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<p>[QUOTE="DonnaML, post: 4523497, member: 110350"]Much to my surprise, since I always assumed the animal on the reverse was a bull when I saw photos and descriptions of this coin type, and when I bought it. Not that I mind! It's a very interesting coin, and I was able to get it for less than what I think is the usual cost of an example in similar condition, because Diana has lost her bucranium -- a very painful condition, I'm sure!</p><p><br /></p><p>Roman Republic, A. Postumius A.f. Sp.n. Albinus, AR Serrate Denarius, 81 BCE. Obv. Draped bust of Diana right, with bow and quiver over shoulder, bucranium above [<i>off flan</i>] / Rev. Roman priest standing facing on rocky ground (on Aventine Hill), head left, with right arm extended holding aspergillum, sprinkling bull [<i>Crawford & Sear</i>], ox [<i>RSC</i>], or heifer [<i>Harlan</i>*] which he is about to sacrifice, a lighted altar between them, A POST - AF - SN • ALBIN [<i>AL in monogram</i>]. RSC I Postumia 7, Crawford 372/1, Sydenham 745, Sear RCV I 296 (ill.), BMCRR 2836. 18.54 mm., 3.85 g. <i>Ex. Spink & Sons Ltd. (before 2000; perhaps before 1974)</i>.**</p><p><br /></p><p>Seller's photos:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1120634[/ATTACH] My own larger photos, to show a bit more detail:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1120635[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1120636[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>* On the bull vs. ox vs. heifer issue, see Michael Harlan, <i>Roman Republican Moneyers and their Coins</i>, 81 BCE-64 BCE (2012) (using this coin-type as the cover illustration for his book). At pp. 3-4, Harlan argues that in the legendary tale which, as Crawford acknowledges, is the basis for the reverse of this coin -- namely, the sacrifice to Diana on the Aventine Hill founding her temple there ca. 500 BCE, establishing Rome as the <i>caput rerum</i> for all of Italy [and symbolizing the victory of Sulla over the rebel Italians in 82 BCE] -- the sacrificed animal was a heifer with wondrous horns, not a bull or an ox. (Citing Livy, The History of Rome, Book 1, ch. 45 [available at <a href="http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0145%3Abook%3D1%3Achapter%3D45" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0145%3Abook%3D1%3Achapter%3D45" rel="nofollow">http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.02.0145:book=1:chapter=45</a>]):</p><p><br /></p><p><font size="4"> "<b>45.</b> The state being increased by the enlargement of the city, and every thing modelled at home and abroad for the exigencies both of peace and war, that the acquisition of power might not always depend on mere force of arms, he endeavoured to extend his empire by policy, and at the same time to add some ornament to the city. [2] <a href="http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0145%3Abook%3D1%3Achapter%3D45#note1" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0145%3Abook%3D1%3Achapter%3D45#note1" rel="nofollow">1</a>The temple of Diana at Ephesus was at that time in high renown; fame represented it to have been built by all the-states of Asia, in common. When Servius, amid some grandees of the Latins with whom he had taken pains to form connexions of hospitality and friendship, extolled in high terms such concord and associa- [p. 60]tion of their gods, by frequently insisting on the same subject, he at length prevailed so far as that the Latin states agreed to build a temple to Diana at Rome, in conjunction with the Roman people. [3] This was an acknowledgment that Rome was the head of both nations, concerning which they had so often disputed in arms. Though that object seemed to have been left out of consideration by all the Latins, in consequence of the matter having been so often attempted unsuccessfully by arms, fortune seemed to present one of the Sabines with an opportunity of recovering the superiority to his country by his own address. [4] A cow is said to have been calved to a certain person, the head of a family among the Sabines, of surprising size and beauty. Her horns, which were hung up in the porch of the temple of Diana, remained, for many ages, a monument of this wonder. [5] The thing was looked upon as a prodigy, as it was, and the soothsayers declared, that sovereignty