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<p>[QUOTE="Sulla80, post: 4620367, member: 99456"][ATTACH=full]1144001[/ATTACH]</p><p><font size="3"><a href="https://www.namuseum.gr/en/collection/archaiki-periodos/" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.namuseum.gr/en/collection/archaiki-periodos/" rel="nofollow">Base of a funerary kouros, Athens 510-500 BC, with wrestlers</a> – National Archaeological Museum Greece</font></p><p><br /></p><p>There are coins from Nicaea, Bithynia, showing the games of “<b>Severan Botherly Love</b>” or “<b>CЄOVHPIA ΦIΛAΔЄΛΦЄIA</b>” with prize crowns highlighting “<b>IEPOC AGWN</b>” or “<b>Holy Games</b>” – perhaps wishfully promoting good relations between the two princes. CNG Article <a href="https://www.cngcoins.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=371" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cngcoins.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=371" rel="nofollow">here</a> and <a href="https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=222832" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=222832" rel="nofollow">here</a>. Knowing the end of the story, it is hard to see anything other than irony in games of "Brotherly Love" associated with Caracalla and Geta.</p><p><br /></p><p>While my coin, doesn’t explicitly mention the Holy Games or the Severan Games, it is from local Nicean games of Severus celebrating the royal family if not more specifically the elevation of Caracalla and Geta to Augustus and Caesar. The local Severan games were modeled on the Pythian games honoring the emperor and imperial cult in place of Apollo. It is not clear to me if this is the same event or series of events referenced in the coins above.</p><p><br /></p><p>This coin attracted my attention for its very clear strike of a prize crown with palm branch.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1144008[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>Geta, as Caesar</b>, Nicaea, Bithynia, AD 198-209</p><p><b>Obv:</b> [ΓЄTAC] KAICAP, bare-headed bust right</p><p><b>Rev:</b> NIKAIЄΩN, prize crown containing single palm branch</p><p><b>Size:</b> 17mm., 2.55g</p><p><b>Ref:</b> <a href="https://www.asiaminorcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=11899" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.asiaminorcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=11899" rel="nofollow">AsiaMinorCoins 11899</a>; missing from RPC online?</p><p><br /></p><p>There are very similar coins issued for (links to ACSearch entries provided):</p><ul> <li><a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=4533518" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=4533518" rel="nofollow">Julia Maesa</a>, aunt (sister to Julia Domna)<br /> </li> <li><a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=800316" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=800316" rel="nofollow">Julia Domna</a>, mother</li> <li><a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=5062765" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=5062765" rel="nofollow">Caracalla</a>, brother</li> </ul><p>as well as later issues for <a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=4017705" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=4017705" rel="nofollow">Julia Mamaea</a> (neice to Julia Domna) and her son <a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3344607" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3344607" rel="nofollow">Severus Alexander</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=6134701" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=6134701" rel="nofollow">One example</a> for Geta includes the additional “CЄOVIPЄIA” (Severan) on the reverse, compared to my coin.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Honors bestowed (and taken away) by the emperor</b></p><p><br /></p><p>Nicaea was on the losing side at the beginning of Septimius' run for emperor in the year of 5 emperors. The Battle of Nicaea was fought in 193 between the forces of Septimius Severus and his rival, Pescennius Niger. Severus was the victor, and Niger’s bid was ended the next year at Issus. Septimius penalized Nicaea for not supporting him with the removal of their neokoroi, literally a word combining νεώς 'temple' + κορέω 'to sweep', honoring a town with a sacred temple to the Roman emperor. Septimius Severus also rewarded Nicaea’s rival for leading city of Bithynia, Nicomedia, with a second neokoria for their support.</p><p><br /></p><p>Caracalla appears to have intervened on behalf of Antioch and Byzantium, to restore them to the good favor of the emperor. He may have also intervened on behalf of Nicaea.</p><p><br /></p><blockquote><p><font size="4">“It was at his [Caracalla’s] plea, moreover, that their [Byzantium’s] ancient rights were restored to the citizens of Antioch and Byzantium, with whom Severus had become angry because they had given aid to Niger.”