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<p>[QUOTE="Roman Collector, post: 4022796, member: 75937"]<i>Show your empress CONSECRATIO issues or anything you feel is relevant!</i></p><p><br /></p><p>One important aspect of Roman religion, particularly for the imperial family, was the concept of consecration, the process by which a deceased person became a divine being and was transported to the divine realm to join the pantheon of gods. The eagle of Zeus or the peacock of Juno carried the departed to the heavens.</p><p><br /></p><p>The inscription CONSECRATIO makes its first appearance in Roman numismatics on the coinage of Marciana, and thereafter became the standard employed for issues of the <i>divae</i> and <i>divi</i> for centuries. Interestingly, the earliest Roman consecration issues depict eagles, even for the women of the imperial family.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1057883[/ATTACH]</p><blockquote><p><font size="3">Marciana, Augusta, c. AD 105-112/4(?), sister of Trajan.</font></p><p><font size="3">Roman AR Denarius, 2.72 g, 19 mm.</font></p><p><font size="3">Rome Mint, AD 112.</font></p><p><font size="3">Obv: DIVA AVGVSTA MARCIANA, diademed and draped bust right.</font></p><p><font size="3">Rev: CONSECRATIO, eagle standing left, head right.</font></p><p><font size="3">Refs: RIC II 743 (Trajan); BMC 650 (Trajan); Hill 562; RSC 4; RCV 3328.</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>Coins of similar designs, depicting an eagle and bearing the reverse legend CONSECRATIO were issued for Matidia (RIC 425-426), Sabina (RIC 420-421), and even this issue for Faustina I, issued immediately after her death in AD 140.</p><p><br /></p><p><font size="3">[ATTACH=full]1058142[/ATTACH] </font></p><p><font size="3">Faustina I, AD 138-141.</font></p><blockquote><p><font size="3">Roman AR denarius, 2.84 g, 17.9 mm, 6 h.</font></p><p><font size="3">Rome, AD 140/41.</font></p><p><font size="3">Obv: DIVA AVG FAVSTINA, veiled and draped bust, right.</font></p><p><font size="3">Rev: CONSECRATIO, Eagle standing right, head left.</font></p><p><font size="3">Refs: RIC 387b; BMCRE 305 var.; Cohen 181; RCV --; CRE 95.</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>In addition, a sestertius (RIC 1133) and middle bronzes (RIC 1188) were issued that year depicting the deified Faustina being carried to the heavens on the back of a flying eagle.</p><p><br /></p><p>But these are the last issues depicting the eagle of Zeus performing a role in the apotheosis of an empress. Thereafter, this role was assumed by the peacock of the goddess Juno, the wife of Zeus, such as on this denarius of Faustina I, issued in AD 150 to commemorate the tenth anniversary of her death.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1057894[/ATTACH]</p><blockquote><p><font size="3">Faustina I, AD 138-141.</font></p><p><font size="3">Roman AR Denarius, 3.10 g, 17.6 mm, 6 h.</font></p><p><font size="3">Rome, AD 147-161.</font></p><p><font size="3">Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.</font></p><p><font size="3">Rev: CONSECRATIO, peacock walking right, head left.</font></p><p><font size="3">Refs: RIC 384; BMCRE 473; Cohen 175; RCV 4594.</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>Coins issued posthumously for Faustina II have similar iconography. Borne aloft by the peacock of Juno, the Diva Faustina Pia passes into <i>Aeternitas</i>, where her deified parents, Antoninus Pius and Faustina I, already dwell.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/faustina-jr-consecratio-flying-peacock-sestertius-jpg.1012432/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><blockquote><p><font size="3">Diva Faustina II, AD 147-175/6.</font></p><p><font size="3">Roman orichalcum sestertius, 26.28 g, 32.2 mm, 12 h.</font></p><p><font size="3">Rome, AD 176 or later.</font></p><p><font size="3">Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA PIA, bare-headed and draped bust right.</font></p><p><font size="3">Rev: CONSECRATIO S C, Faustina, holding scepter, seated left on back of peacock flying upward to right.</font></p><p><font size="3">Refs: RIC 1702; BMCRE 1570-71; Cohen 69; RCV 5227; MIR 56.</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>The peacock of Juno accompanies the inscription CONSECRATIO on this denarius in Faustina II's honor. Another denarius depicts the peacock facing with its tail spread in splendor (RIC 743), while another depicts the throne and scepter of Juno herself, with a peacock in the foreground (RIC 745).