Featured The Modesty of Emperors

"Whenever you desire to cheer yourself, think upon the merits of those who are alive with you; the energy of one, for instance, the modesty of another, the generosity of a third, of another some other gift. For nothing is so cheering as the images of the virtues shining in the character of contemporaries, and meeting so far as possible in a group. Therefore you should keep them ready to your hand."
-Marcus Aurelius Meditations, VI.48

In my last post on one of the earliest coins of Hadrian, I mentioned that the featured coin inappropriately carried over the titles of Trajan on the coin of Hadrian. This was perhaps a result of poor succession planning and the hurried efforts during the transition from Trajan. The titles were soon removed from coins.

There is one title,"Pater Patriae" or "Father of the Fatherland or Country", that I focus on today, which appears on my latest Alexandrian drachm. From the time of Augustus, there was a ritual of "recusatio" or refusal of the title of "Pater Patriae". Augustus refused the title until 2 BC, by which time he had been emperor for about 25 years.

This journal article provides an interesting overview of the use of this title throughout the history of the empire: Stevenson, T. (2007). Roman Coins and Refusals of the Title "Pater Patriae". The Numismatic Chronicle (1966-), 167, 119-141. Another paper by Stevenson, provides a summary of the modern debate on the role of the title Pater Patriae, "Andreas Alfӧldi on the Roman Emperor as Pater Patriae". A simple thought that stays with me is that the ritual of refusing the title, until earned, was a way for the emperor to show humility and deference to the traditions of the republic and the senate, albeit with no obvious consequence to his power. Hadrian in particular needed to show a bit of deference to the senate early in his reign.

Perhaps also more modest than most, Hadrian takes a longer time to accept this title than all predecessors but Augustus, about 11 years. Hadrian became emperor on August 8 or 9, AD 117. This coin (RIC II Hadrian 916) was struck between AD 134 and 138 and has P. P. in the legend.

AR denarius from the last years for Hadrian's reign AD 134-138
Obv: HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS P P. Laureate head right.
Rev: COS III. Victory seated left, holding wreath and palm.
Size: 18.5-19.5mm 3.24g
Ref: RIC II Hadrian 916

There is an earlier variant of this coin, Hadrian 858, that omits the title P.P. on the obverse, like the obverse that starts this post (a COS III Neptune reverse from AD 124-128). Historia Augusta relates this about Hadrian:

"Later, when the senate offered him the triumph which was to have been Trajan's, he refused it for himself, and caused the effigy of the dead Emperor to be carried in a triumphal chariot, in order that the best of emperors might not lose even after death the honour of a triumph. Also he refused for the present the title of Father of his Country, offered to him at the time of his accession and again later on, giving as his reason the fact that Augustus had not won it until late in life."
- Historia Augusta, Hadrian 6.3​

Not everyone got titles right. This inscription from Eleutherna, Roman Crete, declares Hadrian "πατρὶ πατρίδος" from a statue dated to AD 117/8, before he had accepted the title.

Translation: "To the Emperor Caesar, son of the divine Nerva Trajan, grandson of the divine Nerva, Trajan Hadrian Augustus, Pontifex Maximus, (exercising) tribunician power, consul for the second time, pater patriae, the city of Eleutherna (dedicated this statue)."
-Petros Themelis (2009)

When Hadrian did accept the title in AD 128, it was added to coins in Rome discreetly. In Alexandria, they were more exuberant in declaring on his coins (RY 12 and 13):

Egypt, Alexandria, Hadrian, BI Tetradrachm, dated RY 12 = AD 127/8
Obv: AYT KAI TPAI AΔPIA CEB, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right
Rev: ΠATHP ΠATPIΔ[OC] (== Pater Patridos), clasped hands; L IB (date) above and below hands
Ref: Dattari (Savio) 1524

It is interesting to see this same title applied to George Washington ~1800 years later on a Revolutionary War button. This button sold at a Heritage Auction in 2018 for $225,000) and for more description see the write-up by Robert J. Silverstein.

