Priestly implements

This denarius of Nerva depicts a simpulum, sprinkler, ewer, and lituus -- the emblems of the augurate and pontificate.

These are not an uncommon motif on Roman imperial coins. Let's see your priestly implements!

 

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The same sacrificial implements on the reverse of this Vespasian coin.

Vespasian, denarius.
RIC II 356, RSC 45.
3.3 g.
Rome mint, 72-73 AD.
Obv. IMP CAES VESP AVG PM COS IIII, head of Vespasian, laureate, right.
Rev. above AVGVR, below TRI POT, simpulum, sprinkler, jug, and lituus.

 

Great OP coin @Roman Collector !

For a change with the traditional elephant, here's another Caesar denarius


Julius Caesar, Denarius minted in North Africa in 46 BC
COS TERT / DICT ITER, head of Ceres right
AVGVR / PONT MAX, simpulum, sprinkler, capis and lituum, D in right field
3,81 gr
Ref : HCRI # 57, RCV # 1403/1, RSC # 4a, Cohen # 4


Plus Herennius Etruscus and Saloninus

Herennius Etruscus, Antoninianus - Rome mint, AD 250-251
Q HER ETR MES DECIVS NOB C, Radiate bust of Herennius right
PIETAS AVGVSTORVM, Sacrificial implements
4.45 gr
Ref : RIC # 143, Cohen #14, RCV #9521



Saloninus, Antoninianus Cologne mint, AD 258-260
SALON VALERIANVS CAES, radiate and draped bust right
PIETAS AVG, sacrificial implements
2.85 gr
Ref : Cohen # 41, RCV # 10767

Q

 

VESPASIAN
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: IMP CAES VESP AVG P M COS IIII, laureate head right
REVERSE: AVGVR TRI POT, sacrificial implements: simpulum, aspergillum, jug & lituus
Struck at Rome, 72/3AD
2.6g, 18mm
RIC 356

JULIUS CAESAR
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: COS.TERT.DICT.ITER. Head of Ceres right
REVERSE: / AVGVR above, PONT.MAX. below. Simpulum, sprinkler, capis and lituus; M in right field
Utica 46 BC
2.7g, 17mm
Syd 1024; Crawford 467/1b

 

I have this denarius of Octavian featuring a crazy spiral lituus:

 

Caracalla with bucranium


Geta


Gordian III as Caesar sestertius


Tetricus II Caesar barbarous radiate (ex Ken Dorney 1989)

 

kool, but i'm afraid at the moment i'm implementless in a priestly sort of way

 

I've got two...

A tiny Augustus from Julia Traducta:

SPAIN, Julia Traducta. Augustus. 27 BC-AD 14. Æ Quadrans (15mm, 1.7 g, 4h). Bare head left / Patera above aspergillum, jug, and lituus. RPC I 110

And an early middle bronze of Commodus as Caesar at the age of 14-15:

Commodus (ruled 177-192), AE As. Rome, Struck 175-176, 10.50g, 26mm.
Obv: COMMODO CAES AVG FIL GERM SARM; Bare-headed and draped bust right.
Rev: PIETAS AVG; Priestly implements: knife, aspergillum, jug, etc. SC in exergue.
RIC III 1539, Cohen 405, BMC 1534

 

Roman Imperial AE as. Marcus Aurelius as Caesar. Obverse depicts bare headed bust of young Marcus Aurelius facing right, legend reads AVRELIVS CAESAR AVG PII.
Reverse: PIETAS AVG -depicts sacrificial implements: knife, sprinkler, jug lituus and simpulum. SC in exergue. Struck under Antoninus Pius (27mm, 11.5 g)

 

I really like this type - nice examples everyone. My only example is this humble copper antoninianus from Tetricus II. When researching it, I found there are two types depending on which way the jug handle is facing. If I remember correctly, jug handle left as on this one is scarcer, although not to any significant "value-added" extent:




Gallic Empire - Tetricus II
(273-274 A.D.) Æ Ant.
S. Gallic / Cologne Mint
C P E TETRI[CVS CAE]S, radiate, draped bust right / PIETAS AVGG, Sacrificial implements, jug handle left.
RIC 255 var.; Cunetio hoard 2589; Normanby hoard 1553.
(2.08 grams / 16 mm)

 

Guess what - I don't have one in my collection yet. I did have one in my old collection that I sold - a denarius of Aurelius as Caesar.

