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<p>[QUOTE="DonnaML, post: 8218717, member: 110350"]Wonderful write-up, [USER=87200]@ancient coin hunter[/USER]! I like the coin, and love that mosaic. It really brings the past to life.</p><p><br /></p><p>Your coin is a very interesting type. The letters "IS" in the upper part of the reverse field actually represent the number 16, with I standing for 10 and the S (really an <b>ϛ</b>, either a "stigma" or "final sigma" depending on what you read) standing for 6. Usually such numbers on Roman Egyptian coins, preceded by "L," represent the regnal year, but on this coin the regnal year is written out in the exergue, as L ΔWΔƐΚ, meaning the 12th year of Hadrian's reign. Therefore, the 16 refers instead to 16 cubits, the ideal flood depth for the Nile. See the Heritage description of a similar type (except that Nilus rests on a hippo instead of a crocodile) at <a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=8680442" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=8680442" rel="nofollow">https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=8680442</a>: "Although the regnal year is typically found in the fields on the reverse for Roman Egyptian coinage, on this issue the numeral in the central field represents 16 cubits on the Nilometer - the gauge which measured the annual flood crest of the Nile. Sixteen was the ideal level for agriculture in the Nile valley, whereas lower brought the danger of drought conditions, and much higher posed the possibility of damaging floods." See also the Harlan J. Berk example, at <a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=8935052" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=8935052" rel="nofollow">https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=8935052</a>, pointing out that RPC "unfortunately includes under the same catalogue number both of the main variants of this type, Nilus reclining on hippopotamus and Nilus reclining on crocodile," at RPC III 5717 (see <a href="https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/5717" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/5717" rel="nofollow">https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/5717</a>). </p><p><br /></p><p>So that's what the genius is pointing to!</p><p><br /></p><p>Berk notes that RPC "also leaves out mention of the genius on the cornucopia in its description of the type." (Id.) It's understandable that reference to the genius is often omitted; I can't really see it on your example or on many of the others at the RPC III 5717 link, even though I believe that all the types with the number I<b>ϛ</b> (16) in the reverse field are supposed to have the genius emerging from the cornucopiae and pointing to that number. See the Milne index at p. 144 col. 2, under the entry for "Nilus reclining." One way to tell the difference is that the usual depictions of Nilus on the reverse of Roman Egyptian coins (such as my Year 22 tetradrachm with Nilus seated and a crocodile beneath him, shown below) show Nilus with a cornucopiae in his left hand, behind him, and a reed in his right hand, in front of him. Your specimen, and all the other specimens of drachmae with I<b>ϛ </b>in the field and a genius pointing to it, show Nilus with the reed in his left hand behind him, whereas the cornucopiae with genius emerging is in his right hand, in front of him, so that the genius can point directly at the number.</p><p><br /></p><p>By the way, Milne 1269 is not the correct number, because that type has neither the number 16 nor the genius. (See Milne p. 31, footnoted with the reverse code "a1," and the index entry for a1 at p. 144 col. 1 under Nilus reclining.) The correct number is probably Milne 1264. (See Milne p. 31, footnoted with the reverse code "c1," and the index entry for c1 at p. 144 col. 2 under Nilus reclining, describing it as "cornucopiae in right hand, reed in left: from cornucopiae issues genius with staff in right hand, pointing with left [hand] at letters Iϛ in field.) If it isn't Milne 1264, then it's Milne 1266, also at Milne p. 31, with the reverse code "c4," and the index entry at p. 144 col. 2 describing that code as "similar to c1, but genius degraded into conical mass."