would reside in that state of which a citizen should immolate this heifer to Diana. [6] This prediction had also reached the ears of the high priest of Diana. The Sabine, when he thought the proper time for offering the sacrifice was come, drove the cow to Rome, led her to the temple of that goddess, and set her before the altar. The Roman priest, struck with the uncommon size of the victim, so much celebrated by fame, thus accosted the Sabine: “What intendest thou to do, stranger?” says he. “Is it with impure hands to offer a sacrifice to Diana? Why dost not thou first wash thyself in running water? The Tiber runs along in the bottom of that valley.” [7] The stranger, being seized with a scruple of conscience, and desirous of having every thing done in due form, that the event might answer the prediction, from the temple went down to the Tiber. In the mean time the priest sacrificed the cow to Diana, which gave great satisfaction to the king, and to the whole state." [<i>Notes omitted</i>.] [<i>This translation says cow rather than heifer, but I don't know what the original Latin says. One would think that a heifer would be more appropriate for sacrifice! And even this translation indicates that the "cow" in question had recently been calved.</i>]</font></p><p><font size="4"><br /></font></p><p><font size="4">I am persuaded. No bull.</font></p><p><font size="4"><br /></font></p><p>** Here are the old Spink tags for the coin:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1120642[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>The tags have to be from before 2000, because that's when Spink moved from King St. to Southampton Row in Bloomsbury. See <a href="https://www.antiquestradegazette.com/news/2000/spink-to-join-the-bloomsbury-set/" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.antiquestradegazette.com/news/2000/spink-to-join-the-bloomsbury-set/" rel="nofollow">https://www.antiquestradegazette.com/news/2000/spink-to-join-the-bloomsbury-set/</a>. The reason I think they might be from before 1974 is that the only catalog citation is to Sydenham (S. 745), with no citation to Crawford -- which was published in 1974 and almost immediately replaced Sydenham as the most authoritative reference book for Roman Republican coins.</p><p><br /></p><p>Edited to add: Does anyone have any other ancient coins that specifically show heifers or cows (rather than bulls or even oxen)? [I had to look up bull vs. ox vs. steer, just to make sure I properly understood the difference. I've never examined any of them that closely!][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="DonnaML, post: 4523497, member: 110350"]Much to my surprise, since I always assumed the animal on the reverse was a bull when I saw photos and descriptions of this coin type, and when I bought it. Not that I mind! It's a very interesting coin, and I was able to get it for less than what I think is the usual cost of an example in similar condition, because Diana has lost her bucranium -- a very painful condition, I'm sure! Roman Republic, A. Postumius A.f. Sp.n. Albinus, AR Serrate Denarius, 81 BCE. Obv. Draped bust of Diana right, with bow and quiver over shoulder, bucranium above [[I]off flan[/I]] / Rev. Roman priest standing facing on rocky ground (on Aventine Hill), head left, with right arm extended holding aspergillum, sprinkling bull [[I]Crawford & Sear[/I]], ox [[I]RSC[/I]], or heifer [[I]Harlan[/I]*] which he is about to sacrifice, a lighted altar between them, A POST - AF - SN • ALBIN [[I]AL in monogram[/I]]. RSC I Postumia 7, Crawford 372/1, Sydenham 745, Sear RCV I 296 (ill.), BMCRR 2836. 18.54 mm., 3.85 g. [I]Ex. Spink & Sons Ltd. (before 2000; perhaps before 1974)[/I].** Seller's photos: [ATTACH=full]1120634[/ATTACH] My own larger photos, to show a bit more detail: [ATTACH=full]1120635[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1120636[/ATTACH] * On the bull vs. ox vs. heifer issue, see Michael Harlan, [I]Roman Republican Moneyers and their Coins[/I], 81 BCE-64 BCE (2012) (using this coin-type as the cover illustration for his book). At pp. 3-4, Harlan argues that in the legendary tale which, as Crawford acknowledges, is the basis for the reverse of this coin -- namely, the sacrifice to Diana on the Aventine Hill founding her temple there ca. 500 BCE, establishing Rome as the [I]caput rerum[/I] for all of Italy [and symbolizing the victory of Sulla over the rebel Italians in 82 BCE] -- the sacrificed animal was a heifer with wondrous horns, not a bull or an ox. (Citing Livy, The History of Rome, Book 1, ch. 45 [available at [URL='http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0145%3Abook%3D1%3Achapter%3D45']http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.02.0145:book=1:chapter=45[/URL]]): [SIZE=4] "[B]45.