Pater Patriae representing authority that is earned and popularly granted, in contrast with REX, which was a title associated with authoritarian and tyrannical rule that was not preferred by either Roman citizens or American colonists from their governors.

As always comments, corrections and references are appreciated. Post your coins with and without P.P. titles and anything else you find interesting or entertaining.

 

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Well-written, scholarly, and thought-provoking exploration of titulature we collectors often take for granted.

 

A fantastic post. Wow, you made this topic very interesting

 

Thanks for the article - very nice. I'll share a Justinian with PP just to show how late this tradition continued.

 

Very interesting write up...
Now it's nice to put a bit of depth behind my Hadrian PP...Thanks.
Hadrian (117- 138). Rome, c. 131-138 AD. Silver Denarius. 2,85 g. 17 mm.
Obv: HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P, laureate head right.
Rev: FORTVNA AVG, Fortuna standing left holding patera and cornucopiae. VF, old collection patina.
RIC#245A

 

Here is Antoninus Pius who accepted the title P.P. after about 6 months (~Feb. 139) from the senate. His relationship much better with the senate compared to Hadrian, whom after death they were not thrilled to deify.
Antoninus Pius, AD 138-161, AR denarius, struck circa AD 141-143
Obv: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P COS III, laureate head right
Rev: GENIO SENATVS, Genius of the Senate standing left, holding branch and sceptre
Ref: RIC III 69a (bare head instead of laureate 69c)

 

@Sulla80......I enjoyed your article and it got me looking through my collection so I hope you dont mind but here's another coin with the PP in long form.
Nerva AR Denarius. Rome, AD 97.
Obverse..IMP NERVA CAES AVG P M TR POT, laureate head right
Reverse..COS III PATER PATRIAE, Priestly emblems: simpulum, aspergillum, guttus, and lituus.
RIC 24; RSC 48. 3.12g, 17mm, 6h.

 

Here are two separate issues of sestertii by Claudius to honor his father Nero Claudius Drusus - one bearing PP (Pater Patriae) in the titulature and the other without it.


RIC Vol. I, CLAUDIUS, SESTERTIUS, Rome, No. 109, 42-43 AD (38mm, 28.0gm) BMCRE, Vol1, No. 208, Plate 36-8
Obverse depiction: Nero Claudius Drusus, bare head facing left
Inscription: NERO CLAVDIVS DRVSVS GERMANICVS IMP
Reverse depiction: Claudius seated left on curule chair holding olive branch, weapons and armor beneath
Inscription: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG PM TRP IMP PP - S C (exergue)



BMCRE, Vol. I, CLAUDIUS, SESTERTIUS, Rome, No. 157, Plate 35-7, 41-42 AD (38mm, 28.9gm)

Reverse legend ending in IMP (Claudius had not accepted PP yet).

This coin has been heavily cleaned - but not by me!

It was a real coincidence that I found that coin - one of the joys of collecting Ancient coins!

 

Very nice write up, @Sulla80 ... learned a bit!

My emphasis has been on Roman Republic, and I do not see any among my limited Empire coins...

 

Wonderful write up and coins (&button!).
I didn't know the act of turning down the title of father of the country kept up after Tiberius so famously, trying to turn down the title and have it forced upon him by the Senate like his father in law had done, botched the charade! Very cool!

 

Assuming that "P P" or "PP" always means Pater Patriae, I have far too many Imperial coins bearing that title to post here, including coins of Augustus, Claudius, Nero, Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, Commodus, Septimius Severus, Macrinus, and Gordian III. But here's one that definitely shows a lack of modesty, given how short this emperor's reign was:

Balbinus AR Denarius, April-June 238 AD, Rome mint. Obv. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, IMP C D CAEL BALBINVS AVG / Rev. Bearded Genius of the Senate or Emperor, togate, standing front, head left, holding branch in right hand and short transverse scepter in left hand, PM TRP COS II PP. RIC IV-2 5, RSC III 20, Sear RCV III 8489 (ill.). 20 mm., 2.65 g. (Ex: Kirk Davis, Cat # 74, Fall 2019, Lot 83).

 

Severus Alexander took the title very early, possibly immediately upon being proclaimed emperor:


Here's an elegantly engraved "P.P." on a quadrans of Claudius:

Apparently late Roman and Byzantine uses of "PP" actually stand for PERP[ETVVS] rather that Pater Patriae. (Reference: David Sear.) Does anyone know who the latest Roman Pater Patriae was? Wikipedia seems to indicate it was Constantine.

 

Sulla80, The Washington button is a fascinating piece of history & shows how Roman influence lasted for millennia . The coin posted below depicts Nero, the most pompous & grandiose of all the Roman emperors, who shamefully used this title .

 

Thanks all for the nice coins and comments.

I don't mind at all, quite the contrary - quite pleased to see a denarius with Pater Patria spelled out in Latin.

"There is a good chance that Nerva, 'the last strictly Italian emperor', was also the first to accept PP immediately upon his accession on 18 September 96. His advanced age and long career in the senate must have counted heavily."
-Stevenson, T. (2007). Roman Coins and Refusals of the Title "Pater Patriae".​

You do pull out some very nice coins ...by this time the senate was pretty ineffective and there wasn't much left of republican sensibilities and traditional honors.

Sometime during the period covered in RIC VIII - Jovian DN IOVIANVS PF PP AVG (AD 363-364) appears to be the latest (not 100% certain):

and thanks for sharing the changing meaning of PP on Byzantine coins and late roman coins, I was not aware of this. From Sear's website:

"PERP or PP = Perpetuus, 'Continuous'. In the early Empire this indicated the holding of a specific office for life, eg CENS(or) PERP(petuus) under Domitian. However, from the late 5th century into Byzantine times it replaced the traditional 'P F', standing on its own as an Imperial title immediately preceding that of Augustus."​

Very interesting to see the two coins paired from Claudius. As Mattingly, and others, assign acceptance of PP by Claudius to Jan-42, I think (not 100% confident) that your second coin is therefore AD 41/42.

 

I think you might be right @Sulla80 - let me re-read Mattingly - thank you for pointing that out.

 

What an amazing story. I never knew that about PP - pretty neat. My Justin II has PP as well, cool to see how late the tradition went on for

 

Yes, you are correct @Sulla80! Nice catch. Here is a fair use extract from BMCRE,vol. I (Mattingly), Claudius Chronology:



I have changed my attribution for the second Nero Claudius Drusus coin (Reverse legend ending in IMP - no PP) to reflect this. Again, thank you for spotting that with your “eagle eye” @Sulla80!

 

Thank you for posting the relevant page which I had not read. You also reminded me that although I don't have a bound copy, four volumes of BMCRE are also available online (here is a link to the relevant page you posted).

 

The antique reference source (a 1964 reprint of an 1889 book) DICTIONARY OF ROMAN COINS, by Stevenson has some interesting info. Sorry about the photo quality but this is an old faded book .



According to Stevenson, Theodosius I, AD 379-395, was the last emperor to use P.P. (Father of the Country) on coins. Stevenson also cites another meaning for P.P., Penates Patrii.

 

Thanks Al - your photos were very readable to me. This add support for the timing around end of 4th century for the original meaning. FYI (and thanks for giving me a reason to look) - useful to find the Dictionary of Roman Coins also available online at archive.org. Penates Patrii takes us out of the realm of imperial titles - although still in the realm of Roman (republican) coins:

C. Sulpicius C.f. Galba, AR serrate denarius, Rome, 106 BC
Obv: Jugate heads of Dei Penates left, DPP before
Rev: Two male figures standing facing one another, each holding a spear and pointing at sow which lies between; L above
Size: 18.5mm, 3.96g
Ref: Crawford 312/1, RSC Sulpicia 1

P.S.: I especially like this line in the page you post: "bestowed, as in the previous instances, sometimes on princes who possessed claims on the public gratitude, but much more frequently awarded to unworthy and even odious men in a spirit of servile flattery by a frightened and degraded senate."