</p><p><br /></p><p>In any event, here are some Nile-related coins of my own:</p><p><br /></p><p>Nilus:</p><p><br /></p><p>Hadrian, Billon Tetradrachm, Year 19 (134/135 AD), Alexandria, Egypt Mint. Obv. Laureate bust left, slight drapery; ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙϹ Τ[ΡΑΙΑΝ] - ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟϹ ϹƐΒ (clockwise from upper right) [<i>bracketed portion off flan</i>] / Rev. Slightly draped bust of Nilus right, crowned with taenia and lotus-buds, cornucopiae behind right shoulder; L ЄN NЄAKΔ [= Year 19 spelled out] (clockwise from lower left). RPC [<i>Roman Provincial Coinage</i>] Vol. III 5941 (2015); RPC III Online at <a href="https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/5941" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/5941" rel="nofollow">https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/5941</a> ; Köln 1147 [Geissen, A., Katalog alexandrinischer Kaisermünzen, Köln, Band II (Hadrian-Antoninus Pius) (Cologne, 1978, corrected reprint 1987)]; Dattari (Savio) 7450-1 [Savio, A. ed., <i>Catalogo completo della collezione Dattari Numi Augg. Alexandrini</i> (Trieste, 2007)]; K&G 32.619 [Kampmann, Ursula & Ganschow, Thomas, <i>Die Münzen der römischen Münzstätte Alexandria</i> (2008)]; Milne 1449 at p. 35 [Milne, J.G., <i>Catalogue of Alexandrian Coins </i>(Oxford 1933, reprint with supplement by Colin M. Kraay, 1971)]; Emmett 875.19 [Emmett, Keith, <i>Alexandrian Coins</i> (Lodi, WI, 2001)]. 24.5 mm., 13.10 g., 12 h.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1442935[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Hadrian, Billon Tetradrachm, Year 22 (137/138 AD), Alexandria, Egypt Mint. Obv. Laureate bust right, ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙϹ ΤΡΑ - ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟϹ ϹƐΒ / Rev. Nilus seated* left on rocks, crowned with lotus-buds, wearing himation around legs and over left arm, holding reed in right hand and cornucopiae in left; crocodile below climbing up rocks; L KB (Year 22) in left field. RPC [<i>Roman Provincial Coinage</i>] Vol. III 6254 (2015); RPC III Online at <a href="https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/6254;" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/6254;" rel="nofollow">https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/6254;</a> Emmett 879.22 [Emmett, Keith, <i>Alexandrian Coins</i> (Lodi, WI, 2001)]; Milne 1570 at p. 37 [Milne, J.G., <i>Catalogue of Alexandrian Coins </i>(Oxford 1933, reprint with supplement by Colin M. Kraay, 1971)]; Köln.1241 [Geissen, A., <i>Katalog alexandrinischer Kaisermünzen</i>, Köln, Band II (Hadrian-Antoninus Pius) (Cologne, 1978, corrected reprint 1987)]. 24 mm., 12.9 g.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1442936[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>*As distinct from the more common reclining Nilus seen on [USER=87200]@ancient coin hunter[/USER]'s example.</p><p><br /></p><p>Hadrian Aegyptos, from his Travel Series:</p><p><br /></p><p>Hadrian AR Denarius, 136 AD, Travel Series, Rome Mint. Obv: HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P, bare head right / Rev: AEGYPTOS, Egypt reclining left, holding sistrum in right hand and resting left arm on basket; to left, ibis standing right. RIC II.3 1482 (2019 ed.), old RIC II 297d (1926 ed.), RSC II 99, Sear RCV II 3456, BMCRE 801-3, Foss 95 at p. 118 (dating Hadrian’s travels in Egypt to AD 130) [Clive Foss, <i>Roman Historical Coi</i>ns (Seaby, London, 1990)]. 18 mm., 3.11 g., 7 hr.