Unusual bust types

One of the most interesting bust types used on late roman coins was the one described as: emperor, cuirassed or draped and cuirassed, holds in his raised right hand an ordinary spear pointed up, and in his left hand a shield and two short spears (plumbatae?).

Here is an example for Probus:



S. Estiot wrote a very interesting article about this bust type between 279 and 307, the example pictured, which sold in 2008, also appears there at p. 197, 8.

 

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LYCAONIA. Iconium (as Claudiconium). Hadrian (117-138 AD). AE. Weight: 2.36 g. Diameter: 17 mm.
Obv: ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟС ΚΑΙСΑΡ. Bare head left, heroic from the back.
Rev: ΚΛΑΥΔЄΙΚΟΝΙЄωΝ. Perseus standing facing, head right, holding harpa and severed head of Medusa.

The heroic from-the-back bust of Hadrian is surprising. Note that two earlier coins of Iconium feature a bust of Perseus depicted from the back. Hadrian has been rendered in the same pose as the city founder. I suspect there was a statue or painting of Perseus in this pose at the local shrine to Perseus. Here is the first coin issued by the city of Iconium:


Iconium, 50 BC - 100 AD, AE21

 

Other very interesting bust variations one can find on the billon/bronze antoniniani of Claudius II Gothicus:




1. a heroic bust from back without spear but with Phobos head on the aegis.

and



2. a heroic bust seen from the back with spear pointing forwards and shield, Medusa head on the shield.