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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Roman Collector, post: 6446667, member: 75937&quot;]Thanks to the work of Martin Beckmann,[1] we have been able to arrange the undated coinage of Faustina I in chronological order and, in many cases, assign a rough date of issue. Beckmann accomplished this by constructing a nearly complete sequence of die-linkages for the aurei, supported by additional shorter, but corroborative, die-linkages amongst the aurei and the sestertii. Moreover, by studying hybrids of dated coins of Antoninus Pius or Aurelius Caesar which bear Faustina&#039;s reverse types, and by studying the connections of issues to other dated events, he has been able to assign actual -- not just relative -- dates to certain issues.</p><p><br /></p><p>Faustina&#039;s coinage is divided into five main phases commencing with the deification and funeral of Faustina. The issue I discuss today belongs to the fifth and final of these, commencing in AD 150, for the tenth anniversary of Faustina’s death and deification. Because the corresponding aureus is part of Beckmann&#039;s die-linkage study, we are on firm ground in assigning a date of AD 150 to this issue, for die-linkage establishes this one as the first of the many AETERNITAS issues commemorating the death anniversary of the empress. These coins all bear the late obverse inscription DIVA FAVSTINA, which may appear as DIVA-FAVSTINA or DIVA FAV-STINA.</p><p><br /></p><p>The issue bears the reverse legend of AETERNITAS and depicts Fortuna holding a globe and rudder. Mattingly[2] rightfully clarifies that the coins of the large series of AETERNITAS reverse types issued for Faustina cannot be taken simply as the name of a goddess, Aeternitas. He explains:</p><p><br /></p><blockquote><p>It is ... difficult to define the character of the figures associated with the legend. They may be regarded as varying representations of the spirit of Aeternitas with emblems borrowed from the goddesses and virtues who inhabit her sphere; or, as so many goddesses, Juno, Fortuna, and the rest; or as Diva Faustina, bearing the attributes of such goddesses in Eternity. The third probably comes nearest the the exact quality of Roman thought but, in the text, we have thought it best to define the types as far as possible by their attributes -- Juno by her sceptre and Fortuna by her rudder.</p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>Because the female figure on the reverse of these coins bears the attributes of Fortuna -- a globe and rudder -- she is identified by numismatists as Fortuna, although she appears together with the reverse inscription of AETERNITAS. Coins of this reverse type were issued in the aureus, denarius, sestertius, and middle bronze denominations. The coins appear with bare-headed, veiled, and veiled and stephaned portraits. Below are various examples from my own collection.</p><p><br /></p><p>Fortuna, the Roman counterpart of the Greek goddess Tyche, was the goddess of fortune and the personification of luck in Roman religion. Fortuna was capricious and might bring bring either good or bad luck. She was a central figure in Roman life. The Roman people adopted the goddess into their tutelaries and consecrated nearly thirty temples to her in the different districts of the city.</p><p><br /></p><p>Post your coins of Fortuna or anything you feel is relevant!</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/faustina-sr-aeternitas-fortuna-denarius-bare-headed-jpg.913968/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p>Faustina Sr, AD 138-141.</p><p>Roman AR denarius, 3.83 g, 18.2 mm.</p><p>Rome, AD 150.</p><p>Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA, draped bust, right.</p><p>Rev: AETERNITAS, Fortuna standing left, holding globe and rudder.</p><p>Refs: RIC 348; BMCRE 360; Cohen 6; Strack 451; RCV 4577.</p><p>Note: Overstruck on an earlier issue, probably a CONCORDIA seated type of Sabina.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/faustina-sr-aeternitas-fortuna-denarius-veiled-jpg.899921/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p>Faustina Sr, AD 138-141.</p><p>Roman AR denarius, 3.23 g, 18.6 mm, 6 h.</p><p>Rome, AD 150.</p><p>Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA, draped bust, right.</p><p>Rev: AETERNITAS, Fortuna standing left, holding globe and rudder.</p><p>Refs: RIC 348b; BMCRE 367; Cohen 7; Strack 451; RCV 4577 var. (bust).</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/faustina-sr-aeternitas-fortuna-sestertius-veiled-jpg.1078735/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p>Faustina I, AD 138-141.</p><p>Roman orichalcum sestertius, 24.12 g, 32.6 mm, 6 h.</p><p>Rome, AD 150.</p><p>Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA, Bust of Faustina I, draped and veiled, right.</p><p>Rev: AETERNITAS S C, Fortuna, draped, standing left, holding globe on extended right hand and long rudder, vertical in left hand.</p><p>Refs: RIC 1107b; BMCRE 1499-1500; Cohen 8; Strack 1267; RCV 4608 var.</p><p>Notes: Obverse die-match to <a href="https://research.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=3178600&amp;partId=1&amp;searchText=Faustina+1107&amp;page=1" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://research.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=3178600&amp;partId=1&amp;searchText=Faustina+1107&amp;page=1" rel="nofollow">BMCRE 1499</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1256204[/ATTACH]</p><p>Faustina I, AD 138-141.</p><p>Roman orichalcum dupondius, 10.62 g, 28.1 mm, 7 h.</p><p>Rome, AD 150.</p><p>Obv: DIVA FAV-STINA, diademed, veiled and draped bust, right.</p><p>Rev: AETER-NITAS S C, Fortuna standing left, holding globe and rudder.</p><p>Refs: RIC 1160b; BMCRE4 1557 var. (bust); Cohen 9; Strack 1267; RCV 4640 var. (bust).</p><p><br /></p><p>~~~</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><p><br /></p><p>2. 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. lxii.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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