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Message:: [QUOTE="Roman Collector, post: 3260144, member: 75937"]Concordia in Latin means "with hearts together"; the Greek equivalent, Homonoia, means "of one mind." In Roman religion, Concordia was the goddess who personified "concord," or "agreement," especially among members or classes of the Roman state. As such, she was an object of religious faith and worship with the Romans because, through her authority and influence, small things were rendered great. As Sallust expresses it, Concordia parvae res crescunt, discordia vero dilabuntur (Concord grows small things, discord tears them down). She had several temples at Rome; the oldest and most important one was located in the Forum at the end of the Via Sacra ("Sacred Way"). After 121 BC, when the construction of the largest temple was ordered, the Senate frequently met there in times of public uproar. Renovations of this temple were begun under Augustus and then completed by Tiberius in 7 BC. Tiberius placed many works of art there, and it became a kind of museum and tourist attraction during the Roman Empire. Concordia typically appears on coins as a matron, either seated or standing, holding in one hand a patera (sacrificial dish) and in the other a cornucopiae. The symbolism is twofold. The patera indicates that concord is holy and achieved by sacrifice. The horn of plenty represents the abundance that can be achieved when people work together. Often, the goddess holds a double cornucopiae, indicating prosperity for both parties in agreement. Sometimes a star, or a statuette of Spes – emblems of hope – are depicted near her. Occasionally, an olive branch, symbolizing peace, replaces the patera. The hasta may substitute for the cornucopiae on some issues. The notion of concordia also appears on coins commemorating the joint rule of leaders or imperial marriages in order give the (often false) impression of harmony within the imperial family. Such coins typically portray two people standing, shaking hands in agreement. Less frequently, two right hands joined may appear as a motif, symbolizing the virtue of concordia. These hands sometimes hold a winged caduceus, as on the Republican issues of Antonia and other moneyers, as well as on the coins of Nerva. This symbol on the Republican issues may represent concord and peace between the Triumviri Reipublicae Constituendae or the concord of Caesar with the Senate; on the coins of Nerva, it denotes concord between the army and the navy. Rarely, concordia is associated with the stork which, to the Romans, symbolized family devotion, or the dove, universally a symbol of peace and gentleness, as on an aureus of Faustina II, RIC 503a. Here are some coins depicting Concordia and Homonoia; let's see yours! [ATTACH=full]857432[/ATTACH]Faustina I, AD 138-140.Roman AR denarius, 3.40 g, 17 mm.Rome, AD 139-140.Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.Rev: CONCORDIA AVG, Concordia standing left, holding patera and double cornucopiae.Refs: RIC 335; BMCRE 133-135; Cohen/RSC 151; RCV 4668; UCR 199; CRE 93. [ATTACH=full]857433[/ATTACH]Elagabalus, AD 218-222.Roman provincial tetrassarion, 8.53 g, 24.2 mm, 7 h.Moesia Inferior, Marcianopolis, Legate Julius Antonius Seleucus, AD 218-222.Obv: ΑVΤ Κ Μ ΑVΡ ΑΝΤΩΝΕΙΝΟC, laureate head, right.Rev: VΠ Ιȣ ΑΝΤ CΕΛΕVΚȣ ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΕΙΤΩΝ, Homonoia standing left, holding patera and cornucopiae.Refs: BMC 3.34, 47; AMNG (Pick) 856; Moushmov 633. [ATTACH=full]857439[/ATTACH]Sabina, AD 117-137.Roman orichalcum dupondius, 12.28 g, 27 mm.Rome, AD 128-137.Obv: SABINA AVGVSTA HADRIANI AVG P P, diademed and draped bust right, hair coiled and piled on top of head.Rev: CONCORDIA AVG S C, Concordia enthroned left, holding patera and resting on statuette of Spes; cornucopiae below seat.Refs: RIC 1021; Cohen 17. [ATTACH=full]857441[/ATTACH]Otacilia Severa, AD 244-249.Roman AR antoninianus, 3.75 g, 22.6 mm, 6 h.Rome, AD 248-249.Obv: OTACIL SEVERA AVG, diademed and draped bust, right, on crescent.Rev: CONCORDIA AVGG, Concordia seated left, holding patera and cornucopiae, altar at feet.Refs: RIC 129; Cohen 16; RCV 9150; Hunter 7; CRE 524. [ATTACH=full]857447[/ATTACH]Faustina Senior, AD 138-141.Roman AR denarius, 3.73g, 17mm.Rome, AD 142.Obv: DIVA AVG FAVSTINA, draped bust right.Rev: CONCORDIA, Antoninus standing right, holding scroll, clasping right hands with Faustina I, standing left, holding sceptre.Refs: RIC 381b; BMCRE 288; RCV 4592; Cohen 159. [ATTACH=full]857443[/ATTACH]Julia Paula, AD 219-220.Roman AR denarius, 3.16 g, 18.6 mm.Antioch, AD 219.Obv: IVLIA PAVLA AVG, bare-headed and draped bust, right.Rev: CONCORDIA, emperor and empress standing facing each other, clasping hands.Refs: RIC 214; BMCRE 318-320; Cohen 12; RCV 7656; CRE 454. [ATTACH=full]857453[/ATTACH]Severina, AD 270-275.Roman billon antoninianus, 4.01 g, 24.2 mm.Serdica, issue 8, AD 274-275.Obv: SEVERINA AVG, diademed and draped bust right on crescent.Rev: CONCORDIA AVGG, emperor and empress clasping hands, * in field between them; KA Δ in exergue.Refs: RIC 16; MER/RIC temp no 2827; RCV 11703; Cohen 2. [ATTACH=full]857451[/ATTACH]Nerva, AD 96-98.Roman AR denarius, 3.21 g, 18.5 mm, 7 h.Rome, January - September, AD 97.Obv: IMP NERVA CAES AVG P M TR P COS III P P, laureate head, right.Rev: CONCORDIA EXERCITVVM, clasped hands.Refs: RIC 14; BMCRE 25-26; Cohen/RSC 20; RCV 3020; CBN 15. [ATTACH=full]857452[/ATTACH]A modern use of this motif to celebrate the concord between the US and France that resulted in the Louisiana purchase. [ATTACH=full]857454[/ATTACH]Maximian, AD 286-308.Roman Æ Antoninianus, 3.78 mm, 23.0 mm, 12 h.Cyzicus, AD 293-294.Obv: IMP C M A MAXIMIANVS AVG, radiate and draped bust right.Rev: CONCORDIA MILITVM•, Emperor standing right, receiving Victory from Jupiter standing left; Г/XII•.Refs: RIC 607; Cohen 53; RCV 13115.[/QUOTE]

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