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<p>[QUOTE="Roman Collector, post: 3211255, member: 75937"]Over the long tenure of the Roman Empire, the personifications of <i>Hilaritas</i> and <i>Laetitia</i> were standard fare on coinage, particularly on the coins of empresses. Typically, they can be easily distinguished by the reverse inscriptions, though their attributes are different: <i>Hilaritas</i> typically holds a cornucopiae and palm branch or scepter and may be accompanied by children, whereas <i>Laetitia</i> typically holds some combination of a scepter, wreath, ears of grain, or an anchor or rudder.</p><p><br /></p><p>Let's see your Hilaritas or Laetitias or anything you feel is relevant!</p><p><br /></p><p>Here are a few examples of each from my collection:</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Hilaritas:</b></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]833817[/ATTACH]</p><p>Julia Domna, AD 193-217.</p><p>Roman AR denarius, 2.25 g, 17.5 mm, 6 h.</p><p>Rome, AD 202.</p><p>Obv: IVLIA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.</p><p>Rev: HILARITAS, Hilaritas standing left, holding long palm branch and scepter.</p><p>Refs: RIC 555; BMCRE 32-33; Cohen/RSC 76; RCV 6585; CRE 347.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]833825[/ATTACH]</p><p>Tetricus I, AD 271-274.</p><p>Roman billon antoninianus, 2.73 g, 20.3 mm, 7 h.</p><p>Mainz or Trier, AD 273-274.</p><p>Obv: IMP TETRICVS P F AVG, radiate, cuirassed bust right.</p><p>Rev: HILARITAS AVGG, Hilaritas standing left, holding long palm and cornucopiae.</p><p>Refs: RIC 80; Cohen 54; RCV 11237; Elmer 789; Hunter 16.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Laetitia:</b></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]833827[/ATTACH]</p><p>Faustina II, AD 147-175.</p><p>Roman AR denarius, 2.60 g, 17 mm, 7 h.</p><p>Rome, under Marcus Aurelius, AD 161-175 Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, draped bust right.</p><p>Rev: LAETITIA, Laetitia standing left, holding wreath and scepter.</p><p>Refs: RIC 700; BMCRE --; Cohen 147; RCV 5258 var; CRE 197.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]833948[/ATTACH] </p><p>Gallienus, AD 253-268.</p><p>Roman billon antoninianus, 3.20 g, 21.6 mm, 6 h.</p><p>Rome, AD 262-263.</p><p>Obv: GALLIENVS AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust, right.</p><p>Rev: LAETITIA AVG, Laetitia standing left, holding wreath and anchor, V in right field.</p><p>Refs: RIC 226F; Göbl 498q; Cohen/RSC 424; RCV 10250; Hunter 15.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>The difference in meaning between <i>hilaritas</i> and <i>laetitia</i>:</b></p><p><br /></p><p>Two personifications, two different sets of attributes, but what's the difference in meaning between <i>hilaritas</i> and <i>laetitia</i>? That's a little hard to answer because the difference is subtle, having more to do with connotation than denotation. It should be noted that the two words became synonymous in poetry and in later Latin prose. However, in classical Latin, <i>hilaritas</i> connotes a feeling of <a href="http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0060%3Aalphabetic+letter%3Dh%3Aentry+group%3D4%3Aentry%3Dhilaritas" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0060%3Aalphabetic+letter%3Dh%3Aentry+group%3D4%3Aentry%3Dhilaritas" rel="nofollow"><i>cheerfulness, gayety, joyousness, merriment, </i>or</a><i><a href="http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0060%3Aalphabetic+letter%3Dh%3Aentry+group%3D4%3Aentry%3Dhilaritas" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0060%3Aalphabetic+letter%3Dh%3Aentry+group%3D4%3Aentry%3Dhilaritas" rel="nofollow"> hilarity</a> </i>...</p><p>[ATTACH=full]833832[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>... whereas <i>laetitia</i> connotes a feeling of <a href="http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0060%3Aalphabetic+letter%3Dl%3Aentry+group%3D2%3Aentry%3Dlaetitia" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0060%3Aalphabetic+letter%3Dl%3Aentry+group%3D2%3Aentry%3Dlaetitia" rel="nofollow"><i>joy, exultation, rejoicing</i>, <i>gladness, pleasure, </i>or<i> delight</i></a>.