Blame it on the Rain Miracle

swamp yankee · Aug 8, 2015

zumbly said: ↑

Last year, I had my eye on one of these rare and interesting sestertii of Marcus Aurelius bearing the reverse legend RELIG(io) AVG, honouring Mercury as a divine benefactor of the emperor. Because of a limited coin budget, I ended up having to sit on my hands when the auction came up. Thankfully, in this hobby, one almost always gets second chances .

The reverse shows an unusual temple facade of Mercury's, with his statue standing on a pedestal below a semicircular pediment displaying an array of his symbols - a tortoise, cockerel, ram, winged helmet, caduceus, and purse. Though there has been no concensus formed on what this type actually commemorates, it is popularly associated with the Rain Miracle of the 12th Legion commanded by Marcus Aurelius during the Marcomannic Wars.

The details of this event itself are disputed even in ancient sources, but Cassius Dio has it that during a battle with the Quadi army, the 12th Legion found themselves heavily outnumbered, encircled by the enemy, and stricken with fatigue, thirst, and the heat. With the Romans on the verge of capture, an Egyptian magician named Anurphis, whom Dio calls a companion of the emperor, invokes the aid of Mercury as god of the wind and air. A sudden storm then arises, reviving the Romans with rain and destroying their enemies with hail and lightning.

The incident is historically attested to and is even depicted on the Column of Marcus Aurelius, but the connection between the event and the RELIG AVG coins have been widely debated. At any rate, I've now got one of these, and I can blame it on the Rain Miracle.

View attachment 431477
MARCUS AURELIUS
AE Sestertius
29.44g, 31mm
RIC 1075; Cohen 535
O: M ANTONINVS AVG TR P XXVII, laureate head right.
R: IMP VI - COS III, within a tetrastyle temple with telamons as columns and a semicircular pediment containing, from left to right, tortoise, cockerel, ram, winged helmet, caduceus, and purse, a statue of Mercury standing left on pedestal, holding caduceus and purse; S - C in field, RELIG AVG in exergue.

Here's the remarkable section from the Column of Marcus Aurelius in Rome that shows the Rain Miracle, with the deluge of rain personified as a bearded god with his shaggy hair cascading down upon the battlefield.
View attachment 431478
Click to expand...

Thanks for a great story about your coin's history!

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Cucumbor · Aug 9, 2015

Didn't know the type, nor the story about it. Thanks !
Great addition indeed

Q

Alegandron · Aug 10, 2015

zumbly said: ↑

Last year, I had my eye on one of these rare and interesting sestertii of Marcus Aurelius bearing the reverse legend RELIG(io) AVG, honouring Mercury as a divine benefactor of the emperor. Because of a limited coin budget, I ended up having to sit on my hands when the auction came up. Thankfully, in this hobby, one almost always gets second chances .

The reverse shows an unusual temple facade of Mercury's, with his statue standing on a pedestal below a semicircular pediment displaying an array of his symbols - a tortoise, cockerel, ram, winged helmet, caduceus, and purse. Though there has been no concensus formed on what this type actually commemorates, it is popularly associated with the Rain Miracle of the 12th Legion commanded by Marcus Aurelius during the Marcomannic Wars.

The details of this event itself are disputed even in ancient sources, but Cassius Dio has it that during a battle with the Quadi army, the 12th Legion found themselves heavily outnumbered, encircled by the enemy, and stricken with fatigue, thirst, and the heat. With the Romans on the verge of capture, an Egyptian magician named Anurphis, whom Dio calls a companion of the emperor, invokes the aid of Mercury as god of the wind and air. A sudden storm then arises, reviving the Romans with rain and destroying their enemies with hail and lightning.

The incident is historically attested to and is even depicted on the Column of Marcus Aurelius, but the connection between the event and the RELIG AVG coins have been widely debated. At any rate, I've now got one of these, and I can blame it on the Rain Miracle.

View attachment 431477
MARCUS AURELIUS
AE Sestertius
29.44g, 31mm
RIC 1075; Cohen 535
O: M ANTONINVS AVG TR P XXVII, laureate head right.
R: IMP VI - COS III, within a tetrastyle temple with telamons as columns and a semicircular pediment containing, from left to right, tortoise, cockerel, ram, winged helmet, caduceus, and purse, a statue of Mercury standing left on pedestal, holding caduceus and purse; S - C in field, RELIG AVG in exergue.

Here's the remarkable section from the Column of Marcus Aurelius in Rome that shows the Rain Miracle, with the deluge of rain personified as a bearded god with his shaggy hair cascading down upon the battlefield.
View attachment 431478
Click to expand...

zumbly said: ↑

Thanks, Steve. Yeah, one of the nice things about coins with random stuff on them is that you can always easily tell which one is yours in a line up. Get to know the random stuff on your coins, people!
Click to expand...

zumbly said: ↑

Thanks! There's a fairly recent book that explores the Rain Miracle (Marcus Aurelius' Rain Miracle and the Marcomannic Wars, Peter Kovács, 2009), but it's a little too pricey for me. A review of it does briefly mentions that the book contains a chapter on the RELIG AVG coins and that the author apparently makes a strong case that none of the coins can be linked to the Rain Miracle. As far as I'm concerned, where there's doubt, there's room for my belief in the more colourful version .
Click to expand...

I love this Coin solely due to its history, or as some say, its fable. However, with ANY fable, there seems ALWAYS a kernel of truth to someone creating the story! FANTASTIC, and thank you very much for the learning I received!

zumbly · Aug 10, 2015

Alegandron said: ↑

I love this Coin solely due to its history, or as some say, its fable. However, with ANY fable, there seems ALWAYS a kernel of truth to someone creating the story! FANTASTIC, and thank you very much for the learning I received!
Click to expand...

The great thing about ancients is the knowledge we get to unlock from them. The great thing about this forum is that we get to share that knowledge and not get looked at funnily .

Alegandron · Aug 10, 2015

iamtiberius said: ↑

Take a look at ancientcreations.com - based out of Vegas. They have 2 physical shops in the Venetian and Caesar's Palace. If you're ever in Vegas and feel like being offended; drop by. Ridiculously overpriced jewelry with buffed coins; nothing like ruining a perfectly decent ancient.
Click to expand...

zumbly said: ↑

The great thing about ancients is the knowledge we get to unlock from them. The great thing about this forum is that we get to share that knowledge and not get looked at funnily .
Click to expand...

LOL, you NAILED IT!!!

Log in or Sign up

Blame it on the Rain Miracle

swamp yankee Well-Known Member

Guest User Guest

Cucumbor Well-Known Member

Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

Share This Page

Log in or Sign up

Blame it on the Rain Miracle

swamp yankee Well-Known Member

Guest User Guest

Cucumbor Well-Known Member

Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

Share This Page

Useful Searches