As we all know (or better remember) we are coming up to Mothers' day this Sunday and I thought it might be a nice idea to take a look at coins associated with that day. Some of these coins celebrate Fecunditas, fruitfulness, fertility, mothers doing what mothers do, have and rear children, something a lot harder then than today considering the rate of child mortality. Some are connected with goddesses of motherhood like Isis, Cybele, and Juno. Some with women who are famous for their more famous children. Perhaps readers, taking a close look at their own coins, might discover that they have coins that are more associated with mothers and motherhood than they think they have, maybe even a Mater Castrorum and if so they might want to post them and write something about them. Two of the coins below are Ancient Greek (Ptolemaic Egypt), three are Roman, one Roman provincial and one Byzantine. First up (from upper left to right) is a Ptolemaic Tetradrachma of Ptolemy VI known as Philometer which means, like a dutiful son, he loved his mother. Next to him is a medium bronze of his consort, Cleopatra I (not THE Cleopatra) made up to look like Isis who became a great mother goddess, not just to ancient Egyptians but to later Greeks and Romans where she was very popular as a "Mystery Religion" Deity who looked after her devotees in this life and in the hereafter, just as a good mother would. Number three is a Roman provincial tetradrachma of Antioch, one of the two figures with the most well known love-hate relationships in all of history, Agrippina, mother of Nero. Suffice it to say that he will not be sending her a card this year. Next is a Roman Sestertius of Julia Domna who reared two sons, one of whom turned into a nasty, murderous, fratricidal monster (in other words a typical Roman emperor). Unfortunately the reverse of this coin is so well worn, or poorly struck that the reverse is illegible but it shows Cybele, an Eastern import of another mother goddess and the inscription reads "Mater Deum", Mother of the gods (Caracalla and Geta?). A version of this and similar reverses is pretty common on her silver coins. The fifth coin is a denarius of Caracalla praising the INDVLG FECVNDAE (kind fruitfulness) of his mother, Julia Domna, who is shown seated on a throne. I guess he was grateful to his mother for having him, but not for her fruitfulness going a bit too far with his younger brother, Geta. The sixth coin is a double denarius of Otacila Severa, wife of Philip I and mother of Phillip II with an invocation to Juno, who was the goddess of motherhood and protector of women in child birth. IVNO CONSERVAT. Sometimes it worked. Lastly is a Byzantine billon trachy of Emperor Manuel I Comenus, ca. 1175 showing him being crowned by the most famous mother of Medieval times of both Western Europe and the Eastern Empire, the Blessed Mother. It's hard to see but on that coin is written MP THU, Mother of God. Perhaps readers would like to post some coins here from their own collections connected with mothers as a way of celebrating the day with us.
Happy Mother's Day to any and all mothers out there! Here are a few coins I have that have maternal associations in one way or another, all from the Severan dynasty. Julia Domna (wife of Septimius Severus), AR Denarius 198 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Bust right, draped, IVLIA AVGUSTA/ Rev: Cybele towered, enthroned left between two lions, leaning on drum and holding branch & scepter, MATER DEVM. RIC IV-1 564, RSC III 123, Sear RCV II 6561. 19mm., 3.02 g. Julia Domna AR Denarius 208 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Draped bust right, IVLIA AVGVSTA/ Rev. Hilaritas standing left holding palm branch & cornucopiae, two naked children at her feet, HILA-RITAS. RIC IV-1 557, RSC III 79, Sear RCV II 6587. 19.39 mm, 3.25 g. Julia Maesa (grandmother of Elagabalus & Severus Alexander), AR Denarius, 218-22 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Draped bust right, IVLIA MAESA AVG / Rev. Fecunditas standing left holding cornucopiae, a child at her feet, FECVNDI-TAS AVG. RIC IV-2 249, RSC III 8 (ill.), Sear RCV II 7749. 20.08 mm., 2.58 g.
