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<p>[QUOTE="Roman Collector, post: 7611626, member: 75937"]<img src="https://media.tenor.com/images/284fd98e5d4246e89b873e4881769156/tenor.gif" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>Yes, TGIFF!! Time for the latest installment of Faustina Friday! This week's edition deals with a couple of coins that may celebrate sweet, sweet, sweet victory, yeah!</p><p><br /></p><p>[MEDIA=youtube]k9iYm9PEAHg[/MEDIA]</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/faustina-jr-venvs-victrix-sestertius-jpg.1087603/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><blockquote><p><font size="3">Faustina II, AD 147-175/6.</font></p><p><font size="3"> Roman orichalcum sestertius, 27.25 g, 30.7 mm, 6 h.</font></p><p><font size="3"> Rome, c. AD 166.</font></p><p><font size="3"> Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, Bust of Faustina II, draped, with band of pearls, right.</font></p><p><font size="3"> Rev: VENVS VICTRIX S C, Venus standing facing, head left, holding Victory in extended right hand and resting left hand on shield set on helmet.</font></p><p><font size="3"> Refs: RIC 1688; BMCRE 960-65; Cohen 283; RCV 5288; MIR 40-6/10b.</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>This Venus Victrix type was used only on aurei and sestertii. In contrast, the following Hilaritas reverse type was struck in all metals:</p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/faustina-jr-hilaritas-denarius-jpg.1068647/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><blockquote><p><font size="3">Faustina II, AD 147-175.</font></p><p><font size="3">Roman AR denarius, 3.40 g, 17.4 mm, 5 h.</font></p><p><font size="3">Rome, c. AD 166.</font></p><p><font size="3">Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bust of Faustina II, draped, right.</font></p><p><font size="3">Rev: HILARITAS, Hilaritas standing left, holding long palm-branch in right hand and cornucopia in left hand.</font></p><p><font size="3">Refs: RIC 686; BMCRE 100; RSC 111; RCV 5254; CRE 182.</font></p><p><font size="3">Notes: Also known with a bust wearing a circlet of pearls in the hair (RSC 111a, BMCRE 101-102) and with a left-facing bust (RSC 111b, BMCRE 103).</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/faustina-jr-hilaritas-sestertius-jpg.1023836/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><blockquote><p><font size="3">Faustina II, AD 147-175.</font></p><p><font size="3"> Roman orichalcum sestertius, 23.36 g, 30.0 mm, 6 h.</font></p><p><font size="3"> Rome, AD 161-175.</font></p><p><font size="3"> Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bust, right, with two strands of pearls.</font></p><p><font size="3"> Rev: HILARITAS S C, Hilaritas standing facing, head left, holding long palm and cornucopiae.</font></p><p><font size="3"> Refs: RIC 1642; BMCRE 911-13; Cohen 112; RCV 5275.</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>The empress's coins are undated. Therefore, dating the coins of Faustina II, particularly after her inscriptions lost their filiation in AD 157 and simply read FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, has been problematic. The most ambitious attempt prior to the publication of Martin Beckmann's die study earlier this month had been Szaivert's volume in the MIR series.</p><p><br /></p><p>Szaivert had assigned each of these reverse types to "phase 2," which he dates to AD 161-164 (p. 230). However, Beckmann's die-linkage study of the aurei of Faustina II suggests a somewhat later date of AD 166. He notes a die link sequence (chain 8) that begins with three reverse types that make their first appearance: HILARITAS standing with palm and cornucopiae, VENVS VICTRIX standing with Victory and shield, and CONCORDIA seated with patera.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1310328[/ATTACH]</p><blockquote><p><font size="3">Die-linkage chart of Faustina's aurei diagramming the appearance of the Venus Victrix, Hilaritas, and Concordia reverse types, c. AD 166 (Beckmann, p. 62).</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>On stylistic grounds, particularly the appearance of the type 9 hairstyle (as on the coins depicted above), Beckmann concludes that chain 8 must follow chain 7, a very long sequence that began c. AD 161-163. He notes that two die pairs in chain 8 (including the Hilaritas H7 die illustrated above) were found on aurei in the great Trier hoard. He notes (p. 63):</p><p><br /></p><blockquote><p>The latest coins in this hoard are three die-linked <i>aurei</i> of Marcus Aurelius dated by tribunician power to AD 166. This gives a probable <i>terminus ante quem</i> of 166 for chain 8. The three <i>aurei </i>of Marcus in the Trier hoard dating to 166 (all struck with the same reverse die) show Victory with a shield inscribed VIC PAR; they celebrate the Parthian victory which he shared with Lucius Verus, for which the co-emperors celebrated a triumph in October 166.</p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>Relevant to the coins under discussion, Beckmann continues:</p><p><br /></p><blockquote><p>Faustina's type Venus Victrix may have been intended to complement her husband's Victory type. There is a difference between Hilaritas, which means almost exclusively "cheerfulness," and Laetitia, which has associations (like Felicitas) with fertility. The addition of the palm branch would seem to specify the reason for the cheerfulness: a victory, as the palm is also the traditional attribute of Victoria.