Temple of Venus Felix and Roma Aeterna

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Roman Collector, Jan 17, 2018.

  1. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    I know I just posted this coin, but I've been reading about its design and want to share what I've learned.

    Maxentius.jpg
    Maxentius as Augustus, AD 307-312
    Roman billon follis; 6.57 g, 25.7 mm, 10 h
    Rome, AD 307-308
    Obv: IMP C MAXENTIVS P F AVG, radiate head right
    Rev: CONSERV VRB SVAE, Roma seated facing in hexastyle temple, head left, globe in right hand, scepter in left, shield at side behind, Victories as acroteria, wreath on pediment, H left, R S in exergue
    Refs: RIC 202a; Cohen 21; RCV 14986

    I believe this coin depicts the temple of Venus and Roma as it appeared in the early 4th century AD. But first, a bit of background on the temple.

    Most of this information as it relates to numismatics comes from Marvin Tameanko's excellent monograph, Monumental Coins: Buildings & Structures on Ancient Coinage, which is available for a very reasonable price at Amazon.

    Monumental Coins.jpg

    The largest and most splendid of Rome's temples, the Temple of Venus and Rome was designed by Hadrian himself. Although consecrated in AD 121, construction did not begin until about AD 125. The temple was dedicated ten years later (Cassiodorus, Chronicle entry for AD 135), and this sestertius of Hadrian depicts the temple, still under construction (Tameanko, p. 157):

    Hadrian Temple of Venus and Rome.jpg
    Hadrian, 117-138 AD. Æ Sestertius (25.72 gm). Struck circa 134-138 AD. Laureate head right / Decastyle temple set on three-tiered base; Victories as acroteria, columns surmounted by statues and set on pedestals on either side. RIC II -; Strack 660; BMCRE -; Cohen -. CNG 67, Lot: 1473 Photo courtesy of CNG.

    Note the Corinthian columns and Victories on the roof as acroteria.

    The Temple of Venus and Rome had two adjoining cellae, or sacred inner chambers, each of which held a cult statue: Venus Felix, ancestor of the Roman people, and Roma Aeterna, the personification of the city—a symmetrical arrangement that may have been influenced by the palindrome that the two deities evoked, Roma and Amor. Situated on the slope of the Velia Hill, with the Arch of Titus at one corner and the Via Sacra passing down its flank, Hadrian's temple effectively joined the Forum (upon which Roma looked) and the Colosseum (which was faced by Venus).

    Here's the floor plan, as depicted in Tameanko (p. 155):

    Temple of Venus and Roma floorplan.jpg

    The temple was finally finished by Antoninus Pius sometime between AD 140 and 145, as shown on several sestertii issued during his reign. Here's one that depicts the side dedicated to Venus Felix, as seen from the Colosseum (ibid, p. 160):

    Antoninus Pius Veneri Felici.jpg
    ANTONINUS PIUS, 138-161 AD. Æ 'Medallic' Sestertius (30.88 gm). Struck 141 AD. Laureate head right / VENERI FELICI, pellet within decastyle temple set on three-tiered base; pediment decorated with statues; statues of Aeternitas as acroteria. RIC III 651; BMCRE 1324; Cohen 1075. CNG 67, Lot: 1523. Photo courtesy of CNG.

    And one that depicts the side dedicated to Roma Aeterna, as seen from the Forum (ibid, p. 159):

    Antoninus Pius Romae Aeternae.jpg
    ANTONINUS PIUS, 138-161 AD. Æ Sestertius (27.10 gm). Struck 141 AD. Laureate head right / ROMAE AETERNAE, pellet within decastyle temple set on three-tiered base; pediment decorated with statues; statues of Aeternitas as acroteria. RIC III 622; BMCRE 1281; Cohen 699. CNG 67, Lot: 1522. Photo courtesy of CNG.

    This état restauré by Léon Vaudoyer (1830) reconstructs the façade of the temple facing the Colosseum (containing the cella devoted to Venus Felix) as it may have looked in the second century:

    Temple of Venus and Rome Vaudoyer.jpg

    Computer-generated reconstructions such as this and this (from Atavistic) abound online. Note the Corinthian columns and the Victories as acroteria on the pediment.

    Tameanko (p. 161) notes, "Hadrian's new cult of Venus and Roma flourished and spread throughout the empire, promoting loyalty and solidarity to Rome. This may be proven by the coins struck by later emperors, which featured these deities, alone and together, or by the legends 'Roma Aeterna' and 'Veneri Felici.' The emperors Septimius Severus and Severus Alexander used these devices frequently in their coinage."

    For example, this sestertius of Julia Mamaea from my collection illustrates the cult statue of Venus Felix in the temple:

    Mamaea Venus Felix Sestertius.jpg
    Julia Mamaea, AD 222-235
    Roman Æ Sestertius; 18.80 g, 27.1 mm
    Rome, AD 224, fourth emission
    Obv: IVLIA MAMAEA AVGVSTA, diademed and draped bust, right
    Rev: VENVS FELIX SC, Venus enthroned left, holding cupid and scepter

    Tameanko (p. 161) continues, "The emperor Probus, AD 276-282, struck an enormous series of antoniniani showing a hexastyle temple with the legend ROMA AETER. This temple may be a representation of Hadrian's temple to Roma and Venus, with four central columns removed to show the statue of a seated Roma in the center."

