I just received this COMES AVGG ant for Maximianus (RIC V.2 353), featuring Minerva. It's a type I've wanted for a long time - just waiting for the right one to come along. My initial interest in the type was the COMES theme, as a precursor to Constantine's SOLI INVICTO COMITI, although I'm not sure it's really comparable. The COMES AVGGG type, with Minerva, was struck for all members of the 1st tetrarchy, and seems more like a claim to the wisdom of Minerva as opposed to Constantine's claim to Sol himself as personal "companion". Maybe a better excuse to own this type is that it fits into my "changing pagan to Christian themes" collection focus (based on Constantine I), with this being one of the last appearances of Minerva, who had been part of the Capitoline Triad, one of the oldest pagan institutions - based on a corresponding Etruscan triad. The other members of the triad, Jupiter and Juno, survive onto Constantine's coinage, but Minerva herself seems to have seen her last real hurrah on this COMES type. Juno only barely makes it, being included only once on an IVNONI REGINAE type for Constantine's new wife Fausta in 307 AD. All pictures below are from auction archives, not my collection. This Fausta is ex. NAC 84. While Minerva herself doesn't survive onto Constantine's coinage, she is invoked via her attributes on a solidus from 313 AD declaring the princes' (Constantine & Licinius) wisdom on occasion of the edict of Milan. A variation of the same type was also issued as a bronze fraction (perhaps for throwing to the plebes). After receiving my new COMES AVGG, I was curious to check what appearances there are of the Capitoline Triad on imperial coins. Of course the members appear many times individually, but much less frequently together. Two of these appearances are indirect via their associated bird types (eagle for Jupiter, owl for Minerva, and peacock for Juno), as illustrated by this 2ndC sculpture in the Rodolfo Lanciani museum: Here's Hadrian referring to the Capitoline Triad on occasion of his 3rd consulship, issuing both medallions and quadrans of the same type: Antoninus Pius then follows Hadrian and does the same thing for his 3rd consulship: Finally, there's a unique unlisted denarius by Septimius Severus featuring the triad members themselves, seated on a bench similar to the sculpture above. Interestingly this Severus denarius was also issued on occasion of his 3rd consulship, the same occasion chosen by Hadrian and Antoninus Pius... I have to wonder if this was done deliberately: Capitoline Triad to celebrate a triad of consulships ?! As it happens, the Constantine SAPIENTA types, invoking Minerva, being issued in 313 AD, also falls into the year of his 3rd consulship, which seems a bit of a tenuous connection to the above, but who knows ... Please post your Capitoline Triad related types!
Minerva and Jupiter for Constantius from Lyon Constantius I A.D. 294-5 Ӕ Antoninianus 23x24mm 3.3gm CONSTANTIVS NOB C; Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. COMES AVGG; Minerva standing left, holding spear and resting left hand on shield In ex. B RIC V Lugdunum 627; Bastien 629 Constantius I A.D. 293 Ӕ Antoninianus 21x22mm 2.1gm CONSTANTIVS NOB C; Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. IOVI AVGG; Jupiter seated left, holding victory on globe and scepter. In ex. I cf. RIC V Lugdunum 629 RIC only lists this issue with the longer obverse legend of FL VAL CONSTANTIVS (RIC 629). It is not in Bastien either. Diocletian A.D. 292- 293 Ӕ Antoninianus 22x23mm 3.6gm IMP DIOCLETIANVS AVG; Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. COMES AVGG; Minerva standing left, holding spear and resting left hand on shield In ex. C RIC V Lugdunum – Not in RIC for workshop C and two Minerva with PAX legends from Maximianus Maximianus A.D. 292- 293 Ӕ Antoninianus 21x23mm 3.1g IMP MAXIMIANVS AVG; radiate helmet and cuirassed bust right PAX AVGG; Minerva stg. l., leaning on shield, holding olive branch and spear; B in left field. In ex. crescent RIC Vii Lugdunum 404 Maximianus A.D. 292- 293 Ӕ Antoninianus 21x22mm 3.0g IMP MAXIMIANVS AVG; radiate helmet and cuirassed bust right PAX AVGG; Minerva stg. l., leaning on shield, holding olive branch and spear. In ex. A RIC Vii Lugdunum 404; Bastien 503 Workshop A is not in RIC
