Featured Not a shield but the circle of the zodiac!

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Roman Collector, Jul 9, 2018.

  1. Curtisimo

    Curtisimo the Great(ish)

    Very possible. I'm not familiar with the exact circumstances of the discovery and excavation of the statue (though the Vatican museum might have that information online).
    I wasn't necessarily saying I think the coin shows Urania specifically more just used to pose the question of whether or not Strack considered other deities whose iconography might fit.

    Most of the time when I see a female diety in a museum holding a globe it is identified as Urania. Another example is this statue in the National Archeological Museum at Naples I saw recently as well.
    IMG_4080.JPG
    Really impressive statue too.

    This one is a Wikipedia image from Pompeii. No restoration on this one. It was preserved by the eruption.
    IMG_5676.JPG
     
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  3. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    I understand that a non-numismatic image from antiquity depicting Aeternitas with a clear zodiac circle would confirm the zodiac circle theory, and unfortunately, I haven't been able to find any such image via internet search engines.

    However, I think it's safe to say that the most likely possibility is that it is not a shield. I say this for two reasons:

    1. As Beckmann has noted, while the round object could represent a shield seen from behind, no such depictions of shields (they are much rarer than shields seen from the front) show a wide border with such striations.

    2. The presence of a shield would indicate a Venus Victrix type; this avatar of Venus does not typically appear on coins holding a globus. Rather, she is most frequently depicted holding a helmet ...

    Mamaea Venus Victrix denarius.jpg

    Domna VENVS VICTRIX.jpg

    Salonina Venus Victrix Antoninianius (S).jpg

    ... or a Victoriola ...

    Lucilla VENVS VICTRIX denarius.jpg
     
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  4. Monstermommy

    Monstermommy Active Member

     
  5. Monstermommy

    Monstermommy Active Member

     
  6. Monstermommy

    Monstermommy Active Member

    To me it looks like one of those small looms and she is holding some form of wool or yarn,just a thought
     
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