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The VIRTVTI antoniniani of Claudius II
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<p>[QUOTE="DonnaML, post: 7379896, member: 110350"]It's not unheard of at all for Virtus to be depicted with spear and shield; here's an example from Valerian on which she carries both (but note that the spear is reversed). The most obvious "tell" is that Virtus is always (or almost always) portrayed with her right breast bare (presumably so you can be sure of her sex), and/or, as here, at least with her chiton off her right shoulder -- although the image is admittedly a bit unclear, she looks like she's wearing a bra, or the Roman equivalent.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1285059[/ATTACH]</p><p>Here are other examples of Virtus from Hadrian and Caracalla. Note that on both, she not only has her right breast bare but has her left foot on a helmet and holds a parazonium (in a rather suggestive location and at an equally suggestive angle), two other common features for Virtus. </p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1285062[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1285063[/ATTACH]As for your Claudius II coin, I can't really tell because the reverse is so worn, but there's certainly no indication of a bare right breast. It's pretty well accepted at this point that when a "Virtvs" legend is accompanied by a male figure (or a figure that's not obviously female), the image is of either Mars or the emperor displaying the attributes of "Virtus," rather than the actual (female) personification of Virtus.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="DonnaML, post: 7379896, member: 110350"]It's not unheard of at all for Virtus to be depicted with spear and shield; here's an example from Valerian on which she carries both (but note that the spear is reversed). The most obvious "tell" is that Virtus is always (or almost always) portrayed with her right breast bare (presumably so you can be sure of her sex), and/or, as here, at least with her chiton off her right shoulder -- although the image is admittedly a bit unclear, she looks like she's wearing a bra, or the Roman equivalent. [ATTACH=full]1285059[/ATTACH] Here are other examples of Virtus from Hadrian and Caracalla. Note that on both, she not only has her right breast bare but has her left foot on a helmet and holds a parazonium (in a rather suggestive location and at an equally suggestive angle), two other common features for Virtus. [ATTACH=full]1285062[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1285063[/ATTACH]As for your Claudius II coin, I can't really tell because the reverse is so worn, but there's certainly no indication of a bare right breast. It's pretty well accepted at this point that when a "Virtvs" legend is accompanied by a male figure (or a figure that's not obviously female), the image is of either Mars or the emperor displaying the attributes of "Virtus," rather than the actual (female) personification of Virtus.[/QUOTE]
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