Nothing fancy here, just a run of the mill worn Flavian bronze....but boy do I love coins like this! Vespasian Æ As, 10.24g Rome mint, 74 AD Obv: IMP CAESAR VESP AVG COS V CENS; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r. Rev: PAX AVGVST; S C in field; Pax stg. l., leaning on column, with caduceus and branch RIC 726 (C). BMC p. 161 *. BNC 718. Acquired from NumisCorner, February 2022. After the recently concluded Judaean and Civil wars, Pax in her various guises was a major theme for Vespasian's coinage. The Pax leaning on column type is likely based on a cult image while the legend 'PAX AVGVST' advertises the emperor as peacemaker. This variant struck in 74 is fairly common but surprisingly missing from the BM. Please feel free to show your coins featuring Pax, or any other deities with a column. Thank you for looking!
Vespasian Denarius. 75 AD. IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG, laureate head right / PON MAX TR P COS VI, Pax seated left holding branch. RSC 366, RIC 772, BMC 161 AR Denarius 19mm. 3.40g. Rome Mint 79 A.D. Laureate head, r. IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M Radiate figure standing on rostral column decorated with ships' rams. TR P VIIII IMP XV COS VII P P RIC II 16a; RSC II 289
"Nothing fancy" is okay for the specialist collector, @David Atherton, whose goal is completeness, not a slab marked "AU 5/5/5." And having a coin that the British Museum doesn't is nothing to shake a stick at! And speaking of shaking a stick, here's another Pax shaking a stick! Philip I, AD 244-249. Roman AR Antoninianus, 3.51 g, 21.4 mm, 1 h. Antioch, AD 244. Obv: IMP C M IVL PHILIPPVS PF AVG PM, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust, right. Rev: PAX FVNDATA CVM PERSIS, Pax standing left, holding branch and transverse scepter. Refs: RIC 69; Cohen 113; RCV 8941; Hunter 120. And here are some deities who lean on columns. Felicitas Volusian as Augustus, AD 251-253. Roman orichalcum sestertius, 17.26 g, 27. 4 mm 10 h. Rome, AD 252. Obv: IMP CAE C VIB VOLVSIANO AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust, right. Rev: FELICITAS PVBLICA S C, Felicitas standing left, leaning on column, holding caduceus in right hand and transverse scepter in left hand. Refs: RIC 251a; Cohen 35; RCV 9786; Hunter 39. Mên Gordian III, AD 238-244. Roman Provincial Æ 35 mm, 26.72 g, 6 h. Pisidia, Antioch, AD 238-244. Obv: IMP CAES M ANT GORDIANVS AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Gordian III, r., seen from rear. Rev: COL CAES ANTIOCH, S-R, Mên standing r., wearing Phrygian cap, foot on bucranium, holding sceptre and Victory (standing r., on globe, holding trophy), resting elbow on column; behind his shoulders, crescent; to l., rooster standing, l. Refs: RPC VII.2, — (unassigned; ID 3431); Krzyżanowska XXII/94; BMC xix.187, 70. Venus Julia Domna, AD 193-217 Roman oricalchum sestertius, 21.41 g, 28.8 mm. Rome, AD 194, issue 4. Obv: JULIA DOMNA AVG, bare-headed and draped bust, r. Rev: VENERI VICTR SC, Venus, naked to waist, standing r., holding apple and palm, resting l. elbow on column. Refs: RIC-842; BMCRE-488; Cohen-195; Sear-6631; Hill-113. Securitas Quintillus, AD 270. Roman billon antoninianus, 2.95 g, 20 mm. Rome, 11th officina, issue 1, end AD 270. Obv: IMP C M AVR CL QVINTILLVS AVG, bust right, radiate, cuirassed and draped with paludamentum, seen from the front. Rev: SECVRIT AVG, Securitas standing left, legs crossed, holding short scepter in right hand, leaning on column with left elbow; officina mark XI in right field. Refs: RIC 31; MER/RIC temp 1194; Cohen 63; RCV 11451; Normanby 1197; Hunter 17. Fortuna Hadrian, AD 117-138. Roman AR denarius, 3.44 g, 17.5 mm, 7:00. Rome, AD 121. Obv: IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG, laureate bust right, slight drapery on far shoulder. Rev: P M TR P COS III, Fortuna standing left, holding rudder and cornucopiae and resting on column. Refs: RIC 86b; BMCRE 170; RSC 1155; UCR 206; RCV 3521. Cybele Julia Domna, AD 193-217. Roman AR Denarius, 3.05 gm, 19.15 mm. Rome mint, AD 212. Obv: IVLIA PIA FELIX AVG, bare-headed and draped bust, r. Rev: MATRI DEVM, Cybele standing l., holding drum and scepter, leaning on column, lion at feet. RIC 382; Sear 7104; BMCRE 14; Hill1329. Concordia Faustina I, AD 138-140. Roman AR denarius, 3.13 g, 18.3 mm, 5 h. Rome, AD 138-139. Obv: FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG P P, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: CONCORDIA AVG, Concordia standing left, holding patera and double cornucopiae, and resting l. arm on column. Refs: RIC 329; BMCRE 42; Cohen 153; Strack 395; RCV --; CRE 92.
