While most everyone has seen the late Roman bronzes with Genius on the reverse, it's quite uncommon on 1st century coins. I was happy to get this in the mail today. A rare As from Titus with GENI reverse and the bonus of a left facing portrait to boot. Lighting gives it more roughness than is visible in hand. It has wonderful copper highlights. http://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-155729 IMP T CAES VESP AVG PM TR P COS VIII Laureate head left GENI P R; SC IN FIELD Genius standing left with patera over altar and cornucopiae Rome, 80-81 AD 11.45g RIC 226 (R) From Forum's Numiswiki: The Genius is the 'power' which is inherent in man, not only becoming manifest in his virility but signifying extensively his whole personality. The Genius is neither 'soul' nor 'life'. It's particular to each one and ceased with his death. It is a kind of active principle which could be found too in collectives like troop units, councils and so on. It is assigned too to localities like provinces or cities. Power and prestige of the pater familias explain that the domestics worshipped his Genius and swore by him. The oath by the Genius of the emperor became common in private and public fields. False oath was a crime against the emperor. The concept of the Genius Augusti was the possibility to assign divine attributs to the emperor without making him a god directly which was frowned especially in the western part of the Empire! Let's see your Genius.
Here is a genius on the obverse ROMAN REPUBLIC. Cn. Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus. AR Denarius, 4.0g, 20mm, 6h; Spanish Mint, 74 BC. Obv.: Diademed, draped and bearded bust of the Genius of the Roman People facing right, scepter over shoulder, "G P R" above. Rev.: Globe between wreathed scepter and rudder, "EX - S C" in field, "CN LEN Q" below. Reference: Crawford 393/1a; Sydenham 752.
I forgot about that Republican type Sallent! Thanks! David I love the portrait on yours. Is it GENI or GENIO? I think I see an O but not sure.
It amazes me how much his portraits look like his father. I don't know why...since it probably shouldn't. Either way, great coins all!
Great coin, and what a cool subcollection idea... tracing the various Genio representations through Roman coinage. I'm partial to the theory that the snake on Caesar's famous civil war issue represents the genius of the Roman people and/or Caesar's genius being trampled by the Caecilii Metelli. Below the coin is the standard representation of the genius of the paterfamilias, from a painting in Pompeii.
Your genius is showing! Attractive new coin @Jay GT4 ! Here's a favorite Genius of mine! Galerius as caesar, 293 – 305 AD, Æ Follis GAL VAL MAXIMIANVS NOB CAES Laureate head r. Rev. GENIO POPV – LI ROMANI Genius standing l., with modius on head and naked but for chlamys , holding patera and cornucopiae; S in r. field, D in l. field, ANT In exergue, Antioch, 28 mm, 9.9g, RIC 53b.
I will take the chance to throw my favorite Genius in here as well. Maximianus AE Follis AD 297-298 Obverse: IMP C M A MAXIMIANVS PF AVG, laureate head right Reverse: GENIO POPVLI ROMANI, Genius standing left, holding patera and cornucopiae Mintmark HTA
I just won this sestertius of Decius in an auction today - CGB. - commemorates the Genius of the Illurican army.
That's not a standard coin portrait...that's a 3-D perfect likeness of the man. I feel that if we were using your coin for reference, and had a lineup of 6 or 7 people that looked like Decius, and Decius himself, we could pick out Decius every single time.
And another of mine... IMP DIOCLETIANVS AVG Laureate head right GENIO POPVLI ROMANI Genius standing left holding patera and Cornucopiae SF in fields PTR in ex. Trier 294 AD 9.74g 29 mm RIC 582 EF
GENI RI Hadrian, AD 117-138 Æ Limes Denarius 18mm 3.5mm after AD 125 Genius stndg sacrificing altar cornucopia RIC II 173 Ex: @John Anthony RI Maximinus II Daia 305-308 CE Folles AE30 Trier mint GENIO POPV-LI Genius-Serapis RI MARCUS AURELIUS AR Den as Caesar TR POT VI COS II - Genius stg at altar hldg standard
I have more than one "GENIO" coin: Diocletian Aquileia 28 mm. 10.15 grams. IMP DIOCLETIANVS PF AVG AQP in exergue RIC Aquileia 23a "c. 296" For others, see my site: http://augustuscoins.com/ed/tetrarchy/Diocletianfolles.html Some collectors like FEL TEMP REPARATIO pieces, some like "camp gates," and I like GENIO POPVLI ROMANI pieces.
