I recently added this big bronze of Tiberius from the last Leu auction. At 30mm, it's a very nice looking piece in hand, and I like that it's got a little wear and tear on it...it clearly was handled by a lot of folks 2,000 years ago. Here is the seller’s photo, and then a photo of it in hand. Tiberius, Dupondius (Bronze, 30 mm, 16.44 g), Commagene, circa 19-20. TI CAESAR DIVI AVGVSTI F AVGVSTVS Laureate head of Tiberius to right./ Rev. PONT MAXIM COS III IMP VII TR POT XXII Winged caduceus between two crossed cornucopiae. RIC 90. RPC I 3869 This is actually my first coin of Tiberius...I just can’t bring myself to pay the going rate for a “tribute penny” type, so I was happy to snag this bronze at a nice price. But since this is my first coin of his, I have a couple of questions that I was hoping you all could help me with. This coin was listed by the seller as an "Imperial" issue, but I can't quite understand why that is. It was struck at the Commagene mint, which (I believe) was in a Roman province, so I would think that it ought to be considered a provincial issue. It also does not have "SC" on the reverse, which I'd expect to see on an imperial bronze. BUT, the legends are written in Latin, rather than Greek. To make things more confusing, the coin is listed in both the RIC and in the RPC Online. So, should this coin be considered Imperial, Provincial, or something else? Also, the coin is listed as a dupondius, but Tiberius is shown wearing a laurel, instead of a radiate crown. Is the use of radiate crowns on dupondii something which did not start until later, or is this one just an exception? Thanks in advance. And of course, please share your bronzes of Tiberius (provincials, imperials and anything in between).
Nice Commagene - a very handsome specimen. Mine is very worn (RIC 89 or 90) and comes with a countermark - Tiberius Dupondius (19-20 A.D.) Uncertain Commagene Mint [TI CAESAR DIVI AVGVSTI F AVGVSTVS], laureate head right / [PONT MAXIM] COS [III IMP VII TR POT XXI(I)], caduceus between cornucopiae RIC 89 (XXI) or 90 (XXII). Countermark: See reverse. (11.59 grams / 27 mm) Countermark: Π Δ T around uncertain object (harpa?) in 8 x 6 mm oval. Howgego 500. "Howgego is unable to fully explain the types and legends of this countermark, suggesting that the legend may be a date in an uncertain era, and the type may be a trophy or the birth of Malakbel from a cypress tree." Richard Baker Collection, via CNG Ele. Auct. 439; Lot 267 In the realm of other ugly Tiberius Provincials in my collection - from Spain: Tiberius Æ Semis L. Licinius, Duovir Paestum-Poseidonia, Lucania (c. 14-37 A.D.) [P]-S -C across fields, laureate head right / [L] LICINI(VS) II[VIR], Victory walking right, holding wreath and palm branch. RPC 613; Crawford 6; SNG Cop 1386. (var. rev. leg.) (3.81 grams / 14 mm) "The coins of Paestum begin about 550 BC... Issues continue until the reign of Tiberius. For unknown reasons Paestum alone of all the smaller Italian mints, was allowed to continue minting bronze coins by a Senatorial decree of about 89 BC, after this had been centralized. Later coins carry "P. S. S. C.", standing for "Paesti Signatum Senatus Consulto" to reflect this." Wikipedia Here is Tiberius with his ma, from Sardes: Tiberius & Livia Æ 18 Sardes, Lydia (c. 17-37 A.D.) ΣEBAΣTOΣ KAIΣAΡEΩN ΣAΡΔIANΩN, Tiberius, togate, standing left, Tyche kneeling r. / ΣEBAΣTH IOYΛIOΣ KΛEΩN KAI MEMNΩN, Livia as Ceres seated right, with sceptre & grain. RPC 2991; SNG Cop. 515. (4.61 grams / 18 x 16 mm) Commemorating the financial assistance to Sardes after the earthquake of 17 A.D.
