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<p>[QUOTE="Sulla80, post: 4905548, member: 99456"]We all find different coins attractive and interesting, and I have generally favored Roman Republican coins and coins of the 2nd to 1st century BC (especially for interactions with the Roman republic). That said, I easily wander from my primary interests, sometimes a coin stands out (quality, imagery, price...), especially after failing to acquire any primary targets in an auction. So I also have a few coins that have been impulsively gathered, and my coin for today fits that category.</p><p><br /></p><p>The reverse especially struck me as unusual and appealing, bringing to mind more modern coins showing trees e.g. the US quarter of the State of Connecticut with its Charter Oak, hiding place for the state's constitution <a href="https://www.usmint.gov/coins/coin-medal-programs/50-state-quarters/connecticut" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.usmint.gov/coins/coin-medal-programs/50-state-quarters/connecticut" rel="nofollow">(US Mint</a> photo - not my coin):</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1183437[/ATTACH]</p><p>or this 1652 Pine Tree Shilling from the State of Massachusetts (<a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=5394639" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=5394639" rel="nofollow">ACSearch</a> photo - not my coin):</p><p><img src="https://www.acsearch.info/media/images/archive/90/5293/5394639.s.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>My coin of interest today is described in RIC (2nd edition) as "archaising" - consciously imitating a very old or old-fashioned style. For Vespasian this coin imitates similar coins from Augustus, especially this one <a href="http://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.1(2).aug.51" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.1(2).aug.51" rel="nofollow">RIC 51</a> (<a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2448787" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2448787" rel="nofollow">ACSearch</a> - not my coin):</p><p><img src="https://www.acsearch.info/media/images/archive/45/2390/2448787.s.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p>Laurel trees were associated with Julius Caesar, with Victory, with Apollo and the trees in front of Augustus' residence were recognizable symbols of the power and the era of concord achieved under Augustus:</p><p><br /></p><blockquote><p><font size="4">"Now Caesar [Augustus] had received many privileges and honours even previously, when the question of declining the sovereignty and that of apportioning the provinces were under discussion. For the right to place the laurel trees in front of the royal residence and to hang the crown of oak above them was then voted him to symbolise that he was always victor over his enemies and the saviour of the citizens."</font></p><p><font size="4">-Cassius Dio, <a href="https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/53*.html#16.4" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/53*.html#16.4" rel="nofollow">LIII 16.4</a></font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>There is a 1973 book on the subject from Andreas Afoldi that unfortunately is not available in electronic form, <a href="https://www.worldcat.org/title/zwei-lorbeerbaume-des-augustus/oclc/450929376?referer=di&ht=edition" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.worldcat.org/title/zwei-lorbeerbaume-des-augustus/oclc/450929376?referer=di&ht=edition" rel="nofollow">Die zwei Lorbeerbäume des Augustus</a>. Vespasian alludes to Augustus with this coin:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1183469[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>Roman Imperial, Vespasian</b>, AD 69-79, AR Denarius, Rome mint, struck AD 74</p><p><b>Obv:</b> IMP CAESAR VESP AVG, laureate head right</p><p><b>Rev:</b> COS V across field between two laurel trees</p><p><b>Ref:</b> RIC II <a href="http://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.2_1(2).ves.681" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.2_1(2).ves.681" rel="nofollow">681</a></p><p><br /></p><p>The weathered look of the obverse portrait on this coin brings to mind the coarse description from Seutonius (Seutonius, born approximately in the year that Vespasian became emperor, was clearly not the most reverent or respectful of biographers):</p><p><br /></p><blockquote><p>"He was well built, with strong, sturdy limbs, and the expression of one who was straining. Apropos of which a witty fellow, when Vespasian asked him to make a joke on him also, replied rather cleverly: "I will, when you have finished relieving yourself."</p><p>- Seutonius, <a href="http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Vespasian*.html#20" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Vespasian*.html#20" rel="nofollow">Life of Vespasian 20.1</a></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>Pleased with my impulsive bid, when I looked it up in RIC, I also learned that this coin is considered Rare in RIC. Additional information, corrections, and references are always appreciated - especially knowing that CT has several expert Flavian collectors.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Post your <i>archaising</i> coins of any emperor, coins with trees, <b>coins of Vespasian </b>or anything else you find interesting or entertaining.</b></p><p><br /></p><p><font size="3"><u>References:</u></font></p><ul> <li><font size="3"><a href="http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/home.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/home.html" rel="nofollow">Text of Cassius Dio on LacusCurtius</a>, Loeb Classical Library, 9 volumes, Greek texts and facing English translation: Harvard University Press, 1914 thru 1927. Translation by Earnest Cary.