VICTORIA is running

Victoria is, in the Roman religion,the personification of victory and the equivalent of the Greek goddess Nike. She was often associated with Jupiter, Mars, and other deities and was especially worshiped by the army. In later times she had three or four sanctuaries at Rome, including a temple on the Palatine Hill and an altar in the Senate House. One of the most common virtues represented on the reverse of Roman coins, Victoria (from vincere, "to conquer") was personified as a winged figure, usually holding a palm frond or laurel wreath, and descending in a flowing robe as a messenger of the gods to bestow them on the victorious. The image continued to appear after Christianization of the Empire and gradually evolved into depictions of Christian angels.



A roman bronze figure of Victoria, 2nd-3rd century AD (Christies Auction)

Nero is one of the first to popularize Victory on the reverse of his coins. Victory also often appears as an attribute in the hands of another deity, or in those of the emperor. Here we can see it in the hand of Roma, but it is also often presented in the company of Virtus, Fides, Mars, Nobilitas, Hercules, Jupiter, and Minerva. During the civil war of 68-69 AD, the type will become unavoidable, being struck by Galba, Otho, Vitellius and Vespasian ... each claiming victory in turn. From then on, the Victory will no longer leave the coinage of the emperors, being present for almost all the following reigns. As we can see, victory is omnipresent in Roman coinage, it will appear on the solidi until the last Roman emperor of the West, Romulus Augustule, while the empire is torn apart on all sides.

Since the Gallic coinage is my passion, it's interesting to notice that the Victory reverse is the only type depicted on coinage of all the Gallic rulers (except Domitianus II). I already had an example of Victorinus:

Victorinus Antoninianus
Cologne
Victory walking left...
Mairat 659


But I needed a specimen from Trier (also called Mint 1). Here it is:

Victorinus Antoninianus
Trier
Victory running left...
Mairat 633


Oh yes, she's on a hurry and RUNNING...

I now miss the two COMES reverses with Victoria. I only saw 1 for sale in the last 5 years and the next one could get near 1000 $.... At least I can admire nice pictures for the moment:




Since I can't think of one Emperor which didn't use Victory on his coinage (maybe Pertinax ?), please show me your nicest examples with this reverse. How many different rulers can we reach ? 25 ? 50 ? Why not ?

*This thread is dedicated to our friend Jared @furryfrog02 who also is a fan of Victoria !

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Nice writeup and interesting idea for a challenge! I can contribute by showing some coins; here's various different iterations of Victory standing, walking and running :


Valerian I (253-260), Antoninianus, Viminacium mint.
Obverse: IMP VALERIANVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from the front;
Reverse: VICT P-ART, Victory standing left, holding palm branch in left hand and resting right hand on shield, captive at her feet;
RIC V 262, Göbl 847


Gallienus (253-268), Antoninianus, Viminacium mint.
Obverse: IMP GALLIENVS P F AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right, seen from the front;
Reverse: VIC-T GE-RM, Victory walking left, holding wreath in right hand and palm branch in left hand, captive at her feet;
RIC V 404, Göbl 845


Claudius II (268-270), Antoninianus, Rome mint.
Obverse: IMP C CLAVDIVS AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind;
Reverse: VICTORIA AV-G, Victory standing left, holding wreath in right hand and palm against left shoulder;
RIC V 104, RIC V Online 169


Tacitus (275-276), Antoninianus, Siscia mint.
Obverse: IMP C M CL TACITVS AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right, seen from the front;
Reverse: VICT-ORIA AVG, Victory running right, holding wreath in right hand and palm against left shoulder, P in exergue;
RIC V - , RIC V Online 3780


Valentinian I (364-375), AE3, Siscia mint, 4th officina.
Obverse: D N VALENTINI-ANVS P F AVG, diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from the front;
Reverse: SECVRITAS REI PVBLICAE, Victory walking left, holding wreath and palm branch, (palm branch)ΔSISC in exergue;
RIC IX 7

 

What do you make of this Comes brockage with Victory standing on both sides?


My favorite Victory is the VICTOR IVST AVG issued by Pescennius Niger,

Septimius Severus

and Julia Domna.

 

Whoah... I think this is going to be a very long (and entertaining!) thread!

I know you're focusing on the empire, but of course Victory featured prominently in the Republic, too, with one coin (the victoriatus) even being named after Victory:


And while Nero may have got the ball really rolling, there is also this quinarius of Augustus:


At the other end of the quinarius's run, this is one of my favourite Victory coins, a quinarius of Diocletian:


Another favourite is this VICTOR IVST of Septimius Severus. It's a Pescennius Niger type, with IVST being a Pescennius moniker... it didn't last long (nor, perhaps, did the engraver) [Edit: I see Doug covered these while I was writing!):


Otherwise I'll just plop in some of the harder ones to cover. Eugenius (AE4):


Basiliscus (this is a semissis):


Are we doing empresses too? and do Provincials count?

