Log in or Sign up
Coin Talk
Home
Forums
>
Coin Forums
>
Ancient Coins
>
Temple Teaser
>
Reply to Thread
Message:
<p>[QUOTE="Roman Collector, post: 4975194, member: 75937"]There are numerous temples depicted on coins, particularly on Roman Provincials. Many times, however, the numismatic and literary evidence is all that remains of these once mighty structures, the temples long torn down and their material reused for other projects.</p><p><br /></p><p>This coin suggests that there may have been a Serapeum in Moesia Inferior, well-known to the inhabitants of the province, with a cult statue of Serapis posed in the manner depicted on this and similar coins. If so, online search engines reveal no mention of archaeological remains of such a structure.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1195538[/ATTACH]</p><blockquote><p><font size="3">Caracalla with Julia Domna, AD 198-217.</font></p><p><font size="3">Roman provincial Æ Pentassarion, 25.5 mm, 12.01 g, 7 h.</font></p><p><font size="3">Moesia Inferior, Marcianopolis, Quintilianus, legatus consularis, AD 212-217.</font></p><p><font size="3">Obv: ΑΝΤΩΝΙΝΟC ΑVΓVCΤΟC ΙΟVΛΙΑ ΔΟΜΝΑ, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Caracalla right vis-à-vis draped bust of Julia Domna left.</font></p><p><font size="3">Rev: VΠ ΚVΝΤΙΛ-ΙΑΝ ΜΑΡΚΙΑ-NΟΠΟΛΙΤΩ-Ν, Tetrastyle temple with peaked roof and clipeus in pediment, statue of Serapis within, standing left, raising right hand and holding scepter; Є (mark of value) to left of Serapis.</font></p><p><font size="3">Refs: AMNG 689 var.; H&J <i>Marcianopolis</i>, 6.19.46.7 (same dies); Varbanov 1049; Moushmov 508; SNG Evelpides 812 var.; Lindgren II 713 var.; BMC 3. 30, 19 var.; SNRIS Marcianopolis 09</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>The pose adopted by the figure of Serapis within the temple is stylized: standing left, raising his right hand, and holding a scepter. This coin produced for the nearby town of Odessos depicts Serapis in the same pose:</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/gordian-iii-and-tranquillina-odessos-serapis-jpg.750428/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><blockquote><p><font size="3">Gordian III with Tranquillina, AD 238-244.</font></p><p><font size="3">Roman provincial Æ Pentassarion; 26.1 mm, 13.33 g, 6 h.</font></p><p><font size="3">Moesia Inferior, Odessos.</font></p><p><font size="3">Obv: ΑVΤ Κ Μ ΓΟΡΔΙΑΝΟC ΑVΓ CЄ - ΤΡΑΝΚVΛ-ΛЄΙΝΑ, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Gordian III right, vis-à-vis diademed and draped bust of Tranquillina left.</font></p><p><font size="3">Rev: ΟΔΗΞ - CЄΙΤΩΝ, Sarapis standing left, raising right hand and holding scepter; E (mark of value) in left field.</font></p><p><font size="3">Refs: AMNG I 1696; Moushmov 1696; Varbanov 4599; SNRIS Odessus 15 (a9).</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>At the outset of his reign, Caracalla declared divine support for the Egyptian deity Serapis, a god of healing. The temple of Isis and Serapis in Alexandria was apparently renovated during Caracalla's co-rule with his father Septimius Severus. Upon Caracalla's ascension to sole ruler in 212, the imperial mint began striking coins bearing Serapis' image. This was a reflection of the god's central role during Caracalla's reign. Here is an example:</p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/caracalla-pm-trp-xx-cos-iiii-pp-serapis-denarius-jpg.1054535/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><blockquote><p><font size="3">Caracalla, AD 198-217.</font></p><p><font size="3">Roman AR denarius, 2.9g, 19mm, 6h.</font></p><p><font size="3">Rome, issue 10, AD 217.</font></p><p><font size="3">Obv: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG GERM, laureate head right.</font></p><p><font size="3">Rev: PM TRP XX COS IIII PP; Serapis, wearing polos on head, standing facing, head left, holding wreath and scepter.