Elagabalus issued two denarii for his grandmother, Julia Maesa, with a Pietas reverse type: RIC 263, on which the goddess is depicting standing left, dropping incense with right hand over lighted altar and holding box in left hand, and this one, RIC 266, where she does not have an incense box but holds both hands in the air. I had to laugh at the hilariously malproportioned hands on this one! Obviously, Pietas is doing a song and dance number and making jazz hands! Post your coins with comically malproportioned features, Julia Maesas, Pietas, or anything you feel is relevant! Julia Maesa, AD 218-225. Roman AR denarius, 2.38, 18.7 mm, 2.70 g, 11h. Rome, AD 218-220. Obv: IVLIA MAESA AVG, bare-headed and draped bust right. Rev: PIETAS AVG, Pietas standing left, both hands raised, before lighted altar. Refs: RIC 266; BMCRE 75; Cohen 34; RCV 7755; Thirion 410; CRE 490.
Minerva below has a left arm long enough to reach down to her knees, and to make matters worse, the hand on that arm looks distinctly like a crab’s claw. At least your Pietas has fingers! Another huge hand: And let’s not forget those Tetrarchal portraits with the humongous heads and baby T-Rex hands.
Great weirdo hands. Or is this evidence for baseball and gloves amongst the ancients? On the opposite end of the hand-size scale, I always thought there was something a little weird about Crispus and his tiny baby hand: Crispus - Æ 3 (322-323 A.D.) Trier Mint - Officina 1 IVL CRISPVS NOB CAES Laureate, cuirassed bust left, spear over shoulder & shield / BEATA TRANQVILLITAS altar inscribed VO/TIS/XX, globe and three stars above, •PTR• in exergue. RIC VII, 374 Trier
Such a big hand most certainly wears a base ball glove.... And what about Juno Sospita throwing a spear with the right hand....but above her left shoulder ! Q
I get it. Mars was a macho dude and all but come on no woman could find THAT appealing...wait, what?? I mean, yeah of course it's a sword being held from an arm at crotch level. That's one long arm. Seriously though, love the thread. I always get a kick out of oddities on ancients. I'd been looking for a decent example of this type for some time. Victory's beauty on this one is undeniable. And just received my winnings from Aureo Calico. Very pleased. L. Valerius Flacci Denarius 108 or 107, AR 3.97 g. Draped bust of Victory r.; below chin, Ú. Rev. L•VALERI / FLACCI Mars walking l., holding spear and trophy over l. shoulder; before, apex and behind, corn ear. Babelon Valeria 11. Sydenham 565. Crawford 306/1.
CONSTANTINE I AE4 OBVERSE: DV CONSTANTI-NVS PT AVGG, veiled head right REVERSE: No legend, emperor veiled to right in quadriga, the hand of God reaches down to him, star in top centre Struck at Constantinople, 337-340 AD 1.39g, 16mm RIC VIII 39