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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Ocatarinetabellatchitchix, post: 3587730, member: 99554&quot;]« Please take a seat » is a common expression and a polite way to ask someone to sit down. But in the Roman political world many centuries ago, it had a complete different meaning. So let’s try to understand together the importance of the <b>curule chair</b> for the highest government dignitaries in the ancient Rome and of course on coinage from this period of antiquity. </p><p><br /></p><p><b>CURULE CHAIR </b>: it probably derived its name from the chariot ( currus ) in which a magistrate was conveyed to a place of judgment; it served early as a seat of judgment. The most likely etymology of the word &quot;<i>sella curulis</i>&quot; is related to the layout of ancient cities that did not allow everyone to move freely by car in the streets; the magistrates had the right to do so in certain ceremonies; originally they probably enjoyed this prerogative without restriction.&nbsp; According to the Roman historian <i>Livy</i>, it was first used by the Etruscans around the 6th century BC. For the roman people, the <i>sella curulis</i> was the seat where high ranking dignitaries had the right to sit to exercise their duty. Subsequently it became a sign of office for all higher officials, including the consul, praetor, dictator, master of the horse, interrex, censor and, later, the emperor. What does it look like ? It was made like a campstool, with or without arms, with curved legs forming a wide X; it had no back. Ivory was the material most commonly used for all, although bronze was common and even gold was used in special cases. A heavy cushion (pulvinus )provided a confortable seat above the rectangular framework.[ATTACH=full]958161[/ATTACH]</p><p>&nbsp;According to <i>wikipedia</i>, the way the chair was used had a metaphorical meaning: «&nbsp; this chair was meant to be uncomfortable to sit on for long periods of time, the double symbolism being that the official was expected to carry out his public function in an efficient and timely manner, and that his office, being an office of the republic, was temporary, not perennial ». I’m not sure if I believe in that theory, but it is quite interesting !</p><p>Except for coins, depictions of <b>curule chair</b> are quite rare. This one is from a funerary&nbsp; marble relief in Rome :</p><p>[ATTACH=full]958162[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>I also found another example on one of the Boscoreale silver cup found in 1895 :</p><p>[ATTACH=full]958163[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Now let’s talk about the <b>curule chair</b> in Roman Imperial coinage. It is a very common type of iconography. I discovered that at least 40 different emperors are shown seated on it. Two ladies had also the privilege to put their bottom on the chair of the rich and famous : Livia as Pax ( Augustus RIC 220 ) and Julia Domna ( Caracalla RIC 214 ).&nbsp; Many gods and goddess are described as being seated on a <b>curule chair </b>: Constantia, Vesta, Roma, Concordia, Pudicitia, Securitas, Abundancia and Felicitas ( many more deities from provincial coinage can be found on the chair ). It sometimes happens that we see two <b>curule chairs </b>on the reverse of a coin; it is the case of a coin which evokes Titus and Vespasian after their disappearance; it was a question of evoking the memory of the absent ones. Moreover, this custom was also in use during the funeral, during which an effigy of the prince was placed on a seat. We also placed empty curule seats in the theaters, always to evoke certain missing characters (this was the case for Faustine, the wife of Antoninus Pius). On a coin dedicated to deified Vespasian, we see a thunderbolt placed on a <b>curule chair </b>: here again it is an evocation of the memory of the dead&nbsp; emperor.</p><p>In general, we can say that curule seats are represented on Roman coins in three circumstances:</p><p>1) the evocation of living persons who have benefited from this privilege</p><p>2) the evocation of the gods and allegories automatically benefiting in the iconography of a privilege codified for ordinary humans</p><p>3) the evocation of absent characters or dead emperors.</p><p><br /></p><p>I only have 2 examples of this type in my collection. One is from Gordian III and the last one I’m not sure : for years there is a debate about identifying the character on this reverse ; Caligula or Augustus ?</p><p>[ATTACH=full]958164[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]958165[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>Now it’s time for the challenge : I will need your contribution and hope you’ll be willing to participate. Please show us your nicest <b>curule chair </b>![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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