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<p>[QUOTE="Roman Collector, post: 7360406, member: 75937"]Two early issues of Faustina depict babies, but they are depicted as attributes of Venus and Juno, and do not unequivocally commemorate births to the imperial couple. Both of these issues bear Faustina's earliest obverse inscription, FAVSTINAE AVG PII AVG FIL, dated by Mattingly to AD 147-150 and by Strack to AD 147-149. They bear portraits depicting Faustina in her first and second hairstyles as listed in Fittschen.</p><p><br /></p><p>This issue depicts Faustina in her earliest hairstyle. It features Venus Genetrix, ("Venus the Mother"), in her aspect as goddess of motherhood and domesticity. Gold and bronze coins depict Venus standing, holding an apple and a swaddled infant. Here are the two bronze denominations in my collection.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/faustina-jr-veneri-genetrici-sestertius-jpg.929045/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p>Faustina Jr., Augusta AD 147-175.</p><p>Roman orichalcum sestertius, 22.96 gm, 30.4 mm.</p><p>Rome, AD 147-149.</p><p>Obv: FAVSTINA AVG PII AVG FIL, bust of Faustina II, draped and wearing stephane, right.</p><p>Rev: VENERI GENETRICI SC, Venus Genetrix standing left, holding apple and child in swaddling clothes.</p><p>Refs: RIC 1386b; BMCRE 2145; Cohen 237; Strack 1306; RCV 4718.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/faustina-jr-veneri-genetrici-as-jpg.931928/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p>Faustina II, AD 147-175.</p><p>Roman Æ as, 6.93 g, 26.1 mm, 11 h.</p><p>Rome, AD 147-149.</p><p>Obv: FAVSTINAE AVG PII AVG FIL, bust of Faustina II, draped and wearing band of pearls, right.</p><p>Rev: VENERI GENETRICI S C, Venus standing facing, head left, holding up apple in right hand and holding child on left arm.</p><p>Refs: RIC 1407; BMCRE p. 375 *; Cohen 238; Strack 1306; RCV 4734.</p><p>Notes: Die-match to specimens sold by CNG Jan. 7, 2014 and Künker Oct. 18, 2016.</p><p><br /></p><p>Note the similarity in the hairstyle to that on this statue of Faustina in the Capitoline Museum in Rome, depicting Faustina shortly after she was married to Marcus Aurelius.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1282864[/ATTACH]</p><p>This same early hairstyle and obverse inscription is to be found on coins featuring Juno Lucina (the aspect of Juno as goddess of childbirth) and LAETITIAE PVBLICAE ("public rejoicing"), celebrating cause for celebration. Here are my less-than-museum-quality examples.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1282865[/ATTACH]</p><p> </p><p>Faustina II, AD 147-175.</p><p>Roman Æ as, 8.68 g, 25.9 mm.</p><p>Rome, AD 147-149.</p><p>Obv: FAVSTINAE AVG PII AVG FIL, bust of Faustina II, draped and wearing band of pearls, right.</p><p>Rev: IVNONI LVCINAE S C, Juno, veiled, standing left, holding patera and scepter.</p><p>Refs: RIC 1400A; BMCRE 2153-54; Cohen --; Strack 1299; RCV 4728.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/faustina-jr-laetitiae-pvblicae-denarius-jpg.1212567/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p>Faustina II, AD 147-175.</p><p>Roman AR denarius, 3.03 g, 17.4 mm, 5 h.</p><p>Rome, AD 147-149.</p><p>Obv: FAVSTINAE AVG PII AVG FIL, bare-headed and draped bust, right.</p><p>Rev: LAETITIAE PVBLICAE, Laetitia standing left, holding wreath in in right hand and vertical scepter in left hand.</p><p>Refs: RIC 506a; BMCRE 1048; Cohen/RSC 155; Strack 491; RCV 4705; CRE 195.</p><p><br /></p><p>I postulate that these coins representing the earliest issues for the young empress, depicting Venus and Juno in their roles as goddesses of motherhood and childbirth, respectively, and to announce cause for "public rejoicing," were issued in late AD 147 or early AD 148 to commemorate the birth on November 30, 147 of Domitia Faustina, the first child born to Faustina and Marcus.</p><p><br /></p><p>An intriguing aureus, again bearing the early obverse inscription FAVSTINAE AVG PII AVG FIL of AD 147- 149 or 150, bears Faustina's second hairstyle as well as Juno with two children.