Ancient => Batter Up!! => please put your hands together for Nerva & his big ol' Club

Yup, I've always loved these coins, so I finally pulled the trigger and added Nerva & his big ol' club to my Roman Ruler collection!!

Nerva AR Didrachm
CAPPADOCIA, Caesaraea-Eusebia
AD 96-98
Struck AD 98
Weight: 6.64 grams
Obverse: Laureate head right
Reverse: Club set on ground; date in legend
Reference: Metcalf, Caesarea 45; Sydenham, Caesarea 153
Other: 12h … Choice VF, toned



Man, good ol' Nevra sure had quite the Roman snout on him, eh? (a classic obverse!!)

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Classic obverse a huge Roman schnoz on a great piece of silver. Being Pius as he was with nose like that you know he needed that club on the reverse. I really like this, I have a thing for clubs.

 

A great example of a Nerva bust. One would recognise him from the portrait alone. A nice all-round example of an interesting type. A great looking club too.

 

That is so true. Nerva along with a few of the others are so recognizable. Ya gotta love the classic Roman nose.

This is one of the best you've gotten Jerry. :thumb::thumb:

 

That is definitely a nice coin. I don't have Nerva yet.

 

Thanks guys ...

Yah, I must admit that this is one of my favourite "Roman Ruler" coins!!

Obverse, Reverse => I'm a big fan of "both" (ya gotta love coins that bring "both-sides"!!)

:yes:

 

Wow Steve, nice Roman, little out of your league....great details, well centered.. very nice..:thumb:

 

I really like this but, if it were mine, I'd display the reverse photo with the other end up. Note there is a ground line under the club that is currently above it. Also we usually start reading the legend on these at the lower left. There is nothing else about this coin not to like.

 

ahahaha => sorry Doug, I know that you are a purest .... man, I must drive you crazy (I appreciate your patience and your coin-comradery!!) ...

Ummm, but sadly, my "Batter-Up" joke wouldn't have worked quite as well with it in your orientation (my bad)

... you're 100% correct (keep-up the awesome God-like coin-work, my friend!!)

:high5:

 

Nice

 

love it...great coin.

 

What does the club signify? Is it as facile as Roman military dominance, or is there more to it?

 

That is a really good question, JA (I'll try to find out) ...

Hmmm, at first I was gonna write-back that it may have been associated with Hercules' club, etc, but that was definitely a Greek-thing, so I doubt that is the correct answer ...

... and then I figured that maybe a club merely signified a strong and menacing "force to to reckoned with", but I failed to find anything written proof using this metaphor ....... actually, I found quite the opposite types of references:

... so basically, I failed at finding any references associated with the Romans and "The Big Club", but I am very confident that someone will post something approprite/applicable (I gave-up fairly early, for I am going to make breakfast in bed for my wife ... that is always a good idea, if you want your Sunday to be a winner!!)

 

I think since this coin was struck at Cappadocia, formerly of the Persian and later Greek Empires, I think the club probably does represent Heracles. Just my opinion. Nothing to back it up.

 

Sydenham (The Coinage of Caesarea in Cappadocia, p. 21) notes that the club first appeared on Caesarean coinage under Achelaus. In this case, it was symbolic of the mythological pedigree of the ruler as descendant of Temenos, son of Hercules. The club later came to be associated with Mt. Argaeus and appears atop the mountain on numerous issues from the city.

 

Ard => Thanks for the clarification ...

:high5:

 

That is a PHAT coin and club! I also believe it is Hercules club. Hercules was very popular in Roman culture. The strong and savvy win the day by the grace of the Gods...and a BIG club;-D

 

Howdy TJ ... I hope you're havin' a great Sunday (I'm about to take-off and go walk Larry & Buster) ... Spring is in the air!!

 

Steve I hope you are having a herculean Sunday!:hail: