I just got my first siliqua. I've been after one of Constans' for a long time. Constans I (337-350 AD). Siliqua (silver). 340-350 AD Thessalonica. O: CONSTANS P F AVG, diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Constans to right R: VICTORIA - DD NN AVGG / TES (in exergue), Victory advancing left, holding wreath and palm frond. 19 mm. 1.93 g. RIC VIII, pp. 410, 96. Since I couldn't find a siliquae specific thread I figured I'd start one. Pile on with all your late Roman silver!
Constantius II, Roman Empire AR siliqua Obv: D N CONSTAN-TIVS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right Rev: VOTIS XXX / MVLTIS XXXX, all within wreath Mint: Sirmium Mintmark: SIRM Date: 357-361 AD Ref: RIC VIII 15 Size: 3.31 gr, 22 mm wide
Congrats, @ycon ! Great looking Siliqua of Constans Here is a Siliqua that I have: RI Valentinian II AD 375-392 AR Siliqua 18mm 1.8g Trier Victory wreath palm RIC IX 43
Constantius II Ar light Miliarense. Thessalonika 350-355 AD Obv Bust of Constantius II draped and cuirassed wearing pearl diadem. Rv Soldier standing facing head right holding spear and shield. RIC 160 4.25 grms 23 mm Photo by W. Hansen
Congrats @ycon, here is my first (and only) siliqua Constantius II, AD 337-361, AR Siliqua, Tricennalia issue, Constantinople mint, 6th officina, Struck AD 351-355 Obv: Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right Rev: VOTIS/XXX/MVLTIS/XXXX in four lines within wreath with large central jewel; C • S Ref: RIC VIII 102
Some wonderful coins in this thread aaand excellent Constans. May in fact have been the Roman empire's first outwardly and open homosexual. Very cool! I've only got his brother whom lived longer and so produced many more coins:
JULIAN II Siliqua OBVERSE: FL CL IVLIA-NVS PP AVG, rosette-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right REVERSE: VOTIS V MVLTIS X in four lines within wreath. Mintmark SLVG Struck at Lyons 360-363 A.D 1.7g, 16mm RIC VIII Lyons 227 var (bust type); RSC 163b var (ditto); Sear 4071 var (ditto).
ARCADIUS RI Arcadius AR Siliqua 383-408 CE Roma Seated l holding globe with Victory; VIRTVS ROMANORVM RIC 106b 88 cat no
@Ryro I actually purchased the coin for my collection of "gay" rulers. Of course that's a major anachronism, but as long as we're calling any Roman "gay" you can hardly say that Constans was the first. I mean Hadrian made his boyfriend into a god, and Galba was notorious for being into other grizzled soldier types, rather than the teenage boys who were generally socially accepted as lovers. Even Caesar was famously the beloved of one of Rome's client kings. Don't forget the (perhaps apocryphal) stories of Elagabalus prostituting himself from the palace, or of Nero's own gay wedding. Though homosexuality wasn't as ubiquitous in Ancient Rome as it was in Greece, it was very common in hellenizing circles and in the military. And there are a fair few emperors who are known or rumoured to have had homosexual tendencies.
One has to keep in mind, though, that scurrilous rumors about ancient Roman rulers always tended to run towards a taste for men and/or young boys and/or eunuchs. I believe that there were strong rumors of that kind about every single one of the 12 Caesars except perhaps Claudius. So although I couldn't care less if those stories were all true, I think it's necessary to retain a certain amount of skepticism. Except for those like Hadrian who were rather public about it.
And, then, of course we have the Ancient Egyptians. The Pharaohs either married their sisters or had extra-terrestrial relationships. Cuz everyone knows that Aliens built every single pyramid. Here is my Latest Roman Silver... BZ Romanoi Andronicus II - Michael IX CE 1295-1320 AR Basilikon 22mm 2.1g Constantinople Christ enthroned - Andronicus l Michael r labarum DOC V 1 Class VIII
MAGNUS MAXIMUS AR Siliqua. 2.06g, 16.8mm. Trier mint, AD 383-388. RIC IX 84b. O: D N MAG MAX-IMVS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right. R: VIRTVS RO-MANORVM, Roma seated facing, head left, holding globe in right hand, scepter in left; TRPS in exergue. Ex Michael Kelly Collection
Since this thread started with a coin of Thessalonika, I'll add mine with Constantius II and VOTIS XXX MVLTIS XXXX.