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<p>[QUOTE="Roman Collector, post: 4222612, member: 75937"]Let's face it -- we all have to eat and most of us never have to worry about starvation. That was not the case for ancient peoples, who were always a drought or plague of locusts away from starvation. As such, Roman culture assigned many goddesses and personifications to providing and protecting the food supply. These figures are feminine because fertility of any kind -- of crops, livestock, or people -- was believed to be a feminine force. The Romans depicted several such goddesses on their coins and their roles overlap to some degree. For this reason, they are often confused by modern, monotheistic people. I hope this little article helps you sort them out.</p><p><br /></p><p><i>Post your coins of Abundantia, Annona, Ceres, or Uberitas or anything you feel is relevant! </i></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Abundantia</b> (εὐθένεια [Euthenia] in Greek) was a profuse giver of all things, at all times. As you might guess from the similarity of her name to the English word <i>abundance</i>, she personifies abundance in general, including, but not limited to, food.</p><p><br /></p><p>She is typically portrayed wearing a stola and holding a cornucopiae and corn-ears, or emptying a cornucopiae.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1080817[/ATTACH]</p><p>Gallienus, AD 253-268</p><p>Roman billon Antoninianus; 2.68 g, 19.5 mm, 1 h</p><p>Rome, AD 265-267</p><p>Obv: GALLIENVS AVG, radiate head, right</p><p>Rev: ABVNDANTIA AVG, Abuntantia standing right, emptying cornucopiae with both hands; B in left field</p><p>Refs: RIC 157K; Göbl 0574a; RCV 10164.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Annona</b> (no Greek equivalent) personifies the grain supply. As such, she is similar to Abuntantia or Ceres, and when an inscription is not specific, she can be difficult to identify. She holds grain ears and a cornucopiae, as do the other deities and personifications under discussion, but because the Roman grain supply largely arrived on ships from Egypt and in baskets called <i>modii</i>, the presence of a <i>modius</i> and nautical imagery, such as a ship's prow or anchor, are iconographic features relatively specific to Annona.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1080838[/ATTACH] </p><p>Antoninus Pius, AD 138-161.</p><p>Roman orichalcum sestertius, 23.11 g, 29.4 mm, 12 h.</p><p>Rome, AD 142.</p><p>Obv: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P COS III, laureate head right.</p><p>Rev: ANNONA AVG S C, Annona standing right, between modius and prow, holding corn ears and out-turned cornucopiae.</p><p>Refs: RIC 597; BMCRE 1228; Cohen 37; RCV 4147; UCR 502.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1080792[/ATTACH]</p><p>Severus Alexander, AD 222-235.</p><p>Roman AR denarius, 2.95 g, 19.4 mm, 1 h.</p><p>Rome, issue 12, AD 231.</p><p>Obv: IMP SEV ALEXAND AVG, laureate head, right, with drapery on left shoulder.</p><p>Rev: ANNONA AVG, Annona standing left, holding corn-ears in right hand over modius at feet and holding anchor in left hand.</p><p>Refs: RIC 188; BMCRE 674-76; RSC 29a; RCV 7859.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/tacitus-annona-avgvsti-antoninianus-jpg.645366/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p>Tacitus, AD 275-276.</p><p>Roman billon antoninianus, 3.57 g, 22.1 mm, 12 h.</p><p>Ticinum, AD 275-276, issue 2.</p><p>Obv: IMP C CL TACITVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust, right.</p><p>Rev: ANNONA AVGVSTI, Annona standing left, holding ears of corn over modius and cornucopiae; T (third officina) in exergue.</p><p>Refs: MER/RIC temp #3647; RIC 123; Cohen --; Estiot 2149.56; RCV 11767; La Venera hoard 1673.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Ceres </b>(Greek Δημήτηρ [Demeter]), the Roman goddess of of agricultural fertility (especially of grain crops) and motherly relationships, was so important to Roman society that she was included among the <i>Dii Consentes</i>, Rome's equivalent to the Twelve Olympians of Greek mythology.</p><p><br /></p><p>Her name is thought to derive from the Proto-Indo-European root <i>*ḱer-</i>, meaning "to grow," and is related to other Latin words associated with growth, such as <i>crēare </i>("to create") and <i>crēscere </i>("to grow"). The cognate adjective, <i>cereālis</i>, literally means "of or associated with Ceres." As such, this Latin adjective also means "of wheat." It isn't too difficult to see that the English word <i>cereal</i> stems from Ceres and <i>cereālis.</i></p><p><br /></p><p>Her attributes stem from two aspects of her mythology. As the goddess of grains, she is depicted with ears of grain, typically holding them but occasionally as a crown on her head, poppies, a cornucopiae, or the scepter of divine authority. She sometimes sits on or stands near a <i>cista </i>(basket). As grieving mother searching in the darkness of the underworld for her daughter Proserpina (Greek Περσεφόνη [Persephone]), she is depicted carrying a torch.