</p><p><br /></p><p>If Victory was the intended resonance of these reverses, it would be a striking example of Faustina sharing in the commemoration of a military victory, an event that until now had remained reserved for the male members of the imperial household.</p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>Beckmann's hypothesis about the purpose of the issue is plausible and intriguing; however, purpose is impossible to prove. I do think Beckmann's dating is on less rocky ground. His die study establishes that the hairstyles shown on these two coins (type 9 in the case of the Hilaritas denarius and type 9, variant 9b on the Venus Victrix sestertius; see pp. 89-91) is Faustina's penultimate hairstyle before her death. Therefore, Szaivert's date of AD 161-164 is clearly too early. Given the hoard data and the die-linkages, Beckmann's date of c. 166 is quite probable.</p><p><br /></p><p>Faustina's coiffures can only provide a rough estimate of date of issue and are more helpful at establishing a <i>terminus post quem</i> than a <i>terminus ante quem</i>, because hairstyles introduced at one point may continue to appear on coins produced much later and a reverse type may occur paired with obverses featuring two or three different hairstyles. For example, the hairstyle on this middle bronze with the Hilaritas reverse type was introduced before the type 9 coiffure on the denarius and sestertius shown above.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/faustina-jr-hilaritas-s-c-as-under-aurelius-jpg.1304434/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><blockquote><p><font size="3">Faustina II, AD 147-175.</font></p><p><font size="3"> Roman Æ As, 8.31 g, 25.2 mm, 5 h.</font></p><p><font size="3"> Rome, AD 161-164.</font></p><p><font size="3"> Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.</font></p><p><font size="3"> Rev: HILARITAS S C, Hilaritas standing left, holding long palm-branch in right hand and cornucopia in left hand.</font></p><p><font size="3"> Refs: RIC 1643 var.; BMCRE 982 var.; Cohen 113 var.; RCV 5296; MIR 15-7/10b.</font></p><p><font size="3"> Notes: This coin is a variety of the RIC, BMCRE and Cohen specimens in that Faustina wears no strands of pearls in the hair. The empress' coiffure on this coin is a bare-headed variety of Beckmann's type 7 hairstyle (p. 90); the <a href="https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_R-14350" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_R-14350" rel="nofollow">British Museum specimen</a> depicts her with the expected type 9, variety 9b style.</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>Let's see your coins celebrating military victories, Hilaritas, or anything you feel is relevant!</p><p><br /></p><p>~~~</p><p><br /></p><p>Notes</p><p><br /></p><p>1. Szaivert, Wolfgang, <i>Die Münzprägung der Kaiser Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus und Commodus (161/192)</i>, Moneta Imperii Romani 18. Vienna, 1989.</p><p><br /></p><p>2. Beckmann, Martin, <i>Faustina the Younger: Coinage, Portraits, and Public Image</i>, A.N.S. Numismatic Studies 43, American Numismatic Society, New York, 2021.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Roman Collector, post: 7611626, member: 75937"][IMG]https://media.tenor.com/images/284fd98e5d4246e89b873e4881769156/tenor.gif[/IMG] Yes, TGIFF!! Time for the latest installment of Faustina Friday! This week's edition deals with a couple of coins that may celebrate sweet, sweet, sweet victory, yeah! [MEDIA=youtube]k9iYm9PEAHg[/MEDIA] [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/faustina-jr-venvs-victrix-sestertius-jpg.1087603/[/IMG] [INDENT][SIZE=3]Faustina II, AD 147-175/6. Roman orichalcum sestertius, 27.25 g, 30.7 mm, 6 h. Rome, c. AD 166. Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, Bust of Faustina II, draped, with band of pearls, right. Rev: VENVS VICTRIX S C, Venus standing facing, head left, holding Victory in extended right hand and resting left hand on shield set on helmet. Refs: RIC 1688; BMCRE 960-65; Cohen 283; RCV 5288; MIR 40-6/10b.[/SIZE][/INDENT] This Venus Victrix type was used only on aurei and sestertii. In contrast, the following Hilaritas reverse type was struck in all metals: [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/faustina-jr-hilaritas-denarius-jpg.1068647/[/IMG] [INDENT][SIZE=3]Faustina II, AD 147-175. Roman AR denarius, 3.40 g, 17.4 mm, 5 h. Rome, c. AD 166. Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bust of Faustina II, draped, right. Rev: HILARITAS, Hilaritas standing left, holding long palm-branch in right hand and cornucopia in left hand. Refs: RIC 686; BMCRE 100; RSC 111; RCV 5254; CRE 182. Notes: Also known with a bust wearing a circlet of pearls in the hair (RSC 111a, BMCRE 101-102) and with a left-facing bust (RSC 111b, BMCRE 103).[/SIZE][/INDENT] [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/faustina-jr-hilaritas-sestertius-jpg.1023836/[/IMG] [INDENT][SIZE=3]Faustina II, AD 147-175. Roman orichalcum sestertius, 23.36 g, 30.0 mm, 6 h. Rome, AD 161-175. Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bust, right, with two strands of pearls. Rev: HILARITAS S C, Hilaritas standing facing, head left, holding long palm and cornucopiae. Refs: RIC 1642; BMCRE 911-13; Cohen 112; RCV 5275.[/SIZE][/INDENT] The empress's coins are undated. Therefore, dating the coins of Faustina II, particularly after her inscriptions lost their filiation in AD 157 and simply read FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, has been problematic. The most ambitious attempt prior to the publication of Martin Beckmann's die study earlier this month had been Szaivert's volume in the MIR series. Szaivert had assigned each of these reverse types to "phase 2," which he dates to AD 161-164 (p. 230). However, Beckmann's die-linkage study of the aurei of Faustina II suggests a somewhat later date of AD 166. He notes a die link sequence (chain 8) that begins with three reverse types that make their first appearance: HILARITAS standing with palm and cornucopiae, VENVS VICTRIX standing with Victory and shield, and CONCORDIA seated with patera. [ATTACH=full]1310328[/ATTACH] [INDENT][SIZE=3]Die-linkage chart of Faustina's aurei diagramming the appearance of the Venus Victrix, Hilaritas, and Concordia reverse types, c. AD 166 (Beckmann, p. 62).[/SIZE][/INDENT] On stylistic grounds, particularly the appearance of the type 9 hairstyle (as on the coins depicted above), Beckmann concludes that chain 8 must follow chain 7, a very long sequence that began c. AD 161-163. He notes that two die pairs in chain 8 (including the Hilaritas H7 die illustrated above) were found on aurei in the great Trier hoard. He notes (p. 63): [INDENT]The latest coins in this hoard are three die-linked [I]aurei[/I] of Marcus Aurelius dated by tribunician power to AD 166. This gives a probable [I]terminus ante quem[/I] of 166 for chain 8. The three [I]aurei [/I]of Marcus in the Trier hoard dating to 166 (all struck with the same reverse die) show Victory with a shield inscribed VIC PAR; they celebrate the Parthian victory which he shared with Lucius Verus, for which the co-emperors celebrated a triumph in October 166.[/INDENT] Relevant to the coins under discussion, Beckmann continues: [INDENT]Faustina's type Venus Victrix may have been intended to complement her husband's Victory type. There is a difference between Hilaritas, which means almost exclusively "cheerfulness," and Laetitia, which has associations (like Felicitas) with fertility. The addition of the palm branch would seem to specify the reason for the cheerfulness: a victory, as the palm is also the traditional attribute of Victoria. If Victory was the intended resonance of these reverses, it would be a striking example of Faustina sharing in the commemoration of a military victory, an event that until now had remained reserved for the male members of the imperial household.[/INDENT] Beckmann's hypothesis about the purpose of the issue is plausible and intriguing; however, purpose is impossible to prove. I do think Beckmann's dating is on less rocky ground. His die study establishes that the hairstyles shown on these two coins (type 9 in the case of the Hilaritas denarius and type 9, variant 9b on the Venus Victrix sestertius; see pp. 89-91) is Faustina's penultimate hairstyle before her death. Therefore, Szaivert's date of AD 161-164 is clearly too early. Given the hoard data and the die-linkages, Beckmann's date of c. 166 is quite probable. Faustina's coiffures can only provide a rough estimate of date of issue and are more helpful at establishing a [I]terminus post quem[/I] than a [I]terminus ante quem[/I], because hairstyles introduced at one point may continue to appear on coins produced much later and a reverse type may occur paired with obverses featuring two or three different hairstyles. For example, the hairstyle on this middle bronze with the Hilaritas reverse type was introduced before the type 9 coiffure on the denarius and sestertius shown above. [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/faustina-jr-hilaritas-s-c-as-under-aurelius-jpg.1304434/[/IMG] [INDENT][SIZE=3]Faustina II, AD 147-175. Roman Æ As, 8.31 g, 25.2 mm, 5 h. Rome, AD 161-164. Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: HILARITAS S C, Hilaritas standing left, holding long palm-branch in right hand and cornucopia in left hand. Refs: RIC 1643 var.; BMCRE 982 var.; Cohen 113 var.; RCV 5296; MIR 15-7/10b. Notes: This coin is a variety of the RIC, BMCRE and Cohen specimens in that Faustina wears no strands of pearls in the hair. The empress' coiffure on this coin is a bare-headed variety of Beckmann's type 7 hairstyle (p. 90); the [URL='https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_R-14350']British Museum specimen[/URL] depicts her with the expected type 9, variety 9b style.[/SIZE][/INDENT] Let's see your coins celebrating military victories, Hilaritas, or anything you feel is relevant! ~~~ Notes 1. Szaivert, Wolfgang, [I]Die Münzprägung der Kaiser Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus und Commodus (161/192)[/I], Moneta Imperii Romani 18. Vienna, 1989. 2. Beckmann, Martin, [I]Faustina the Younger: Coinage, Portraits, and Public Image[/I], A.N.S. Numismatic Studies 43, American Numismatic Society, New York, 2021.[/QUOTE]
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