Roman Vota types

I was digging through my gallon jar of LRB’s (you’ve all got one, right?) and came across a few fairly respectable Constantines with votum reverses. I thought it might make a good thread to post coins that feature vota types. I found some succinct definitions on David Sear’s site...

"Vota: (plural of votum). A vow made to a god in order to obtain a divine favor stipulated in advance. The granting of the request obliged the vower to fulfill his promise. This usually took the form of a sacrifice to the deity or an offering to his (or her) temple. Public vota in Imperial times were normally for the welfare of the emperor over a stated period of time (five or ten years) and were regularly undertaken (vota suscepta) and hopefully paid (vota soluta). Sometimes they were more specific, relating to the safety of the emperor on a particularly hazardous journey or military campaign, or the current state of his health. The undertaking and fulfillment of these public vows was frequently recorded on the coinage and in the late Empire especially may provide useful evidence for the chronological arrangement of issues."

“May provide” are key words here. I’ve read (I’m not sure where - probably in RIC) that if a particular votum was not associated with the celebration of an emperor’s anniversary of rule, using numbers to date the coin can be problematic, unless the votum in question is recorded to have occurred on a specific date. David Sear also gives a simple explanation of the the anniversaries...

"Decennalia: the tenth anniversary of an emperor's rule, marked by the redemption of previous vows (vota soluta) and the undertaking of new ones (vota suscepta). It was often commemorated on the coinage by a depiction of the emperor sacrificing at an altar or by an inscription within a votive wreath. The quinquennalia (five years) and vicennalia (twenty years) were similarly celebrated, the latter of course far less frequently."

In the case of the following coin, the appearance of the inscription VOT XXX follows directly on the heels of Constantine’s vicennalia of July 325, and it’s assumed with confidence that this votum is associated with his 20th anniversary celebration.

Constantine I, 272-337
AE3: 20mm, 2.7g, 12h; Heraclea mint: 326
Obv.: CONSTANTINVS AVG; Laureate head right
Rev.: D N CONSTANTINI MAX AVG; laurel wreath enclosing VOT/XXX // SMHBdot
Reference: RIC VII, Heraclea 82 (p. 552)

 

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I have the same type.


Constantine (307 - 337 A.D.)
AE3
O:CONSTANTINVS AVG, diademed head right, ladder-shaped diadem with dots in segments
R: DN CONSTANTINI MAX AVG around VOT XXX in wreath, dot SMHA in ex.
Heraclea Mint 326 - 327 A.D.
19mm
2.8g
RIC VII 90

Another vota:

 

An interesting collection would be to assemble all the different diadems from this mint. Here's a scan of the footnote on p. 538 of RIC VII...



Yours would be diadem B.

 

Wonder if anyone has even done so. It would sure be a challenge.

 

I know this is not exactly what you had in mind, but it is a "VOTA" type:


Geta AR Denarius
OBV: GETA CAES PONT COS, draped bust right
REV: VOTA PVBLICA, Geta standing left, sacrificing out of patera over tripod & holding roll
Struck 205AD
3.18g, 18mm
RIC IV 38b

 

And another type:

Caracalla AR Denarius
OBV: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG, laureate head right
REV: VOTA SVSCEPTA X, Caracalla veiled, standing left, sacrificing out of patera over tripod altar
Struck 206-210 AD
3.4g, 18mm
RIC 179

 

Here's one of mine..

Constantine l 322-325..AD..
AE 3 follis
Ob.Constantine l bust right.
Rev. wreath ..vot dot xx cresent..
19mm x 3.38g.
Mint T T Ticinum..

 

A little different vot coin..
Constantine l
AE follis.
Ob. Constantine l bust right..
Rev. vot pr on alter
20mm x 2.60g.
Mint Arles..A cresent w/star A

 

I had any and all in mind - there are quite a few fascinating types from the earlier emperor's - some of my favorites are the denarii of Hadrian sacrificing at an altar.

 

here's a vot of magnentius...

 

Another of mine I rarely share on here.


Severus Alexander (222 - 235 A.D.)
AR Denarius
O: IMP SEV ALE-XAND AVG, Laureate head right.
R: VICTORIA AVGVSTI, Victory standing right, left foot on helmet, inscribing VOT X on shield.
Rome 231
2.2g
18mm
RIC 219, RSC 566a, BMC 638 (Scarce)

This type refers to the initial victories won against the Persians in 231 A.D.

 

You have to be the last man standing to redeem your XXX and renew for XXXX as on these two siliquae of Constantius II from Arles and Thessalonica.


I prefer types with something other than a wreath. This Constantine I has a Vota banner.

While the coin does not say Vota, Roma is inscribing XV on the shield of both Constantine and Crispus. It seems that the numbers should not match. Is this a Vota type?

 

I too have a jar for LRBs. My jar only has a dozen coins that barely cover the bottom. These are remnants of some $0.40 coins that I could not positively identify this last summer. Left in the container is this one VOT coin which looks like it may have been brick-cleaned at one time. It weighs 3.73 grams and is 21.3 mm. I figured this one might be Constantine I or Licinius but without a good match it never made it into a flip. The reverse reads VOT/XX/FK. Perhaps you experts can teach me some things about this one (or is it too far gone)?

 

My guess is Maximianus. It is definitely a post reform radiate of Carthage mint. I don't have one but have the matching Diocletian. I believe I see IMPCMAX at the left and definitely see VSPFAVG at the right so we need to guess at the IMIAN in the middle.

 

I bought this recently , its part of the Mossy Bottom Barn hoard ....... and I think its
Postumus AR Antoninianus. Cologne mint. IMP C POSTVMVS PF AVG, radiate, draped bust right / PM TRP X COS V PP, Victory standing right, foot on globe, inscribing VO XX on shield. RIC V-II Cologne 295; Sear (1988) 3124; Elmer 595; Cunetio 2469.

 

I have a lot of LRB Vota types, so I'll just post a few.


Constantine I AE3

 

Constantine I AE3

 

Constantine I AE3

 

Constantine II AE3