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/faustina-sr-avgvsta-ceres-corn-ears-long-torch-denarius-jpg.1058205/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p>Faustina I, AD 138-140/1.</p><p>Roman AR denarius, 2.69 g, 18.2 mm, 7 h.</p><p>Rome, AD 145 or later.</p><p>Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.</p><p>Rev: AVGVSTA, Ceres, veiled and draped, standing left, holding two corn-ears in right hand and torch in left hand.</p><p>Refs: RIC 360a; BMC 408-414; Cohen/RSC 78; RCV 4582; Strack 474; CRE 76.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/lucilla-ceres-sestertius-jpg.1028416/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p>Lucilla, AD 164-169.</p><p>Roman orichalcum sestertius, 20.35 g, 28.7 mm, 11 h.</p><p>Rome, AD 166-169.</p><p>Obv: LVCILLA AVGVSTA,</p><p>bare-headed and draped bust, right.</p><p>Rev: CERES S C, Ceres, veiled and draped, seated right on <i>cista</i>, holding corn-ears in right hand and short torch in left hand.</p><p>Refs: RIC 1728; BMCRE 1194-96; Cohen 2; RCV 5496; MIR 24.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1080811[/ATTACH]</p><p>Julia Domna, AD 193-217.</p><p>Roman AR denarius, 2.82 g, 20.0 mm, 6 h.</p><p>Rome, AD 200.</p><p>Obv: IVLIA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust right.</p><p>Rev: CERERI FRVGIF, Ceres seated left, holding corn ears and torch.</p><p>Refs: RIC 546; BMCRE 10; Cohen 14; RCV 6576; Hill 424.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Uberitas</b> (no Greek equivalent) personifies agricultural fertility in general. As such, she resembles Abundantia, but is more specifically concerned with agricultural abundance. She resembles Ceres and Annona, but her realm is not limited to grain crops. She holds a <i>marsupium</i> (a pouch or bag often made from a cow's udder) or sometimes a cluster of grapes, and a cornucopiae.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/etruscilla-vberitas-avg-antoninianus-antioch-jpg.891303/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p>Herennia Etruscilla, AD 249-253.</p><p>Roman AR Antoninianus, 4.18 g, 23.2 mm, 12 h.</p><p>Antioch, AD 250-251.</p><p>Obv: HER ETRVSCILLA AVG, diademed and draped bust right on crescent, hair with horizontal waves and with a long plait carried up the back of the head; •• below bust.</p><p>Rev: VBERITAS AVG, Uberitas standing left, holding marsupium (?) and cornucopiae.</p><p>Refs: RIC 68b; RCV 9499.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/trebonianus-gallus-vberitas-avg-antioch-antoninianus-jpg.931353/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p>Trebonianus Gallus, AD 251-253.</p><p>Roman AR antoninianus, 5.43 g, 20.1 mm, 6 h.</p><p>Antioch, first series, AD 251-252.</p><p>Obv: IMP C C VIB TREB GALLVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust, right; •••• below.</p><p>Rev: VBERITAS AVG, Uberitas standing left, holding purse and cornucopiae; •••• in exergue.</p><p>Refs: RIC 92; Cohen 125; RCV 9652; Hunter p. cvi; ERIC II 63.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Roman Collector, post: 4222612, member: 75937"]Let's face it -- we all have to eat and most of us never have to worry about starvation. That was not the case for ancient peoples, who were always a drought or plague of locusts away from starvation. As such, Roman culture assigned many goddesses and personifications to providing and protecting the food supply. These figures are feminine because fertility of any kind -- of crops, livestock, or people -- was believed to be a feminine force. The Romans depicted several such goddesses on their coins and their roles overlap to some degree. For this reason, they are often confused by modern, monotheistic people. I hope this little article helps you sort them out. [I]Post your coins of Abundantia, Annona, Ceres, or Uberitas or anything you feel is relevant! [/I] [B]Abundantia[/B] (εὐθένεια [Euthenia] in Greek) was a profuse giver of all things, at all times. As you might guess from the similarity of her name to the English word [I]abundance[/I], she personifies abundance in general, including, but not limited to, food. She is typically portrayed wearing a stola and holding a cornucopiae and corn-ears, or emptying a cornucopiae. [ATTACH=full]1080817[/ATTACH] Gallienus, AD 253-268 Roman billon Antoninianus; 2.68 g, 19.5 mm, 1 h Rome, AD 265-267 Obv: GALLIENVS AVG, radiate head, right Rev: ABVNDANTIA AVG, Abuntantia standing right, emptying cornucopiae with both hands; B in left field Refs: RIC 157K; Göbl 0574a; RCV 10164. [B]Annona[/B] (no Greek equivalent) personifies the grain supply. As such, she is similar to Abuntantia or Ceres, and when an inscription is not specific, she can be difficult to identify. She holds grain ears and a cornucopiae, as do the other deities and personifications under discussion, but because the Roman grain supply largely