Featured April 18th: The Emperor GRATIAN is born

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Ocatarinetabellatchitchix, Apr 17, 2021.

  1. seth77

    seth77 Well-Known Member

    Thank you, fortunately I read French just fine :cat:
     
    Al.cofribas likes this.
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  3. Ocatarinetabellatchitchix

    Ocatarinetabellatchitchix Well-Known Member

  4. Al.cofribas

    Al.cofribas Member

  5. Ocatarinetabellatchitchix

    Ocatarinetabellatchitchix Well-Known Member

    @Al.cofribas très belle et mystérieuse monnaie. Je suis extrêmement curieux de lire les répliques des autres participants à son sujet...
     
  6. seth77

    seth77 Well-Known Member

    Very interesting discussion regarding the possible mule with the FELICITAS type of Valentinian II (so post 375) or a possible rare consular issue for Gratian. Another possibility is that it was minted early for Gratian by a mint in the Cyzicus - Nicomedia - Heraclea axis -- one of the mints that had been minting the bust left types for Procopius in 366. It's not unlikely that one of these mints (possibly Cyzicus?) started minting AE again in the autumn of 367 and used the left bust design from the previous regime for a brief period. Surely it became fast obvious that using the Procopian blueprint was a mistake and the mint got in line with the usual right bust.
     
    Last edited: Apr 18, 2021
  7. Mammothtooth

    Mammothtooth Stand up Philosopher, Vodka Taster

    Nice photo
     
  8. Ancient Aussie

    Ancient Aussie Well-Known Member

    I always like a Gratian thread, it allows me to show the first ancient coin I bought and introduced me to this great hobby. Gratian.jpg
     
  9. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    Gratian 1.jpg
    GRATIAN
    AE3
    OBVERSE: D N GRATIANVS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right
    REVERSE: GLORIA RO-MANORVM, Gratian standing right, holding labarum inscribed with Chi-rho and holding captive by hair; Q left, K P right, DSISCR in ex.
    Struck at Siscia 367-375AD
    1.9g, 17mm
    RIC 14c
     
  10. DonnaML

    DonnaML Well-Known Member

    Thanks for the write-up, which is fascinating, as usual.

    I have one Gratian, a siliqua from Trier on which he has a very wide-eyed look -- a bit of the old "eyes heavenward" gaze, perhaps:

    Gratian, AR Siliqua, 368-375 AD, Trier Mint. Obv. Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right, D N GRATIA-NVS P F AVG / Rev. Helmeted Roma seated left on throne, holding Victory on globe in right hand, and scepter in left hand, VRBS ROMA; in exergue, TRPS• (Trier Mint; PS = pvsvlatvm, struck from refined silver). RIC IX 27f(1) at p. 19, RSC V 86a, Sear RCV V 19964. 17 mm., 2.0 g.

    Gratian AR siliqua Trier mint jpg version.jpg
     
    Last edited: Apr 18, 2021
  11. gsimonel

    gsimonel Well-Known Member

    Thank you.
     
  12. IMP Shogun

    IMP Shogun Well-Known Member

    Also from Trier:

    [​IMG]
    Gratian siliqua RIC IX 58A Roma 378-383 Trier
    D N GRATIA-NVS P F AVG / VIRTVS RO-MANORVM
    Roma, seated facing, head right, on throne, holding globe and reversed spear
    TRPS 17mm; 1.77g


    I'm not certain this is the correct reference, but it's a Gratian coin found in SW England:
    [​IMG]
    Gratian ae RIC IX Nicomedia 30a Concordia 378-383 Nicomedia
    diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Gratian right
    D N GRATIA-NVS P F AVG [C]ONCOR-[DIA AVGGG]
    Roma, helmeted, seated facing, head left, holding globe and inverted spear, right leg bare
    SMNA 18mm; 2.1g
     
    Last edited: Apr 18, 2021
  13. singig

    singig Well-Known Member

    Thanks for your informative thread !

    Gratian AR Siliqua, 367-368 AD. Antioch. RIC IX Antioch 34f
    DN GRATI-ANVS AVG, pearl diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right /
    VOT X MVLT XX within wreath. Mintmark dot ANT.
    gratian 1.jpg
     
  14. Tony1982

    Tony1982 Well-Known Member

    Gratian, AR Siliqua, Siscia, AD 375-378.

    DN GRATIANVS PF AVG, pearl diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right.

    VOT XV MVLT XX in four lines within wreath, globe in badge at the top of the wreath.

    Mintmark SISCPS. 1.5g, 16mm

    RIC IX Siscia 19b1; Sear 19985; RSC 22c-f.
    FB37A995-2B1B-402B-A2EA-95F3073AB386.jpeg
     
  15. 7Calbrey

    7Calbrey Well-Known Member

    This one has a leaf in the middle of exergue.

    Gratobv.JPG GratLeaf R.JPG
     
  16. philologus_1

    philologus_1 Supporter! Supporter

    I'm late to Gratian's birthday party, but will add another GLORIA ROMANORVM portraying our birthday boy standing on a galley, but with Cross rather than the more commonly seen Christogram.
    upload_2021-4-29_15-59-14.png
    Gratian. A.D.367-383. Æ 2. Antioch Mint.
    Obv.: D N GRATIANVS P F AVG; Pearl-diademed, helmeted, draped, cuirassed bust r., holding spear & shield.
    Rev.: GLORIA ROMANORVM; Emperor standing left on galley, head facing right, hand raised, galley steered by Victory; wreath in left field, Cross in upper right field; ANTB in exergue.
    Diam.: 22 mm.
    Weight: 4.57 grams.
    Attrib.: Drösser pg. 43, fig. 38 [this coin]. RIC IX Antioch 40(a)/3. LRBC 2712.
    Former collection of Wolfgang Drösser.
    W. Drösser, “Christus auf Münzen” – in Zeichen, Worten und Bildern: Rom, Byzanz und Axum” (Brühl, Duitsland, 2011).
     
  17. Tejas

    Tejas Well-Known Member

    One of my favorite Gratian bronzes.
    DN GRATIANVS PF AVG // GLORIA ROMANORVM / ALEA

    Screenshot 2021-05-19 at 19.54.12.png
     
  18. Tejas

    Tejas Well-Known Member

    Mint of Antioch
    D N GRATIANVS P F AVG // REPARATIO REI PVB / ANTA
    Note the sharp detail, especially on the reverse. The emperor is wearing some strange thing around his waist.


    Screenshot 2021-05-19 at 19.56.46.png
     
    Last edited: May 19, 2021
  19. Tejas

    Tejas Well-Known Member

    While portraits on late Roman siliquae can be quite stylized and boring. This siliqua of Gratian shows a very expressive image of the emperor.
    He spend much of his reign in Trier (Germany) were the coin below was struck. He was the last Roman emperor to cross the Rhine. He battled the Alamanni, for example in the battle of Argentovaria. In 378 he marched east to join Valens' forces against the Goths, but arrived too late.

    Most famously he abolished religious freedom and made Catholicism Rome's state religion. Not bad for a man who died at the age of 24 years.

    What is Roma sitting on? Is this meant to be an emperor's cuirass?



    Screenshot 2021-05-19 at 20.01.37.png
     
    Last edited: May 19, 2021
  20. seth77

    seth77 Well-Known Member

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