Venus compared

Who has the most beautiful Venus on an ancient Roman coin ?

 

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A cheeky Venus:-



Bust of Venus:-

 

A close relative of 'Cheeky' above (Alexandria mint - Septimius Severus)

 

I have a few pretty sweet Venus examples as well ... wanna see 'em?

A-Pius





Sabina



Magnia Urbica



Gal Val

 

Venus seen from rear on a Julia Titi denarius and from front on a Palutilla denarius :





Q

 

Sorry double post !!

Q

 

I don't have any that would qualify for "most beautiful Venus" but here are the few I do have:

Venus Genetrix, the nondescript charioteer on this coin:

L. Julius L. f. Caesar denarius

Venus Cloacina-- two of them standing in a shrine. I wonder who decided both figures represent Venus Cloacina, and why? It doesn't seem likely that both were meant to depict the same deity.

L. Mussidius Longus denarius; Concordia/shrine of Venus Cloacina, Goddess of the Great Sewer

A worn zodiac drachm with Venus/Aphrodite:

EGYPT, Alexandria; Antoninus Pius drachm, Venus in Taurus

 

This one is not going to win any beauty contests but there is something very special and feminine about the way Venvs delicately holds an apple on this sestertius of Sabina.

 

I have looked at the write ups on this differently. Evira Cline-Stefanelli's book on Republicans just said they were 'Cult Statues' without saying they were Venus. Since there was a statue found in the sewer (ref: your write-up), I assumed one on the coins was that one leaving the other to be anyone (including Venus) related with the cult. The Wikipedia article on the subject shows this 1906 drawing inscribed "Cloacinae". Perhaps they recognized the fusion of the Etruscan goddess and the Roman Venus. I wonder if the drawing had any source other than the coins which vary on the length of the word used.

 

Deleted

 

Uhm, Mikey... That's Diana, not Venus

 

Oops, LOL I clicked on the wrong one

I guess I need two cups of coffee in the AM LOL

(Deleted)

 

How about this more modest example next to the one in my 'library' I deleted

 

It's interesting to see the evolution of this reverse type across the centuries. Here is a modest Flavian example.


Titus
AR Denarius, 3.17g
Rome mint, 79 AD
RIC 53 (R), BMC 25, RSC 286
Obv: IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M; Head of Titus, laureate, bearded, r.
Rev: TR P VIIII IMP XV COS VII P P; Venus stg. r. leaning on column, with helmet and spear

 

Roman Republic
Faustus Cornelius Sulla 56 BCE (Son of the Dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla)
AR Denarius
Obv: Laureate, diademed bust of Venus r, scepter over shoulder, S C behind
Rev: Three trophies between jug and lituus, monogram of FAVSTVS in ex
Comment: Three trophies were engraved on the Signet ring of Pompey the Great, symbolizing his victories on Three Continents
Ref: Sear 386; Crawford 426/3

 

C NORBANUS ROMAN REPUBLIC; GENS NORBANAAR Denarius
OBVERSE: C• NORBANVS, head of Venus right, wearing stephane, earring, and necklace; XVIIII behind
REVERSE: Prow-stem, fasces, caduceus and grain ear.
Rome 83 BC
3.9g, 18mm
Crawford 357/1a. Sydenham 740. Norbana 1

JULIUS CAESAR
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: Diademed head of Venus right.
REVERSE: CAESAR - Aeneas advancing left, carrying Anchises and palladium
Carthage 47 to 46 BC
4.0g, 17mm
CRI 55, Sydenham 1013, RRC 458/1, S 1402

 

Got the same coin as Mikey, most beautifull Venus ? She looks more like a roman witch

 

My favorites of the Venus Victrix types seen from behind:


Denarius of Julia Titi, RIC 56


Sestertius of Julia Domna, RIC 842

My favorites of the Venus Victrix types seen from the front:


Denarius of Plautilla, RIC 369


Sestertius of Julia Mamaea RIC 705


Antoninianus of Salonina, RIC (sole reign of Gallienus) 31


AE follis of Galeria Valeria, Nicomedia mint, RIC 57
Even though the reverse legend identifies Venus as Venus Victrix, iconographically, it's just a Venus holding apple and adjusting drapery type (see below).