[ancients] Marcus Aurelius De Germ

I've had this interesting reverse type on my want list for quite awhile now. It was issued in conjunction with the triumph celebrated by Marcus Aurelius and Commodus at the end of 176 AD for victories against the Germanic and Sarmatian tribes. The details are a little worn, but in the huge pile of stuff you can see an assortment of shields, a cuirass, spears, standards, trumpets and bows... it's like having a whole armory on a coin!

Please post your Marcus Aurelius coins, or coins celebrating victories over the enemies of Rome.



MARCUS AURELIUS
Denarius
3.29g, 19.1mm
Rome mint, 177 AD
RIC 363
O: M ANTONINVS AVG GERM SARM, laureate head right.
R: TR P XXXI IMP XIII COS III P P, pile of arms, DE GERM in ex.
EX Group SGF

 

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Marcus! Pick up your toys and put them away! They don't belong in the middle of the living room where I keep tripping over them!

 

Awwww, but mum, Fronto said I could play Legionaries and Barbarians after I was done with my Meditations...

 

Fantastic addition, brother Z (I love coins with weapons on 'em) ... that's a very cool coin ...

I only have "1" Marcus Aurelius example, but it's one of my all-time favourite coins

Marcus Aurelius (Gryphon with wheel), AE Drachma (Alexandria)

 

Looking through my catalog I realized I only own three poor examples of MA. I think I may have to do some shopping.

MARCUS AURELIUS AR Denarius
OBVERSE: M ANTONINVS AVG IMP II - Bare head right
REVERSE: PROV DEOR TR P XVII COS III, Providentia standing left, holding globe and cornucopiae
Struck at Rome, 162-3 AD
2.6g, 17mm
RIC 67


MARCUS AURELIUS AE Sestertius
OBVERSE: AVRELIVS CAESAR AVG PII F COS, bare head right
REVERSE: IVVENTAS S C, Juventas, wearing a long robe, standing left, holding a patera, sprinkling incense on a candelabrum
Struck at Rome, 140 AD
12.4g, 27mm
RIC 1232, C 393, S4831


MARCUS AURELIUS AE Sestertius
OBVERSE: M ANTONINVS AVG GERM SARMATICVS, laureate head right
REVERSE: TR P XXIX IMP VIII COS III S-C, Annona standing left, holding corn-ears & cornucopiae; modius with two corn-ears and poppy at her feet
Struck at Rome, 175 AD
22.3g, 30mm
RIC 1154

 

As far as trophy of arms, how about these three Trajan's:

TRAJAN AR Denarius
OBVERSE: IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P laureate, draped
REVERSE: COS V P P SPQR OPTIMO PRINC – DAC CAP in ex. Dacian seated r. on pile of arms, his hands bound behind him.
Struck at Rome, 103-111 AD 2.8g, 18mm
RIC 96


TRAJAN AR Denarius
OBVERSE: IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P, laureate bust right
REVERSE: COS V P P SPQR OPTIMO PRINC, trophy of arms mounted on stump
Struck at Rome, 107 AD
2.68g 19mm
RIC 147


TRAJAN AR Denarius
OBVERSE: IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P, laureate bust right, slight drapery on far shoulder
REVERSE: COS V P P SPQR OPTIMO PRINC, PAX in ex, Pax standing left with cornucopiae, setting fire to pile of arms on left with short torch
Struck at Rome, 103-111 AD
2.9g 19mm
RIC 102

 

Nice bunch of coins, Bing. The reverse on that Trajan Dac Cap is superb!

Steve - always love seeing that big green Gryphon.

 

Great addition, never seen it before myself. Now I want one, lol.

 

Thanks Z. I tried to take a new, better image of the reverse, but it just doesn't come out like the coin.

 

Hmm, I have a couple of examples with arms as well ...

 

Interesting thread.
Related to the OP, I've had the following sestertius in my collection for a while (I sold it two years ago) :


Commodus, Sestertius
IMP L AVREL COMMODVS AVG GERM SARM, laureate and draped bust right
TRP II COS P P, DE GERMANIS at exergue, SC in field, pile of military arms
23.66 gr
RCV # 5740, Cohen # 79, scarce

Other than that, I have that victory minted for Titus :


Titus as ceasar, As struck in 77
T CAES IMP AVG F TR P COS VI CENSOR, Laureate head of Titus right
VICTORIA NAVALIS, Victory standing right, on a prow of galley. S C in field
10.14 gr
Ref : Cohen #390, RCV #2485 var

And another for Lucius Verus


Lucius Verus, Denarius struck in 165 AD
L VERVS AVG ARM PARTH MAX, Laureate head of Verus right
TRP V IMP III COS II, Captive (Pathian or Armenian) seated right, before him, bow, quiver and shield
3.10 gr
Ref : Cohen #273, RCV #5358


Q

 

Wow, lovely Lucius!

