was after this combo for awhile and finally arrived today hard to think of a more appropriate deity pairing than this, my runner up would have to be faustina II / fecunditas would love to see some challengers if you have some good ones!
I get the second one, but what's the special connection between Elagabalus and Hilaritas (cheerfulness or joy)? Please tell me that you didn't intend some sort of dumb "gay" joke.
OK. I still don't get what was so hilarious about him. Whereas I do get why "Fecunditas" was appropriate for Faustina II!
While I agree with DonnaML and fail to understand how Hilaritas is 'special' for Elagabalus, I am very much of the opinion that it is great to consider some types 'better' as a fit for some rulers. For Elagabalus, most of us probably would consider the one pointing out his association with his god of choice naming 'ELAGAB' on the reverse. Of course any coin with the 'horned' portrait is a step up. The top choice for Elagabalus is one of the coins showing the meteorite with or without its chariot. Who can forget this one? Is it sad I posted the potato rather than TIF's nice denarius or Ancient Joe's aureus? Is this a sign that CT is not a serious venue? That was my first thought when I read the post. Regarding Fecunditas: Does it seem that Fecunditas favors production of too many children including children that might have better served Rome had they never been born? There is a Fecunditas for Julia Maesa, grandmother to Elagabalus without whose fertility this thread would not have been required.
I think a pair worthy of consideration is the emperor Diocletian & the goddess MONETA. Diocletian's restructuring of the economy & the creation of new coinage was advertised on many of his nummi, like the coin pictured below with Moneta on the reverse holding a cornucopia & pair of scales. Despite his attempt to save the Roman economy his program was a miserable failure .
In the area of IRONIC pairing of the reverse type with the emperor is this CONCORDIA MILITVM reverse of Florian, whose army rose up against him and killed him. Florian, AD 276. Roman billon Aurelianus, 3.28 g, 21.2 mm, 12 h. Cyzicus, officina 3; issue 1, AD 276. Obv: IMP FLORIANVS AVG, Bust right, radiate, cuirassed and draped with paludamentum. Rev: CONCORDIA MILITVM, Victory stg. r., holding wreath in r. hand and palm against l. shoulder, facing Emperor in military dress stg. l., r. hand outstretched and holding long scepter in l. hand; T in exergue. Refs: RIC 116; MER/RIC temp #4530; Cohen 15; CBN 1982-3; RCV 11853; Hunter 20.
I always thought this was an IRONY: Octavian - Antony - CONCORDIA RImp Marc Antony & Octavian AR Quinarius 1.58g Military Mint Gaul 39BCE Concordia r Hands clasped caduceus Cr-529-4b Sear 1575 Syd-1195
I'd like to see a list of all the emperors who used Moneta. Who was first? Last? I have not done the research. Septimius Julia Domna Caracalla
I'd say reading about Elagabalus can be pretty hilarious sometimes, probably the most of any emperor. His sexual exploits are included in this, not because of his sexuality (Hadrian and Trajan were also homosexual), but because of the hyperbolic and bizarre nature of his actions. and using charms, in fact actually shutting up alive in the god's temple a lion, a monkey, and a snake, and throwing in among them human genitals, He would go to the taverns by night, wearing a wig, and there ply the trade of a female huckster. He frequented the notorious brothels, drove out the prostitutes, and played the prostitute himself. 3 Finally, he set aside a room in the palace and there committed his indecencies, always standing nude at the door of the room, as the harlots do, and shaking the curtain which hung from gold rings, while in a soft and melting voice he solicited the passers-by. This Aurelius not only had a body that was beautiful all over, seeing that he was an athlete, but in particular he greatly surpassed all others in the size of his private parts. This fact was reported to the emperor by those who were on the look-out for such things, and the man was suddenly whisked away from the games and brought to Rome, accompanied by an immense escort All of these tales taken from Dio, tall or not, certainly make for comedic reading in the context of a Roman Emperor. In the same way us Brits made a dark comedy about Claudius, I think there's equal or more ammo make one out of Elagabalus. Anyway, as for the question. Caracalla - Indulgentia, for extending citizenship to freeborn people throughout the Empire, his true motives perhaps indicated by his scowl.
