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<p>[QUOTE="Roman Collector, post: 7475753, member: 75937"]Among the many attributes of Jupiter/Zeus, such as an eagle, scepter, or statue of Victory, was the thunderbolt. That's because Zeus was the god of thunder!</p><p><br /></p><p>[MEDIA=youtube]GUEGNSs78rs[/MEDIA]</p><p><br /></p><p>Indeed, Jupiter/Zeus was the premier god in the Greco-Roman pantheon. He is often portrayed in ancient art holding thunderbolts, such as on <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Puteal_de_la_Moncloa_(M.A.N._Madrid)_03.jpg" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Puteal_de_la_Moncloa_(M.A.N._Madrid)_03.jpg" rel="nofollow">this</a> 2nd century Roman wellhead, the Moncloa Puteal, now in the National Archaeological Museum in Madrid.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1294180[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Unsurprisingly, then, thunderbolts appear often on Greek and Roman coins, often in Jupiter/Zeus' grasp, sometimes in the talons of his eagle, sometimes as a design element on its own, and sometimes as a control mark on the obverse or reverse. </p><p><br /></p><p>This little article makes no attempt at completeness. Rather, it's an overview of the subject. <i>Let's see your thunderbolts!!</i></p><p><br /></p><p><b>In Jupiter's grasp:</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/gordian-iii-iovi-statori-antoninianus-jpg.1030803/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p>Gordian III, AD 238-244.</p><p>Roman AR antoninianus, 3.62 g, 21.6 mm, 5 h.</p><p>Rome mint, 2nd officina, 3rd emission, AD 241-243.</p><p>Obv: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust, right.</p><p>Rev: IOVI STATORI, Jupiter standing facing, head right, holding scepter and thunderbolt.</p><p>Refs: RIC 84; Cohen 109; RCV 8615; Hunter 51.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/gallienus-iovi-vltori-ric-53-jpg.918983/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p>Gallienus, AD 253-268.</p><p>Roman billon antoninianus, 3.10 g, 20.1 mm, 6 h.</p><p>Rome, AD 261.</p><p>Obv: IMP GALLIENVS AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust, right.</p><p>Rev: IOVI VLTORI, Jupiter standing, head right, holding lightning bolt in right hand, cloak flying right; S in left field.</p><p>Refs: RIC 220F; Göbl 383x; RCV 10247; Cohen 404 var.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>In the grasp of Jupiter/Zeus' eagle:</b></p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/cleopatra-i-jpg.714540/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /> </p><p>Ptolemy V Epiphanes, 205 BC-180 BC </p><p>Greek Æ hemidrachm, 18.84 g; 28.4 mm </p><p>Alexandria, ca. 197-183/2 BC </p><p>Obv: Corn-wreathed head of Isis, right </p><p>Rev: ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ, eagle standing on winged thunderbolt, left </p><p>Refs: Svoronos 1235; Sear Greek 7880; BMCG 6.94,72; SNG VIII (Hart) 1175; Forrer</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/titus-cos-v-eagle-denarius-jpg.1170638/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p>Titus as Caesar, AD 69-79.</p><p>Roman AR Denarius, 3.27 g, 18.5 mm, 6 h.</p><p>Rome, AD 76.</p><p>Obv: T CAESAR IMP VESPASIAN, laureate head right.</p><p>Rev: COS V, Eagle standing front on garlanded altar, thunderbolt in claws, wings open, head left.</p><p>Refs: RIC.191a; RIC2.861; BMCRE 191; CBN 166; RSC.59a; RCV 2438.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Thunderbolts as a design element:</b></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1294190[/ATTACH] </p><p>Faustina II, AD 147-175.</p><p>Roman provincial Æ 23 mm, 9.0 g.</p><p>Cilicia, Olba, c. AD 158-165.</p><p>Obv: ΦΑVCΤΙΝΑ CЄΒΑCΤΗ, draped bust of Faustina, right, wearing stephane.