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1442943[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>This coin also relates to the Nile:</p><p><br /></p><p>Hadrian, Billon Tetradrachm, Year 11 (126/127 AD), Alexandria, Egypt Mint. Obv. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from rear, ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙ - ΤΡΑΙ ΑΔΡΙΑ ϹƐΒ / Rev. Canopic Jar of Osiris (a/k/a Osiris-Canopus Jar and Osiris-Hydreios)* facing right, surmounted by Atef crown above ram[?] horns; body of jar with decorations including disk and horns below right, walking male figure to left; L ΕΝΔ - EKATΟΥ [= Year 11 spelled out]. RPC [<i>Roman Provincial Coinage</i>] Vol. III 5640 (2015); RPC III Online at <a href="https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/5640" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/5640" rel="nofollow">https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/5640</a>; Köln 939 [Geissen, A., <i>Katalog alexandrinischer Kaisermünzen</i>, <i>Köln</i>, Band II (Hadrian-Antoninus Pius) (Cologne, 1978, corrected reprint 1987)]; Milne 1205 at p. 30 [Milne, J.G., <i>Catalogue of Alexandrian Coins </i>(Oxford 1933, reprint with supplement by Colin M. Kraay, 1971)]; Emmett 827.11 [Emmett, Keith, <i>Alexandrian Coins</i> (Lodi, WI, 2001)]; Dattari (Savio) 1327 [Savio, A. ed., <i>Catalogo completo della collezione Dattari Numi Augg. Alexandrini</i> (Trieste, 2007)]. 25 mm., 13.41 g. (<i>Purchased from Harlan J. Berk, Ltd., 212th Buy o<b>r </b>Bid Sale, August 2020<b>, </b>Lot 497.</i>)</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1442945[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>*See <a href="https://egypt-museum.com/post/189683370661/osiris-canopus-jar#gsc.tab=0" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://egypt-museum.com/post/189683370661/osiris-canopus-jar#gsc.tab=0" rel="nofollow">https://egypt-museum.com/post/189683370661/osiris-canopus-jar#gsc.tab=0</a>, with photos of the Osiris-Canopus Jar from Hadrian’s Villa, now at the Vatican Museum, describing it as “A Canopic jar with the head of Osiris emerging from it. In the cult of Isis and Serapis, during the Ptolemaic and Roman periods. Osiris-Canopus jars (also known as Osiris-Hydreios) were carried by priests during processions. As they are solid, each symbolically carried water from the Nile, fertility that originated from the god Osiris, one of Egypt’s earliest fertility gods. Osiris-Canopus was named after the ancient Egyptian town of Canopus, on the western bank at the mouth of the westernmost branch of the Delta known as the Canopic or Heracleotic branch – not far from Alexandria. Roman Period, ca. 131-138 AD. Grey basalt, from Hadrian’s Villa. Now in the Vatican Museums (Gregoriano Egizio). 22852.”[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="DonnaML, post: 8218717, member: 110350"]Wonderful write-up, [USER=87200]@ancient coin hunter[/USER]! I like the coin, and love that mosaic. It really brings the past to life. Your coin is a very interesting type. The letters "IS" in the upper part of the reverse field actually represent the number 16, with I standing for 10 and the S (really an [B]ϛ[/B], either a "stigma" or "final sigma" depending on what you read) standing for 6. Usually such numbers on Roman Egyptian coins, preceded by "L," represent the regnal year, but on this coin the regnal year is written out in the exergue, as L ΔWΔƐΚ, meaning the 12th year of Hadrian's reign. Therefore, the 16 refers instead to 16 cubits, the ideal flood depth for the Nile. See the Heritage description of a similar type (except that Nilus rests on a hippo instead of a crocodile) at [URL]https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=8680442[/URL]: "Although the regnal year is typically found in the fields on the reverse for Roman Egyptian coinage, on this issue the numeral in the central field represents 16 cubits on the Nilometer - the gauge which measured the annual flood crest of the