Aelia Flaccilla - wife of Theodosius I

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Tejas, Jun 27, 2021.

  1. Tejas

    Tejas Well-Known Member

    I found the below coin of Aelia Flaccilla on Ebay.
    AEL FLACCILLA AVG // SALVS REI PVBLICAE -- CON E

    Mint: Constantinople, officina 5
    Date: AD 383
    Weight: 5.21 g (23mm)
    RIC 81

    Aelia Flaccilla was the wife of Theodosius I and mother of Arcadius, Honorius and Aelia Pulcheria. She was born in Spain and she died in early 386 in Thrace. She was known for here adherence to the Nicene Creed, her opposition to the Arian Creed and her charity (she is a saint of the Orthodox church).

    The reverse legend "Health/safety of the Republic" and Victoria inscribing a shield with Chi-Rho allude to hopes for a restoration of the state to Constantinian strength and new victories in the name of Christ.

    I think this should be seen against the background of the catastrophe of Adrianople (378), where the Goths had wiped out the entire eastern army and killed emperor Valens. This hope was of course never fulfilled. Rome never recovered from Adrianople. Instead, the Empire would increasingly be ruled by Germanic generals before the western part was dissolved almost 100 years after the battle.

    I think the coin below is of great condition and in fact perhaps best of type. It is also of particularly fine style. I love Aelia Flaccilla's elaborate hairstyle and jewellery.

    I think it is interesting that empresses (or female relatives of the emperor) had disappeared from Roman coins for a period of more than half a century, after Constantine I, who had issued coins for Helena and Fausta, before making a comeback with Aelia Flaccilla in the 380s.

    Please show us your coins of late Roman empresses.


    Screenshot 2021-06-27 at 10.31.24.png
     
    Last edited: Jun 27, 2021
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  3. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    That's an outstanding specimen!

    Of the few I have, this one from Antioch is the the most photogenic:

    [​IMG]
    Aelia Flaccilla, AD 379-386.
    Roman AE Maiorina (AE 2), 4.78 gm, 21.55 mm, 6 h.
    Antioch, AD 383-386.
    Obv: AEL FLACCILLA AVG, diademed and draped bust, right.
    Rev: SALVS REIPVBLICAE, Victory seated r., inscribing chi-rho onto shield set on cippus. T in field r, ANTЄ in exergue.
    Refs: RIC 61.3; Sear 20616; Cohen 4; c.f. LRBC II 2747.
     
  4. Andres2

    Andres2 Well-Known Member

  5. Spaniard

    Spaniard Well-Known Member

    Very nice coins!....Lovely detail on all....
    I have 1 little AE4 of hers that I hadn't attributed....
    Pretty sure its..?? Could someone check?
    Obv: AEL FLAC-CILLA, draped bust with elaborate headdress, necklace
    and mantle
    Rev: SALVS REI-PVBLICAE, Victory seated right, inscribing a
    chi-rho on shield resting on small column. Mintmark: ANT epsilon.
    RIC IX Antioch 54
    AE TOG.jpg
     
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  6. gsimonel

    gsimonel Well-Known Member

    AeliaEudoxia.JPG
    Aelia Eudoxia (wife of Arcadius)
    Augusta, A.D. 400-404
    (Bronze) AE3
    Nicomedia mint, A.D. 395-401
    Obv: AEL EVDO-XIA AVG
    Rev: GLORIA RO-MANORVM - Empress on throne, crowned by hand of God
    SMNB in exergue; cross (very faint) in right field
    RIC (Arcadius) 80
    17mm, 2.3g

    The coin below shows Verina on the reverse, with her husband, Leo I, on the obverse:
    LeoIAeliaVerina.JPG
    Aelia Verina
    Augusta, A.D. 457-484
    (Bronze) AE4
    Constantinople mint? (Possibly Vandalic imitation)
    Obv: D N L-EO?
    Rev: [B/e] - Empress Verina, standing facing forward, holding globus cruciger (cross on globe) and transverse spear
    RIC (Leo) 714?
    12mm, 1.1g
     
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  7. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    [​IMG]
    Aelia Flaccilla (379 - 386 A.D.)
    Æ2
    O: AEL FLACCILLA AVG, Diademed and draped bust right.
    R: SALVS REIPVBLICAE, Empress standing with hands folded on her chest. SMKr" in exergue.
    Cyzicus mint
    5.5g
    RIC IX 24; LRBC 2567
     
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  8. Shea19

    Shea19 Well-Known Member

    Very nice example @Tejas , great detail.

    38ACA40A-50E5-4D78-B6C9-5FDA888F5158.jpeg
    Aelia Flaccilla, AE Follis (23 mm, 5.74 g), Nicomedia, 383-388. AEL FLAC-CILLA AVG Draped bust of Aelia Flaccilla to r./ Rev. SALVS REI PVBLICAE / SMNB Aelia Flaccilla standing facing, head to r., her arms folded on her breast; branch in field to l. RIC 43 var.
     
  9. ancientone

    ancientone Well-Known Member

    Extra fine coin and possibly BOT @Tejas!


    ael.jpg
    Aelia Eudoxia AE 18mm.
    AEL EVDO-XIA AVG, diademed draped bust right being crowned by hand of god / Victory seated right, supporting shield on column.
     
  10. Tejas

    Tejas Well-Known Member

    I think the "T" is actually a tau-cross, i.e. a Christian symbol that was particularly known in the eastern church and in Africa. I have another variant from Constantinople (5th officina) with "T" or "tau-cross" in the right field.


