather run-of-the-mill Venus Victrix. Not very self-aggrandizing.
Here's Caracalla at his most hypochondriacal, one of many coins featuring the healing god Serapis: Caracalla, AD 198-217. Roman AR denarius, 2.9g, 19mm, 6h. Rome, issue 10, AD 217. Obv: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG GERM, laureate head right. Rev: P M TRP XX COS IIII PP; Serapis, wearing polos on head, standing facing, head left, holding wreath and scepter. Refs: RIC 289c; BMCRE 188; Cohen/RSC 382; RCV 6846; Hill 1586.
That coin certainly speaks of ambition! "Master of the world" is probably not what you should call yourself after barely two months at your new job... Are you sure the legend reads "orbis," not "vrbis" and thus means "restorer of the city"? The letter is a bit unclear on the picture of your coin. My example has a clear "v" (see below). Caracalla was only in his early teens when this coin was minted – so I'd assume that this reverse design wasn't his personal responsibility. Septimius Severus struck similarly eyebrow-raising types showing himself at about the same time: Septimius Severus, Roman Empire, AR denarius, 200–201 AD, Rome mint. Obv: SEVERVS AVG PART MAX; head of Septimius Severus, laureate, r. Rev: RESTITVTOR VRBIS; Septimius Severus, in military attire, standing l., sacrificing out of patera in r. hand over tripod and holding spear in l. hand. 20mm, 3.24g. Ref: RIC IV Septimius Severus 167A.
Yep, you’re right, it’s VRBIS...on the reverse of mine, it looked a little more like an “O”, but it’s definitely a “V”. Your example definitely came from a fresher reverse die, makes it much easier to see. Thanks!
I got my new Caracalla same day as you, @Orielensis I like yours and I like mine. Not sure how you feel about being shown the penis of Apollo, but I’m posting it anyway:
That's a very likeable coin. I have no particularly strong feelings about Apollo's crotch, but the level of detail on his face on your example is fantastic. Caracalla, Roman Empire, denarius, 215 AD, Rome mint. Obv: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG GERM; laureate head of Caracalla r. Rev: P M TR P XVIII COS IIII P P; Apollo, naked except for cloak flying behind, standing l., holding branch in extended r. hand and with l. hand lyre set on altar. 21mm, 3.04g. Ref: RIC IV Caracalla 254.