</p><p>Rev: ΟΛΒЄ-ΩΝ, winged thunderbolt.</p><p>Refs: RPC IV.3, <a href="https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/4/5828" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/4/5828" rel="nofollow">5828</a> (temporary); BMC 21.125,25; SNG von Aulock 5795; SNG Levante 657.</p><p>Notes: Obverse die-match to SNG von Aulock and SNG Levante specimens. </p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/hadrian-p-m-tr-p-cos-iii-eagle-thunderbolt-semis-jpg.1277891/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /> </p><p>Hadrian, AD 117-138.</p><p>Roman orichalcum semis, 4.06 g, 18.1 mm, 7 h.</p><p>Rome, AD 121-23.</p><p>Obv: IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG, eagle standing half right, head turned left, wings open but not spread.</p><p>Rev: P M TR P COS III S C, thunderbolt.</p><p>Refs: RIC 625; RIC 2.3, 624; BMC 1279; Cohen 1167; Strack 579; RCV 3704.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Thunderbolts as control marks:</b></p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/alexandria-troas-apollo-r-horse-feeding-l-jpg.1220414/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /> </p><p>Troas, Alexandria, 3rd-2nd c. BC.</p><p>Greek Æ 13.5 mm, 2.20 g, 11 h.</p><p>Obv: Laureate head of Apollo, right.</p><p>Rev: AΛEΞAN above horse grazing left, monogram beneath, thunderbolt in exergue.</p><p>Refs: Sear 4028; BMC 17.10,18-20; SNG Cop 81-82; SNG von Aulock 7546.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/fonteius-denarius-dioscuri-goat-jpg.833533/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /> </p><p>Mn. Fonteius C.f., 85 BC.</p><p>Roman AR Denarius, 3.97 g, 21.0 mm, 5h.</p><p>Rome mint.</p><p>Obv: MN. FONTEI C. F, Laureate head of Apollo-Vejovis right; thunderbolt below; Roma monogram below chin.</p><p>Rev: Infant Genius seated right on goat; pilei of the Dioscuri above; below, filleted thyrsus right; all within wreath.</p><p>Refs: Crawford 353/1a; Sydenham 724; Fonteia 9; BMCRR 2476; RCV 271; Varesi 290.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/philip-ii-of-macedon-jpg.903641/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p>Philip II of Macedon.</p><p>Æ Unit, 6.30 g, 18.6 mm.</p><p>Kingdom of Macedon, uncertain mint.</p><p>Obv: Diademed head of Apollo, r.</p><p>Rev: ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ, youth on horseback r.; thunderbolt below.</p><p>Refs: Bellinger 43; SNG ANS 883.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Roman Collector, post: 7475753, member: 75937"]Among the many attributes of Jupiter/Zeus, such as an eagle, scepter, or statue of Victory, was the thunderbolt. That's because Zeus was the god of thunder! [MEDIA=youtube]GUEGNSs78rs[/MEDIA] Indeed, Jupiter/Zeus was the premier god in the Greco-Roman pantheon. He is often portrayed in ancient art holding thunderbolts, such as on [URL='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Puteal_de_la_Moncloa_(M.A.N._Madrid)_03.jpg']this[/URL] 2nd century Roman wellhead, the Moncloa Puteal, now in the National Archaeological Museum in Madrid. [ATTACH=full]1294180[/ATTACH] Unsurprisingly, then, thunderbolts appear often on Greek and Roman coins, often in Jupiter/Zeus' grasp, sometimes in the talons of his eagle, sometimes as a design element on its own, and sometimes as a control mark on the obverse or reverse. This little article makes no attempt at completeness. Rather, it's an overview of the subject. [I]Let's see your thunderbolts!![/I] [B]In Jupiter's grasp: [/B] [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/gordian-iii-iovi-statori-antoninianus-jpg.1030803/[/IMG] Gordian III, AD 238-244. Roman AR antoninianus, 3.62 g, 21.6 mm, 5 h. Rome mint, 2nd officina, 3rd emission, AD 