    Screenshot 2021-06-27 at 19.07.23.png
     
  11. Tejas

    Tejas Well-Known Member

    Very nice. I have this type with the empress standing from Alexandria

    Screenshot 2021-06-27 at 19.10.25.png

    and Constantinople (?) or better Antioch


    Screenshot 2021-06-27 at 19.12.03.png
     
    Last edited: Jun 27, 2021
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  12. Tejas

    Tejas Well-Known Member

    Aelia Eudoxia was a daughter of the Frankish general Bauto. I still have to get a coin of her. I have this Aelia Pulcheria Solidus though. Aelia Pulcheria (414-453) was the daughter of Arcadius.
    I bought this coin almost by accident. I left a very low bid in an auction and never believed I would win the coin. It is a bit of an odd one out in my collection:

    Mint: Constantinopel, no officina
    Date: 420/22
    AEL PVLCHERIA AVG // VOT XX MVLT XXX --- CONOB.
    RIC:220.



    Screenshot 2021-06-27 at 19.15.09.png
     
    Last edited: Jun 27, 2021
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  13. Victor_Clark

    Victor_Clark all my best friends are dead Romans Dealer

    There are other coins from the Antioch series with a cross and T, so it seems more likely the T is just a T, especially since it looks like the T in the obverse legend of the first coin below.

    4064160.jpg

    5148242.jpg
     
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  14. seth77

    seth77 Well-Known Member

    From Antioch:

    1343487_1598542000.jpg
     
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  15. Tejas

    Tejas Well-Known Member

    I think if it is a Latin letter "T" we should expect other Latin or Greek letters to appear in its place as well, perhaps to mark different denominations or officinae. There are AE3s with Theta, Phi and Kappa on single coins.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tau_cross

    Here is my favorite Arcadius. The celator placed the "T" in a very prominent place between emperor and captive. The captive is looking up to the emperor and the "T" or "tau-cross".

    Screenshot 2021-06-28 at 08.48.44.png

    The coin below is NOT from my collection, but it shows that the "Tau-cross" or "T" on my coin above, occupies a prominent spot, otherwise reserved for Christian symbols:

    Screenshot 2021-06-28 at 08.54.44.png


    The coin below is from my collection. It shows that other Christian symbols like the Tau-Rho (Staurogram) were also part of the subjugation imagery:

    Screenshot 2021-06-28 at 08.57.36.png


    The same type for his father Theodosius I, also shows a Christian symbol as part of the imagery, but never a profane letter such as "T". The coin is also from my collection:

    Screenshot 2021-06-28 at 08.59.23.png


    Then again, the appearance of both "T" or "tau-cross" and a Latin cross would seem to be at odds with the idea that "T" is a "tau-cross", unless there are examples that show two christian symbols on one coin. I'm undecided. Maybe we will never know for sure, but if it is just a "T" I would like to know what it indicates.
     
    Last edited: Jun 28, 2021
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  16. Al Kowsky

    Al Kowsky Well-Known Member

    Dirk, Your bronze of Aelia Flaccilla has exceptionally fine engraving on both sides of the coin, is in choice condition, & has an attractive uniform patina :happy:. A great score from eBay of all places :p. There are still sleepers to be found on eBay ;). I don't have any post Constantine I portrait coins of females but I do have an exceptional example of the last female to appear on a tetradrachm from Antioch, Syria, pictured below. Herennia Etruscilla was the wife of Trajan Decius, & her portrait is depicted on a moon crescent as is commonly seen on double denarii. McAlee considers all tetradrachms & as coins of her struck in Antioch as rare.

    McAlee 1165c (2).jpg
    Antioch-Syria, Herennia Etruscilla, AD 249-253. Antioch Mint, 3rd Officina. Billon Tetradrachm: 27 mm, 11.37 gm, 11 h. McAlee 1165c.
     
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  17. Tejas

    Tejas Well-Known Member

    That is a fantastic coin of Herennia Etruscilla - sharp as struck. I always wondered what the moon crescent under the portrait symbolizes. In German we have the term "Mondsichelmadonna", i.e. St. Mary on the moon crescent. I wonder if there are any links stretching back to Roman paganism.

    https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mondsichelmadonna
     
  18. Tejas

    Tejas Well-Known Member

    On the question of the letter "T" versus the "Tau-cross". I found the coin below (this is NOT my coin), which, I think shows clearly, that a at least sometimes, a Greek "Tau/Tau-cross" was intended instead of a mere Latin letter "T".

    Screenshot 2021-06-28 at 13.16.01.png
     
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  19. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    Very nice example, @Tejas !
    upload_2021-6-28_8-11-28.png
    RI Aelia Flacilla w Theodosius I 373-388 CE 21mm 5.7g Victory Christogram shield Antioch RIC IX 61
     
  20. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    LRB Ladies:

    Aelia Eudoxia
    upload_2021-6-28_8-13-10.png
    RI Aelia Eudoxia wife of Arcadius 395-401 CE AE3 2.83g 17mm crowned by hand of God Enthroned Constan mint RIC 79


    Verina
    upload_2021-6-28_8-15-3.png
    RI Verina w Leo I AE2 20mm 457-475 Victory inscribing CHI RHO - RIC X 656 R3


    Herennia Etruscilla
    upload_2021-6-28_8-16-29.png
    RI Herennia Etruscilla 249-251 BCE w-Trajan Decius Ant crescent Fecunditas cornucopiae child RSC 8
     
  21. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    For years I had many coins that I wanted to upgrade but never did. Recently, some of them have been creeping out of my collection and I have no plans of replacing them. You can't collect everything, can you? I used to be confused on that point.
    ry7820bb0652.jpg ry7830cc1596.jpg ry7840bb1611.jpg
     
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