Throughout his entire reign, Gallus' coinage portrayed him as a different kind of emperor, publicizing benevolent traits, such as CONCORDIA (harmony), FELICITAS (happiness), LIBERTAS (liberty) and PIETAS (piety). Today's post concerns Libertas, the personification of liberty. The name Libertas, meaning freedom, is derived from the Latin adjective, līber, meaning free. The term cannot be understood outside the historical context of slavery. The term was used literally and allegorically to refer to not being enslaved. Temples to Libertas were built in response to the creation of the Roman Republic after the overthrow of the Tarquin kings. By the reign of Julius Caesar, temples to Libertas existed on the Aventine and Palatine hills and a statue of Libertas had been erected in the Roman Forum. The connection of Libertas with slavery is illustrated on coins by their references to the manumission ceremony whereby slaves were freed. Libertas is typically depicted as a standing female figure, holding a cap called a pileus in her right hand, and in her left hand a particular wand which the Romans called a vindicta. During the manumission ceremony, slaves wore the pileus and were lightly struck with the vindicta. This reverse type is thus rich with meaning. Indeed, these attributes of Libertas were featured on early US coinage, such as the first half cent. There are numerous types of Trebonianus Gallus illustrating Libertas. They were issued by the mint in Rome as well as the branch mint formerly attributed to Mediolanum and in all three metals. The goddess may appear standing upright, or standing with her legs crossed and leaning on a column, with or without a star in the field (click here for a discussion), and with the legend LIBERTAS AVGG (the liberty of/from the emperors) or LIBERTAS PVBLICA (public liberty). Here are some antoniniani from my collection (and a sestertius is on its way in the mail). Rome mint: Trebonianus Gallus, AD 251-253. Roman AR antoninianus, 3.62 g, 21.3 mm, 1 h. Rome, 2nd emission, AD 251-252. Obv: IMP CAE C VIB TREB GALLVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust, right. Rev: LIBERTAS AVGG, Libertas standing left, holding pileus and scepter. Refs: RIC 37; RSC 63; RCV 9634; Hunter 8. Trebonianus Gallus, AD 251-253. Roman AR antoninianus, 3.95 g, 21.3 mm, 12 h. Rome, 3rd emission, AD 252. Obv: IMP CAE C VIB TREB GALLVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust, right. Rev: LIBERTAS AVGG, Libertas standing left, holding pileus and scepter; star in right field. Refs: RIC 38; RSC 63a; RCV 9634; Hunter 8. Trebonianus Gallus, AD 251-253. Roman AR antoninianus, 2.82 g, 20.4 mm, 1 h. Rome, 1st officina, 5th emission, mid-AD 253. Obv: IMP CAE C VIB TREB GALLVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust, right. Rev: LIBERTAS AVGG, Libertas standing left, holding pileus and transverse scepter, legs crossed, leaning on column. Refs: RIC 39; Cohen 67; Sear 9635; Hunter p. cv; ERIC II 78. Unknown branch mint (see here and here for a discussion): Trebonianus Gallus, AD 251-253. Roman AR antoninianus, 3.69 g, 22 mm, 12 h. Uncertain mint (Rome? Branch mint?), AD 251. Obv: IMP CAE C VIB TREB GALLVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust, right. Rev: LIBERTAS PVBLICA, Libertas standing facing, head left, holding pileus and transverse scepter. Refs: RIC 50; Cohen 69; Eauze 1006; RCV --. Notes: Scarce; only 3 specimens in the Eauze hoard. Coins with this reverse type are more commonly encountered with the shorter IMP C C VIB TREB GALLVS AVG inscription traditionally attributed to a branch mint at Mediolanum (RIC 70, Cohen 68). Reverse die match to Harlan J. Berk Buy or Bid Sale 201, lot 222, July 13, 2017. @curtislclay of Harlan J. Berk considers this coin to be the "earliest issue of Gallus' branch mint, still using the Roman obverse legend beginning IMP CAE C, which was soon to be contracted to IMP C C only." Trebonianus Gallus, AD 251-253. Roman AR antoninianus, 3.01 g, 25 mm, 12 h. Branch mint (traditionally attributed to Mediolanum), AD 252. Obv: IMP C C VIB TREB GALLVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust, right. Rev: LIBERTAS PVBLICA, Libertas standing left, holding pileus and transverse scepter. Refs: RIC 70; Cohen 68; RCV 9636; Hunter 50. Let's see your coins with Libertas reverse types, coins of Trebonianus Gallus or Volusian, or whatever you feel is relevant!
...familiarity breeds bordom....but this coins got a lot goin' on in the back..temple, goddess sittin' onna rock with a foot a swimmin' god in de water..and a critter jumpin over de moon kinda thingy.. just to name a few.
Nice array of Treb. Gallus Libertas issues. My only one is a needle-nose RIC 70: Trebonianus Gallus Antoninianus (251-253 A.D.) Mediolanum (Milan) / Branch Mint IMP CC VIB TREB GALLVS AVG, radiate, cuirassed and draped bust right / LIBERTAS PVBLICA, Libertas standing left holding pileus and sceptre. RIC 70; Cohen 68; RCV 9636 (3.90 grams / 22 mm)
That needle-nose is a stylistic feature of the branch mint. This, along with the different silver composition of the coins with the IMP CC VIB TREB GALLVS AVG legend, are why I do not subscribe to Besley and Bland's theory that the branch mint coins were actually struck at Rome. @Terence Cheesman and I have previously discussed this here at CT, and you can also read more here.