@David Atherton...Nice coin and I like the colouring! Column.. Elagabalus. 218-222 AD. AR Denarius (3.22 gm, 19mm). Rome mint. Struck 219 AD. Obv.: laureate and draped bust right. Rev.: Providentia standing left with legs crossed, leaning on column to right, holding rod over globe in right hand and cornucopia in left. RIC IV 23; RSC 144 Pax... Philip II... AR Antoninianus 247-249AD(23mm, 4.29g, 1h). Rome, AD 247. Obverse..IMP PHILIPPUS AVG...Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. Reverse..PAX AETERNA...Pax standing left, holding olive branch and short sceptre....RIC IV #231c; RSC 23
CLAUDIUS AR Denarius OBVERSE: TI CLAVD CAESAR AVG P M TR P VI IMP XI, laureate head right REVERSE: PACI AVGVSTAE, Pax-Nemesis advancing right, drawing out fold of robe at neck, holding caduceus above serpent preceding her Struck at Rome, 46/7AD 3.6g, 19mm RIC39, BMC40 GALBA AE Dupondius OBVERSE: SER GALBA IMP CAES AVG TR P legend with laureate bust right REVERSE: PAX AVGVST legend with Pax standing left holding olive-branch and caduceus; S - C in fields Struck at Rome, July-August 68 AD 13.2g, 27mm RIC 284; BMC 127; Sear 2129 VESPASIAN AR Denarius OBVERSE: IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG, laureate head right REVERSE: PON MAX TR P COS VI, Pax seated left holding branch Struck at Rome, 75AD 2.9g, 18mm RIC 772 VESPASIAN AR Denarius OBVERSE: IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG, laureate head right REVERSE: COS ITER TR POT, Pax seated left, holding branch and caduceus Struck at Rome, 69-71 AD 3.31g, 18mm RIC 29; RSC 94h; Sear 2285 TRAJAN AR Denarius OBVERSE: IMP CAES NERVA TRAIAN AVG GERM, laureate head right REVERSE: P M TR P COS II P P, Pax standing left, holding branch & cornucopiae Struck at Rome, 98/9AD 3.1g, 19mm RIC 6
Bronze coin (AE Antoninianus) minted at Lugdunum during the reign of PROBUS between 276 - 282 A.D. Obv. IMP.C.PROBVS.P.F.AVG.: Radiate, draped & cuir. bust r. Rev. PAX.AVG.: Pax standing l, holding olive-branch and sceptre, in ex. XXIIII. SEAR #3359. RICVb #91 pg.28. DVM #30 pg.261.
Columns were very desirable or even necessary to support the weight of standing statues. Many coin types copied statues (some famous or even still extant). Die engravers could have omitted the column supports but many/most did not. Trivia: Who first used a column supported statue type? My fiirst is a Titus/Venus. Yours?
@dougsmit, this is my oldest coin that may fit into that category: Roman Republic, Manius Acilius Glabrio, AR Denarius, 50 BCE (Harlan and BMCRR) or 49 BCE (Crawford), Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate head of Salus right, wearing necklace and earring, with hair collected behind in knot ornamented with jewels, SALVTIS upwards behind head / Rev. Valetudo [an alternate manifestation of Salus]* [Harlan says portrayal is of a statue of Valetudo] standing left, holding snake with right hand and resting left arm on column, MN•ACILIVS [downwards on right] III•VIR•VALETV [upwards on left] [MN and TV monogrammed]. RSC I Acilia 8, Crawford 442/1a, Sydenham 922, Sear RCV I 412 (ill.), Harlan, RRM II Ch. 30 at pp. 229-238, BMCRR Rome 3945. 17.5 mm., 3.98 g. [Footnote omitted.]
--- very rough surfaces but a coin I really like.. his column, plus I assume the great man was a deity at this point... being "Divus" and all.. The base sits at the Vatican now..
To the extent it's possible that a figure standing in front of a column, even if not leaning on it, may signify a representation of a statue -- because otherwise why is the column there? For artistic balance? -- this one is a bit older than the Mn. Acilius Glabrio: Roman Republic, Lucius Marcius Censorinus, AR Denarius, 82 BCE. Obv. Laureate head of Apollo right, traces of control mark (unidentifiable) behind / Rev. The satyr Marsyas standing left, gazing upwards, raising right hand and holding wineskin over left shoulder; tall column behind him, surmounted by statue of draped figure (Minerva [RSC] or Victory [Crawford]); L. CENSOR downwards before him. Crawford 363/1d, RSC I Marcia 24, Sear RCV I 281 (ill.), BMCRR 2657. 18 mm, 3.80 g, 5 h. [The coin refers to the legend of the satyr Marsyas challenging Apollo to a flute-playing contest. As the winner, Apollo got to choose the punishment for the loser -- namely, skinning Marsyas alive. Traditionally, the gens Marcia was descended from Marsyas; hence the reference.]
