new: Commodus AR Denarius. Rome Mint 177-192 AD. Obverse: L AEL AVREL COMM AVG P FEL Head of Commodus as Hercules right, wearing lion skin. Reverse: HERCVLI ROMANO AVG Bow, quiver and club. RIC: 253. 2.5g. Numismatic Notes: Good VF with an exceptional portrait! Commodus believed himself to be a reincarnated Hercules, and went through great lengths to portray himself as such. This coin is the epitome of that belief, not only depicting the emperor as Hercules, but also containing the legends "The Roman Hercules Augustus" on the reverse! RC0499g
Very nice Commodus as Hercules!! I have wanted one of these in the silver version for a while. Yours is better than most i have seen. I would be super happy with one as nice! Here is my AE version:
Nice @ro1974 ... I don't have him AS Hercules, rather I have one WITH Hercules on the reverse: RI Commodus 177-192 CE AR Denarius laureate hd and Hercules and Africa
Sweet posts!!! A few weeks ago I grabbed a denarius of Commodus as Hercules.....and like @ro1974 I LOVE it !!!! Commodus, Caesar 172-179, Augustus 179-192 AD. Commodus as Hercules/ A.D. 191-2./ AR Denarius. / Weight - 3.2grams./ Obverse: L. AEL. AVREL. COMM. AVG. P. FEL. Head in lion-skin r./ Reverse: HERCVLI ROMANO AVG. Bow, club and quiver with arrows./ RIC 253
ro => congrats on that great AR addition ummm, this is my only Commodus example with a club ... Commodus AE As
I would love to have one as well. Really I think I would like the big bronze one better. To date this has been my only Commodus and no mention of Hercules. Commodus; Philppopolis, Thrace; AD 180-192 AE, 4.07g, 18mm; 6h Obv.: AY K? M?...-KOMOΔOC; laureate head right Rev.: [Φ]ΙΛΙΠΠΟ[ΠOΛEITΩN]; coiled serpent with something in it's mouth Ref.: Varbanov 994 - Wildwinds offers no description of the legend. Looking at other coins the obverse description may read AY K AI AYP KOMOΔOC. The K on the obv is hard to read and the AI looks a lot like an M. My understanding is Varbanov is not clear on this coin either. Anyone know what's in the snake's mouth?
How about his hanging (non-forked) tongue??? I know my tongue would be hanging out like that if I was tied up in a knot like him Ok, Ok, I'll guess a mouse....since it does sorta look like his head and ears are hanging out at the bottom Jeez, at least David gives you a few choices to choose from
I think it's kinda like a beard thingy hanging down ... not actually something hanging out of the snake's mouth? ... pretty sure that the serpent is Serapis Cool coin, JWT Cheers, brother