Aquilia Severa, AE29 from Tyre

 

T-Bone is up to the challenge!!!


Trebonianus Gallus, AD 251-253.
Roman AR antoninianus, 3.46 g, 22.2 mm, 5 h.
Rome, 6th officina, 5th issue, AD 253.
Obv: IMP CAE C VIB TREB GALLVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust (viewed from back) of Trebonianus Gallus, right.
Rev: VICTORIA AVGG, Victory standing left,holding wreath and palm.
Refs: RIC 48a; Cohen/RSC 128; RCV 9656; Hunter 23.


Trebonianus Gallus, AD 251-253.
Roman AR antoninianus, 3.5 g, 21 mm.
Antioch, third officina, 1st series, AD 251-252.
Obv: IMP C VIB TREB GALLVS P F AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust, right, ••• below bust.
Rev: VICTORIA AVG, Victory advancing right, holding wreath in right hand and palm frond in left; no officina marks.
Refs: RIC 95; Cohen 127; RCV 9655; Hunter, p. cvi.
Notes: Scarce. Only two examples (1 in the Dorchester hoard and 1 in the Tulln hoard) are to be found among the 949 coins of Antioch representing 11 hoards summarized by Metcalf (p. 87). The handful of examples illustrated online are all of the 3rd series.


Trebonianus Gallus, AD 251-253.
Roman debased AR antoninianus, 3.88 g, 21.4 mm, 12 h.
Antioch, second officina, second issue, late AD 251 - mid AD 252.
Obv: IMP C C VIB TREB GALLVS P F AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust (viewed from back) of Trebonianus Gallus, right; •• below.
Rev: VICTORIA AVG, Victory advancing left, holding wreath and palm frond; •• in exergue.
Refs: RIC 93; Cohen 126; RCV 9653; Hunter 55.
Notes: Examples are known from all officinae. The same reverse type is commonly encountered on coins of Gallus' third issue.


Trebonianus Gallus, AD 251-253.
Roman AR antoninianus, 3.49 g, 20.3 mm, 7 h.
Antioch, unmarked officina, AD 252-253.
Obv: IMP C C VIB TREB GALLVS P F AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust (viewed from back) of Trebonianus Gallus, right.
Rev: VICTORIA AVG, Victory standing right, on globe, holding a wreath and a palm.
Refs: RIC 94; Cohen --; RSC 127b; RCV 9654; Hunter p. cvi.
Notes: Scarce. Only six examples are to be found among the 949 coins representing 11 hoards summarized by Metcalf (p. 87).

 

He's mentioned a lot in this thread, but no one posted it yet...

My (only) Imperial Victory, Nero:

 

Here is one for Aemilian, c. April - June 353 [RIC]



22-21 mm. 4.17 grams.
IMP AEMILIANVS PIVS FEL AVG
VICTORIA AVG, Victory advancing left
RIC 11 "rare" page 195.
Sear III 9846.

 

Great coins!
Here's a Marius....RIC#17

 

Some great victories so far !



Octavian, Denarius - Italian mint, possibly Rome, 31-30 BC
Anepigraph, bare head of Octavian left
CAESAR - DIVI F, Victory standing right on globe, holding wreath
3.84 gr
Ref : HCRI # 408, RCV # 1552v, Cohen # 66, RIC # 255


My first ever middle bronze :

Titus as ceasar, As - AD 77
T CAES IMP AVG F TR P COS VI CENSOR, Laureate head of Titus right
VICTORIA NAVALIS, Victory standing right, on a prow of galley. S C in field
10.14 gr
Ref : Cohen #390, RCV #2485 var


My first ever denarius :

Septimius Severus, Denarius - Rome mint AD 210
SEVERVS PIVS AVG BRIT, Laureate head of Sevrus right
VICTORIAE BRIT, Victory facing, holding palm and attaching shield to palm tree
2.72 gr
Ref : RCV #6384, Cohen #729



Constantinopolis, AE 3 - Siscia mint, 2nd officina
CONSTANTINOPOLIS, Helmeted Constantinopolis left
Anepigraph, Victory left leaning on shield, BSIS at exergue
2.64 gr
Ref : RC #3890 var, Cohen #21



Valentinianus II, AE2 - Constantinople mint, 4th officina
D N VALENTINIANVS P F AVG, Helmeted, diademed, cuirassed bust of Valentinian, holding spear in right hand
GLORIA RO-MANORUM, Valentinain standing on a galley, driven by a victory, Wreath in field, CON delta at exergue
4.93 gr
Ref : RIC # 52, Cohen #22, RC #4161, LRBC #2151

Q

 

More ...