</font></p><p><font size="3">Refs: RIC 289c; BMCRE 188; Cohen/RSC 382; RCV 6846; Hill 1586.</font></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>Claire Rowan[1] notes Caracalla's coinage is marked by a high proportion of Apollo, Serapis and Aesculapius types and argues that the coins are representative of Caracalla's "medical tourism." She explains that the emperor considered himself in poor health and traveled to various sites across the empire and sought healing at temples and shrines to these gods, which were then displayed on his coinage. Such may well be the case with the coin of Marcianopolis I posted above.</p><p><br /></p><p>Certainly Dio[2] draws attention to Caracalla's supposed poor health and his reliance on the gods:</p><p><br /></p><blockquote><p>But to Antoninus no one even of the gods gave any response that conduced to healing either his body or his mind, although he paid homage to all the more prominent ones. This showed most clearly that they regarded, not his votive offerings or his sacrifices, but only his purposes and his deeds. He received no help from Apollo Grannus, nor yet from Aesculapius or Serapis, in spite of his many supplications and his unwearying persistence. For even while abroad he sent to them prayers, sacrifices and votive offerings, and many couriers ran hither and thither every day carrying something of this kind; and he also went to them himself, hoping to prevail by appearing in person, and did all that devotees are wont to do; but he obtained nothing that contributed to health.</p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>~~~</p><p><br /></p><p>1. Rowan, Clare. <i>Under Divine Auspices: Divine Ideology and the Visualisation of Imperial Power in the Severan Period</i>. Cambridge Univ. Press, 2013, pp. 112-163.</p><p><br /></p><p>2. Cassius Dio. <i>Roman History: in Nine Volumes</i>, (trans. Earnest Cary). Heinemann, 1917-1924. 78.15.5-7.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Roman Collector, post: 4975194, member: 75937"]There are numerous temples depicted on coins, particularly on Roman Provincials. Many times, however, the numismatic and literary evidence is all that remains of these once mighty structures, the temples long torn down and their material reused for other projects. This coin suggests that there may have been a Serapeum in Moesia Inferior, well-known to the inhabitants of the province, with a cult statue of Serapis posed in the manner depicted on this and similar coins. If so, online search engines reveal no mention of archaeological remains of such a structure. [ATTACH=full]1195538[/ATTACH] [INDENT][SIZE=3]Caracalla with Julia Domna, AD 198-217. Roman provincial Æ Pentassarion, 25.5 mm, 12.01 g, 7 h. Moesia Inferior, Marcianopolis, Quintilianus, legatus consularis, AD 212-217. Obv: ΑΝΤΩΝΙΝΟC ΑVΓVCΤΟC ΙΟVΛΙΑ ΔΟΜΝΑ, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Caracalla right vis-à-vis draped bust of Julia Domna left. Rev: VΠ ΚVΝΤΙΛ-ΙΑΝ ΜΑΡΚΙΑ-NΟΠΟΛΙΤΩ-Ν, Tetrastyle temple with peaked roof and clipeus in pediment, statue of Serapis within, standing left, raising right hand and holding scepter; Є (mark of value) to left of Serapis. Refs: AMNG 689 var.; H&J [I]Marcianopolis[/I], 6.19.46.7 (same dies); Varbanov 1049; Moushmov 508; SNG Evelpides 812 var.; Lindgren II 713 var.; BMC 3. 30, 19 var.; SNRIS Marcianopolis 09[/SIZE][/INDENT] The pose adopted by the figure of Serapis within the temple is stylized: standing left, raising his right hand, and holding a scepter. This coin produced for the nearby town of Odessos depicts Serapis in the same pose: [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/gordian-iii-and-tranquillina-odessos-serapis-jpg.750428/[/IMG] [INDENT][SIZE=3]Gordian III with Tranquillina, AD 238-244. Roman provincial Æ Pentassarion; 26.1 mm, 13.33 g, 6 h. Moesia Inferior, Odessos. Obv: ΑVΤ Κ Μ ΓΟΡΔΙΑΝΟC ΑVΓ CЄ - ΤΡΑΝΚVΛ-ΛЄΙΝΑ, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Gordian III right, vis-à-vis diademed and draped bust of Tranquillina left. Rev: ΟΔΗΞ - CЄΙΤΩΝ, Sarapis standing left, raising right hand and holding scepter; E (mark of value) in left field. Refs: AMNG I 1696; Moushmov 1696; Varbanov 4599; SNRIS Odessus 15 (a9).