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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Curtisimo, post: 2715376, member: 83845&quot;]We have reached the semifinal matches of our tournament and I am excited to say that we have some amazing entries that I think you are all going to love.</p><p><br /></p><p>If you need to get caught up on all the action from the previous rounds you can do so here:</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ancients-announcing-the-first-annual-cointalk-coin-imperator-tournament-2017.293824/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ancients-announcing-the-first-annual-cointalk-coin-imperator-tournament-2017.293824/">https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ancients-announcing-the-first-annual-cointalk-coin-imperator-tournament-2017.293824/</a></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]613937[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Only three matches left until we crown the Imperator!</p><p><br /></p><p><font size="6">#3 [USER=51347]@Alegandron[/USER] </font></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]613935[/ATTACH]</p><p>Roman Republic</p><p>Province of Macedonia</p><p>Quaestor Aesillas (BC 90-70)</p><p><b>AR Tetradrachm</b>, Thessalonika Mint</p><p>Wt.: 16.5 g</p><p>Dia.: 28 mm</p><p>Obv: Head of the deified Alexander the Great wearing Ammon&#039;s horn right, Greek legend - MAKEΔONΩN (Macedonians), TH mint mark behind bust (Greek Θ)</p><p>Rev: Club of Hercules center, Coin Chest (Cista) left field, Quaestor&#039;s chair (Sella) right field, Latin - AESILLAS (Quaester&#039;s name) above, Q for &#039;Quaestor&#039; below name. Surrounded by a wreath.</p><p>Ref: BMC 81-83; Dewing 1224-1225</p><p>Ex: Collection of Nathan Miller</p><p><br /></p><p><b><u>Price:</u></b> $500 (Purchased in 2016)(Negotiated as part of a four coin deal)</p><p><br /></p><p><b><u>Why It’s Cool:</u></b></p><p>I chose this coin because it has it all... It is a big Tetradrachm! It is of Rome, the Republic, it has Greek style, some cool toning, and Alexander the Great...with flowing hair!</p><p><br /></p><p>But, it was merely <b><i>chump-change for a toll booth...</i></b></p><p><br /></p><p>This is a strange coin, struck by Rome, using Latin and Greek legends, encompassing Alexander the Great&#039;s portrait to placate the local province of Macedonia as well as Thrace. It also bears a strong message on the reverse to pay your taxes! Note that Alexander does not have a diadem, as there was no room for a Macedonian King in a province of the Rome Republic...</p><p><br /></p><p>We all know who the Macedonians and Romans were. But who was this Aesillas guy?</p><p><br /></p><p>Ancient sources reveal nothing about this man, but we see hints on the coin: a cista (lidded basket) used for collecting Roman taxes, a sella (special chair) used by a Roman Quaestor when performing their duties. Ok, a Quaestor. Big deal...</p><p><br /></p><p>But why did he issue a Roman coin in the name of the Macedonians?</p><p><br /></p><p>Typically, a military reason accounts for that. Mithradates VI of Pontos started to establish an empire of its own in the east. The Romans wanted to increase their power and influence in Asia Minor anyway. And so a war with Mithradates began.</p><p><br /></p><p>The Romans had to secure their supplies. They needed the Via Egnatia road which was probably the most important strategic route connecting the West and the East. A major part of the Via Egnatia crossed various belligerent tribes of Thrace. The Romans had to win the Thracians as allies. The Romans created the coins, which they used as payment, in such a way that they could be readily accepted by the Thracians. The Thracians were used to circulating coins that bore the portrait of Alexander the Great. Therefore Romans depicted Alexander on their coins as well, with flowing hair and the horn of Ammon.</p><p><br /></p><p>By the time of Aesillas the Via Egnatia allowed the Romans to rapidly transport troops to the East. Mithradates VI had no chance. In 63 BC, the Roman general Pompey finally cornered him. Mithradates saw no other way than to take his own life. By that, the Romans became the unchallenged masters of Asia Minor.</p><p><br /></p><p>Wow, so this Tet was actually<b><i>TOLL MONEY</i></b>on the Via Egnatia super-highway!</p><p>[ATTACH=full]613934[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p><font size="6">#10 [USER=80147]@Ancient Aussie[/USER] </font></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]613931[/ATTACH]</p><p>DOMITIAN RESTORATION OF CLAUDIUS</p><p><b>AE AS</b>, Rome Mint, Ca. 81-82 AD</p><p>Wt.: 9.6 g</p><p>Dia.: 27 mm</p><p>Obv: TI CLAUDIUS CAESAR AVG PM TRP IMP PP. Claudius bare head left</p><p>Rev: IPM D AVG REST SC. Minerva advancing right, brandishing spear and holding shield</p><p>Sear 2899, Rare</p><p><br /></p><p><b><u>Price:</u></b>&nbsp; approx. $400 (Purchased in 2016)(*edit: corrected from AUD to USD*)</p><p><br /></p><p><b><u>Why It’s Cool:</u></b></p><p>Vespasian, Titus and Domitian all used the media of coinage to promote their links</p><p>with the &quot;good&quot; emperors. Vespasian minted coins featuring legends similar to those of Augustus as well as images that suggested the first emperor. During his reign, Titus issued a series of commemorative coins. He issued only the denomination Aes in the series, likely an effort to ensure wider circulation than the more valuable coins. The restored types appeared on the obverse of the coin, while Titus, and later Domitian&#039;s, titles appeared on the reverse with the explicit statement that they had restored the coin. Types of Divus Augustus, Agrippa, Tiberius, Drusus, Livia, Nero Drusus, Germanicus, Agrippina the younger, Claudius, and Galba were struck, as well as a new coin featuring Britannicus, in honour of Titus&#039; childhood friend, through these commemorative coins.</p><p><br /></p><p>Domitian also assembled a list, similar to the elite group of Vespasian and Titus, of his own &quot;good&quot; emperors, only nowhere near as vast. The above coin is a rare example of the restored Claudius. Through their restorations, the members of the Flavian dynasty manipulated the way they were literally seen. By distancing themselves from Nero, and by promoting a negative image of him as a rex and dominus, they enhanced their legitimacy, and removed some of the stigma of &quot;usurper.&quot; Promoting their arrival as salvation after a dark time allowed the Flavians to promote their reign as one of restoration and rebirth.</p><p><br /></p><p>In a similar effort to further connect themselves with the achievements of the previous generations of good emperors the Flavians embarked on ambitious building projects to beautify Rome and win favor with the people. The most famous of these built under Domitian is the Stadium of Domitian whose outline can still be seen in the layout of the Piazza Navona.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]613932[/ATTACH]</p><p>[ATTACH=full]613933[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>By now you all know the drill in the comment section.&nbsp; Feel free to post pictures of coins, angry bulls, or sad guys crying in the rain <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie2" alt=";)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />&nbsp; Whatever you post is fair game as long as you’re having fun.&nbsp; Thanks everyone and thanks to our fantastic finalists![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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