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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Mikey Zee, post: 2766944, member: 72818&quot;]One glance at this Severan bronze, typically referred to as an &#039;Assarion&#039; (The <i><b>as</b></i> --plural <i>asses</i>, also <i><b>assarius</b></i> (rendered into <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_language" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_language" rel="nofollow">Greek</a> as ἀσσάριον, <i>assarion</i>)<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/As_(Roman_coin)#cite_note-ODB-1" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/As_(Roman_coin)#cite_note-ODB-1" rel="nofollow">[1]</a> was a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronze" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronze" rel="nofollow">bronze</a>, and later <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper" rel="nofollow">copper</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coin" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coin" rel="nofollow">coin</a> used during the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Republic" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Republic" rel="nofollow">Roman Republic</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Empire" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Empire" rel="nofollow">Roman Empir</a>e) and it&#039;s obvious why the reverse compelled me to purchase this coin. Fortunately, it was offered at Forvm on lay-a-way, just accommodating the remaining balance of my then prevailing coin budget.</p><p><br /></p><p>So, I&#039;m sure many are wondering, just who is that obscure figure &#039;Thanatos&#039;....and what is the &#039;Elysium&#039; connection??? Not to mention; What precisely was the &#039;reverse&#039; meant to communicate?</p><p><br /></p><p>Thanatos was a Greco/Roman mythological figure that seems to have transformed over time and space from a discredited entity to a far more benevolent spirit or daemon with a rather interesting &#039;family line&#039;. On this specific coin, he is seemingly a pouting cupid-like angel of death.<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie100" alt=":wideyed:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie2" alt=";)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>&quot;He was the daemonic representation of death in Ancient Greek mythology (daemonic here is used with its classical meaning, which refers to benevolent or benign nature spirits). He did not play a major part in Greek mythology and rarely appeared in any stories, as he was mostly displaced by <a href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Olympians/Hades/hades.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Olympians/Hades/hades.html" rel="nofollow">Hades</a>, the god of the Underworld.&quot;</p><p><br /></p><p>&quot;<a href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Thanatos/thanatos.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Thanatos/thanatos.html" rel="nofollow">Thanatos</a> was believed to be merciless and indiscriminate, and both <a href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Mortals/mortals.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Mortals/mortals.html" rel="nofollow">mortals</a> and gods hated him. However, he could sometimes be outsmarted. In a myth, <a href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Thanatos/thanatos.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Thanatos/thanatos.html" rel="nofollow">Thanatos</a> was told by <a href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Olympians/Zeus/zeus.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Olympians/Zeus/zeus.html" rel="nofollow">Zeus</a> to chain King <a href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Mortals/Sisyphus/sisyphus.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Mortals/Sisyphus/sisyphus.html" rel="nofollow">Sisyphus</a> in the Underworld, as it was time for him to die. <a href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Mortals/Sisyphus/sisyphus.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Mortals/Sisyphus/sisyphus.html" rel="nofollow">Sisyphus</a> managed to chain <a href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Thanatos/thanatos.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Thanatos/thanatos.html" rel="nofollow">Thanatos</a> in his own fetters, thus protecting all <a href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Mortals/mortals.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Mortals/mortals.html" rel="nofollow">mortals</a> from dying while the god was chained. In the end, god <a href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Olympians/Aris/aris.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Olympians/Aris/aris.html" rel="nofollow">Ares</a>, angry that at the wars he waged no one died, freed <a href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Thanatos/thanatos.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Thanatos/thanatos.html" rel="nofollow">Thanatos</a> and gave <a href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Mortals/Sisyphus/sisyphus.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Mortals/Sisyphus/sisyphus.html" rel="nofollow">Sisyphus</a> to him&quot;</p><p><br /></p><p>&quot;He was the son of <a href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Nyx/nyx.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Nyx/nyx.html" rel="nofollow">Nyx</a> (the Night) and <a href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Erebus/erebus.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Erebus/erebus.html" rel="nofollow">Erebos</a> (the Darkness), while his twin brother was <a href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Hypnos/hypnos.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Hypnos/hypnos.html" rel="nofollow">Hypnos</a> (the Sleep). Other siblings of <a href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Thanatos/thanatos.