Message:

<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Roman Collector, post: 3149069, member: 75937&quot;]That&#039;s very astute that you have noticed that the figure held in Vesta&#039;s hand faces in different directions. This suggests to me that it represented the work of a different die-engraver, to be sure. However, I respectfully disagree that the figure on the example without the scepter is a Victoriola.</p><p><br /></p><p>It is my understanding, based upon <a href="http://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=15030.0;wap2" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=15030.0;wap2" rel="nofollow">information elsewhere</a>, that &quot;On coins a Palladium appears as an attribute of Aeneas, Nobilitas, Roma, Vesta or Victory. It should not be confused with the Victoriola, the small statue of Victory on a globe.&quot;</p><p><br /></p><p>The British Museum describes the reverse of the coin (a die match to mine, you&#039;ll recall) as &quot;Vesta, veiled and draped, seated left on throne, holding palladium in extended right hand, left hand at side.&quot;</p><p><br /></p><p>Moreover, the Palladium is intimately associated with Vesta in Roman iconography. According to Greek mythology, the Palladium was a small wooden statue of Athena that fell from the heavens into Troy; the safety of the city of Troy depended on their keeping the statue within their walls. Roman tradition before Virgil wrote the <i>Aeneid</i> claimed that Aeneas had taken the statue and brought it with him to Italy. In fact, a Palladium was kept in the Temple of Vesta in the Forum for centuries. It was regarded as one of the <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pignora_imperii" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pignora_imperii" rel="nofollow">pignora imperii</a></i>, sacred tokens or pledges of Roman rule (<i>imperium</i>).</p><p><br /></p><p>So, it makes no sense that Vesta would hold a Victoriola here.</p><p><br /></p><p>Moreover, the Palladium is rendered in many different ways in Roman coin design. Here are a few examples of Vesta holding a Palladium from my own collection:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]806351[/ATTACH]</p><p>Sestertius of Faustina I, RIC 1124, depicting the Palladium as a winged figure presenting a wreath, much as on the denarii of Julia Domna discussed above.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]806352[/ATTACH]</p><p>Denarius of Faustina I, RIC 368, depicting a similar Palladium as a winged figure presenting a wreath, but here the statue has a very long base. I have read (I don&#039;t remember where and cannot cite it properly) that this coin may depict the actual Palladium in the temple of Vesta in Rome, where the spike-like base went down into a hole in the floor, thus serving to keep the Palladium upright because it wasn&#039;t free-standing.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]806353[/ATTACH]</p><p>As of Lucilla, RIC 1789, depicting the Palladium with a similarly elongated base, but not as a winged figure presenting a wreath, but as a helmeted figure (Pallas Athena?) raising its right arm (as if to throw a javelin) and holding a shield.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]806354[/ATTACH]</p><p>Denarius of Julia Paula, RIC 224, depicting a rather crudely-rendered Palladium brandishing a spear and holding a round shield.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]806355[/ATTACH]</p><p>Denarius of Julia Mamaea, RIC 360, depicting a Palladium holding a spear and round shield. This depiction of the Palladium is very similar to that in the Julia Paula example above, but more artistically rendered.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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