I have this coin and one more to show from my buying spree in February. I bought this as my second coin of this lady of Rome. Julia Mamaea AR Denarius OBV: IVLIA MAMAEA AVG, diademed and draped bust right REV: FELICITAS PVBLICA, Felicity seated left, holding caduceus and cornucopia Struck at Rome, 230 AD RIC 338
Nice & better reverse. Ive gone through 5 Mamaeas since I started. I got one in Long Beach which will be the keeper for years to come. I just havent posted it yet even though its over a month old like yours. Maybe this weekend.
That's a very nice coin. Nice engraving style. Higher grade than mine, but then again I only paid $19 for it.
In ancient Roman culture, felicitas (from the Latin adjective felix, "fruitful, blessed, happy, lucky") is a condition of divinely inspired productivity, blessedness, or happiness. Felicitas could encompass both a woman's fertility, and a general's luck or good fortune. The divine personification of Felicitas was cultivated as a goddess. Although felicitas may be translated as "good luck," and the goddess Felicitas shares some characteristics and attributes withFortuna, the two were distinguished in Roman religion. Fortuna was unpredictable and her effects could be negative, as the existence of an altar to Mala Fortuna ("Bad Luck") acknowledges. Felicitas, however, always had a positive significance. She appears with several different epithets that focus on aspects of her divine power. Felicitas had a temple in Rome as early as the mid-2nd century BC, and during the Republican era was honored at two official festivals of Roman state religion, on July 1 in conjunction with Juno and October 9 as Fausta Felicitas. Felicitas continued to play an important role in Imperial cult, and was frequently portrayed on coins as a symbol of the wealth and prosperity of the Roman Empire. Her primary attributes are the caduceus and cornucopia.
Nice!! ... wow Bing, another wonderful coin you wily ol' rascal!! (well done!!) Oh, for the record, I home "sick" today ... but not too sick to click-away on the ol' computer (it must just be a 24 hour work-flu?)
Bing, another beautiful coin and a great thread with copious information. Well-done on the acquisition! :thumb:
I neglected to put in the weight and measurement: 2.8g, 21mm. Also, this coin has high relief especially on the obverse.
I like the metal flow patterns on well-struck denarii - where the silver is rushing out to the edges, the edges are thick, and the devices are crisp. Your coins has all of those eye-appealing elements.
ahahahah, Bing ... "Hopefully", things will be okay and I'm sure that my relief-squad would jump to the pump, if necessary ... => "teach a man to fish ... and then the teacher can go fishing!!" stevex6
