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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;TIF, post: 1913304, member: 56859&quot;]I was hunting for a Nero and this was just too beautiful to pass up...</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]328037[/ATTACH] </p><p><b>Nero (AD 54-68) </b></p><p><b>Rome, 63 AD</b></p><p>Orichalcum sestertius, 34 mm, 26.7 gm</p><p>Obv:&nbsp; NERO CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG GERM P M TR P IMP PP; laureate head right, wearing aegis</p><p>Rev:&nbsp; ANNONA AVGVSTI CERES; Ceres, veiled and draped, seated left, holding corn ears and torch, her feet on stool, facing Annona standing right, holding cornucopia; between them, modius on garlanded altar; in background, stern of ship</p><p>Ref:&nbsp; RIC 98. Cohen 24 </p><p>NGC Choice XF 5/5 - 3/5, Fine Style (please click the picture to enlarge <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />)</p><p><br /></p><p>The arrival picture shows the hazards of shipping bulky ancient coins in slabs.&nbsp; The coin was knocked askew.&nbsp; Maybe he was just trying to break out of jail.&nbsp; I tried the vise method this time but ultimately a big hammer was required to set him free.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]328050[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><a href="http://cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=137217" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=137217" rel="nofollow">CNG&#039;s blurb</a> about the type:</p><p><br /></p><p>&quot;In order to endear himself, Nero granted many largesses to the common people in the form of <i>congiaria</i>---typically personified by Annona, a provision for one year usually in the form of grain, and by Ceres, the goddess of agriculture and a representation of the grain itself.&quot;</p><p><br /></p><p>I&#039;d hoped to have a concise summary of Nero ready to roll when the coin arrived... but it is here and I haven&#039;t finished reading pertinent portions of <i>The Annals</i> (Tacitus), <i>De Vita Caesarum</i> (Suetonius), and various other accounts of his reign.&nbsp; One thing is clear though-- there&#039;s a lot more to Nero than fire and a fiddle (and that legend isn&#039;t accurate anyway).&nbsp; Accounts vary for some important stories, though all accounts are loaded with lurid details-- some more lurid than others. </p><p><br /></p><p>Apparently the citizens liked him well enough, at least for a while.&nbsp; This Annona and Ceres coin served to remind the citizenry of his largesse.</p><p><br /></p><p>When and if I finish reading about him, I&#039;ll try to do a vlaha-style book report.&nbsp;&nbsp; Given what I&#039;ve read so far, it may not be fit for an all-ages forum...</p><p><br /></p><p>For now though, I think these goddesses need captions.&nbsp; Go for it!&nbsp; Best one wins the coin (kidding).&nbsp; Oh, and post your Neros too.&nbsp; <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie8" alt=":D" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center">[ATTACH=full]328051[/ATTACH] </p><p>[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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