</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/faustina-jr-consecratio-peacock-denarius-jpg.1012445/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><blockquote><p><font size="3">Faustina Jr, AD 161-175.</font></p><p><font size="3">Roman AR denarius, 3.60 g, 17.4 mm, 5 h.</font></p><p><font size="3">Rome, AD 176 or later.</font></p><p><font size="3">Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA PIA, bare-headed and draped bust right.</font></p><p><font size="3">Rev: CONSECRATIO, Peacock standing right, head left.</font></p><p><font size="3">Refs: RIC 744; BMCRE 716-17; RSC 71a; RCV 5215; MIR 58; CRE 202.</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>Similar CONSECRATIO issues depicting a peacock with its tail in splendor were minted for Julia Domna (RIC 396), and Paulina (RIC 1). In addition, denarii issued for Diva Paulina reprise the motif of the empress being borne aloft on the back of the peacock of Juno, as on this denarius.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1057910[/ATTACH]</p><blockquote><p><font size="3">Paulina, wife of Maximinus Thrax.</font></p><p><font size="3">Roman AR Denarius, 3.30 g, 21.1 mm, 12 h.</font></p><p><font size="3">Rome mint, AD 235-238.</font></p><p><font size="3">Obv: DIVA PAVLINA, veiled and draped bust, right.</font></p><p><font size="3">Rev: CONSECRATIO, Paulina seated to left on peacock flying right.</font></p><p><font size="3">Refs: RIC 2; BMCRE 127; RCV 2369.</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>The use of this iconography came to an end with the issues of Valerian for his deified wife, Mariniana. Antoniniani depict the peacock of Juno flying left or right, bearing the empress on its back, as well as standing facing, with its head facing left or right, or standing right.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1057930[/ATTACH]</p><blockquote><p><font size="3">Mariniana, died AD 253.</font></p><p><font size="3">Roman AR Antoninianus, 2.26 g, 22.2 mm 6 h.</font></p><p><font size="3">Rome, AD 253-254.</font></p><p><font size="3">Obv: DIVAE MARINIANAE, veiled and draped bust right, set on crescent.</font></p><p><font size="3">Rev: CONSECRATIO, Mariniana, raising hand and holding scepter, reclining left on peacock flying upward to the right.</font></p><p><font size="3">Refs: RIC 6; Göbl 220b; RSC 16; RCV 10070; CRE 558; Hunter 1.</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1057919[/ATTACH]</p><blockquote><p><font size="3">Mariniana, died AD 253.</font></p><p><font size="3">Roman AR Antoninianus, 3.04 g, 23.5 mm, 5 h.</font></p><p><font size="3">Rome mint, AD 253-257.</font></p><p><font size="3">Obv: DIVAE MARINIANAE, veiled, draped bust r., on crescent.</font></p><p><font size="3">Rev: CONSECRATIO, peacock standing facing, head l., tail in splendor.</font></p><p><font size="3">Refs: RIC 3; Cohen 3; RCV 10067; Temeryazev & Makarenko 560; Eauze Hoard-1318 (23 spec.); Cunetio Hoard-646 (22 spec.).</font></p></blockquote><p>[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Roman Collector, post: 4022796, member: 75937"][I]Show your empress CONSECRATIO issues or anything you feel is relevant![/I] One important aspect of Roman religion, particularly for the imperial family, was the concept of consecration, the process by which a deceased person became a divine being and was transported to the divine realm to join the pantheon of gods. The eagle of Zeus or the peacock of Juno carried the departed to the heavens. The inscription CONSECRATIO makes its first appearance in Roman numismatics on the coinage of Marciana, and thereafter became the standard employed for issues of the [I]divae[/I] and [I]divi[/I] for centuries. Interestingly, the earliest Roman consecration issues depict eagles, even for the women of the imperial family. [ATTACH=full]1057883[/ATTACH] [INDENT][SIZE=3]Marciana, Augusta, c. AD 105-112/4(?), sister of Trajan. Roman AR Denarius, 2.72 g, 19 mm. Rome Mint, AD 112. Obv: DIVA AVGVSTA MARCIANA, diademed and draped bust right. Rev: CONSECRATIO, eagle standing left, head right. Refs: RIC II 743 (Trajan); BMC 650 (Trajan); Hill 562; RSC 4; RCV 3328.