</font></p><p><font size="4">-Scriptores Historiae Augustae <a href="https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Historia_Augusta/Caracalla*.html#p3" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Historia_Augusta/Caracalla*.html#p3" rel="nofollow">The Life of Antoninus Caracalla 1.7</a></font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p><b>When were these games held? (and who attended?)</b></p><p><br /></p><p>The right to host games was another honor that could be bestowed as a sign of favor of the emperor. [<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Neokoroi-Emperors-Cincinnati-Classical-Studies/dp/9004125787" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.amazon.com/Neokoroi-Emperors-Cincinnati-Classical-Studies/dp/9004125787" rel="nofollow">Burrell</a>] Nicaea was honored to celebrate agonistic festivals (games festivals) in honor of the Septimius Severus and his two sons.</p><p><br /></p><blockquote><p><font size="4">“There took place also during those days a gymnastic contest, at which so great a multitude of athletes assembled, under compulsion, that we wondered how the course could contain them all. And in this contest women took part, vying with one another most fiercely, with the result that jokes were made about other very distinguished women as well. Therefore, it was henceforth forbidden for any woman, no matter what her origin, to fight in single combat.”</font></p><p><font size="4">-Dio <a href="https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/76*.html#p235" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/76*.html#p235" rel="nofollow">LXXVI.16.1</a> (referencing games of AD ~200 in Nicaea)</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>The games shown on this coin appear to date between AD 198 and 204. This coin could come from the games sponsored to celebrate the brotherly love of Caracalla and Geta and their elevations in 198 to Caesar (Geta) and Augustus (Caracalla). This article, <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiFjvy209npAhW9kHIEHYo2BcMQFjAAegQIAhAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.awk.nrw.de%2Fpublikationen%2Fsonderreihe-papyrologica-coloniensia%2Fdownload%2FPublication.html%3Ftx_awkpublications_list%255BfileName%255D%3DSD11_Weiser_Katalog-der-Bithynischen-Muenzen-der-Sammlung-des-Instituts-fuer-Altertumskunde-der-Universitaet-zu-Koeln_Band-1_Nikaia.pdf%26tx_awkpublications_list%255BfilePath%255D%3Dfileadmin%2Fredaktion%2FPublikationen%2FSD_Papyrologica-Coloniensia%2FSD11_Weiser_Katalog-der-Bithynischen-Muenzen-der-Sammlung-des-Instituts-fuer-Altertumskunde-der-Universitaet-zu-Koeln_Band-1_Nikaia.pdf%26cHash%3D8f77445cb8acbb1ecaca5c4e2641f270&usg=AOvVaw2qa6gN44WIsdK-7BDiOuIB" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiFjvy209npAhW9kHIEHYo2BcMQFjAAegQIAhAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.awk.nrw.de%2Fpublikationen%2Fsonderreihe-papyrologica-coloniensia%2Fdownload%2FPublication.html%3Ftx_awkpublications_list%255BfileName%255D%3DSD11_Weiser_Katalog-der-Bithynischen-Muenzen-der-Sammlung-des-Instituts-fuer-Altertumskunde-der-Universitaet-zu-Koeln_Band-1_Nikaia.pdf%26tx_awkpublications_list%255BfilePath%255D%3Dfileadmin%2Fredaktion%2FPublikationen%2FSD_Papyrologica-Coloniensia%2FSD11_Weiser_Katalog-der-Bithynischen-Muenzen-der-Sammlung-des-Instituts-fuer-Altertumskunde-der-Universitaet-zu-Koeln_Band-1_Nikaia.pdf%26cHash%3D8f77445cb8acbb1ecaca5c4e2641f270&usg=AOvVaw2qa6gN44WIsdK-7BDiOuIB" rel="nofollow">Weiser</a> p121, describes the games of “Severeia Philadelphia” in happening in 204.</p><p><br /></p><p>In <a href="http://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=36795.0;wap2" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=36795.0;wap2" rel="nofollow">this thread</a> on forvm, [USER=89514]@curtislclay[/USER] discusses the question:</p><p><br /></p><blockquote><p><font size="4"><i>“Is it possible that the emperors actually attended these games, on the occasion of a visit to Nicaea in c. summer-autumn 198 when they supervised the construction of siege engines for their second attempt to capture the city of Hatra in Mesopotamia?”</i></font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p><b>Post-game</b></p><p><br /></p><p>The hopes of these holy games, Philadelphia (Brotherly love), clearly didn't work out. Septimius Severus, father to Caracalla and Geta, died 4-Feb-211, and within the year, Caracalla had ordered the murder of his brother. Geta died in the arms of his mother, Julia Domna, on 26-Dec-211, killed by the Praetorian guard loyal to Caracalla. Then Caracalla took further actions against any supporters of his brother, and attempted to erase the memory of Geta with <i>damnatio memoriae</i>.</p><p><br /></p><p>Additions, correction, and comments are always appreciated. <b>Post your coins of Greek and Roman athletic events, prize crowns, Severan princes or anything else that you find interesting or entertaining.