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<p>[QUOTE="zumbly, post: 2209510, member: 57495"]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 <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />. </p><p><br /></p><p>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. </p><p><br /></p><p>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. </p><p><br /></p><p>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. </p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]431477[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>MARCUS AURELIUS</b></p><p>AE Sestertius</p><p>29.44g, 31mm</p><p>RIC 1075; Cohen 535</p><p>O: M ANTONINVS AVG TR P XXVII, laureate head right.</p><p>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.</p><p><br /></p><p>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.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]431478[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="zumbly, post: 2209510, member: 57495"]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. [ATTACH=full]431477[/ATTACH] [B]MARCUS AURELIUS[/B] 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. [ATTACH=full]431478[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]
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