    I have such a coin in my collection:

    Probus ROMAE AETER Antoninianus.jpg
    Probus, AD 276-282
    Roman billon antoninianus; 3.79 g, 22.1 mm
    Rome, AD 277-280
    Obv: IMP PROBVS P F AVG, radiate bust right in consular robe, eagle tipped scepter in right hand
    Rev: ROMAE AETER, temple, statue of Roma seated facing inside; in exergue, R * A
    Refs: RIC 183; Cohen 533; RCV 12027 var.

    The temple was damaged by fire in AD 307, but it was restored "in magnificent manner" by Maxentius (Aurelius Victor, De Caesaribus, XL). Indeed, when Constantius visited Rome fifty years later, this Temple of the City (Templum Urbis) was one of the sights that he most admired (Ammianus, History, XVI.10.14).

    Which brings me back to my Maxentius follis ...

    Maxentius.jpg

    The coin was issued within a year of the fire that damaged the temple and its restoration by Maxentius. Its reverse legend CONSERVATORES VRB SVAE declares Maxentius as the Savior of the City. Certainly, the rebuilding of this venerated temple would be worthy of a coin in commemoration of the event! Note the similarity of the depiction of the temple on this coin to the earlier issues: the Victories as acroteria, the Corinthian columns, the seated Roma therein. Note particularly the resemblance of this coins reverse to the explicitly titled ROMA AETER issue of Probus.

    The evidence supports the notion that this coin commemorates Maxentius' rebuilding of the temple after the fire, a deed seen as worthy of the aggrandizing title, Savior of the City (CONSERVATORES VRB SVAE).

    What fire could not destroy, Christianity could. In AD 625, Pope Honorius received a special dispensation from Heraclius to strip the gilded bronze roof tiles for the repair of old basilica of St. Peter's. The temple's destruction continued over the centuries. In AD 663, Constans II "pulled down everything that in ancient times had been made of metal for the ornament of the city, to such an extent that he even stripped off the roof of the church of the Blessed Mary which at one time was called the Pantheon, and had been founded in honor of all the gods" (Paul the Deacon, History of the Lombards, V.11). What remaining bronze and other ornaments that had decorated the city were all shipped to Constantinople. An earthquake in AD 847 further contributed to the despoliation of the temple, including a church amidst the ruins, which Pope Leo IV soon rebuilt as Santa Maria Nova. This church, in turn, was rebuilt in 1612 as the Church of Santa Francesca Romana, which preserves the apse of the original temple cella that once held the statue of Venus. This and a few of the ancient Corinthian columns are all that remain of Hadrian's opus magnum.
     
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  3. ro1974

    ro1974 Well-Known Member

    Nice infornation/ great coins thanks:) _DSC640gg1.jpg
    ANTONINUS PIUS out my collection sestertius
     
    Last edited: Jan 17, 2018
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  4. Eduard

    Eduard Supporter**

    This is an excellent, well thought out and written description of the history and background to this famous temple(s).
    Congratulations! I shall bookmark it.

    (I think this may be a post ancientaussie will appreciate)

    I am happy to have a sestertius of Antonius Pius Romae Aeternae sestertius in my collection. I have always liked its symbolic and beautiful temple.

    Antoninus Pius Sestertius Romae Aeternae OBV - 1.jpg Antoninus Pius Sestertius Romae Aeternae REV - 1.jpg
     
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  5. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    Lovely sestertii, Ro and Eduard! And where is @Ancient Aussie anyway? He'd love this thread!
     
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  6. Ancient Aussie

    Ancient Aussie Well-Known Member

    Sorry just woke up and a bit dopey, your absolutely right I love all the above coins and posts this to me is what ancient Rome collecting is all about. And great examples of one of the biggest temples around at the time the temple of Roma and Venus. 2015-01-07 01.07.48-7.jpg 2015-01-07 01.08.10-7.jpg 217020 (2).jpg
     
    Last edited: Jan 17, 2018
  7. 7Calbrey

    7Calbrey Well-Known Member

    May I confirm that the following coin of Maxentius has the temple of Venus and Roma on the reverse. I still need to clean it though.

    Maxent Rome         Sear 14987.jpg Maxent RIC 6  210  RBP.jpg
     
  8. Curtisimo

    Curtisimo the Great(ish)

    What an awesome thread @Roman Collector. Thank you for the interesting read!
     
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  9. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

    Thanks for sharing the research, @Roman Collector.

    I had never noticed that before but I can clearly see on that coin the billowing veil associated with Aeternitas. I'm guessing the figures seen as acroteria on my Maxentius follis which are clearly not Victory may have been intended to be Aeternitas as well...
    Maxentius - Roma Temple Jupiter Hercules.jpg

    I had previously had them down as "standing tall figures" before @TIF's keen mind brought up another possibility...
    Maxentius - Roma Temple Jump-ropers.jpg

    Ancient jump ropers! :D
     
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  10. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    Yes, that is Roma in that temple.
     
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  11. David Atherton

    David Atherton Flavian Fanatic

    Don't you just love revisiting a coin and digging up all kinds of historical 'Easter eggs'?

    Excellent write-up!
     
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