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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Shea19, post: 4277658, member: 90981&quot;]I’ve been wanting one of this type for a long time, and I finally added this denarius of Elagabalus with a “horn” protruding over his head.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1088553[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Elagabalus, AR Denarius (19 mm, 3.13), Rome, 220-222. IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG Laureate and draped bust of Elagabalus to right, wearing &#039;horn&#039; over forehead./ <i>Rev. </i>SACERD DEI SOLIS ELAGAB Elagabalus standing right, holding patera over lighted altar in his right hand and club in his left; in field to right, star. RIC 131</p><p><br /></p><p>Elagabalus was emperor from 218-222 AD, having been put in place by his grandmother Julia Maesa at just 14 years old, and was assassinated by the Praetorian Guard at the age of 18.&nbsp; He’s most well known for his allegedly deviant sexual behavior (it’s not easy to stand out as a pervert amongst Roman Emperors, but he managed to do it), and for his devotion to the Eastern sun deity Elagabalus, where he got his posthumous “nickname”.</p><p><br /></p><p>There is not much consensus on what the “horn” on the obverse actually signifies.&nbsp; A popular theory from a German writer is that the “horn” might actually be a bull’s penis, which apparently was considered a sign of fertility.&nbsp; I’m not sure that I buy that theory, but if any emperor were to do that, Elagabalus would be my first guess.</p><p><br /></p><p>The coin’s reverse shows the emperor making a sacrifice, and the star represents the sun deity. I especially like that the reverse legend on this coin actually says “ELAGAB.”&nbsp; There are many emperors who are known mostly by a nickname, but this is one of the few that actually appears on a coin...I don’t think I’ve ever seen any coin which says the word Caracalla, Caligula, Gothicus, Thrax, etc. in the legend.</p><p><br /></p><p>I know that a lot of us have one of this type, so please post your coins of “horned” Elagabalus (or any other Elagabalus you’d like).[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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