Nile. Sixteen was the ideal level for agriculture in the Nile valley, whereas lower brought the danger of drought conditions, and much higher posed the possibility of damaging floods." See also the Harlan J. Berk example, at [URL]https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=8935052[/URL], pointing out that RPC "unfortunately includes under the same catalogue number both of the main variants of this type, Nilus reclining on hippopotamus and Nilus reclining on crocodile," at RPC III 5717 (see [URL]https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/5717[/URL]). So that's what the genius is pointing to! Berk notes that RPC "also leaves out mention of the genius on the cornucopia in its description of the type." (Id.) It's understandable that reference to the genius is often omitted; I can't really see it on your example or on many of the others at the RPC III 5717 link, even though I believe that all the types with the number I[B]ϛ[/B] (16) in the reverse field are supposed to have the genius emerging from the cornucopiae and pointing to that number. See the Milne index at p. 144 col. 2, under the entry for "Nilus reclining." One way to tell the difference is that the usual depictions of Nilus on the reverse of Roman Egyptian coins (such as my Year 22 tetradrachm with Nilus seated and a crocodile beneath him, shown below) show Nilus with a cornucopiae in his left hand, behind him, and a reed in his right hand, in front of him. Your specimen, and all the other specimens of drachmae with I[B]ϛ [/B]in the field and a genius pointing to it, show Nilus with the reed in his left hand behind him, whereas the cornucopiae with genius emerging is in his right hand, in front of him, so that the genius can point directly at the number. By the way, Milne 1269 is not the correct number, because that type has neither the number 16 nor the genius. (See Milne p. 31, footnoted with the reverse code "a1," and the index entry for a1 at p. 144 col. 1 under Nilus reclining.) The correct number is probably Milne 1264. (See Milne p. 31, footnoted with the reverse code "c1," and the index entry for c1 at p. 144 col. 2 under Nilus reclining, describing it as "cornucopiae in right hand, reed in left: from cornucopiae issues genius with staff in right hand, pointing with left [hand] at letters Iϛ in field.) If it isn't Milne 1264, then it's Milne 1266, also at Milne p. 31, with the reverse code "c4," and the index entry at p. 144 col. 2 describing that code as "similar to c1, but genius degraded into conical mass." In any event, here are some Nile-related coins of my own: Nilus: Hadrian, Billon Tetradrachm, Year 19 (134/135 AD), Alexandria, Egypt Mint. Obv. Laureate bust left, slight drapery; ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙϹ Τ[ΡΑΙΑΝ] - ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟϹ ϹƐΒ (clockwise from upper right) [[I]bracketed portion off flan[/I]] / Rev. Slightly draped bust of Nilus right, crowned with taenia and lotus-buds, cornucopiae behind right shoulder; L ЄN NЄAKΔ [= Year 19 spelled out] (clockwise from lower left). RPC [[I]Roman Provincial Coinage[/I]] Vol. III 5941 (2015); RPC III Online at [URL]https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/5941[/URL] ; Köln 1147 [Geissen, A., Katalog alexandrinischer Kaisermünzen, Köln, Band II (Hadrian-Antoninus Pius) (Cologne, 1978, corrected reprint 1987)]; Dattari (Savio) 7450-1 [Savio, A. ed., [I]Catalogo completo della collezione Dattari Numi Augg. Alexandrini[/I] (Trieste, 2007)]; K&G 32.619 [Kampmann, Ursula & Ganschow, Thomas, [I]Die Münzen der römischen Münzstätte Alexandria[/I] (2008)]; Milne 1449 at p. 35 [Milne, J.G., [I]Catalogue of Alexandrian Coins [/I](Oxford 1933, reprint with supplement by Colin M. Kraay, 1971)]; Emmett 875.19 [Emmett, Keith, [I]Alexandrian Coins[/I] (Lodi, WI, 2001)]. 