The BEARDED challenge

Great thread, @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix .

For deities, I’ll go with this Zeus Ammon.



I think we should recognize Hadrian for bringing the beard back into style for Roman emperors for the next couple of centuries.



For my money, I think Septimius Severus had the greatest beard of any emperor.


And a special participation trophy to young Gordian III, who tried his best, but couldn’t quite do it. Looks a lot like the beard I tried to grow when I was in high school (but mine was way worse).

 

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Thought I would toss a beard in from the West... more Celts


OSCA, Spain, AR silver denarius. Struck circa 204-154 BC. Head right with short beard, legend resembling *N behind. Reverse - Horseman galloping right with spear, Iberian legend resembling *PMAN BOLSCAN below. Burgos 1501, Villaronga 3
Ex: @John Anthony

 

My wonderful Secret Sarurnalia gift of Septimus Severus has a great beard: So does this Alexandrian Tet of Gallienus: Zeus has the best beard in my opinion on this 70 gram monster

 

Squeezing in the last of the adopted and bearded emperors:

 

Nice and trimmed..Artabanos I
Long and free....Mithradates II

 

I will add some more Eastern rulers....
Persia/ AV Daric ND/ Sardes Mint/ Xerxes II 420-380BC
Kushan Empire/ AV Dinara/ Peshawar Mint/ Vima Kadphises
Kushan Empire/ AV Dinara/ Peshawar Mint/ Kanishaka I
Parthia Empire/ AR Drachm/ Ektabana Mint/ Pakoros I
Rome/

 

Funky Beard. But, he must be Celtic cuz he has a strawberry-blonde beard!


PERSIA
Achaemenid Daris I-Xerxes II
485-420 BCE
AV Daric 14mm 8.3g
Lydo Milesian Sardes king wearing kidaris kandys quiver spear bow
Incuse
Carr Type IIIb Group A-B pl XIII 27

 

Neat tripartite beard on Septimius.

 

Some great beards in the thread so far - Greek, Byzantine, Parthian, Sassanian, Roman Imperial, Achaemenid, Kushan....The Roman Republicans had some good bearded characters too e.g. these two bearded tyrannicides:

Roman Republican, M. Junius Brutus, 54 BC.
AR Denarius, Rome, struck 54 BC
Obv: Bearded and bare-headed head right of L. Junius Brutus; BRVTVS.
Rev: Bearded and bare-headed head right of Caius Servilius Ahala; AHALA
Size: 3.96g, 17-19mm
Ref: Crawford 433/2; Junia 30

 

The beard curls that Constantius wears on this portrait was one of the reasons why I bought the coin.


CONSTANTIUS I CHLORUS
AR Argenteus. 3.35g, 19.6mm. Serdica mint, circa AD 305-306. RIC 11a (R4), unlisted officina Γ=3. O: CONSTANTIVS AVG, laureate head right. R: VIRTVS MILITVM, three-turreted campgate with seven layers and no doors; •SM•SDΓ• in exergue.

 

Amazing thread! The coins herein have been exceptional for a group that is known to provide exceptional things.
That said, none have posted a coin of histories Most obvious beard:

I kid. Though, being Hadrian’s wife was being a massive beard I’ll throw in a few of my favorite with men with beards on them (no circus ladies here):
The man who brought the beard and certain proclivities back from Greece:

The greatest beard that barely got a chance:
The beard from Africa:


The beard from Gaul:

Crazy beard:

Neck beards always count beard:

Silenus’ beard so great the coin cannot coin-tain it!

 

THRACE, PANTIKAPAION AE18
OBVERSE: Head of Pan left
REVERSE: P-A-N, head & neck of bull three-quarters left. Struck at Pantikapaion 400-300BC
4.0g, 18mm
SNG BMC Black Sea 890

ANONYMOUS ROMAN REPUBLIC
AR Didrachm
OBVERSE: Helmeted head of Mars left, oak-sprig behind
REVERSE: ROMANO on tablet below head of bridled horse right, ear of wheat behind
Struck at Metapontum, 280-276 BC
19 mm, 6.55g
Cr13/1, Syd 1

SICILY, SYRACUSE, HIERON II
AE19 OBVERSE: Head of Poseidon left
REVERSE: IEP-ONOS, ornamented trident of Poseidon
Struck at Syracuse, Sicily 275-216 BC
6.5g; 19mm
SG 1223

TRALLES, LYDIA CITY COINAGE
AE18
OBVERSE: Laureate head of Zeus Larasios right
REVERSE: DIOS TRAL-LIANWN, thunderbolt, all in wreath
Struck at Tralles 200-1 BC
6.51g, 17.86 mm
Mionnet 661

TI VETURIUS ROMAN REPUBLIC; GENS VETURIA
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: Helmeted bust of Mars right
REVERSE: Youth kneeling l., between two warriors who touch with their swords a pig which he holds., ROMA above
Struck at Rome 137 BC
3.7g, 18mm
Cr.234/1; RSC Veturia 1

M FURIUS Lf PHILUS ROMAN REPUBLIC
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: Laureate head of Janus; M•FOVRI•L•F around
REVERSE: Roma standing left erecting trophy, gallic arms around, ROMA to right, PHLI in ex.
Struck at Rome, 119 BC
3.81g, 18.35mm
Crawford 281/1, Syd 529, BMCRR (Italy) 555, Furia 18

KINGS OF NUMIDIA, MICIPSA
AE27
OBVERSE: Laureate, bearded head left
REVERSE: Prancing horse left, pellet below
Struck at Numidia, 118 BC
14.4g, 27mm
SNG Cop 505; Mazard 50; Müller 32
Ex JAZ Numismatics

 

These two disagree!

Gallienus' crazy neck beard!


Gallienus, 253-268 AD
Roman Æ Antoninianus, 18 mm, 2.27 g
Rome Mint 267-268 AD
Obv: GALLIENVS AVG, radiate head right
Rev: DIANAE CONS AVG, gazelle walking left, XII in exergue
Refs: RIC 181; Cohen 165; RCV 10200; Göbl 750b.

Crusty, but with the BEST neck beard!


Tacitus, AD 275-276.
Roman billon antoninianus, 3.57 g, 22.1 mm, 12 h.
Ticinum, AD 275-276, issue 2.
Obv: IMP C CL TACITVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust, right.
Rev: ANNONA AVGVSTI, Annona standing left, holding ears of corn over modius and cornucopiae; T (third officina) in exergue.
Refs: MER/RIC temp #3647; RIC 123; Cohen --; Estiot 2149.56; RCV 11767; La Venera hoard 1673.

 

How about a Gallienus antoninianus I bought earlier today?

Obverse: GALLIENVS AVG - Radiate bust of Gallienus.
Reverse: VIRTVS AVG - Virtus, holding shield and spear.
Date: 260-268 AD
Diameter: 19.4 mm.
Weight: 2.37 gr.
Reference: RIC 534

 

Good research. But I’m pretty sure I saw aureus of Nero wearing a little beard ?

 

Neigh faith. Hadrian was the first emperor to wear a beard on coinage going back to Caesar, or Sulla for that matter.
Though Nero did wear a fake beard named Poppaea
Pictures or it didn’t happen...

 

I found one:

 

Well played. How could i forget:


Though, if that’s an aureus then have i got a time share venture for you!