My mother (may she rest in peace) and my wife were/are super moms. If one were to substitute a paddle from paddle ball, you have a much clearer picture. THESSALIAN LEAGUE AR Drachm Obv: Laureate head of Apollo right, ΓAYANA (magistrate) behind Rev: Athena Itonia standing right, with shield and about to hurl spear, ΘEΣΣA - ΛΩN to sides, bunch of grapes on vine right, Π-O / Λ-Y (magistrate) across lower fields Struck at Thessaly 196-146 BC 4.0g, 16 mm BMC 36
Faustina... AR Denarius, 20mm 3.1 grams Obverse: Diva Faustina Sr AR Denarius. DIVA FAVSTINA, draped bust right Reverse: AETE-R-NITAS, Aeternitas, Providentia, or Urania standing front holding globe, veil blowing out around head. Reference: RSC 32, RIC 351
@kevin McGonigal.....Nice thread.....Here's one for my mum, I've got 2 brothers... ANTONINUS PIUS. 138-161 AD. Æ Sestertius (33mm, 26.75 g.) Struck 159/160 AD. Obverse..ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XXIII, laureate head right Rev. PIETATI AVG COS IIII SC, Pietas standing left holding globe, Faustina Junior as Pietas standing left, between Faustina Minima, Lucilla & holding baby Fadilla. RIC III 1031
My Mother's middle name is Helena... so I was happy to add this little coin to my collection. Helena, mother of Constantine the Great .. and later St. Helena FL IVL HELENAE AVG PAX PVBLICA Constantinople mint
Great write-up on mammies, and super coins, @kevin McGonigal ... I might suggest that we not forget the mother of Rome: SHE-WOLF Roman Republic AE Sextans 217-215 BCE, Anonymous Æ 29.5mm., 24.54g. Obv: She-wolf suckling twins; in exergue, two pellets. Rev. ROMA Eagle standing r., holding flower in beak; behind, two pellets. Ref: Sydenham 95. RBW 107. Crawford 39/3. Comment: Nice brown-green patina. Ex: From the E.E. Clain-Stefanelli collection. Ex: Naville Numismatics ...and the mother of Athens: ATHENA Athens (Attica), 454-404 BC, silver hemidrachm, 16mm, 2.08g Obverse: Helmeted head of Athena w/ frontal eye r., wearing disc earring and pearl necklace Reverse: Owl w/ wings closed, standing facing between olive branches, Greek 'A-TH-E' (counterclockwise) Reference: Krol 12; HGC 4, 1641; Cop 70; SG 2528 Comment: A classical "Athenian owl" hemidrachm from the golden age of Athens - characteristic for the fully facing reverse owl. Appropriately, attributes of the eponymous city's great patron-goddess claim the whole coin. From an Italian collection, formed in the early 1990 Ex: Rudnik Numismatics
I'll play along with the ultimate mother, Faustina Junior! Many coins in all metals were issued to celebrate the fecundity of the empress. Fecund is right! She had thirteen children in eleven pregnancies (two sets of twins)! Sadly, given the high childhood mortality rate in ancient times, only six survived to adulthood. Among those who survived, only two were awarded imperial titles: Lucilla and her younger brother, Commodus. Faustina Junior, Augusta AD 147-176. Roman AR denarius, 3.41 g, 18.1 mm, 12 h. Rome, AD 161-176. Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: FECVND AVGVSTAE, Fecunditas facing, head left, between two children (thought to represent Faustina III and Lucilla), holding two more in hand (thought to represent Fadilla and Cornificia). Refs: RIC 676; BMCRE 89; Cohen 95; RCV 5251; Van Meter 12. Faustina Junior, Augusta AD 147-176. Roman AR denarius, 3.22 g, 17.0 mm, 12 h. Rome, AD 161. Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: SAECVLI FELICIT, Throne, upon which are seated two infant boys, Commodus and Antoninus. Refs: RIC 711; BMCRE 136; Cohen 191; RCV 5260 var. (no diadem). And some bronze issues depicting Faustina Jr. with (unidentified) children: Faustina Jr, Augusta 147-176. Roman orichalcum sestertius, 23.99 g, 31.7 mm, 11 h. Rome, AD 161-175. Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: TEMPOR FELIC SC, Faustina standing left, holding two children, four more at her feet. Refs: RIC 1673; Cohen 222; RCV 5284 var. (no diadem). Faustina Jr, Augusta 147-176. Roman orichalcum dupondius, 11.55 g, 28.2 mm, 11 h. Rome, AD 161-175. Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: TEMPOR FELIC SC, Faustina standing left, holding two children, four more at her feet. Refs: RIC 1675; Cohen 223; BMCRE 996; RCV 5304 var. (no diadem). Faustina Jr, Augusta 147-176 Roman orichalcum sestertius, 21.28 g, 31.9 mm, 5 h. Rome, AD 161-175. Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: FECVNDITAS SC, (Faustina as) Fecunditas standing right, holding scepter and infant. Refs: RIC 1638; BMCRE 905; Cohen 101; RCV 5274. Faustina's two living children who achieved imperial rank: Lucilla, AD 164-169. Roman orichalcum dupondius, 11.49 g, 24.88 mm, 6 h. Rome, AD 166. Obv: LVCILLAE AVG ANTONINI AVG F, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: SALVS SC, Salus standing left, feeding snake arising from altar. Refs: RIC 1761; BMCRE 1186; Cohen 67; RCV 5521. Commodus, AD 177-192. Roman orichalcum sestertius, 22.51 g, 29.2 mm, 1 h. Rome, AD 192. Obv: L AEL AVREL COMM AVG P FEL, laureate bust of Commodus, right, with slight drapery on left shoulder. Rev: LIB AVG P M TR P XVII COS VII P P, Libertas standing facing, head left, holding pileus in right hand and vindicta in left hand; S C l. and r., low in field; star, mid right, in field. Refs: RIC 619b; BMCRE 692 var. (bust); Cohen 290; Sear 5764; ERIC II 573 var. (bust).
Great coins and great moms too. Not so sure she was the best of moms, but she sure was ambitious for her boy: Julia Soeemias, mother of Elagabalus. Things didn't end so well for them: hooks through the throats, dragged through the streets, chucked into the Tiber. This is my first coin of this lady and it is way nicer than the usual material I bottom-feed on. Maternally, it even features a small child. Julia Soaemias Denarius (218-222 A.D.) Rome Mint IVLIA SOAEMIAS AVG, draped bust right / VENVS CAELESTIS, Venus seated left, holding apple and scepter; at her feet, child standing right. RIC 243; BMC 55-60; RSC 14. (3.53 grams / 19 x 18 mm)
That is an amazing achievement. That figure of about half of one's children surviving to adulthood was true, not just in ancient times, but pretty much true until only about 150 years ago.
