My latest ruler is Magnia Urbica. There seems to now be some controversy as to whether she is the wife of Carus or Carinus. I understand the case for Magnia being Carus' wife is based on the recent discovery of an aureus with the portraits of both Carus and Magnia Urbica, and the theory that you'd put husband and wife on a coin, but not a father-in-law/daughter-in-law combo. Maybe someone here knows something about that? She's known only from her coins, so i guess we'll never find out for sure. Denomination: Antoninianus Mint: Serdica Obverse: MAGNIA VRBICA AVG. Draped bust with diadem on crescent moon right Reverse: VENVS VICTRIX. Venus with helmet and scepter to the left standing, right shield. Reference: RIC 347 I just need Nigrinian now, and then I will have the whole family of Carus!
Hi your coin is not from Serdica but from Ticinum. RIC 347A obv. MAGNIA VRBICA AVG, Diademed and draped bust right, resting on crescent rev. VENVS VICTRIX, Venus st. left, holding helmnet and sceptre, leaning on shield Ticinum MagniaUrbica Ex. SXXIT 5th emission Aug.283. I am not familiar there exist a aureus with the portraits of both Carus and Magnia Urbica. Take a look at this quinar, she was the wife of Carinus.
This gives me an excuse to share my favourite Magnia Urbica AE Antoninianus. Obv:– MAGNIA VRBICA AVG, Draped bust right on crescent, hair brushed in straight lines, plait carried up the back to top of head and running under stephane Rev:– VENVS GENETRIX, Venus standing facing, head left, apple upward in right hand, vertical scepter in left Minted in Lugdunum (A in left field). RIC V pt. 2, 337 var (not listed from this officina). Bastien -, Bastien Supplement -, Bastien Supplement II 613α (2 examples cited) 23mm, 3.16g
Great coins. I love the Magna Urbica from Lyon. Lyon produced these nice and realistic portraits at the time. I don't have Magna Urbica, unfortunately. But here are my favourite coins of Carinus: 1. Rome IMP CARINVS PF AVG // FIDES MILITVM - K (crescent) AE Year: AD 285 Mint: Rome, 5th officina, 6th emission I think this is a particularly nice portrait with the curly beard. 2. Lugdunum IMP C M AVR CARINVS AVG // SAECVLI FELICITAS -- D Mint: Lugdunum, 4th officina Year: 284/285 3. Siscia IMP CM AVR CARINVS PF AVG // VOTA PVBLICA -- SMSXXIB Mint: Siscia, 2. officina 4. Antioch M AVR CARINVS NOB CAES // CLEMENTIA . TEMP -- XXI Antioch, second officina Year: 282/283 5. Ticinum M AVR CARINVS NOB . C // PRINC IPII VVENTVT -- gamma? XXI Year: 282/283 Mint: Ticinium, 3. officina? The historical sources portrayed Carinus as decadent and incompetent. However, these sources were controlled by his successors, who had every interest in discrediting Carinus and the family of Carus. Carinus seemed to have dealt effectively with external and internal enemies and may have been much better than his reputation. We will probably never know his real character.
As far as I know the coin in question was a Medallion discovered a long time ago that has been prooven to be a fake, but based on it the association of Carus and Magnia was also put forward in ERIC II.
Banduri, writing in 1718, states that "Magnia Urbica, who appears to be the wife of Carus Augustus, is known only through coins." (Magnia Urbica Cari Augusti, ut quidem videtur, conjux, ex solis nummis nota est.) Of course Banduri turned out to be wrong, but it's interesting. Sulzer also inaccurately described Magnia Urbica as the wife of Carus: Here's mine. It's not exactly FDC, but it was in a group lot I obtained some 20 years ago.
Google translate: MAGNIA URBICA. 1000 of the Lamb URBICA Carus, Augusti, as, indeed, it seems, to be his wife, from the leaves of cash is well-known: his name has made this association with each other, as most of you know of the stature of the Antiquarii prostrate at his wife upon the effects they wished, they amid the protests of the Scriptures alone, I who Maxentius; Gal. They say that was set with the marriage, the daughter of Maximian's, but also in opposition to the sum of the fabric, of which the base as far as the plates are in the letter will be imposed, which may not in front of a work on Aurelian, Dio cletiani years, almost did not occur, after He hath the chief men of. Much more probable, however, acceffit Erud. When Arduin, as long as the losses of Carini or of Numerian and Magnier, but the wife of Carinus men are more in fuiffe he cast it; but by the time of Mu Taffe along with nine wives, Carinus, who was intrà breviflimum Vopifcus to give up, is hard and he could not even barely be impossible for them, in order that any of these has been the mother of two of his children, such as the losses of fuiffe money at all of it of the greatest module, with this inscription, PVDICITIA AVG. And two adolefcentibus to assembling smaller size of the ipfam standing demonftrantur, for their age, physical fequi learned ours, we prefer that this was Augufto prove liffimis arguments that other fententiis refuting touched, himself. Incredible technology but not perfect. Lol. John
Nice capture, @GregH . MAGNIA URBICA RI Magnia Urbica 285 CE silvered Ant AE 23mm 3.4g crescent - Venus helmet scepter shield RIC 343 R
Nice to read a Latin text after awhile - thanks for posting. I took three years of Latin in high school.
The family of Carus makes an interesting collecting mini-theme. Here is a web site that explains how the coins are organized chronologically and illustrates some: http://augustuscoins.com/ed/Carus/ This one from early in his reign with "Carus" spelled "KARVS" with a "K" is one of my favorites: Carus Probably struck sole reign, end of August 282 to autumn 282 23 mm. 3.86 grams. IMP C M AVR KARVS PF AVG PAX EXERCITI Pax standing left holding flower and standard. VIXXI RIC 73, Ticinum mint.
That Google translation is worthless, giving no help whatever in understanding the Latin text! The translation of Magnia's name was not a good start: the M taken to be the Roman numeral M=1000, the remaining AGNIA rendered "of the lamb", since agna is the Latin word for lamb. A note about Urbica that I wrote in to my old one-volume Sear: "Three inscriptions are dedicated to her as CONIVGI (wife) of Carinus, answering that old question."
I had that coin on my watchlist... I love the detail on her robe. Great coin, congrats! Since I don't have a Magnia Urbica, I'll drop in another "Karvs" from Ticinum, with a different reverse from Warren's: Carus antoninianus, Ticinum (RIC 81) SPES PVBLICA
