Athena/Minerva on Roman coins

I just added a Diocletian Antoninianus/Aurelianianus to my collection from a bulk lot and noticed that Roman coins portraying Athena/Minerva are unusual. I have only three in my entire collection, and two of them are provincials.

What Roman coins do you have that portray this goddess?

Faustina Jr. AE 22. Pautalia, Thrace. 7.19 gm. 21.7 mm.
Obv: ΦΑΥCΤΕΙΝΑ CΕΒΑCΤΗ, draped bust r., with pearls.
Rev: ΟΥΛΠΙΑC ΠΑΥΤΛΙΑC, Athena seated l., holding owl and spear, resting foot on stool, shield at base of chair.
Ruzicka-108; Moushmov-4112; c.f. BMC-10




Gordian III with Tranquillina. AE 30. Anchialos, Thrace. 11.34 gm. 29.7 mm.
Obv: ΑVΤ Κ Μ ΑΝΤ ΓΟΡΔΙΑΝΟC ΑVΓ CΕΒ ΤΡΑΝΚVΛΛΙΝΑ, conjugate busts.
Rev: ΟVΛΠΙΑΝWΝ ΑΡΧΙΑΛΕWΝ
Strack-662; Moushmov-2937; Varbanov 752.



Diocletian. Billon Antoninianus/Aurelianianus. Lugdunum, AD 291. 4.21 gm. 24.6 mm.
Obv: IMP DIOCLETIANVS AVG, radiate, helmeted and cuirassed bust r.
Rev: PAX AVGG; star in l. field; A in exergue. Minerva standing l., holding olive branch and spear, leaning on shield.
RIC V(2)-63; Cohen 362.

 

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Nice coins .

I don't know about frequency of appearance of Minerva of Roman coins, but on Roman Provincial coins Athena appears often.

 

Here's a portrait:



and here she is driving a quadriga:

 

Lovely Republicans!

 

A few more Republican coins with Minerva:

 

Nice!

 

Super posts guys!!!

This Didrachm of the Bretti has Athena on the reverse:


EDIT: Hmmm, Although this may not actually be considered a 'Roman coin'....since the Bretti were the first to declare for Hannibal about the time it was struck.

 

Minerva be a friend of mine...


RR Anon AE Triens 157-156 BC Minerva Prow RARE Cr 198B-3 S 989


RR Anon AE Litra 260 BC Minerva star ROMANO Horse Hd BLACK Cr 17-1g S 593


RR Anon AE Litra 260 BC Minerva star ROMANO Horse Hd Cr 17-1g S 593


RR Anon AE Triens 211-206 BC Minerva Prow Cr 56-4 S 911


RR AE Litra Minerva ROMANO Horse Head 270-269 BCE S 592 Cr 17-1d


RR Servius Rullus 100 BCE AR Den Minerva Victory Biga S 207 Cr 328-1

 

Some more Roman Minerva:


RR Anon 269-268 BCE AE Litra 17mm Neapolis Minerva star Horse head ROMANO Craw 17-1g


RR Vibius Pansa 90 BCE AR Den Apollo Minerva Quadriga Sear 242 Cr 345-5


RI Domitian AR Denarius 81-96 CE Minerva


RI Claudius Ae As 28mm Minerva S-C RIC 100

 

Nice coins RC! A few more provincials.

 

She's common enough on 1st century coins, thanks to Claudius and Domitian, but the further down the road you go, the less frequently she appears. That antoninianus of yours must be one of her final appearances on Roman coinage. Jupiter and Sol survived a bit longer than the other pagan deities. I have the Maximianus to pair with your Diocletian.


MAXIMIANUS
AE Antoninianus. 4.41g, 23.3mm. Lugdunum mint, circa AD Mar 293 - Nov 293. RIC -; Cohen 427; Bastien XI 503 (15 ex.). O: IMP MAXIMIANVS AVG, radiate, helmeted, cuirassed bust right. R: PAX AVGG, Minerva standing left, holding olive branch and spear, resting left hand on shield; A in exergue.