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1282876[/ATTACH]</p><p>RIC 504, BMCRE 1043. <a href="https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_R-12585" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_R-12585" rel="nofollow">British Museum specimen</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p>This coin depicts Juno, a child old enough to stand before her, and a fully-clothed baby on her lap. Both children have feminine hairstyles. This strongly suggests the two infants depicted are girls, for baby boys are often depicted nude on Roman coins. Juno is likely intended here to represent Juno Lucina, her role as goddess of childbirth.</p><p><br /></p><p>Following Ameling (see above) in rejecting the notion of twins born in AD 149, I believe this aureus was likely struck late in AD 149 or early- to mid-150 to commemorate the birth of Lucilla and that the coin depicts Domitia Faustina, the older girl, and Lucilla as a baby.</p><p><br /></p><p>Birley notes the existence of other coins of Marcus Aurelius and Antoninus Pius suggesting subsequent births, and I'm in the process of researching these. Perhaps Faustina III, born AD 150/151, T. Aelius Antoninus, born in AD 152 and who died in infancy, and another son who died in infancy, late AD 157 or early 158. More to follow in the months ahead.</p><p><br /></p><p>In the meantime, these two coins, <a href="http://numismatics.org/collection/1958.223.10" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://numismatics.org/collection/1958.223.10" rel="nofollow">RIC 679</a> and <a href="http://numismatics.org/collection/1955.191.16" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://numismatics.org/collection/1955.191.16" rel="nofollow">RIC 682</a>, each in the ANS collection clearly refer to Faustina's fecundity and depict a naked child, which quite likely indicates a baby boy, along with two older children. Although they are undated, I propose that they date to AD 158, the first year Faustina used the FAVSTINA AVGVSTA legend without filiation (such as PII AVG FIL) and depict the male child born either in 157 or 158 but who died in infancy.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/aurelius-679-ans-jpg.1166968/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/aurelius-682-ans-jpg.1166969/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" />[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Roman Collector, post: 7360406, member: 75937"]Two early issues of Faustina depict babies, but they are depicted as attributes of Venus and Juno, and do not unequivocally commemorate births to the imperial couple. Both of these issues bear Faustina's earliest obverse inscription, FAVSTINAE AVG PII AVG FIL, dated by Mattingly to AD 147-150 and by Strack to AD 147-149. They bear portraits depicting Faustina in her first and second hairstyles as listed in Fittschen. This issue depicts Faustina in her earliest hairstyle. It features Venus Genetrix, ("Venus the Mother"), in her aspect as goddess of motherhood and domesticity. Gold and bronze coins depict Venus standing, holding an apple and a swaddled infant. Here are the two bronze denominations in my collection. [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/faustina-jr-veneri-genetrici-sestertius-jpg.929045/[/IMG] Faustina Jr., Augusta AD 147-175. Roman orichalcum sestertius, 22.96 gm, 30.4 mm. Rome, AD 147-149. Obv: FAVSTINA AVG PII AVG FIL, bust of Faustina II, draped and wearing stephane, right. Rev: VENERI GENETRICI SC, Venus Genetrix standing left, holding apple and child in swaddling clothes. Refs: RIC 1386b; BMCRE 2145; Cohen 237; Strack 1306; RCV 4718. [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/faustina-jr-veneri-genetrici-as-jpg.931928/[/IMG] Faustina II, AD 147-175. Roman Æ as, 6.93 g, 26.1 mm, 11 h. Rome, AD 147-149. Obv: FAVSTINAE AVG PII AVG FIL, bust of Faustina II, draped and wearing band of pearls, right. Rev: VENERI GENETRICI