</font></li> <li><font size="3">Fullerton, M. (1985). <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/504362" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/504362" rel="nofollow">The Domus Augusti in Imperial Iconography of 13-12 B. C. </a><i>American Journal of Archaeology,</i> <i>89</i>(3), 473-483.</font></li> <li><font size="3">Kellum, B. (1994). <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/3046020" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/3046020" rel="nofollow">The Construction of Landscape in Augustan Rome: The Garden Room at the Villa ad Gallinas.</a> <i>The Art Bulletin,</i> <i>76</i>(2), 211-224. </font></li> <li><font size="3">C. Suetonius Tranquillus, The Lives of the Twelve Caesars, <a href="http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Vespasian*.html#20" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Vespasian*.html#20" rel="nofollow">The Life of Vespasian</a>, Loeb Classical Library, 1914</font></li> </ul><p>[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Sulla80, post: 4905548, member: 99456"]We all find different coins attractive and interesting, and I have generally favored Roman Republican coins and coins of the 2nd to 1st century BC (especially for interactions with the Roman republic). That said, I easily wander from my primary interests, sometimes a coin stands out (quality, imagery, price...), especially after failing to acquire any primary targets in an auction. So I also have a few coins that have been impulsively gathered, and my coin for today fits that category. The reverse especially struck me as unusual and appealing, bringing to mind more modern coins showing trees e.g. the US quarter of the State of Connecticut with its Charter Oak, hiding place for the state's constitution [URL='https://www.usmint.gov/coins/coin-medal-programs/50-state-quarters/connecticut'](US Mint[/URL] photo - not my coin): [ATTACH=full]1183437[/ATTACH] or this 1652 Pine Tree Shilling from the State of Massachusetts ([URL='https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=5394639']ACSearch[/URL] photo - not my coin): [IMG]https://www.acsearch.info/media/images/archive/90/5293/5394639.s.jpg[/IMG] My coin of interest today is described in RIC (2nd edition) as "archaising" - consciously imitating a very old or old-fashioned style. For Vespasian this coin imitates similar coins from Augustus, especially this one [URL='http://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.1(2).aug.51']RIC 51[/URL] ([URL='https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2448787']ACSearch[/URL] - not my coin): [IMG]https://www.acsearch.info/media/images/archive/45/2390/2448787.s.jpg[/IMG] Laurel trees were associated with Julius Caesar, with Victory, with Apollo and the trees in front of Augustus' residence were recognizable symbols of the power and the era of concord achieved under Augustus: [INDENT][SIZE=4]"Now Caesar [Augustus] had received many privileges and honours even previously, when the question of declining the sovereignty and that of apportioning the provinces were under discussion. For the right to place the laurel trees in front of the royal residence and to hang the crown of oak above them was then voted him to symbolise that he was always victor over his enemies and the saviour of the citizens." -Cassius Dio, [URL='https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/53*.html#16.4']LIII 16.4[/URL][/SIZE][/INDENT] There is a 1973 book on the subject from Andreas Afoldi that unfortunately is not available in electronic form, [URL='https://www.worldcat.org/title/zwei-lorbeerbaume-des-augustus/oclc/450929376?referer=di&ht=edition']Die zwei Lorbeerbäume des Augustus[/URL]. Vespasian alludes to Augustus with this coin: [ATTACH=full]1183469[/ATTACH] [B]Roman Imperial, Vespasian[/B], AD 69-79, AR Denarius, Rome mint, struck AD 74 [B]Obv:[/B] IMP CAESAR VESP AVG, laureate head right [B]Rev:[/B] COS V across field between two laurel trees [B]Ref:[/B] RIC II [URL='http://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.2_1(2).ves.681']681[/URL] The weathered look of the obverse portrait on this coin brings to mind the coarse description from Seutonius (Seutonius, born approximately in the year that Vespasian became emperor, was clearly not the most reverent or respectful of biographers): [INDENT]"He was well built, with strong, sturdy limbs, and the expression of one who was straining. Apropos of which a witty fellow, when Vespasian asked him to make a joke on him also, replied rather cleverly: "I will, when you have finished relieving yourself." - Seutonius, [URL='http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Vespasian*.html#20']Life of Vespasian 20.1[/URL][/INDENT] Pleased with my impulsive bid, when I looked it up in RIC, I also learned that this coin is considered Rare in RIC. Additional information, corrections, and references are always appreciated - especially knowing that CT has several expert Flavian collectors. [B]Post your [I]archaising[/I] coins of any emperor, coins with trees, [B]coins of Vespasian [/B]or anything else you find interesting or entertaining.[/B] [SIZE=3][U]References:[/U][/SIZE] [LIST] [*][SIZE=3][URL='http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/home.html']Text of Cassius Dio on LacusCurtius[/URL], Loeb Classical Library, 9 volumes, Greek texts and facing English translation: Harvard University Press, 1914 thru 1927. Translation by Earnest Cary.[/SIZE] [*][SIZE=3]Fullerton, M. (1985). [URL='https://www.jstor.org/stable/504362']The Domus Augusti in Imperial Iconography of 13-12 B. C. [/URL][I]American Journal of Archaeology,[/I] [I]89[/I](3), 473-483.[/SIZE] [*][SIZE=3]Kellum, B. (1994). [URL='https://www.jstor.org/stable/3046020']The Construction of Landscape in Augustan Rome: The Garden Room at the Villa ad Gallinas.[/URL] [I]The Art Bulletin,[/I] [I]76[/I](2), 211-224. [/SIZE] [*][SIZE=3]C. Suetonius Tranquillus, The Lives of the Twelve Caesars, [URL='http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Vespasian*.html#20']The Life of Vespasian[/URL], Loeb Classical Library, 1914[/SIZE] [/LIST][/QUOTE]
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