unfortunately I have only one coin, from Alexandria, but I like the portrait. Obverse:: AKГOVIBTPЄΒГAΛΛOCЄVCЄB, Bust of Gallus to the right, laureate, carries cloak and cuirass Reverse: ЄΝΑΤΟV, Eagle standing to the right, wings half open, palm branch, L = year 3 Diam: 23,36 mm, thickn. 4,55 mm, weight 10,65 gr. Monete Imperiali Greche, G. Dattari Vol.1, p. 345, no. 5121 Catalogue of Alexandrian Coins, Milne, p.92, no. 3858-61
Nice Treb Gal coins! I only have 2. I have a fascination for coins related to events that were going on at that time, like Nero/Temple of Janus, the Salvs AVG series of Claudius II, and the APOLL SALVTARI reverse of this emperor. Do you know if the Libertas coins were linked to something specific, @Roman Collector Trebonianus Gallus AR Antoninianus. Rome. 251-253 AD. Obverse: IMP CAE C VIB TREB GALLVS AVG, radiate, draped & cuirassed bust right Reverse: APOLL SALVTARI, Apollo standing left with branch & leaning on lyre set on rock. Reference: RIC 32, RSC 20, rated Scarce. Trebonianus Gallus, AD 251-253. AR Antoninianus 21 mm, 3.15 g. Rome mint. Obverse: IMP CAE C VIB TREB GALLVS AVG, Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from the back. Reverse: FELICITAS PVBLICA, Felicitas standing left, holding caduceus and sceptre. Star in right field. Reference: RIC 34; Sear 9629.
It struck me that I don’t have any Libertas reverses. Looking for one, I thought «there’s one», but it proved to be Liberalitas, who is related, but quite different: Antoninus Pius (138-161). Denarius. Rome. Obverse: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P. Laureate head right. Reverse: TR POT COS IIII / LIB IIII. Liberalitas standing left with abacus and cornucopia. Reference: RIC 155 type 2, RSC 490a, BMC 567; Sear 4089. Condition: Very fine Weight: 3.13 g. Diameter: 18 mm. In ancient Roman culture, liberalitas was the virtue of giving freely (from liber, "free"), hence generosity. On coins, a political leader of the Roman Republic or an emperor of the Imperial era might be depicted as displaying largess to the Roman people, with liberalitas embodied as a goddess at his side.[1] The goddess Liberalitas appears on coinage issued under the emperors Gordian III Trajan, Antoninus Pius[2] and Septimius Severus,[3] sometimes designated as Augusta or Augusti in association with Imperial cult. On one example, a Roman holds out his toga to receive coins poured by Liberalitas, as Antoninus looks on from an elevated seat.[4] The divine Virtues are sometimes associated with a particular activity or function performed by the emperor—in the case of Liberalitas, the congiarium or giving of gifts by the emperor directly to individuals.[5]The enacting of the particular virtue was considered an epiphany of the goddess or miraculum: Liberalitas was thought to have manifested herself when Trajan distributed cash gifts to the populace during his formal arrival ceremony (adventus) in 99 AD.[6]Pliny names the quality of liberalitas in his Panegyric to Trajan.[7] Liberalitas was theologically linked to Providentia, "providence", and Annona, the embodiment of the grain supply.[8] (Wikipedia)
T-Bone Liberalitas (not Libertas) sestertius. This one is kind of gruesome, but rather scarce: Trebonianus Gallus Æ Sestertius (253 A.D.) Rome Mint [IMP CAES] C VIBIVS TREBON[IANVS GALLVS AVG], laureate, draped and cuir. bust right / [LIBERALI]TAS AVGG, S-C, Liberalitas standing left with abacus (coin counter) & cornucopiae. RIC 113; Cohen 57; Sear 9673. (19.20 grams / 26 mm)
Update! The sestertius arrived in the mail today! Trebonianus Gallus, AD 251-253. Roman orichalcum sestertius, 17.81 g, 29.5 mm, 12 h. Rome, AD 251-252. Obv: IMP CAES C VIBIVS TREBONIANVS GALLVS AVG, Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right. Rev: LIBERTAS AVGG S C, Libertas standing left, holding pileus and scepter. Refs: RIC 114a; Cohen 64 corr.; RCV 9674; Hunter 31.
Great coins, @Roman Collector ! LOL, I always chuckle when I see them hold the Pileus like a filled doggy bag. It needs to be EMBRACED! LIBERTAS This guy expressed it against the Tyrant Roman Republic GAIUS CASSIUS LONGINUS & PUBLIUS CORNELIUS LENTULUS SPINTHER AR silver denarius. Struck circa 42 BC, at a mobile military mint moving with Brutus & Cassius, probably located in Smyrna. C CASSI IMP LEIBERTAS, veiled & draped bust of Libertas right. Reverse - LENTVLVS SPINT, jug & lituus. 18mm, 3.3g. Ex: Incitis This coin and its interesting iconography on the reverse has me intrigued. WHY would someone depict ROMA stepping on a severed WOLF's HEAD? PILEUS has a real meaning... Cool story, very truncated: The moneyer's family were originally a plebeian family of equestrian rank and were Samnites. After the Social War, a part of the family moved to Rome, with a couple becoming Senators. However, one of the Senators was expelled, and also disowned his Senator Son. 'No one has a satisfactory reason for this scene...' Hmmm... I wonder, this guy came from a Rebel Family (Samnites), who were virtually exterminated after the Social War by Sulla. I think Roma stepping on a Wolf's severed head might say something... LOL, GO SAMNIUM!" Roman Republic Cn. Egnatius Cn.f. Cn.n. Maxsumus AR Denarius 3.8g, 17mm, Rome mint 76 BCE Bust Libertas, pileus behind- Roma Venus standing, cupid on shoulder, Roma foot on Wolf Head S 326 Craw 391-3