Theodosius, AE4 - Cyziqua mint, 2nd officina
DN THEODO SIVS P F AVG, draped and diademed bust of Theodosius right
SALVS REI PVBLICAE, Victory walking left, dragging captive. Christogram in field, SMKB at exergue
1.41 gr
Ref : Cohen #30, LRBC # 2569, Roman coins #4188v, RIC IX Cyzicus 26b



Aelia Flaccilla, AE2 - Constantinople mint, 5th officina
AEL FLAC CILLA, diademed and draped bust right
SALVS REI PVBLICAE, Victory seated right, inscribing ChiRo on a shield. CON epsilon at exergue
4.75 gr
Ref : Cohen # 4, LRBC # 2167


That one needed some sleuthing to acertain its mint :

Eudoxia, AE4 - Antioch mint, third officina
[A]EL EVDOXIA AVG, diademed and draped bust right, above, hand holding wreath
SALVS REIPVBLICAE, Victory seated right, inscribing christogram on shield. [ANT Gamma] at exergue
2.35 gr
Ref : Roman coins # 4241

Based on the observation of another example minted with the same dies and with a visible exergue on reverse, the Antioch's third officina provenance of this coin is now certain. Thanks to Myriam at Nummus Bible II forum for her perspicacity and for providing me with the information

Q

 

27 different characters with Victoria so far ! Please keep going !

This one with the double Victory is gonna be hard to beat.

The first Hermaphrodite Victoria I've ever seen...

 

Constantine I
A.D. 328
21mm 3.2gm
OBV.: Anepigraphic: head with rosette diademed, looking up to heavens.
REV.: CONSTANTINIANA DAFNE; Victory seated l. on cippus, palm branch in left hand and laurel branch in right hand, looking r.; trophy at front, at the foot is a kneeling captive with head turned being spurned by Victory; E in left field.
in ex. CONS
RIC VII Constantinople—

 

AURELIAN
Antoninianus
OBVERSE: IMP AVRELIANVS AVG Radiate, cuirassed bust right
REVERSE: VICTORIA AVG, Victory facing, wings spread, rising up between two shields, pearl diadem in hands star over P in right field. first officinae Siscia
Struck at Siscia, 270-5 AD
4.1g, 21mm
RIC 238


GALBA
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: IMP SER GALBA CAESAR AVG P M - Laureate head right
REVERSE: VICTORIA P R - Victory standing left on globe, holding wreath and palm
Struck at Rome, Oct/Nov 68AD
3.2g, 18mm
RIC 234

 

Trajan was already mentioned but here is a coin where Victory is just resting (after running and flying)

RIC II Trajan 130
IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P, bust of Trajan, laureate, right (sometimes draped on left shoulder) / COS V P P S P Q R OPTIMO PRINC, Victory, naked to hips, standing right, left foot set on a step, inscribing DACICA on shield

Here is a Probus with Victory in undercover mode


RIC V Probus 187

PROBVS PF AVG, bust of Probus, radiate, wearing imperial mantle, left, holding sceptre surmounted by eagle in right hand / ROMAE AETER, hexastyle temple, Roma seated in centre, holding Victory in right hand and sceptre in left hand. MintMark: -/-//RVA


A Severus Alexander


RIC IV Severus Alexander 618
Severus Alexander AE Sestertius. AD 231. IMP SEV ALEXANDER AVG, laureate head right, slight drapery on far shoulder / VICTORIA AVGVSTI, Victory winged standing left, holding wreath and palm. S-C across lower fields. Cohen 569

 

Interesting Gallienus VICTORIA AET.

 

I love it!
Thanks for thinking of me @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix !

Here is one that hasn't been featured yet. It is the only coin I have of this emperor and it came from an uncleaned lot. I consider it a win/win!

Quintillus
AE Antoninianus
Obverse: IMP C M AVR CL QVINTILLVS AVG, Radiate, draped, cuirassed bust right Reverse: VICTORIA AVG, Victory walking right, holding wreath and palm. Γ in right field



Not sure how "victorious" his reign was...Somewhere between two weeks and less than a year....

 

Here is a list of the Romans cited so far, in order of first appearance.

Victorinus, Valerian, Gallienus, Claudius II, Tacitus, Valentinian I, Trajan, Septimius Severus, Caracalla, Pescennius Niger, Julia Domna, Augustus, Diocletian, Eugenius, Basiliscus, Aquilia Severa (provincial coin), Trebonianus Gallus, Nero, Aemilian, Marius, Titus, CONSTANTINOPOLIS, Valentinian II, Theodosius, Aelia Flaccilla, Eudoxia, Constantine, Aurelian, Galba, Severus Alexander, Quintillus

When more are posted, you are welcome to copy this list and add to it and repost the updated version.

 

Great thread! I can add a Max Thrax and a Magnentius:


Maximinus I (Thrax), AR Denarius (20 mm, 3.04 g), Rome, 236-237. MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG GERM Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Maximinus I to right/ Rev. VICTORIA GERM Victory standing front, head to left, holding wreath in her right hand and palm frond with her left; German captive at feet. RIC 23


Magnentius, Treveri, 352 AD, (AE, 23.3 mm, 4.55g), Bare-headed bust to right, A behind/ Two Victories holding wreath with inscription VOT / V / MVLT / X; TRP in exergue