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Thanatos/thanatos.html" rel="nofollow">Thanatos</a> and <a href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Hypnos/hypnos.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Hypnos/hypnos.html" rel="nofollow">Hypnos</a> included <a href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Geras/geras.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Geras/geras.html" rel="nofollow">Geras</a> (old age), <a href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Eris/eris.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Eris/eris.html" rel="nofollow">Eris</a> (strife), <a href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Nemesis/nemesis.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Nemesis/nemesis.html" rel="nofollow">Nemesis</a> (retribution), <a href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Apate/apate.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Apate/apate.html" rel="nofollow">Apate</a> (deception) and Charon (the boatman that led the souls to the Underworld).&quot; (Courtesy: <a href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Thanatos/thanatos.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Thanatos/thanatos.html" rel="nofollow">Thanatos: GreekMythology.com</a>).</p><p><br /></p><p>Elysium was a far more desirous vision of the after-life than that of the traditional Greco/Roman Underworld or Hades. There are many examples of use of the name &quot;Elysium&quot; in popular culture. For example, Elysium is briefly mentioned in Ridley Scott&#039;s film <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gladiator_(2000_film)" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gladiator_(2000_film)" rel="nofollow">Gladiator</a></i>, wherein the general Maximus addresses his troops thus: &quot;If you find yourself alone, fighting in the green fields with the sun on your face, do not be troubled. <i>For you are in Elysium</i>, and you&#039;re already dead!&quot;</p><p><br /></p><p>For further reading:</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elysium" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elysium" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elysium</a></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanatos" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanatos" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanatos</a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>According to FORVM:</p><p><br /></p><p>&quot;The figure on the reverse is sometimes identified as Eros (Cupid) or a generic winged Genius. The inverted torch represents a life extinguished, indicating the figure is Thanatos (death). By the Severan Era, there was increased hope for an afterlife in pleasant Elysium rather than in dismal Hades. Thanatos was associated more with a gentle passing than a woeful demise. Thanatos as a winged boy, very much akin to Cupid, with crossed legs and an inverted torch, became the most common symbol for death, depicted on many Roman sarcophagi.&quot;</p><p><br /></p><p>Lastly, I have not discovered any reference that &#039;Thanatos&#039; was meant as a commemorative for the death of any Severan family member or close associate so the precise meaning may be lost in the mist of time. Speculating, I assume it was meant to offer solace to the population of a pleasant after-life after the trial and tribulations of this mortal existence---and a reminder of the reward the soldiers would eventually receive by constantly placing their lives in harms way for the glory and survival of the Empire???</p><p><br /></p><p>The more I &#039;researched&#039; this coin, the more relieved I was that I immediately placed it on reserve--- potentially losing it weeks later would have been unbearable. It seems Severan coins of this type or variety are regarded as common to scarce or even rare and priced accordingly. My example with the bust of Geta seems to be considered about &#039;highly scarce&#039; and pricier than others previously sold at auction. Prior to coming across this coin, I had only the vaguest impression of &#039;Cupid&#039; depicted in this manner and that was solely on Roman sarcophagi.</p><p><br /></p><p>I hope you all like this cool bronze as much as I do<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>Please indulge yourselves......There are so many relevant choices to choose from and post. I&#039;m dying to see what you all have. I know [USER=19463]@dougsmit[/USER] has a super example to share.<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie8" alt=":D" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>Bronze assarion, Schönert-GeissAugusta Traiana 501 (V145/R422), Varbanov II 1276 (R3), Moushmov 3087, SNG Cop -, BMC Thrace -, Nice EF, attractive portrait and reverse style, nice green patina, centered on a tight flan, some light scratches and marks, Augusta Traiana (Stara Zagora, Bulgaria) mint, weight 3.247g, maximum diameter 18.1mm, die axis 180o, 209 - c. 26 Dec 211 A.D.; obverse AV K Π CE-ΠTI ΓETAC, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, from behind; reverse AVΓOVCTH TPAIANH, Thanatos standing right with legs crossed, left hand to face, right resting on inverted torch; <b>scarce.</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><img src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&amp;ik=d585a8dc82&amp;view=fimg&amp;th=15c836c82e89b3cb&amp;attid=0.1&amp;disp=emb&amp;realattid=ii_15c836c227797e9a&amp;attbid=ANGjdJ_Vey5Rkg7mTBFUaYFgmfmMBwWqxYOnOXvT_z5HLJl3baaulRRqEvAsuAlhkVLGWGiXaVsMeaL9D-wAdiWr3VbelHbvB2c_V1nMP73LLBGGgh20xMemtDXh_DM&amp;sz=w1088-h532&amp;ats=1497278141989&amp;rm=15c836c82e89b3cb&amp;zw&amp;atsh=1" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>[ATTACH=full]637400[/ATTACH] </b>[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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