Log in or Sign up
Coin Talk
Home
Forums
>
Coin Forums
>
Ancient Coins
>
Book review: Claudius Caesar - Image and Power in the early Roman Empire, Josiah Osgood
>
Reply to Thread
Message:
<p>[QUOTE="jamesicus, post: 3193907, member: 14873"]I have been meaning to buy this book for over a year for I do appreciate the meticulous research and attention to detail that Professor Osgood exerts in producing his books. The time is also right for me, having just returned to my Ancient coin collecting roots as it were: Julio-Claudian copper and bronzes.</p><p><br /></p><p>I have always been captivated by the saga of Claudius, and there is an enormous amount of biographical material relating to it available in numerous formats including, of course, the DVD sets of the iconic TV series “I Claudius” by Robert Graves.</p><p><br /></p><p>I really like the different approach taken here by Professor Osgood in covering the Principate of Claudius. Although he does use most of the usual historic source writings to do that, he includes an enormous amount of photographs of monument inscriptions, statues, triumphal arches, grave stone dedications .... and so on - not only the usual ones in Rome, but also seldom depicted ones in widely scattered Roman Imperial provinces - to paint a more complete picture of the reign of Claudius. For instance, I had not seen the relief of Claudius about to slay Britannia with a knife before - there are many more like it. But best of all for me, and the Coin Talk community, is the profusion of photographs of Claudian coins that Professor Osgood uses to support and explain his postulations. In most chapters not many pages go by without some being included. I should mention that I ordered the paperback edition by mistake. I have always liked the Cambridge University Press hard back bindings and paper quality. As it is for me now, the photographs are not as nice as they could be for they are reproduced on soft, absorbent and cheaper paperback edition paper. But they are still great.</p><p><br /></p><p>I am not very good at evaluating literary content, but here are two very detailed and comprehensive reviews:</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="http://ancienthistorybulletin.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/AHBReviews201214.AvelineOnOsgood.pdf" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://ancienthistorybulletin.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/AHBReviews201214.AvelineOnOsgood.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://ancienthistorybulletin.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/AHBReviews201214.AvelineOnOsgood.pdf</a></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2011/2011-07-34.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2011/2011-07-34.html" rel="nofollow">http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2011/2011-07-34.html</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Edit: Oops, forgot to include some coin photos:</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://jp29.org/000claudiuspanoply.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><i>RIC Vol. I, CLAUDIUS, SESTERTIUS, Rome, No. 109, 42-43AD (38mm, 28.0gm)</i></p><p>Obverse depiction: Nero Claudius Drusus, bare head facing left</p><p>Inscription: <b>NERO CLAVDIVS DRVSVS GERMANICVS IMP</b></p><p>Reverse depiction: Claudius seated left on curule chair holding olive branch -weapons and armor beneath</p><p>Inscription: <b>TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG PM TRP IMP PP</b> - <b>S C</b> (exergue)</p><p>Nero Claudius Drusus was the father of Claudius</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://jp29.org/000claudsestertius600.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><i>RIC Vol. I, CLAUDIUS, SESTERTIUS, Rome, No. 112, 50-54AD (36mm, 28.2gm)</i></p><p>Obverse depiction: Claudius, laureate head facing right</p><p>Inscription: <b>TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG PM TRP IMP PP</b></p><p>Reverse depiction: Civic Oak Wreath awarded by the Senate forsaving the Citizenry.</p><p>Inscription in four lines:</p><p><b>EX SC</b></p><p><b>P P</b></p><p><b>OB CIVES</b></p><p><b>SERVATOS</b></p><p>(within wreath)</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://jp29.org/ric09o.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /><img src="http://jp29.org/ric09rs.