[/SIZE][/INDENT] At the outset of his reign, Caracalla declared divine support for the Egyptian deity Serapis, a god of healing. The temple of Isis and Serapis in Alexandria was apparently renovated during Caracalla's co-rule with his father Septimius Severus. Upon Caracalla's ascension to sole ruler in 212, the imperial mint began striking coins bearing Serapis' image. This was a reflection of the god's central role during Caracalla's reign. Here is an example: [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/caracalla-pm-trp-xx-cos-iiii-pp-serapis-denarius-jpg.1054535/[/IMG] [INDENT][SIZE=3]Caracalla, AD 198-217. Roman AR denarius, 2.9g, 19mm, 6h. Rome, issue 10, AD 217. Obv: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG GERM, laureate head right. Rev: PM TRP XX COS IIII PP; Serapis, wearing polos on head, standing facing, head left, holding wreath and scepter. Refs: RIC 289c; BMCRE 188; Cohen/RSC 382; RCV 6846; Hill 1586.[/SIZE][/INDENT] Claire Rowan[1] notes Caracalla's coinage is marked by a high proportion of Apollo, Serapis and Aesculapius types and argues that the coins are representative of Caracalla's "medical tourism." She explains that the emperor considered himself in poor health and traveled to various sites across the empire and sought healing at temples and shrines to these gods, which were then displayed on his coinage. Such may well be the case with the coin of Marcianopolis I posted above. Certainly Dio[2] draws attention to Caracalla's supposed poor health and his reliance on the gods: [INDENT]But to Antoninus no one even of the gods gave any response that conduced to healing either his body or his mind, although he paid homage to all the more prominent ones. This showed most clearly that they regarded, not his votive offerings or his sacrifices, but only his purposes and his deeds. He received no help from Apollo Grannus, nor yet from Aesculapius or Serapis, in spite of his many supplications and his unwearying persistence. For even while abroad he sent to them prayers, sacrifices and votive offerings, and many couriers ran hither and thither every day carrying something of this kind; and he also went to them himself, hoping to prevail by appearing in person, and did all that devotees are wont to do; but he obtained nothing that contributed to health.[/INDENT] ~~~ 1. Rowan, Clare. [I]Under Divine Auspices: Divine Ideology and the Visualisation of Imperial Power in the Severan Period[/I]. Cambridge Univ. Press, 2013, pp. 112-163. 2. Cassius Dio. [I]Roman History: in Nine Volumes[/I], (trans. Earnest Cary). Heinemann, 1917-1924. 78.15.5-7.[/QUOTE]
Your name or email address:
Do you already have an account?
No, create an account now.
Yes, my password is:
Forgot your password?
Stay logged in
Coin Talk
Home
Forums
>
Coin Forums
>
Ancient Coins
>
Temple Teaser
>
Home
Home
Quick Links
Search Forums
Recent Activity
Recent Posts
Forums
Forums
Quick Links
Search Forums
Recent Posts
Competitions
Competitions
Quick Links
Competition Index
Rules, Terms & Conditions
Gallery
Gallery
Quick Links
Search Media
New Media
Showcase
Showcase
Quick Links
Search Items
Most Active Members
New Items
Directory
Directory
Quick Links
Directory Home
New Listings
Members
Members
Quick Links
Notable Members
Current Visitors
Recent Activity
New Profile Posts
Sponsors
Menu
Search
Search titles only
Posted by Member:
Separate names with a comma.
Newer Than:
Search this thread only
Search this forum only
Display results as threads
Useful Searches
Recent Posts
More...