[/SIZE][/INDENT] Coins of similar designs, depicting an eagle and bearing the reverse legend CONSECRATIO were issued for Matidia (RIC 425-426), Sabina (RIC 420-421), and even this issue for Faustina I, issued immediately after her death in AD 140. [SIZE=3][ATTACH=full]1058142[/ATTACH] Faustina I, AD 138-141.[/SIZE] [INDENT][SIZE=3]Roman AR denarius, 2.84 g, 17.9 mm, 6 h. Rome, AD 140/41. Obv: DIVA AVG FAVSTINA, veiled and draped bust, right. Rev: CONSECRATIO, Eagle standing right, head left. Refs: RIC 387b; BMCRE 305 var.; Cohen 181; RCV --; CRE 95.[/SIZE][/INDENT] In addition, a sestertius (RIC 1133) and middle bronzes (RIC 1188) were issued that year depicting the deified Faustina being carried to the heavens on the back of a flying eagle. But these are the last issues depicting the eagle of Zeus performing a role in the apotheosis of an empress. Thereafter, this role was assumed by the peacock of the goddess Juno, the wife of Zeus, such as on this denarius of Faustina I, issued in AD 150 to commemorate the tenth anniversary of her death. [ATTACH=full]1057894[/ATTACH] [INDENT][SIZE=3]Faustina I, AD 138-141. Roman AR Denarius, 3.10 g, 17.6 mm, 6 h. Rome, AD 147-161. Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: CONSECRATIO, peacock walking right, head left. Refs: RIC 384; BMCRE 473; Cohen 175; RCV 4594.[/SIZE][/INDENT] Coins issued posthumously for Faustina II have similar iconography. Borne aloft by the peacock of Juno, the Diva Faustina Pia passes into [I]Aeternitas[/I], where her deified parents, Antoninus Pius and Faustina I, already dwell. [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/faustina-jr-consecratio-flying-peacock-sestertius-jpg.1012432/[/IMG] [INDENT][SIZE=3]Diva Faustina II, AD 147-175/6. Roman orichalcum sestertius, 26.28 g, 32.2 mm, 12 h. Rome, AD 176 or later. Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA PIA, bare-headed and draped bust right. Rev: CONSECRATIO S C, Faustina, holding scepter, seated left on back of peacock flying upward to right. Refs: RIC 1702; BMCRE 1570-71; Cohen 69; RCV 5227; MIR 56.[/SIZE][/INDENT] The peacock of Juno accompanies the inscription CONSECRATIO on this denarius in Faustina II's honor. Another denarius depicts the peacock facing with its tail spread in splendor (RIC 743), while another depicts the throne and scepter of Juno herself, with a peacock in the foreground (RIC 745). [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/faustina-jr-consecratio-peacock-denarius-jpg.1012445/[/IMG] [INDENT][SIZE=3]Faustina Jr, AD 161-175. Roman AR denarius, 3.60 g, 17.4 mm, 5 h. Rome, AD 176 or later. Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA PIA, bare-headed and draped bust right. Rev: CONSECRATIO, Peacock standing right, head left. Refs: RIC 744; BMCRE 716-17; RSC 71a; RCV 5215; MIR 58; CRE 202.[/SIZE][/INDENT] Similar CONSECRATIO issues depicting a peacock with its tail in splendor were minted for Julia Domna (RIC 396), and Paulina (RIC 1). In addition, denarii issued for Diva Paulina reprise the motif of the empress being borne aloft on the back of the peacock of Juno, as on this denarius. [ATTACH=full]1057910[/ATTACH] [INDENT][SIZE=3]Paulina, wife of Maximinus Thrax. Roman AR Denarius, 3.30 g, 21.1 mm, 12 h. Rome mint, AD 235-238. Obv: DIVA PAVLINA, veiled and draped bust, right. Rev: CONSECRATIO, Paulina seated to left on peacock flying right. Refs: RIC 2; BMCRE 127; RCV 2369.[/SIZE][/INDENT] The use of this iconography came to an end with the issues of Valerian for his deified wife, Mariniana. Antoniniani depict the peacock of Juno flying left or right, bearing the empress on its back, as well as standing facing, with its head facing left or right, or standing right. [ATTACH=full]1057930[/ATTACH] [INDENT][SIZE=3]Mariniana, died AD 253. Roman AR Antoninianus, 2.26 g, 22.2 mm 6 h. Rome, AD 253-254. Obv: DIVAE MARINIANAE, veiled and draped bust right, set on crescent. Rev: CONSECRATIO, Mariniana, raising hand and holding scepter, reclining left on peacock flying upward to the right. Refs: RIC 6; Göbl 220b; RSC 16; RCV 10070; CRE 558; Hunter 1.[/SIZE][/INDENT] [ATTACH=full]1057919[/ATTACH] [INDENT][SIZE=3]Mariniana, died AD 253. Roman AR Antoninianus, 3.04 g, 23.5 mm, 5 h. Rome mint, AD 253-257. Obv: DIVAE MARINIANAE, veiled, draped bust r., on crescent. Rev: CONSECRATIO, peacock standing facing, head l., tail in splendor. Refs: RIC 3; Cohen 3; RCV 10067; Temeryazev & Makarenko 560; Eauze Hoard-1318 (23 spec.); Cunetio Hoard-646 (22 spec.).[/SIZE][/INDENT][/QUOTE]
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