If you require an SC to qualify as an Imperial bronze, this as is as Imperial as you can get. You can see it is an as due to the red copper under the green just as the OP coin is a dupondius from the yellow brass. Rules like radiate crowns did not spring fully formed from the beginning of coinage but developed over time. I would classify the OP coin as Imperial more from the use of titles in the reverse legend and not be concerned by the lack of SC. The real question is whether the coin was made to circulate only in the mint city or generally through the empire. I believe listing it in both places is a good idea. Footnotes can explain duplication but omissions are a greater problem and harder to fix.
I love that coin, partly from its appearance and partly from its provenance. The province of Commagene is a bit difficult to characterize from about 200 BC to 100 AD. Culturally the inhabitants were more akin to the Armenians than anyone else and geopolitically more inclined to Parthia than anywhere else. It was, up until the mid Second Century BC, under Seleucid Greek control and the Greek language superficially layered onto the local dialect. In 163 BC the region became independent of the Seleucid kings and remained independent until Tiberius annexed the region in 17 AD. Gaius Caligula created a client state status for the region under the young Antiochus IV who is described as a "friend" of Caligula (until they quarreled and Caligula took it back). Antiochus survived and was restored as a client king by Claudius but by 71 AD Commagene's Parthian leanings prompted Vespasian to end the client king status and restore provincial status. I think your coin, perhaps by weight and metal a dupondius, may have been issued with Latin inscriptions to impress upon the locals that they were now under Roman control. During the periods when Commagene was a client state the inscriptions on the coinage seem to have been in the Greek language. My coin, pictured below, is from the city mint of Samosata, the capital, and like yours, seems to be of a dupondius at 28 mm and 13.3 grams. Antiochus IV is on the obverse with the typical Basileus inscription while the reverse shows an unusual creature for a coin, a scorpion within a wreath, and the name of the kingdom, again in Greek. There seems to be some kind of very old damage, perhaps a gouge, below the bust of the king. Your coin is an excellent example of Rome trying to fit a newly acquired region into the imperial coinage. Nice acquisition.
Doug, you raise an interesting question in your response about the provincial coinage and its circulation, a matter I have never fully understood. Was provincial coinage designed for circulation outside the province of its issue and if so was it coordinated with the official Roman mints with respect to fabric and weight? I have noticed that some provincial coinage was issued with metallic fabric and weight in such a way that it almost exactly duplicates the metal and weight of an official Roman mint issue but I have no idea if this was coincidental or done by design. Thanks
Thanks, that’s great information @kevin McGonigal (and a very nice coin too). Very interesting point about the use of the Latin vs. Greek in the legends. I now see why this was classified as an imperial coin, but I think that Doug is definitely right that it makes sense to have this listed in the RPC too.
I can't add anything to the Imperial/Provincial discussion that hasn't already been said, but here's my overpriced Tribute Penny...
Here are 2 worn coins from Commagene. They were struck respectively below under Tiberius RIC 90, and Philip II SNG Cop 133.
TIBERIUS Roman Imperial / Provincial Tiberius, with Nero and Drusus Caesars. AD 14-37. Æ AS (28 mm, 11.69 g, 5h) Mint: Carthago Nova, Struck AD 23-29. Obv: Bare head of Tiberius left Rev: Confronted bare-headed and draped busts of Nero and Drusus. Ref: ACIP 3149; RPC I 179 Roman Empire Tiberius 14-37 CE Rome mint 35-36 CE 27mm, 9.9g Obv: TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVST IMP VIII, Laureate Head l. Rev: PONTIF MAX TR POT XXXVII S C, rudder vertical in front of a large banded globe, small globe below r. Ref: RIC I 58; BMCRE I 117 Ex: @Mat Pontius Pilate (AD 26-36), Procurator of Judaea under Tiberius (AD 14-37) Æ Prutah, 2g, 15mm, 12h; Jerusalem mint, AD 30. Obv.: TIBEPIOY KAICAPOC (of Tiberius Caesar); Lituus. Rev.: Date in wreath LIZ (year 17). Reference: Cf. Ya'akov Meshorer, A Treasury of Jewish Coins (New York 2001), pl. 74, no. 333b
Nice coin, @Shea19 ! I picked one up recently as well: It looks very "Roman" for a provincial type, and I'm satisfied to have it represent Tiberius in the 12 Caesars set I'm slowly building.