</b></p><p><br /></p><p><font size="3"><u>References</u></font></p><ul> <li><font size="3">Burrell, B. (2004). <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Neokoroi-Emperors-Cincinnati-Classical-Studies/dp/9004125787" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.amazon.com/Neokoroi-Emperors-Cincinnati-Classical-Studies/dp/9004125787" rel="nofollow"><i>Neokoroi: Greek cities and Roman emperors</i></a>. Leiden: Brill, Ch. 16 163-165</font></li> <li><font size="3">W. Weiser, <a href="https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783531099194" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783531099194" rel="nofollow"><i>Katalog der bithynischen Münzen</i></a><i> der Sammlung des Instituts für Altertumskunde der Universität zu Köln. Band. 1. Nikaia. Mit einer Untersuchung der Prägesysteme und Gegenstempel</i> (Opladen, 1983) "die großen (FestspieLe) des Severus und der einträchtigen Brüder (Caracalla und Geta)". Dieses Fest wurde im Jahr 204 gefeiert (C.Bosch (1950) 8.90-91 und 95-96)”</font></li> <li><font size="3">Brothers, B (2019) PhD Thesis, <a href="https://open.library.ubc.ca/cIRcle/collections/ubctheses/24/items/1.0386768" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://open.library.ubc.ca/cIRcle/collections/ubctheses/24/items/1.0386768" rel="nofollow">Spectacles as a Medium for Dynastic Promotion in the Severan Age </a>, The University of British Columbia</font></li> </ul><p>[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Sulla80, post: 4620367, member: 99456"][ATTACH=full]1144001[/ATTACH] [SIZE=3][URL='https://www.namuseum.gr/en/collection/archaiki-periodos/']Base of a funerary kouros, Athens 510-500 BC, with wrestlers[/URL] – National Archaeological Museum Greece[/SIZE] There are coins from Nicaea, Bithynia, showing the games of “[B]Severan Botherly Love[/B]” or “[B]CЄOVHPIA ΦIΛAΔЄΛΦЄIA[/B]” with prize crowns highlighting “[B]IEPOC AGWN[/B]” or “[B]Holy Games[/B]” – perhaps wishfully promoting good relations between the two princes. CNG Article [URL='https://www.cngcoins.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=371']here[/URL] and [URL='https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=222832']here[/URL]. Knowing the end of the story, it is hard to see anything other than irony in games of "Brotherly Love" associated with Caracalla and Geta. While my coin, doesn’t explicitly mention the Holy Games or the Severan Games, it is from local Nicean games of Severus celebrating the royal family if not more specifically the elevation of Caracalla and Geta to Augustus and Caesar. The local Severan games were modeled on the Pythian games honoring the emperor and imperial cult in place of Apollo. It is not clear to me if this is the same event or series of events referenced in the coins above. This coin attracted my attention for its very clear strike of a prize crown with palm branch. [ATTACH=full]1144008[/ATTACH] [B]Geta, as Caesar[/B], Nicaea, Bithynia, AD 198-209 [B]Obv:[/B] [ΓЄTAC] KAICAP, bare-headed bust right [B]Rev:[/B] NIKAIЄΩN, prize crown containing single palm branch [B]Size:[/B] 17mm., 2.55g [B]Ref:[/B] [URL='https://www.asiaminorcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=11899']AsiaMinorCoins 11899[/URL]; missing from RPC online? There are very similar coins issued for (links to ACSearch entries provided): [LIST] [*][URL='https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=4533518']Julia Maesa[/URL], aunt (sister to Julia Domna) [*][URL='https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=800316']Julia Domna[/URL], mother [*][URL='https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=5062765']Caracalla[/URL], brother [/LIST] as well as later issues for [URL='https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=4017705']Julia Mamaea[/URL] (neice to Julia Domna) and her son [URL='https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3344607']Severus Alexander[/URL]. [URL='https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=6134701']One example[/URL] for Geta includes the additional “CЄOVIPЄIA” (Severan) on the reverse, compared to my coin. [B]Honors bestowed (and taken away) by the emperor[/B] Nicaea was on the losing side at the beginning of Septimius' run for emperor in the year of 5 emperors. The Battle of Nicaea was fought in 193 between the forces of Septimius Severus and his rival, Pescennius Niger. Severus was the victor, and Niger’s bid was ended the next year at Issus. Septimius penalized Nicaea for not supporting him with the removal of their neokoroi, literally a word combining νεώς 'temple' + κορέω 'to sweep', honoring a town with a sacred temple to the Roman emperor. Septimius Severus also rewarded Nicaea’s rival for leading city of Bithynia, Nicomedia, with a second neokoria for their support. Caracalla appears to have intervened on behalf of Antioch and Byzantium, to restore them to the good favor of the emperor. He may have also intervened on behalf of Nicaea. [INDENT][SIZE=4]“It was at his [Caracalla’s] plea, moreover, that their [Byzantium’s] ancient rights were restored to the citizens of Antioch and Byzantium, with whom Severus had become angry because they had given aid to Niger.” -Scriptores Historiae Augustae [URL='https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Historia_Augusta/Caracalla*.html#p3']The Life of Antoninus Caracalla 1.7[/URL][/SIZE][/INDENT] [B]When were these games held? (and who attended?)