 

This thread began with a Marcus DE GERM. Here is the corresponding DE SARM.

 

A nice tie to a specific battle is the coin from the Miracle of the Rain where Mercury was credited with sending a storm into the face of the enemy. I wish they had shown the storm on the coin but all we got was Mercury (unusual as gods go anyway) and RELIG AVG.


I like coins with specific captives listed. Here is Marcus' Armenian.


Of my specific foe coins, the most rare is this Philip naming the victory over the Carpi.



Much later, Constantine I claimed victory over the Sarmatians and had the taste to show one on his coin.

 

Sorry for HRH EIIR subjects, here is a Victoriae Brit struck by Septimius Severus :


Septimius Severus, Denarius struck in Rome AD 210
SEVERVS PIVS AVG BRIT, Laureate head of Sevrus right
VICTORIAE BRIT, Victory facing, holding palm and attaching shield to palm tree
2.72 gr
Ref : RCV #6384, Cohen #729

As a side note, it's the first roman silver coin I ever bought....in 1983 (AD of course... )

Q

 

Also an interesting one for Claudius II, as it commemorates his victory upon goths at Naissus, hence his name changed for "gothicus" :


Claudius II "Gothicus", Antoninianus
Cyzicus mint, AD 269.
IMP CLAVDIUS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
VICTORIAE GOTHIC, Two captives leaning besides a trophy.
3.08 gr
Ref : RCV # 11381; RIC V pt. 1 # 252; Cohen # 308

The next one is celebrating Probus victory upon germans :


Probus, antoninianus minted in Rome, AD 278-280
IMP PROBVS AVG, Radiate and cuirassed bust of Probus right
VICTORIA GERM, Two captives under a trophy. R*A at exergue
4.32 gr
Ref : RIC #222, RCV #12055, Cohen #768

Q

 

Then Diocletian fighting and taking advantage upon sarmats :


Diocletian, Argenteus Nicomedia mint, 3rd officina, AD 295-296
DIOCLETI ANVS AVG, Laureate head of Diocletian right
VICTORIAE SARMATICAE, The tetrarchs sacrifying before a campgate. SMNΓat exergue
3.3 gr
Ref : RCV # 12615 (1000), Cohen #491 var


A Constantine the Great VLPP :


Constantine The Great, AE3 struck in Ticinium, 3rd officina
IMP CONSTAN - TINVS MAX AVG, Draped, cuirassed bust of Constantinus right, wearing laureate helmet
VICTORIAE LAETAE PRINC PERP, Two victories, holding shield on wich is written VOT/PR, resting on cippus. TT at exergue
3.2 gr
Ref : RC #3883 var


An almost decent Decentius :


Decentius, Maiorina Lyon mint
DN DECENTIVS CAES, bare bust, cuirassed right
VICTORIA DD NN AVG ET CAE, two victories holding a wreath where is inscribed : VOT/V/MVLT/X. Dot and SV in field
4.46 gr
Ref : Cohen # 33, Roman coins # 4035, LRBC # 224

and to finish with, a jovial Jovianus :


Jovianus, AE 1 Antioch mint, 3 rd officina
D N IOVIAN VS P F AVG, Diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Jovianus right
VICTORIA ROMANORVM, Jovianus standing, holding victory on a globe and labarum, ANT gamma at exergue
8.46 gr
Ref : RIC # 228, Cohen #22, RC #4085, LRBC #2645

No more victories out there folks, I'm afraid
Q

 

If you like ancient Roman coins with historical references, I recommend a book by
Clive Foss, "Roman Historical Coins," in the Seaby series. It lists 467 historical events that prompted coins to be issued and for each lists the related coins (often several types per event). A short history of each emperor outlines the chronology of the events. 335 pages. About 300 life-size coin pictures. If any Roman imperial coin reverse is particularly interesting because of history, it is in there.

 

Great bunch of coins... thanks for the show, guys.

The RELIG AVG sestertius is on my want list, but I didn't know there was a denarius commemorating the event as well.

 

Constantine and victory over the Sarmations.