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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Roman Collector, post: 8229985, member: 75937&quot;]<img src="https://media0.giphy.com/media/IVMjPsEExsmis/giphy.gif" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>Because every Friday is Faustina Friday!</p><p><br /></p><p>Martin Beckmann&#039;s <i>Diva Faustina: Coinage and Cult in Rome and the Provinces</i>, has greatly clarified the dating and arrangement of the Diva Faustina coinage. Beckmann identified an almost complete sequence of die-linkages for the aurei, supported by additional shorter, but corroborative, die-linkages among the sestertii. In addition, he discovered several mules with reverse die-linkages to dated coins of Antoninus or Aurelius Caesar, which connected certain issues to other dated events. These studies enabled Beckman to produce a comprehensive and reliable sequence of relative dating.</p><p><br /></p><p>Beckmann&#039;s die studies demonstrated that the obverse inscription on the coinage of Diva Faustina changed from DIVA AVG[VSTA] FAVSTINA to DIVA FAVSTINA immediately after the marriage of Faustina II to Marcus Aurelius in AD 145, moving Faustina I&#039;s title of AVGVSTA to the reverse of her coins.[1] The coinage of the period following the imperial wedding is dominated by the figure of Ceres holding a torch and scepter on the aurei and grain ears and torch or scepter on the silver and bronze coinage. I have <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/faustina-friday-–-the-avgvsta-ceres-with-grain-ears-and-torch-issue.382264/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/faustina-friday-–-the-avgvsta-ceres-with-grain-ears-and-torch-issue.382264/">previously written about some of these types</a> and <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/show-your-ceres-or-demeter.315108/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/show-your-ceres-or-demeter.315108/">about this goddess</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p>There are a disproportionate number of coins depicting Ceres that were issued for Faustina and this is not coincidental. Andreas Alföldi argues that the connection between the empress and Ceres goes beyond mere concern over the grain supply or her devotion to the goddess.[2] It is more personal; Antoninus Pius was devoted to the sanctuary at Eleusis,[3] which had a temple where Faustina was worshiped as the new Demeter (Ceres) and had her own hierophant.[4]</p><p><br /></p><p>This article does not go into depth about any one coin type; rather, it is intended to provide an overview of all types bearing the AVGVSTA reverse legend and depicting Ceres holding a single torch or scepter. Although all types are securely dated to AD 145-150,[5] it appears these coins were produced before the <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/faustina-friday-%E2%80%93-ceres-or-proserpina.384875/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/faustina-friday-%E2%80%93-ceres-or-proserpina.384875/">Ceres type with two torches</a> was introduced in December AD 147 with the birth of Faustina the Younger&#039;s first child.[6] I therefore date them to AD 145-147, though I acknowledge that it is not possible to securely date the quinarius aureus, denarius and middle bronze denominations because they fall outside of the purview of Beckmann&#039;s die-linkage study of the aurei and sestertii of the empress.</p><p><br /></p><p>Coins with this reverse legend and Ceres designs were issued in the aureus, quinarius aureus, denarius, sestertius, and middle-bronze denominations. Ceres, except for a middle bronze type where she is enthroned, is depicted standing left, right, or facing with head left. However, no single design was issued in all metals, and some were limited to a single denomination. There are nine such reverse designs and I arrange them by whether the goddess holds the torch or scepter in her right hand or left, and whether the torch is long or short. I show only one example of each design, whether or not it appears in more than one denomination. Moreover, on some issues, the bust may be right- or left-facing, and either veiled or bare-headed. I do not go into such details in this overview and the reader is directed to the standard references, such as RIC,[7] BMCRE,[8] Cohen,[9] and Strack[10] for more information. I limit my citations to RIC because this is the most widely-used reference and forms the basis for online sources such as <a href="http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/faustina_I/i.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/faustina_I/i.html" rel="nofollow">Wildwinds</a> and <a href="http://numismatics.org/ocre/" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://numismatics.org/ocre/" rel="nofollow">OCRE</a>. All coins illustrated belong to my collection.</p><p><br /></p><p><i>Let&#039;s see any Faustina coins you have depicting Ceres or anything you feel is relevant!