While snakes are normally associated during the imperial period with Salus, they are occasionally featured with victory (see links). The first link shows a denarius of Vespasian with victory on a pedastool with a snake on each side. The reverse legend is unenlightening. The description describes this as a cyst a mystica. Maybe, but the association is not limited to such. The second denarius is of Trajan and shows victory walking on prow with a snake in front. This iconoagraphy is occasionally shown on denarii of other emperors, e.g. Vespasian, and is sometimes described as Nemesis. Victory, Pax, and Nemesis form a kind of triad sharing iconography with related meaning. Nemesis, while rarely portrayed during the imperial era, is the personification of univeral balance and, to use a modern term, karma. First question. The snake has been considered as a reference to Nemesis but I don’t quite get the connection. Snakes were considered ‘of the earth’, guardians of sacred spaces, symbols of healing and renewal, and sometimes just divine power of a sort- no evilness yet per the Christian serpent. Why is the snake a reference to Nemesis? Second question. Why is Nemesis shown on these denarius, if indeed Nemesis is intended? Is it a statement of the fulfillment of heavenly justice that the emperors have won victories? Is it a veiled threat that if you break the peace the emperor brings, you will suffer divine retribution? Curious for thoughts or references. https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/wa...r_denarius__cista_mystica/931601/Default.aspx https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/ro...ith_snake_rome_ric_59_gvf/826536/Default.aspx
This is actually what got me thinking about Nemesis lately, especially the beautiful denarius Orfew shows.
When I think of Nemesis and the snake together, I think of the common Claudius denarius. Unfortunately, mine is fourree.
In my view, which will be elaborated in my next work, the snake harkens back to Victory's earlier roots in winged chthonic nymphs. These nymphs predate Nike, who (also in my view) originally signified 'victory over death' as opposed to 'strategic victory.' I never knew of these Roman snake types so thank you for pointing them out.
I think the Vespasian snakes are called Cysta Mystica because they copy earlier eastern tetradrachms that are Cista Mystica depictions. Marcus Antonius AR Cistophorus Bowcase flanked by two serpents, heads confronted, monogram above, serpent twined around thyrsus to right, Q to left. Cista mystica with serpent, all within ivy wreath Pergamum Ca. 133-56 BC. BMC Ionia 176 (under M. Antonius M.f.) 12.34 g These "anonymous" issues were struck in Pergamum by Roman Quaestors between ca. 100-56 BC. They are called anonymous because the monograms are not easily identifiable. This issue is commonly attributed to be either Mark Antony or his brother Lucius Antony who both served as Quaestors in the east. However it is more likely that the Quaestor was in fact Marcus Antonius the orator who was Marcus and Lucius Grandfather. He served as Consul in 99 BC and as a Quaestor in Asia in 113/112 BC Antony & Octavia tetradrachm M ANTONIVS IMP COS DESIG ITER ET TERT Conjoined heads of Antony and Octavia right, Antony wearing an ivy wreath VIR RPC Dionysus standing left, holding cantharus and thyrsus on cista mystica flanked by two interlaced snakes Ephesus, summer-autumn 39 BC 11.22g Imperators 263, RPC 2202, Babelon Antonia 61, Syndenham 1198, BMCRR east 135 Punch mark on the obverse protrudes onto the reverse Ex-Numisantique This series of Cistophori from Asia commemorates the marriage of Antony and Octavia and celebrate's Antony's divine status in the east as the "New Dionysus" which was bestowed on him when he arrived in Ephesus in 41 BC. Antony's titulature of "Imperator and Consul designate for the second and third times" fixes the period of issue to the latter part of 39 BC after the Pact of Misenum in July and before Antony's second Imperatorial acclamation in the winter of 39-38BC
My only hesitation of calling them cysta mystica is that victory appears to be standing on a pedastool rather than a basket. As shown on Jays tetradrachm, though, this does appear as a standard usage. Thanks, Jay, for sharing.
Hmmm... Snakes in REPUBLICAN Era: RR Rubrius Dosssenus AR Quinarius 87 BC Neptune Victory alter snake Aesculapius S261 Cr 348-4 RR Man Acilius Glabrio 49 BCE Salus Valetudo snake Craw 442-1a Mysia Pergamon Cistophoric tariffed at 3-Denarii 12.4 26mm Cista mystica with serpents - snakes KP 85-76 BCE IMPERATORIAL Era: RImp Octavian AR Quinarius 29-28 BCAsia Recepta Victory Cista Snakes Sear 1568 OK, here is a snake from the IMPERIAL PERIOD: RI Hadrian 117-138 AR Denarius Salus stdg feeding Snake
Here's a more detailed version of the quinarius that @Alegandron posted. I would think this continued to be a reference to victory in Asia on the Vespasian in the OP. (?) A simple combo of the cista/snakes representing Asia, with the Victory on top.
