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<p>[QUOTE="Al Kowsky, post: 3915186, member: 97383"]Some recent <b>CoinTalk</b> threads on Diocletian era folles stirred me to take a closer look at the most common reverse type seen on these coins, Genius as a youth standing naked except for a chlamys around his shoulders, holding a patera (sacrificial dish) in one hand and a cornucopia in the other. He is also wearing a modius style headdress ( the modius is an official container of cylindrical shape used for measuring grain). The picture below is a marble head of Genius of the Army wearing a modius, circa 2nd century CE, found in Vindobona, Austria. A Roman military encampment of Marcus Aurelius was in that area.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1031900[/ATTACH] </p><p>So who is Genius? Genius in Latin means "begetter", and he was an attendant spirit of a person, place, or thing associated with men. Women have a counterpart, <i>Juno. </i>Sacred places like volcanoes, mountains, and lakes also had a Genius. He is most often seen as Genius of the Roman people (<b>GENIO POPVLI ROMANI</b>), like the coin below.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1031904[/ATTACH] </p><p>Maximian, circa AD 294-295, Ticinum Mint, Billon follis: 10.53 gm, 27 mm. This is an early issue follis from Diocletian's currency reform of AD 294.</p><p><br /></p><p>There are many slight variations of Genius depicted on coins along with different inscriptions, as the coins below illustrate</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1031908[/ATTACH] </p><p>Maniminus II as Caesar, AD 305-308, Cyzicus Mint, Officina 3, Billon follis: 9.54 gm, 28 mm. Genius on this coin is emptying the contents of his patera on the ground. The reverse inscription on this coin is different (<b>GENIO AVGG ET CAESARVM NN</b>), translates "Genius of the two Augusti and two Caesars".</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1031918[/ATTACH] </p><p>Diocletian, AD 301-303, Lugdunum Mint, Officina 1, Billon follis: 10.15 gm, 28 mm. This coin depicts Genius sacrificing over a fire altar. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1031920[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1031921[/ATTACH] </p><p>The inscription on this coin translates "Genius of the Army".</p><p><br /></p><p>References:</p><p>Wikipedia</p><p>Roman Coins and Their Values, Volume 4, by David R. Sear</p><p>The 4 coins pictured are from my collection.</p><p><br /></p><p>If any <b>CT </b>members have different versions of Genius, especially older coins or coins with different inscriptions, please feel free to post them <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />. AK[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Al Kowsky, post: 3915186, member: 97383"]Some recent [B]CoinTalk[/B] threads on Diocletian era folles stirred me to take a closer look at the most common reverse type seen on these coins, Genius as a youth standing naked except for a chlamys around his shoulders, holding a patera (sacrificial dish) in one hand and a cornucopia in the other. He is also wearing a modius style headdress ( the modius is an official container of cylindrical shape used for measuring grain). The picture below is a marble head of Genius of the Army wearing a modius, circa 2nd century CE, found in Vindobona, Austria. A Roman military encampment of Marcus Aurelius was in that area. [ATTACH=full]1031900[/ATTACH] So who is Genius? Genius in Latin means "begetter", and he was an attendant spirit of a person, place, or thing associated with men. Women have a counterpart, [I]Juno. [/I]Sacred places like volcanoes, mountains, and lakes also had a Genius. He is most often seen as Genius of the Roman people ([B]GENIO POPVLI ROMANI[/B]), like the coin below. [ATTACH=full]1031904[/ATTACH] Maximian, circa AD 294-295, Ticinum Mint, Billon follis: 10.53 gm, 27 mm. This is an early issue follis from Diocletian's currency reform of AD 294. There are many slight variations of Genius depicted on coins along with different inscriptions, as the coins below illustrate [ATTACH=full]1031908[/ATTACH] Maniminus II as Caesar, AD 305-308, Cyzicus Mint, Officina 3, Billon follis: 9.54 gm, 28 mm. Genius on this coin is emptying the contents of his patera on the ground. The reverse inscription on this coin is different ([B]GENIO AVGG ET CAESARVM NN[/B]), translates "Genius of the two Augusti and two Caesars". [ATTACH=full]1031918[/ATTACH] Diocletian, AD 301-303, Lugdunum Mint, Officina 1, Billon follis: 10.15 gm, 28 mm. This coin depicts Genius sacrificing over a fire altar. [ATTACH=full]1031920[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1031921[/ATTACH] The inscription on this coin translates "Genius of the Army". References: Wikipedia Roman Coins and Their Values, Volume 4, by David R. Sear The 4 coins pictured are from my collection. If any [B]CT [/B]members have different versions of Genius, especially older coins or coins with different inscriptions, please feel free to post them :). AK[/QUOTE]
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