</i></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Torch or scepter in Ceres&#039; right hand.</b></p><p><br /></p><p>Ceres standing right, holding scepter and corn-ears (denarius only, RIC 358).</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1446703[/ATTACH]</p><blockquote><p><font size="3">Denarius, RIC 358, 2.72 g, 18.8 mm, 6 h.</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>Ceres standing left, holding long torch, and holding up hem of stola (denarius only, RIC 362).</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1446704[/ATTACH]</p><blockquote><p><font size="3">Denarius, RIC 362, 3.17 g, 18.2 mm, 5 h.</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>Ceres standing right, holding long torch and corn ears (quinarius aureus, RIC 359; middle bronze, RIC 1172).</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1446705[/ATTACH]</p><blockquote><p><font size="3">As, RIC 1172, 10.73 g, 27.7 mm, 5 h.</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>Ceres standing facing, head left, holding short torch and corn ears (sestertius, RIC 1118; middle bronze, RIC 1171).</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1446707[/ATTACH]</p><blockquote><p><font size="3">Dupondius, RIC 1171, 12.08 g, 26.5 mm, 5 h.</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>Ceres standing left, holding short torch and scepter (aureus, RIC 356; denarius RIC 356; middle bronze, RIC 1173).</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1446708[/ATTACH]</p><blockquote><p><font size="3">Denarius, RIC 356, 3.40 g, 19.7 mm, 5 h.</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p><b>Torch in Ceres&#039; left hand.</b></p><p><br /></p><p>Ceres standing left, raising right hand, and holding long torch in left hand (aureus, RIC 361; denarius RIC 361).</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1446709[/ATTACH]</p><blockquote><p><font size="3">Denarius, RIC 361a, 3.41 g, 17.4 mm, 5 h.</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>Ceres standing left, holding corn ears and long torch (denarius, RIC 360; sestertius, RIC 1116; middle bronze, RIC 1169).</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1446710[/ATTACH]</p><blockquote><p><font size="3">Sestertius, RIC 1116a, 25.59 g, 32.6 mm, 6 h.</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>Ceres standing left, holding corn ears and short torch (sestertius, RIC 1117; middle bronze, RIC –, BMCRE 1567).</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1446711[/ATTACH]</p><blockquote><p><font size="3">As, RIC unlisted, BMCRE 1567, 7.67 g, 24.2 mm, 1 h.</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>Ceres seated left, holding corn ears and long torch (middle bronze only, RIC 1170).</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1446712[/ATTACH]</p><blockquote><p><font size="3">Middle bronze, RIC 1170, 8.15 g, 26.1 mm, 12 h.</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1446713[/ATTACH] </p><blockquote><p><font size="3">Statue of Ceres, Vatican Museum, Rome, Italy. <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ceres_Vatican.JPG" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ceres_Vatican.JPG" rel="nofollow">Public domain</a>.</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p><b>~~~</b></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Notes:</b></p><p><br /></p><p>1. Beckmann, Martin. <i>Diva Faustina: Coinage and Cult in Rome and the Provinces.</i> American Numismatic Society, 2012, p. 55.</p><p><br /></p><p>2. Alföldi, Andreas. &quot;Redeunt Saturnia Regna. VII : Frugifer-Triptolemos Im Ptolemaïsch -Römischen Herrscherkult.&quot; <i>Chiron </i>, vol. 9, 1979, pp. 552–606, specifically pp. 586-589.</p><p><br /></p><p>3. Eleusis, in the outskirts of Athens, of Eleusian mysteries fame. These mysteries involved elaborate rituals devoted to the worship of Demeter (Ceres).</p><p><br /></p><p>4. Mylonas, George E. <i>Eleusis and the Eleusian Mysteries</i>. Princeton University Press, 1961, pp 155, 179.</p><p><br /></p><p>5. Beckmann, <i>op. cit</i>., pp. 51 ff.</p><p><br /></p><p>6. Dinsdale, Paul H. <i>Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius Caesar AD 138-161; Second Revised Edition.</i> Leeds, Paul H Dinsdale, 2021, p. 232. See also Beckmann, <i>op. cit</i>., p. 59.</p><p><br /></p><p>7. Mattingly, Harold and Edward A. Sydenham. <i>The Roman Imperial Coinage</i>. III, Spink, 1930.</p><p><br /></p><p>8. Mattingly, Harold, <i>Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, vol. IV: Antoninus Pius to Commodus. Introduction, indexes and plates. </i>London, BMP, 1968.</p><p><br /></p><p>9. Cohen, Henry. <i>Description historique des monnaies frappées sous l&#039;Empire Romain, </i>Tome III:<i> de Marc Aurèle à Albin (161 à 197 après J.-C.).</i> Paris, 1883.</p><p><br /></p><p>10. Strack, Paul L., <i>Untersuchungen zur Römischen Reichsprägung des Zweiten Jahrhunderts, vol. 3, Die Reichsprägung zur Zeit des Antoninus Pius</i>. Stuttgart 1937.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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