 

Whoa! That thing has more twists and turns than a cheap garden hose!

Nice examples, everyone! Notice how the issues for men as Caesar tend to have this reverse type?

Interesting note about the direction of the handle on the ewer, @Marsyas Mike !

 

Priestly Implements:


RR Gaius Cassius Longinus & P Corn Lentulus Spinther AR den 42 BCE military mint Brutus Cassius Smyrna Libertas r- jug & lituus 18mm 3.3g



RR AR Denarius 3.88g L Pomponius Molo 97 BCE Rome Apollo Numa Pompilius stdng Lituus alter sacrifice goat Cr 334-1 Syd 607



RR Minucius-Augurinus AR denarius 18mm 3-9g Rome mint 134 BC XVI Spiral column corn-ears togate figure holding loaves modius lituus Cr 243-1 S 120



Judaea Pontius Pilate 14-37 CE - Prutah TIBEPIOY KAICAPOC Lituus Hendin 1342



RR Curtius Silanus 116-115 BCE AR Den (2) Roma Jupiter Quad Lituus S 162 Cr 285-2



RR Julius Caesar AR Denarius 49 BCE Traveling Mint Elephant-Pontificates Sear 1399 Craw 443-1



RI Maximus Thrax JUNIOR 236-238 AE Sestertius Rome mint priestly emblems



RI Saloninus 258-260 BI Ant Preistly Implements

 

This thread seems incomplete and worth revisiting - quite a few missing coins of priestly implements including this coin of Philip II.

Philip II, son of Philip I and Otacilia Severa, was appointed Caesar shortly after the accession of his father, at age 7. I don't have many Roman Imperial antoniniani, something about the very three dimensional implements of aspergillum, simpulum, and ewer (sprinkler, ladle, and jug) and the odd perspective of the vase led to a winning bid.

Philip II looks fairly mature for 8-9 years old at the time (AD 245-6) - hanging out with his father on the northern frontier (north of the Danube, Dacia) in the campaigns against the Quadi and Carpi.


Philip II, Caesar under Philip I AD 244-247
AR Antoninianus, minted in Rome, 245-6.
Obv: M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG, radiate, draped and armored bust right.
Rev: PIETAS AVGVSTOR, priestly implements: aspergillum, simpulum, ewer, secespita and lituus
Size: 4.25g, 22mm
Ref: RIC 215; Sear 9239

 

Tetricus II copy - Barbarous radiate copy of Antoninianus
Barbarous imitation of Antoninianus
Obv:– S (sic) P E TETRICVS CAES, radiate and draped bust right
Rev:– PIETAS AVGVSTOR, Sacrificial implements, spinkler, simpulum, jug and lituus
Barbarous imitation

 

Caesar, Crawford 467/1a. 46 BC:




Cassius, Crawford 500/5, 42 BC:



and a scarce Imperatorial denarius, struck by C. Domitius Calvinus in Spain in 39 BC, Crawford 532/1. Calvinus had been magister equitum under Caesar which presumably explains the Caesarian echo on his reverse:



Phil Davis

 

Got this Provincial As struck in Cartago Nova under Duoviri Gaius Varius Rufus and Sextus Julius Pollio, 16 - 13 BC

26 x 28 mm, 11.97 g
Ref.: RPC I 167; SNG Copenhagen 509; ACIP 3137; SNG München 130; Vives 131/132-10; Burgos (2008) 455

Ob.: AVGVSTVS DIVI F laureate head of Augustus r.
Rev.: C•VAR•RVF•SEX•IVL•POL•II•VIR•Q simpulum, aspergillum, securis, and apex

​

 

Just got this fun, little quadrans of Augustus delivered yesterday...


Augustus, Ruled 27 BC - 14 AD
AE Quadrans, Struck 9 BC, Rome mint
L. Aelius Lamia, P. Silius and Annius, moneyers
Obverse: LAMIA · SILIVS · ANNIVS ·, simpulum and lituus.
Reverse: III · VIR · A · A · A · F · F · around large S C.
References: RIC 421