Reply to Thread

Message:: [QUOTE="Tejas, post: 7632104, member: 84905"]I just discovered that there may be more to the representation of facial hair on Roman coins than just fashion. I' m reading an article "Depositio Barbae Das Kaiserzeitliche Bartfest als Initiationsritus" by Christopher Degelmann. There was a cultic ceremony or rite of passage (barbartoria - beard festifal) which involved the first-time wearing of the men's toga (toga virilis) and the first time public shaving of facial hair (depositio barbae). The barbartoria ended a male Roman's time as boy (puer) and marked the beginning of his time as man (vir). The barbartoria took place at the age of around 15 years and it is recorded for several Roman emperors. After the barbartoria a free Roman man could wear a full beard or go clean shaven, according to current fashion. However, the slight facial hair with side burns or slight moustaches indicated that he has not yet had the barbartoria. The barbaroria was a pagan festival. It may have been on the retreat at the time of Crispus, but according to the sources a certain Paulinus of Nora sacrificed his first beard (prima barba) as late as AD 381. So it is possible, that the Roman mint or at least one celator at the Roman mint was pagan and indicated Crispus' status as "puer", who was not yet a "vir", by adding the "prima barba" (sideburns) to his portrait. Maybe this could help to date the coin. Crispus was born in 305, styled Caesar in 317 (as a boy of 12 years). Maybe the coin dates to a time before he was 15, or at least before the time of the barbartoria, i.e. before say AD 320. In any case, we may expect depictions of Roman rulers who held formal office als children, to progress from beardless child-portraits until the age of say 13/14, a short period of "prima barba", i.e. first youthful facial hair just before the barbatoria at the age of say 15 and afterwards to be either clean shaven or with beards.[/QUOTE]

Create my FREE Account!

Log in or Sign up

Reply to Thread

Useful Searches