Sometimes coins can change our ideas and perceptions about the past. This deceptively unassuming provincial bronze is one such piece which enriches our historical knowledge. Vespasian Æ23 9.44g Iconium, Galatia-Cappadocia mint, undated Obv: IMP CAESAR VESPASIAN AVG; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r. Rev: COL IVL - AVG - ICONI; Priest ploughing, l. RPC 1609 (1 spec.). Acquired from Musa Numismatic Art, December 2021. Iconium produced coins with Greek legends under the Julio-Claudians for Nero and Claudius. Under the Flavians there are two series, one in Greek and the other in Latin. RPC explains the importance of this: 'The Latin series (1609-11) proves that a Roman colony was created at Iconium under Augustus as the reverse of Vespasian's issue reads Col(onia) Iul(ia) Aug(usta) Iconi(ensium). Before these coins came to light, it was thought that Iconium was created a colony under Hadrian, perhaps in 136/7, according to CIL Suppl. 12136, where a Col(onia) Aelia Hadriana Aug(usta) is mentioned...The old polis of Iconium and the new colony lived side by side and a distinction was drawn between natives and colonists, which explains the two parallel series of coins, struck in two denominations.' The ploughing ritual depicted on the reverse is the creation of a boundary known as the sulcus primigenius, the first furrow, which delineated the line of the pomerium. The pomerium was a city’s ritual boundary which demarcation the sacred from the profane. The creation of this boundary was the first step in the foundation of a new colony. Coins matter, they sometimes can rewrite history! Please post your coins that matter.
That IS an important coin when it comes to our understanding of the history of Iconium. That would be a treasured addition to a Flavian collection even without the historical significance, but when you add its historical significance, it adds to its interest indeed. This was my favorite coin of the year because it is important. The existence of this coin was previously unknown and it contributes to the body of evidence that there was a centralized mint along the Black Sea coast in the third century that struck coins for the cities in the region. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first time that a hybrid has been described between Deultum and Marcianopolis. Julia Mamaea, AD 222-235. Roman Provincial Æ tetrassarion, 22.4 mm, 8.92 g, 1 h. Hybrid of coins of Deultum and Marcianopolis, AD 227-228/229. Obv: IVLIA MA-MAEA AVG; draped bust, right, wearing stephane. Rev: VΠ TIB IOVΛ ΦHCTȢ MAPKIANOΠOΛITΩN, eagle standing facing, head left, with wings spread, holding wreath in beak. Refs: Unpublished; see Varbanov II, 2333 (Mamaea) and AMNG I-1, 1018-21 (Severus Alexander).
I would argue that they remain important as a reminder that, once upon a time, money was based on more than our temporary trust in a monetary authority. Individuals and governments forget that lesson at their peril...
Drachm of Septimius Severus from the mint of Petra. circa 210 AD Obv Head right laureate. Rv. Tyche standing left holding baetyl in right hand and trophy in left. Unpublished 3.11 grms 18 mm Photo by W. Hansen I have featured this coin before. Yes it it as far as I know unique and part of a series of drachms known by 29 coins. However the point I would like to make today is that this issue of coinage from the mint of Petra is rather unusual in that not a single specimen has been found in Petra nor its immediate surroundings. When I started studying this coinage back in 2006 I began to notice a number of things about it. Though the coinage was known in the early part of the twentieth century by 1989 only some seven coins were known of which two were found in archeological context one in Britain the other in Switzerland. Between 1989 to about 2000 another two were found. The vast majority 19 in total were found afterwards and placed in auction between 2002 and 2016. One came on to the market in 2021. What was interesting about the group brought into the market after 2002 was that when I tried to establish where the coins were found, I could not find a single specimen that came from the Middle East. None of the dealers on line who get their coins from sources in the Middle East ever offered one for sale. However a number of the dealers who got their coins from the Balkans did. I could determine that at least 7 of the 19 coins that entered the market between 2002 to 2016 came from the Balkans. Furthermore the only two that had been found in an archeological context were found outside of the Middle East. So what does this all mean? I am unsure but it does ask the question "What was the purpose of this coinage?"