24.5 mm., 13.10 g., 12 h. [ATTACH=full]1442935[/ATTACH] Hadrian, Billon Tetradrachm, Year 22 (137/138 AD), Alexandria, Egypt Mint. Obv. Laureate bust right, ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙϹ ΤΡΑ - ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟϹ ϹƐΒ / Rev. Nilus seated* left on rocks, crowned with lotus-buds, wearing himation around legs and over left arm, holding reed in right hand and cornucopiae in left; crocodile below climbing up rocks; L KB (Year 22) in left field. RPC [[I]Roman Provincial Coinage[/I]] Vol. III 6254 (2015); RPC III Online at [URL]https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/6254;[/URL] Emmett 879.22 [Emmett, Keith, [I]Alexandrian Coins[/I] (Lodi, WI, 2001)]; Milne 1570 at p. 37 [Milne, J.G., [I]Catalogue of Alexandrian Coins [/I](Oxford 1933, reprint with supplement by Colin M. Kraay, 1971)]; Köln.1241 [Geissen, A., [I]Katalog alexandrinischer Kaisermünzen[/I], Köln, Band II (Hadrian-Antoninus Pius) (Cologne, 1978, corrected reprint 1987)]. 24 mm., 12.9 g. [ATTACH=full]1442936[/ATTACH] *As distinct from the more common reclining Nilus seen on [USER=87200]@ancient coin hunter[/USER]'s example. Hadrian Aegyptos, from his Travel Series: Hadrian AR Denarius, 136 AD, Travel Series, Rome Mint. Obv: HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P, bare head right / Rev: AEGYPTOS, Egypt reclining left, holding sistrum in right hand and resting left arm on basket; to left, ibis standing right. RIC II.3 1482 (2019 ed.), old RIC II 297d (1926 ed.), RSC II 99, Sear RCV II 3456, BMCRE 801-3, Foss 95 at p. 118 (dating Hadrian’s travels in Egypt to AD 130) [Clive Foss, [I]Roman Historical Coi[/I]ns (Seaby, London, 1990)]. 18 mm., 3.11 g., 7 hr. [ATTACH=full]1442943[/ATTACH] This coin also relates to the Nile: Hadrian, Billon Tetradrachm, Year 11 (126/127 AD), Alexandria, Egypt Mint. Obv. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from rear, ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙ - ΤΡΑΙ ΑΔΡΙΑ ϹƐΒ / Rev. Canopic Jar of Osiris (a/k/a Osiris-Canopus Jar and Osiris-Hydreios)* facing right, surmounted by Atef crown above ram[?] horns; body of jar with decorations including disk and horns below right, walking male figure to left; L ΕΝΔ - EKATΟΥ [= Year 11 spelled out]. RPC [[I]Roman Provincial Coinage[/I]] Vol. III 5640 (2015); RPC III Online at [URL]https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/5640[/URL]; Köln 939 [Geissen, A., [I]Katalog alexandrinischer Kaisermünzen[/I], [I]Köln[/I], Band II (Hadrian-Antoninus Pius) (Cologne, 1978, corrected reprint 1987)]; Milne 1205 at p. 30 [Milne, J.G., [I]Catalogue of Alexandrian Coins [/I](Oxford 1933, reprint with supplement by Colin M. Kraay, 1971)]; Emmett 827.11 [Emmett, Keith, [I]Alexandrian Coins[/I] (Lodi, WI, 2001)]; Dattari (Savio) 1327 [Savio, A. ed., [I]Catalogo completo della collezione Dattari Numi Augg. Alexandrini[/I] (Trieste, 2007)]. 25 mm., 13.41 g. ([I]Purchased from Harlan J. Berk, Ltd., 212th Buy o[B]r [/B]Bid Sale, August 2020[B], [/B]Lot 497.[/I]) [ATTACH=full]1442945[/ATTACH] *See [URL]https://egypt-museum.com/post/189683370661/osiris-canopus-jar#gsc.tab=0[/URL], with photos of the Osiris-Canopus Jar from Hadrian’s Villa, now at the Vatican Museum, describing it as “A Canopic jar with the head of Osiris emerging from it. In the cult of Isis and Serapis, during the Ptolemaic and Roman periods. Osiris-Canopus jars (also known as Osiris-Hydreios) were carried by priests during processions. As they are solid, each symbolically carried water from the Nile, fertility that originated from the god Osiris, one of Egypt’s earliest fertility gods. Osiris-Canopus was named after the ancient Egyptian town of Canopus, on the western bank at the mouth of the westernmost branch of the Delta known as the Canopic or Heracleotic branch – not far from Alexandria. Roman Period, ca. 131-138 AD. Grey basalt, from Hadrian’s Villa. Now in the Vatican Museums (Gregoriano Egizio). 22852.”[/QUOTE]
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