 

Upgraded first Domitian denarius with Minerva and owl on ship prow with this one:



He apparently had a shrine to her in his bedroom, and she came to him in a dream days before his assassination to say she could no longer protect him. This devotion led to her being a reverse favorite of his.

 

Interesting historical tie-in to the Minerva reverse! Fun!

 

As a side note of potential interest, she is also featured on the United States Army and Navy, Marine, Coast Guard MOH:

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

 

Nice!!

 

i have this philip ii from thrace...



Philip II, 244-246 AD; Mesembria, Thrace

pentassaria 26mm 12.7g o: busts of philip and serapis; M AR IOYLIOC PHILIPPOC/KAICA, R below r: athena; MECAMB RIANWN Moushmov 4032

 

UMERIAN
Tetradrahm
OBVERSE: A K M A NOVMEPIANOC CEB, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right
REVERSE: Athena seated left, holding Nike and sceptre; shield below chair, L-B (date) across field (Year 2)
Struck at Alexandria, Egypt, 283/4 AD
19mm; 6.74g
Köln 3192-3193; Dattari 5607, Emmett 4013; Sear 12272


DIOCLETIAN
Potin Tetradrachm
OBVERSE: AV G OVA DIOKLHTIANOC CEB, laureate, cuirassed bust right
REVERSE: Athena standing left, holding Nike in right hand,shield in left hand, year LD in left field
Struck at Alexandria, Egypt, 286-287 AD
8.3g, 19mm
Milne 4750

 

SEXTUS POMPEIUS FOSTLUS ROMAN REPUBLIC; GENS POMPEIA
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: Head of "Minerva or Pallas" (personification of Rome) with winged helmet, earrings and necklace, looking to the right.
Below the chin, it is the "X" (although its value then was 16 aces) and behind the bust is a small jar
REVERSE: FOSTuLVS left and Sextus. Pompeius. to the right of the field. She-wolf suckling the twins Romulus and Remus.
Behind Ruminal fig tree is represented with three birds in their branches. On the left, the pastor Faustulus figure in an attitude of admiration for the wonder he sees. ROMA in ex
Struck at Rome 137 BC
3.63g, 19.5mm
Cr235/1a; Syd 461; Pompeia 1


CN. BLASIO C. F. ROMAN REPUBLIC; GENS CORNELIA
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: Helmeted head of Scipio Africanus the Elder right., CN. BLASIO CN.F. before, palm behind
REVERSE: Juno, Jupiter being crowned by Minerva; monogram in field, ROMA in ex
Struck at Rome 112-111 BC
3.8g, 18mm
Crawford 296/1; Cornelia 19


CLAUDIUS
AE As
OBVERSE: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG PM TR P IMP P P, bare head left.
REVERSE: Minerva advancing right, holding shield and brandishing a javelin, S-C across fields
Struck at Rome, 50-4AD
10.5g, 25mm
RIC 116


DOMITIAN
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM P M TR P VIII, laureate head right
REVERSE: IMP XIX COS XIIII CENS P P P, Minerva standing left holding spear
Struck at Rome, 88-89 AD
3.3g, 19mm
RIC 670


DOMITIAN
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG - GERM P M TR P VIII Head laureate right
REVERSE: IMP XVII COS XIIII CENS P P P Minerva fighting right with spear and shield atop capital of rostral column, owl at her feet
Struck at Rome, 88-89 AD
3.55g, 18.44mm
RIC 657 (R )

 

The Diocletian is noteworthy as a Minerva with inclusion of the Pax appropriate olive branch. There were Minerva Pacifero coins earlier from Clodius Albinus (but I do not have one) and Minerva the Victorious from Commodus.

Martin and I have shown several from Septimius Severus in posts over the past few years here so I'll skip them but here is Minerva (SANCT) from Geta at Laodicea.

My last Minerva that includes the name of the goddess is this MINERVA AVG of Gallienus. Is there a later one?

 

I have a Julius Caesar about a year before his death. Reverse has Minerva advancing.