This coin matters because it broke the Roman taboo against living people being depicted on coins. The portrait denarii of Julius Caesar was one of the "last straws" that resulted in his assassination and preserving the traditional republican form of Roman governance for . . . um . . well, a couple of years, anyway. Julius Caesar First Triumvir, 60-53 B.C. Dictator for Life, 44 B.C. Silver Denarius Rome mint, 44 B.C. Obv: DICT PERPETVO - CAESAR - Veiled head of Julius Caesar Rev: P SEPVLLIVS MACER - Venus holding Victory and scepter; shield at base RSC 39; S362; RRC 480/13 18 x 20mm, 3.2g.
A lot of history would be unknown/ if it were not for finding coins that depict events/ rulers which we now know about thru their coins.
This coin type is historically important because it's the first British coin type to name a king from Britain (Cunobelin) & have a mintmark (CAMV) .
This coin made us aware of an obscure Eastern Celtic Tribe (Basternae) who lived in the Kolchis/ Black Sea Region circa 200-150BC. This is my AV Half Stater.... coins where struck in Vani/ imitating Macedonian types.
This coin is important because of its artistic creativity (perspective view) and also because just a few years after this coin was struck the city of Zeugma was destroyed by the Persians. It was the home base of Legion IV Parthica, evidenced by the Capricorn symbol in the exergue. COMMAGENE, Zeugma. Philip I the Arab or Philip II. 247-249 AD. Æ31, 19.2g; 6h Obv.: AYTOK K M IOYΛI ФIΛIΠΠOC CЄB; Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right. Rev.: ZЄYGM-ATЄΩN; Peribolos containing grove of trees, seen in perspective; tetrastyle temple in distance, draped figure within (Zeus?); in exergue, capricorn to right. Reference: Butcher 31c; BMC 35.
A great addition of an important historical coin David. Fantastic acquisition. Here's a colony coin from Iconium for Titus T CAES IM PONT Laureate head right COL ICO NIEN E Q two standards; between them, star Galatia, Iconium 19.3mm, 5.02g RPC II 1610 (Rare; 10 specimens) this coin #10 RPC online Ex-Themis Numismatics Auction 9 lot 447 The reverse reads "Colony of Iconium, founded by the fifth Gallic legion"
Cool, Glen! I have the STAR version of this Veiled Caesar series. Yours is a very nice example! GAIVS IVLIVS CAESAR Minted Last TWO Weeks of his life... Roman Imperiatorial Julius Caesar Lifetime P Sepullius Macer AR Denarius, 1st 2 weeks-Mar 44 BCE, 19 mm, 4.03g. Obv: CAESAR – DICT PERPETVO Veiled and wreathed head of Caesar R. Rev: P·SEPVLLIVS – MACER Venus standing l., holding Victory and sceptre resting on star. Ref: Syd 1074a Sear Imperators 107e Crawford 480-14 Rare - minted in last two weeks of his reign, or two weeks before he was assassinated. - veiled, as he held the offce of Pontifex Maximus for several years, and that office was very important to him personally. - wreathed... just short of being king... big no-no - DICT PERPETVO - yeah, he was a king... so Roman Republic inherently and culturally hated kings. - fairly difficult to capture with the star on reverse - reasonably centered with most/all devices and legends (this is not as important to me cuz its numismatic vs the intrinsic Historical impact.) Alföldi arranges Crawford 480 series coins in (44 BC) month order as follows: RRC 480/1, Buca - January RRC 480/2, DICT QVART - early February RRC 480/3/4/5, CAESAR IMP - late February RRC 480/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13/14, DICT PERPETVO - early to mid March RRC 480/17/18, CAESAR IMPER - late March RRC 480/19/20, PARENS PATRIAE - April RRC 480/15/16, MARIDIANVS - April RRC 480/21/22, CLEMENTIAE CAESARIS and Mark Antony - April
The Basternae were a Germanic people at the western Black Sea coast. My understanding is that the above Kolchis coins comes from the eastern Black Sea coast, from the territory of modern Georgia.
Interesting, I had always assumed that the veiled portrait depicted the deceased and deified Caesar. I'm surprised that these were minted during his lifetime.
He was Pontifex Maximus, which was very important to hum when he was appointed at a younger age. The Veil is the symbol of the office.
