This coin has been intriguing me, mainly because the reverse has a figure to the left of whom seems to be a ram or a goat. I am sure someone will recognize this coin as much of the legend is clear, however the obverse is quite worn.
This i think LICINIUS I. 308-324 AD. Æ Follis Cyzicus mint. Struck 321-324 AD. Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Jupiter standing left, holding Victory standing right on globe and holding wreath, and sceptre; eagle standing left at feet, head reverted, holding wreath in beak; bound captive seated right at feet, head reverted; X/IIG//SMKA. RIC VII 15.
Thanks so much for the quick response. I made a goat out of an eagle. Licinius will turn in his grave. One question, though, is the SMKA the mint? Mine seems to differ there.
You can find a list of mintmarks here: http://www.romancoins.info/Mintmarks.html Not sure what yours is, but it may be clearer if you have the coin in hand.
Thanks Greg, after carefully looking at the mintmark, in wildwinds it comes closest to the SMANTB mark, which apparently is RIC VI 35, B. Which is listed under Antioch
Several Roman Republican coins feature goats. I think both of these have been on this site recently. I am not home, so I found a couple of excellent coins on acsearch. The girl feeding the snake story is one of my favorites. I think Donald Trump has suggested this test for interns on his new show, "Intern for the President". Two of them are: pic from acsearch (Goldberg) Mn. Fonteius C.f. Silver Denarius (4.20 g), 85 BC. Rome. (MN) FO(NT)EI behind, C F below chin, laureate head of Vejovis right; below, thunderbolt. Reverse Infant Genius seated on goat right; above, pilei of the Dioscuri; in exergue, filleted thyrsus; all within laurel wreath. Crawford 353/1c; Sydenham 724a; Fonteia 10. The moneyer is perhaps the brother of the moneyer M. Fonteius (see Crawford 347) and not inconceivably the tribune featured on the reverse of Crawford 429/1 (see the coin of P. Fonteius P.f. Capito below).The reverse recalls that the god Jupiter was suckled by the she-goat Amaltheia on Mt. Ida during his infancy, and depicts a statue that was within the Temple of Vejovis in Rome. pic from acsearch (Leu Num) L Roscius Fabatus AR Serrate Denarius. Rome, 64 BC. Bust of Juno Sospita in goat skin; symbol (goat's head) behind; L•ROSCI below Female figure standing right feeding serpent before; symbol behind; FABATI in exergue. Crawford 412/1; Sydenham 915. L. Roscius Fabatus was born at Lanuvium and was a “new man” (the first to ennoble his family by entering the Senate). In 55, he held the tribuneship. Roscius was co-author of a measure to further Caesar’s plans for agrarian and municipal reform. He was a Caesarian legate in Gaul after 54, where he commanded the 13th legion. In 49, he held the praetorship and was involved as a messenger in the events of that year, which led to the fatal rupture between Caesar and Pompey. In one of his letters, Cicero reported Roscius was killed at Forum Gallorum in 43 BC during the war of Mutina. Juno Lanuvina, or with title in full, Juno Sospita Maxima Regina, as it is expressed on denarii of Thorius Balbus, was worshipped with particular devotion at Lanuvium, and accordingly we find her honoured here on the coinage of the gens Roscia, which was of Lanuvinian origin. On this coin we see opposite to the serpent a woman offering food to it, the meaning of which may be learnt in Elianus and Propertius. Each year at the festival in honour of Juno Sospita at Lanuvium, a virgin descended into the grotto under the temple with food for the serpent that dwelt there. If the girl selected for the ceremony was chaste, then she returned safely to her home, where there was much rejoicing. If she was not chaste she was destroyed by the serpent.
Thank you for the great write up. Brings the coins and the devices to life with a living history! Best, Brian
Thanks, this was very educational. The erroneous goat served some purpose after all. There was a report in the BBC that the word "tragedy" in Greek means "song of the goat", as back in antiquity the goat had significance during festivals during which tragedies were played. http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-36276651