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]833833[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>A helpful way to think of them is that <i>hilaritas</i> conveys a sense of happiness along with a sense of cheerfulness or merriment. THIS is <i>hilaritas</i>:</p><p><br /></p><p>[MEDIA=youtube]3GwjfUFyY6M[/MEDIA]</p><p><br /></p><p><i>Laetitia</i> conveys more a sense of joy and delight. THIS is <i>laetitia</i>:</p><p><br /></p><p>[MEDIA=youtube]o1FSN8_pp_o[/MEDIA][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Roman Collector, post: 3211255, member: 75937"]Over the long tenure of the Roman Empire, the personifications of [I]Hilaritas[/I] and [I]Laetitia[/I] were standard fare on coinage, particularly on the coins of empresses. Typically, they can be easily distinguished by the reverse inscriptions, though their attributes are different: [I]Hilaritas[/I] typically holds a cornucopiae and palm branch or scepter and may be accompanied by children, whereas [I]Laetitia[/I] typically holds some combination of a scepter, wreath, ears of grain, or an anchor or rudder. Let's see your Hilaritas or Laetitias or anything you feel is relevant! Here are a few examples of each from my collection: [B]Hilaritas:[/B] [ATTACH=full]833817[/ATTACH] Julia Domna, AD 193-217. Roman AR denarius, 2.25 g, 17.5 mm, 6 h. Rome, AD 202. Obv: IVLIA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: HILARITAS, Hilaritas standing left, holding long palm branch and scepter. Refs: RIC 555; BMCRE 32-33; Cohen/RSC 76; RCV 6585; CRE 347. [ATTACH=full]833825[/ATTACH] Tetricus I, AD 271-274. Roman billon antoninianus, 2.73 g, 20.3 mm, 7 h. Mainz or Trier, AD 273-274. Obv: IMP TETRICVS P F AVG, radiate, cuirassed bust right. Rev: HILARITAS AVGG, Hilaritas standing left, holding long palm and cornucopiae. Refs: RIC 80; Cohen 54; RCV 11237; Elmer 789; Hunter 16. [B]Laetitia:[/B] [ATTACH=full]833827[/ATTACH] Faustina II, AD 147-175. Roman AR denarius, 2.60 g, 17 mm, 7 h. Rome, under Marcus Aurelius, AD 161-175 Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, draped bust right. Rev: LAETITIA, Laetitia standing left, holding wreath and scepter. Refs: RIC 700; BMCRE --; Cohen 147; RCV 5258 var; CRE 197. [ATTACH=full]833948[/ATTACH] Gallienus, AD 253-268. Roman billon antoninianus, 3.20 g, 21.6 mm, 6 h. Rome, AD 262-263. Obv: GALLIENVS AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust, right. Rev: LAETITIA AVG, Laetitia standing left, holding wreath and anchor, V in right field. Refs: RIC 226F; Göbl 498q; Cohen/RSC 424; RCV 10250; Hunter 15. [B]The difference in meaning between [I]hilaritas[/I] and [I]laetitia[/I]:[/B] Two personifications, two different sets of attributes, but what's the difference in meaning between [I]hilaritas[/I] and [I]laetitia[/I]? That's a little hard to answer because the difference is subtle, having more to do with connotation than denotation. It should be noted that the two words became synonymous in poetry and in later Latin prose. However, in classical Latin, [I]hilaritas[/I] connotes a feeling of [URL='http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0060%3Aalphabetic+letter%3Dh%3Aentry+group%3D4%3Aentry%3Dhilaritas'][I]cheerfulness, gayety, joyousness, merriment, [/I]or[/URL][I][URL='http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0060%3Aalphabetic+letter%3Dh%3Aentry+group%3D4%3Aentry%3Dhilaritas'] hilarity[/URL] [/I]... [ATTACH=full]833832[/ATTACH] ... whereas [I]laetitia[/I] connotes a feeling of [URL='http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0060%3Aalphabetic+letter%3Dl%3Aentry+group%3D2%3Aentry%3Dlaetitia'][I]joy, exultation, rejoicing[/I], [I]gladness, pleasure, [/I]or[I] delight[/I][/URL]. [ATTACH=full]833833[/ATTACH] A helpful way to think of them is that [I]hilaritas[/I] conveys a sense of happiness along with a sense of cheerfulness or merriment. THIS is [I]hilaritas[/I]: [MEDIA=youtube]3GwjfUFyY6M[/MEDIA] [I]Laetitia[/I] conveys more a sense of joy and delight. THIS is [I]laetitia[/I]: [MEDIA=youtube]o1FSN8_pp_o[/MEDIA][/QUOTE]
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