[/B] The right to host games was another honor that could be bestowed as a sign of favor of the emperor. [[URL='https://www.amazon.com/Neokoroi-Emperors-Cincinnati-Classical-Studies/dp/9004125787']Burrell[/URL]] Nicaea was honored to celebrate agonistic festivals (games festivals) in honor of the Septimius Severus and his two sons. [INDENT][SIZE=4]“There took place also during those days a gymnastic contest, at which so great a multitude of athletes assembled, under compulsion, that we wondered how the course could contain them all. And in this contest women took part, vying with one another most fiercely, with the result that jokes were made about other very distinguished women as well. Therefore, it was henceforth forbidden for any woman, no matter what her origin, to fight in single combat.” -Dio [URL='https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/76*.html#p235']LXXVI.16.1[/URL] (referencing games of AD ~200 in Nicaea)[/SIZE][/INDENT] The games shown on this coin appear to date between AD 198 and 204. This coin could come from the games sponsored to celebrate the brotherly love of Caracalla and Geta and their elevations in 198 to Caesar (Geta) and Augustus (Caracalla). This article, [URL='https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiFjvy209npAhW9kHIEHYo2BcMQFjAAegQIAhAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.awk.nrw.de%2Fpublikationen%2Fsonderreihe-papyrologica-coloniensia%2Fdownload%2FPublication.html%3Ftx_awkpublications_list%255BfileName%255D%3DSD11_Weiser_Katalog-der-Bithynischen-Muenzen-der-Sammlung-des-Instituts-fuer-Altertumskunde-der-Universitaet-zu-Koeln_Band-1_Nikaia.pdf%26tx_awkpublications_list%255BfilePath%255D%3Dfileadmin%2Fredaktion%2FPublikationen%2FSD_Papyrologica-Coloniensia%2FSD11_Weiser_Katalog-der-Bithynischen-Muenzen-der-Sammlung-des-Instituts-fuer-Altertumskunde-der-Universitaet-zu-Koeln_Band-1_Nikaia.pdf%26cHash%3D8f77445cb8acbb1ecaca5c4e2641f270&usg=AOvVaw2qa6gN44WIsdK-7BDiOuIB']Weiser[/URL] p121, describes the games of “Severeia Philadelphia” in happening in 204. In [URL='http://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=36795.0;wap2']this thread[/URL] on forvm, [USER=89514]@curtislclay[/USER] discusses the question: [INDENT][SIZE=4][I]“Is it possible that the emperors actually attended these games, on the occasion of a visit to Nicaea in c. summer-autumn 198 when they supervised the construction of siege engines for their second attempt to capture the city of Hatra in Mesopotamia?”[/I][/SIZE][/INDENT] [B]Post-game[/B] The hopes of these holy games, Philadelphia (Brotherly love), clearly didn't work out. Septimius Severus, father to Caracalla and Geta, died 4-Feb-211, and within the year, Caracalla had ordered the murder of his brother. Geta died in the arms of his mother, Julia Domna, on 26-Dec-211, killed by the Praetorian guard loyal to Caracalla. Then Caracalla took further actions against any supporters of his brother, and attempted to erase the memory of Geta with [I]damnatio memoriae[/I]. Additions, correction, and comments are always appreciated. [B]Post your coins of Greek and Roman athletic events, prize crowns, Severan princes or anything else that you find interesting or entertaining.[/B] [SIZE=3][U]References[/U][/SIZE] [LIST] [*][SIZE=3]Burrell, B. (2004). [URL='https://www.amazon.com/Neokoroi-Emperors-Cincinnati-Classical-Studies/dp/9004125787'][I]Neokoroi: Greek cities and Roman emperors[/I][/URL]. Leiden: Brill, Ch. 16 163-165[/SIZE] [*][SIZE=3]W. Weiser, [URL='https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783531099194'][I]Katalog der bithynischen Münzen[/I][/URL][I] der Sammlung des Instituts für Altertumskunde der Universität zu Köln. Band. 1. Nikaia. Mit einer Untersuchung der Prägesysteme und Gegenstempel[/I] (Opladen, 1983) "die großen (FestspieLe) des Severus und der einträchtigen Brüder (Caracalla und Geta)". Dieses Fest wurde im Jahr 204 gefeiert (C.Bosch (1950) 8.90-91 und 95-96)”[/SIZE] [*][SIZE=3]Brothers, B (2019) PhD Thesis, [URL='https://open.library.ubc.ca/cIRcle/collections/ubctheses/24/items/1.0386768']Spectacles as a Medium for Dynastic Promotion in the Severan Age [/URL], The University of British Columbia[/SIZE] [/LIST][/QUOTE]
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