[/B] The state being increased by the enlargement of the city, and every thing modelled at home and abroad for the exigencies both of peace and war, that the acquisition of power might not always depend on mere force of arms, he endeavoured to extend his empire by policy, and at the same time to add some ornament to the city. [2] [URL='http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0145%3Abook%3D1%3Achapter%3D45#note1']1[/URL]The temple of Diana at Ephesus was at that time in high renown; fame represented it to have been built by all the-states of Asia, in common. When Servius, amid some grandees of the Latins with whom he had taken pains to form connexions of hospitality and friendship, extolled in high terms such concord and associa- [p. 60]tion of their gods, by frequently insisting on the same subject, he at length prevailed so far as that the Latin states agreed to build a temple to Diana at Rome, in conjunction with the Roman people. [3] This was an acknowledgment that Rome was the head of both nations, concerning which they had so often disputed in arms. Though that object seemed to have been left out of consideration by all the Latins, in consequence of the matter having been so often attempted unsuccessfully by arms, fortune seemed to present one of the Sabines with an opportunity of recovering the superiority to his country by his own address. [4] A cow is said to have been calved to a certain person, the head of a family among the Sabines, of surprising size and beauty. Her horns, which were hung up in the porch of the temple of Diana, remained, for many ages, a monument of this wonder. [5] The thing was looked upon as a prodigy, as it was, and the soothsayers declared, that sovereignty would reside in that state of which a citizen should immolate this heifer to Diana. [6] This prediction had also reached the ears of the high priest of Diana. The Sabine, when he thought the proper time for offering the sacrifice was come, drove the cow to Rome, led her to the temple of that goddess, and set her before the altar. The Roman priest, struck with the uncommon size of the victim, so much celebrated by fame, thus accosted the Sabine: “What intendest thou to do, stranger?” says he. “Is it with impure hands to offer a sacrifice to Diana? Why dost not thou first wash thyself in running water? The Tiber runs along in the bottom of that valley.” [7] The stranger, being seized with a scruple of conscience, and desirous of having every thing done in due form, that the event might answer the prediction, from the temple went down to the Tiber. In the mean time the priest sacrificed the cow to Diana, which gave great satisfaction to the king, and to the whole state." [[I]Notes omitted[/I].] [[I]This translation says cow rather than heifer, but I don't know what the original Latin says. One would think that a heifer would be more appropriate for sacrifice! And even this translation indicates that the "cow" in question had recently been calved.[/I]] I am persuaded. No bull. [/SIZE] ** Here are the old Spink tags for the coin: [ATTACH=full]1120642[/ATTACH] The tags have to be from before 2000, because that's when Spink moved from King St. to Southampton Row in Bloomsbury. See [URL]https://www.antiquestradegazette.com/news/2000/spink-to-join-the-bloomsbury-set/[/URL]. The reason I think they might be from before 1974 is that the only catalog citation is to Sydenham (S. 745), with no citation to Crawford -- which was published in 1974 and almost immediately replaced Sydenham as the most authoritative reference book for Roman Republican coins. Edited to add: Does anyone have any other ancient coins that specifically show heifers or cows (rather than bulls or even oxen)? [I had to look up bull vs. ox vs. steer, just to make sure I properly understood the difference. I've never examined any of them that closely!][/QUOTE]
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