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><i>RIC Vol. I, CLAUDIUS, SESTERTIUS, Rome, No. 99 41-50 AD,</i> (36mm, 25.3gm)</p><p>Obverse depiction: Claudius, laureate head facing right</p><p>Inscription clockwise from bottom: <b>TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG PM TRP IMP</b></p><p>Reverse depiction: Personification of Spes</p><p>holding flower in right hand and raising skirt with left hand</p><p>Inscription clockwise from bottom: <b>SPES AVGVSTA - S C</b> (exergue)[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="jamesicus, post: 3193907, member: 14873"]I have been meaning to buy this book for over a year for I do appreciate the meticulous research and attention to detail that Professor Osgood exerts in producing his books. The time is also right for me, having just returned to my Ancient coin collecting roots as it were: Julio-Claudian copper and bronzes. I have always been captivated by the saga of Claudius, and there is an enormous amount of biographical material relating to it available in numerous formats including, of course, the DVD sets of the iconic TV series “I Claudius” by Robert Graves. I really like the different approach taken here by Professor Osgood in covering the Principate of Claudius. Although he does use most of the usual historic source writings to do that, he includes an enormous amount of photographs of monument inscriptions, statues, triumphal arches, grave stone dedications .... and so on - not only the usual ones in Rome, but also seldom depicted ones in widely scattered Roman Imperial provinces - to paint a more complete picture of the reign of Claudius. For instance, I had not seen the relief of Claudius about to slay Britannia with a knife before - there are many more like it. But best of all for me, and the Coin Talk community, is the profusion of photographs of Claudian coins that Professor Osgood uses to support and explain his postulations. In most chapters not many pages go by without some being included. I should mention that I ordered the paperback edition by mistake. I have always liked the Cambridge University Press hard back bindings and paper quality. As it is for me now, the photographs are not as nice as they could be for they are reproduced on soft, absorbent and cheaper paperback edition paper. But they are still great. I am not very good at evaluating literary content, but here are two very detailed and comprehensive reviews: [url]http://ancienthistorybulletin.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/AHBReviews201214.AvelineOnOsgood.pdf[/url] [url]http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2011/2011-07-34.html[/url] Edit: Oops, forgot to include some coin photos: [IMG]http://jp29.org/000claudiuspanoply.jpg[/IMG] [I]RIC Vol. I, CLAUDIUS, SESTERTIUS, Rome, No. 109, 42-43AD (38mm, 28.0gm)[/I] Obverse depiction: Nero Claudius Drusus, bare head facing left Inscription: [B]NERO CLAVDIVS DRVSVS GERMANICVS IMP[/B] Reverse depiction: Claudius seated left on curule chair holding olive branch -weapons and armor beneath Inscription: [B]TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG PM TRP IMP PP[/B] - [B]S C[/B] (exergue) Nero Claudius Drusus was the father of Claudius [IMG]http://jp29.org/000claudsestertius600.jpg[/IMG] [I]RIC Vol. I, CLAUDIUS, SESTERTIUS, Rome, No. 112, 50-54AD (36mm, 28.2gm)[/I] Obverse depiction: Claudius, laureate head facing right Inscription: [B]TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG PM TRP IMP PP[/B] Reverse depiction: Civic Oak Wreath awarded by the Senate forsaving the Citizenry. Inscription in four lines: [B]EX SC P P OB CIVES SERVATOS[/B] (within wreath) [IMG]http://jp29.org/ric09o.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://jp29.org/ric09rs.jpg[/IMG] [I]RIC Vol. I, CLAUDIUS, SESTERTIUS, Rome, No. 99 41-50 AD,[/I] (36mm, 25.3gm) Obverse depiction: Claudius, laureate head facing right Inscription clockwise from bottom: [B]TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG PM TRP IMP[/B] Reverse depiction: Personification of Spes holding flower in right hand and raising skirt with left hand Inscription clockwise from bottom: [B]SPES AVGVSTA - S C[/B] (exergue)[/QUOTE]
Your name or email address:
Do you already have an account?
No, create an account now.
Yes, my password is:
Forgot your password?
Stay logged in
Coin Talk
Home
Forums
>
Coin Forums
>
Ancient Coins
>
Book review: Claudius Caesar - Image and Power in the early Roman Empire, Josiah Osgood
>
Home
Home
Quick Links
Search Forums
Recent Activity
Recent Posts
Forums
Forums
Quick Links
Search Forums
Recent Posts
Competitions
Competitions
Quick Links
Competition Index
Rules, Terms & Conditions
Gallery
Gallery
Quick Links
Search Media
New Media
Showcase
Showcase
Quick Links
Search Items
Most Active Members
New Items
Directory
Directory
Quick Links
Directory Home
New Listings
Members
Members
Quick Links
Notable Members
Current Visitors
Recent Activity
New Profile Posts
Sponsors
Menu
Search
Search titles only
Posted by Member:
Separate names with a comma.
Newer Than:
Search this thread only
Search this forum only
Display results as threads
Useful Searches
Recent Posts
More...