241-243. Obv: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust, right. Rev: IOVI STATORI, Jupiter standing facing, head right, holding scepter and thunderbolt. Refs: RIC 84; Cohen 109; RCV 8615; Hunter 51. [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/gallienus-iovi-vltori-ric-53-jpg.918983/[/IMG] Gallienus, AD 253-268. Roman billon antoninianus, 3.10 g, 20.1 mm, 6 h. Rome, AD 261. Obv: IMP GALLIENVS AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust, right. Rev: IOVI VLTORI, Jupiter standing, head right, holding lightning bolt in right hand, cloak flying right; S in left field. Refs: RIC 220F; Göbl 383x; RCV 10247; Cohen 404 var. [B]In the grasp of Jupiter/Zeus' eagle:[/B] [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/cleopatra-i-jpg.714540/[/IMG] Ptolemy V Epiphanes, 205 BC-180 BC Greek Æ hemidrachm, 18.84 g; 28.4 mm Alexandria, ca. 197-183/2 BC Obv: Corn-wreathed head of Isis, right Rev: ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ, eagle standing on winged thunderbolt, left Refs: Svoronos 1235; Sear Greek 7880; BMCG 6.94,72; SNG VIII (Hart) 1175; Forrer [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/titus-cos-v-eagle-denarius-jpg.1170638/[/IMG] Titus as Caesar, AD 69-79. Roman AR Denarius, 3.27 g, 18.5 mm, 6 h. Rome, AD 76. Obv: T CAESAR IMP VESPASIAN, laureate head right. Rev: COS V, Eagle standing front on garlanded altar, thunderbolt in claws, wings open, head left. Refs: RIC.191a; RIC2.861; BMCRE 191; CBN 166; RSC.59a; RCV 2438. [B]Thunderbolts as a design element:[/B] [ATTACH=full]1294190[/ATTACH] Faustina II, AD 147-175. Roman provincial Æ 23 mm, 9.0 g. Cilicia, Olba, c. AD 158-165. Obv: ΦΑVCΤΙΝΑ CЄΒΑCΤΗ, draped bust of Faustina, right, wearing stephane. Rev: ΟΛΒЄ-ΩΝ, winged thunderbolt. Refs: RPC IV.3, [URL='https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/4/5828']5828[/URL] (temporary); BMC 21.125,25; SNG von Aulock 5795; SNG Levante 657. Notes: Obverse die-match to SNG von Aulock and SNG Levante specimens. [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/hadrian-p-m-tr-p-cos-iii-eagle-thunderbolt-semis-jpg.1277891/[/IMG] Hadrian, AD 117-138. Roman orichalcum semis, 4.06 g, 18.1 mm, 7 h. Rome, AD 121-23. Obv: IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG, eagle standing half right, head turned left, wings open but not spread. Rev: P M TR P COS III S C, thunderbolt. Refs: RIC 625; RIC 2.3, 624; BMC 1279; Cohen 1167; Strack 579; RCV 3704. [B]Thunderbolts as control marks:[/B] [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/alexandria-troas-apollo-r-horse-feeding-l-jpg.1220414/[/IMG] Troas, Alexandria, 3rd-2nd c. BC. Greek Æ 13.5 mm, 2.20 g, 11 h. Obv: Laureate head of Apollo, right. Rev: AΛEΞAN above horse grazing left, monogram beneath, thunderbolt in exergue. Refs: Sear 4028; BMC 17.10,18-20; SNG Cop 81-82; SNG von Aulock 7546. [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/fonteius-denarius-dioscuri-goat-jpg.833533/[/IMG] Mn. Fonteius C.f., 85 BC. Roman AR Denarius, 3.97 g, 21.0 mm, 5h. Rome mint. Obv: MN. FONTEI C. F, Laureate head of Apollo-Vejovis right; thunderbolt below; Roma monogram below chin. Rev: Infant Genius seated right on goat; pilei of the Dioscuri above; below, filleted thyrsus right; all within wreath. Refs: Crawford 353/1a; Sydenham 724; Fonteia 9; BMCRR 2476; RCV 271; Varesi 290. [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/philip-ii-of-macedon-jpg.903641/[/IMG] Philip II of Macedon. Æ Unit, 6.30 g, 18.6 mm. Kingdom of Macedon, uncertain mint. Obv: Diademed head of Apollo, r. Rev: ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ, youth on horseback r.; thunderbolt below. Refs: Bellinger 43; SNG ANS 883.[/QUOTE]
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