arrived on ships from Egypt and in baskets called [I]modii[/I], the presence of a [I]modius[/I] and nautical imagery, such as a ship's prow or anchor, are iconographic features relatively specific to Annona. [ATTACH=full]1080838[/ATTACH] Antoninus Pius, AD 138-161. Roman orichalcum sestertius, 23.11 g, 29.4 mm, 12 h. Rome, AD 142. Obv: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P COS III, laureate head right. Rev: ANNONA AVG S C, Annona standing right, between modius and prow, holding corn ears and out-turned cornucopiae. Refs: RIC 597; BMCRE 1228; Cohen 37; RCV 4147; UCR 502. [ATTACH=full]1080792[/ATTACH] Severus Alexander, AD 222-235. Roman AR denarius, 2.95 g, 19.4 mm, 1 h. Rome, issue 12, AD 231. Obv: IMP SEV ALEXAND AVG, laureate head, right, with drapery on left shoulder. Rev: ANNONA AVG, Annona standing left, holding corn-ears in right hand over modius at feet and holding anchor in left hand. Refs: RIC 188; BMCRE 674-76; RSC 29a; RCV 7859. [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/tacitus-annona-avgvsti-antoninianus-jpg.645366/[/IMG] 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. [B]Ceres [/B](Greek Δημήτηρ [Demeter]), the Roman goddess of of agricultural fertility (especially of grain crops) and motherly relationships, was so important to Roman society that she was included among the [I]Dii Consentes[/I], Rome's equivalent to the Twelve Olympians of Greek mythology. Her name is thought to derive from the Proto-Indo-European root [I]*ḱer-[/I], meaning "to grow," and is related to other Latin words associated with growth, such as [I]crēare [/I]("to create") and [I]crēscere [/I]("to grow"). The cognate adjective, [I]cereālis[/I], literally means "of or associated with Ceres." As such, this Latin adjective also means "of wheat." It isn't too difficult to see that the English word [I]cereal[/I] stems from Ceres and [I]cereālis.[/I] Her attributes stem from two aspects of her mythology. As the goddess of grains, she is depicted with ears of grain, typically holding them but occasionally as a crown on her head, poppies, a cornucopiae, or the scepter of divine authority. She sometimes sits on or stands near a [I]cista [/I](basket). As grieving mother searching in the darkness of the underworld for her daughter Proserpina (Greek Περσεφόνη [Persephone]), she is depicted carrying a torch. [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/faustina-sr-avgvsta-ceres-corn-ears-long-torch-denarius-jpg.1058205/[/IMG] Faustina I, AD 138-140/1. Roman AR denarius, 2.69 g, 18.2 mm, 7 h. Rome, AD 145 or later. Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: AVGVSTA, Ceres, veiled and draped, standing left, holding two corn-ears in right hand and torch in left hand. Refs: RIC 360a; BMC 408-414; Cohen/RSC 78; RCV 4582; Strack 474; CRE 76. [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/lucilla-ceres-sestertius-jpg.1028416/[/IMG] Lucilla, AD 164-169. Roman orichalcum sestertius, 20.35 g, 28.7 mm, 11 h. Rome, AD 166-169. Obv: LVCILLA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: CERES S C, Ceres, veiled and draped, seated right on [I]cista[/I], holding corn-ears in right hand and short torch in left hand. Refs: RIC 1728; BMCRE 1194-96; Cohen 2; RCV 5496; MIR 24. [ATTACH=full]1080811[/ATTACH] Julia Domna, AD 193-217. Roman AR denarius, 2.82 g, 20.0 mm, 6 h. Rome, AD 200. Obv: IVLIA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust right. Rev: CERERI FRVGIF, Ceres seated left, holding corn ears and torch. Refs: RIC 546; BMCRE 10; Cohen 14; RCV 6576; Hill 424. [B]Uberitas[/B] (no Greek equivalent) personifies agricultural fertility in general. As such, she resembles Abundantia, but is more specifically concerned with agricultural abundance. She resembles Ceres and Annona, but her realm is not limited to grain crops. She holds a [I]marsupium[/I] (a pouch or bag often made from a cow's udder) or sometimes a cluster of grapes, and a cornucopiae. [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/etruscilla-vberitas-avg-antoninianus-antioch-jpg.891303/[/IMG] Herennia Etruscilla, AD 249-253. Roman AR Antoninianus, 4.18 g, 23.2 mm, 12 h. Antioch, AD 250-251. Obv: HER ETRVSCILLA AVG, diademed and draped bust right on crescent, hair with horizontal waves and with a long plait carried up the back of the head; •• below bust. Rev: VBERITAS AVG, Uberitas standing left, holding marsupium (?) and cornucopiae. Refs: RIC 68b; RCV 9499. [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/trebonianus-gallus-vberitas-avg-antioch-antoninianus-jpg.931353/[/IMG] Trebonianus Gallus, AD 251-253. Roman AR antoninianus, 5.43 g, 20.1 mm, 6 h. Antioch, first series, AD 251-252. Obv: IMP C C VIB TREB GALLVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust, right; •••• below. Rev: VBERITAS AVG, Uberitas standing left, holding purse and cornucopiae; •••• in exergue. Refs: RIC 92; Cohen 125; RCV 9652; Hunter p. cvi; ERIC II 63.[/QUOTE]
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