S C, Venus standing facing, head left, holding up apple in right hand and holding child on left arm. Refs: RIC 1407; BMCRE p. 375 *; Cohen 238; Strack 1306; RCV 4734. Notes: Die-match to specimens sold by CNG Jan. 7, 2014 and Künker Oct. 18, 2016. Note the similarity in the hairstyle to that on this statue of Faustina in the Capitoline Museum in Rome, depicting Faustina shortly after she was married to Marcus Aurelius. [ATTACH=full]1282864[/ATTACH] This same early hairstyle and obverse inscription is to be found on coins featuring Juno Lucina (the aspect of Juno as goddess of childbirth) and LAETITIAE PVBLICAE ("public rejoicing"), celebrating cause for celebration. Here are my less-than-museum-quality examples. [ATTACH=full]1282865[/ATTACH] Faustina II, AD 147-175. Roman Æ as, 8.68 g, 25.9 mm. Rome, AD 147-149. Obv: FAVSTINAE AVG PII AVG FIL, bust of Faustina II, draped and wearing band of pearls, right. Rev: IVNONI LVCINAE S C, Juno, veiled, standing left, holding patera and scepter. Refs: RIC 1400A; BMCRE 2153-54; Cohen --; Strack 1299; RCV 4728. [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/faustina-jr-laetitiae-pvblicae-denarius-jpg.1212567/[/IMG] Faustina II, AD 147-175. Roman AR denarius, 3.03 g, 17.4 mm, 5 h. Rome, AD 147-149. Obv: FAVSTINAE AVG PII AVG FIL, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: LAETITIAE PVBLICAE, Laetitia standing left, holding wreath in in right hand and vertical scepter in left hand. Refs: RIC 506a; BMCRE 1048; Cohen/RSC 155; Strack 491; RCV 4705; CRE 195. I postulate that these coins representing the earliest issues for the young empress, depicting Venus and Juno in their roles as goddesses of motherhood and childbirth, respectively, and to announce cause for "public rejoicing," were issued in late AD 147 or early AD 148 to commemorate the birth on November 30, 147 of Domitia Faustina, the first child born to Faustina and Marcus. An intriguing aureus, again bearing the early obverse inscription FAVSTINAE AVG PII AVG FIL of AD 147- 149 or 150, bears Faustina's second hairstyle as well as Juno with two children. [ATTACH=full]1282876[/ATTACH] RIC 504, BMCRE 1043. [URL='https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_R-12585']British Museum specimen[/URL]. This coin depicts Juno, a child old enough to stand before her, and a fully-clothed baby on her lap. Both children have feminine hairstyles. This strongly suggests the two infants depicted are girls, for baby boys are often depicted nude on Roman coins. Juno is likely intended here to represent Juno Lucina, her role as goddess of childbirth. Following Ameling (see above) in rejecting the notion of twins born in AD 149, I believe this aureus was likely struck late in AD 149 or early- to mid-150 to commemorate the birth of Lucilla and that the coin depicts Domitia Faustina, the older girl, and Lucilla as a baby. Birley notes the existence of other coins of Marcus Aurelius and Antoninus Pius suggesting subsequent births, and I'm in the process of researching these. Perhaps Faustina III, born AD 150/151, T. Aelius Antoninus, born in AD 152 and who died in infancy, and another son who died in infancy, late AD 157 or early 158. More to follow in the months ahead. In the meantime, these two coins, [URL='http://numismatics.org/collection/1958.223.10']RIC 679[/URL] and [URL='http://numismatics.org/collection/1955.191.16']RIC 682[/URL], each in the ANS collection clearly refer to Faustina's fecundity and depict a naked child, which quite likely indicates a baby boy, along with two older children. Although they are undated, I propose that they date to AD 158, the first year Faustina used the FAVSTINA AVGVSTA legend without filiation (such as PII AVG FIL) and depict the male child born either in 157 or 158 but who died in infancy. [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/aurelius-679-ans-jpg.1166968/[/IMG] [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/aurelius-682-ans-jpg.1166969/[/IMG][/QUOTE]
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