Nice coin of Julian

This is a coin I won in @John Anthony's recent auction. It comes from the Doug Smith collection and is now in my possession. It fills a hole in my collection - I didn't have a Julian and shows a nice, shiny green patina.

Julian AE20, Sirmium mint.
Obverse: DN FL CL IVLI-ANVS P F AVG
Reverse: VOTX MVLTXX in Wreath
RIC VIII 108 p. 393

 

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Also, let's see your Julians!

 

I particularly liked the style on the bust of that coin.

 

For LRBs, I like Julian coinage

 

Nice ones @Bing! Now I've got to get a large bronze with the Apis bull on the reverse, I love those!

 

Julian II
Coin: Bronze AE3
D N FL CL IVLI_ANVS P F AVG - Pearl-diademed, helmeted, cuirassed bust left, shield forward in left hand, spear forward in right
VOT / X / MVLT / XX - Legend in four lines surrounded by wreath terminating in large jewel Palm SIS palm in exergue
Mint: Siscia (361-362 AD)
Wt./Size/Axis: 2.64g / 21mm / -
References:

• RIC VIII, 415

 

I had one very similar but I can't seem to find it today. I always wondered why Julian used the great busts on the boring reverses and the ordinary ones on his bull coins.

A Julian siliqua would have been better with that bust, too.

 

Beautiful coins everybody. Also, I like Julian II coins, particulary AE1. I have these in collection:

 

Here's some history from Ammianus, Liber XXV:

Julianus, careless of his own safety, shouting and raising his hands tried to make it clear to his men that the enemy had fled in disorder, and, to rouse them to a still more furious pursuit, rushed boldly into the fight. His guards,15 who had scattered in their alarm, were crying to him from all sides to get clear of the mass of fugitives, as dangerous as the fall of a badly built roof, when suddenly — no one knows whence16— a cavalryman's spear grazed the skin of his arm, pierced his ribs, and lodged in the lower lobe of his liver. 7 While he was trying to pluck this out with his right hand, he felt that the sinews of his fingers were cut through on both sides by the sharp steel. Then he fell from his horse, all present hastened to the spot, he was taken to camp and given medical treatment.

 

It's a shame Julian died so early into his reign. I think he would have been a very fine ruler. He was also quite the wit. Read the Mispogon. Of all Roman emperors, he's one of the few that I'd like to sit down and chat with.

 

Julian has been said to the the best 'Christian' of the Constantinian Dynasty even though he was the one who did what he could to erase Christianity. He was raised in a Christian family whose religious views involved killing off as many relatives as you could find. Julian only lived because of his young age when the three brothers were busy killing each other and the other cousins. There are many books with various takes on Julian and his place in history. I have not read enough of them to suggest one over another but a visit to the local library might prove interesting.

 

I always love an excuse to post this, one of my favourite coins:



My notes on the bull:
Research indicates the common belief which identifies the bull with the Apis bull is probably wrong. An interesting passage from Dio Chrysostom compares a good ruler to a bull. Also, Julian was most likely born in May, in the sign of Taurus. The stars are probably the two important star clusters in Taurus, Pleiades and Hyades. Whether Taurus or Apis, this bull is pagan and this coin was the last pagan coin type issued by the Empire.

 

Cool addition!

 

Supposedly his last words were "Thou hast conquered, Galilean." I find this suspect though.

 

I like this one for the portrait style:


Julian II, 361-363
Roman Silvered AE 3 Centenionalis; 3.16 g. 18.3 mm
Antioch mint, AD 362-363
Obv: D N FL CL IVLIANVS P F, helmeted and cuirassed bust, left, holding spear and shield.
Rev: VOT X MVLT XX, legend within wreath; in exergue: ANTA between two palm fronds.
Refs: RIC 220; Cohen 151; RCV 19181; LRBC 2642

 

i read somewhere along the way that the bull had something to do with all the sacrifices he made to the pagan gods as he traveled about?

 

Beardless as caesar


Bearded as augustus

 

Nice examples @zumbly

 

The bull coinage apparently upset some of his Christian subjects. The people of Antioch even demonstrated against him “shouting…that his coinage had a bull and that the world was overturned.” (Socrates, Hist. Eccl. 3.17)

 

Cool coins.... and very interesting posts!

I'll add my 'skinny bull' variety---Cyzicus mint: