Venus from Behind - Salonina & Julia Domna (Emesa)

I really like the Venus-from-behind image, but with my budget have not had much luck finding anything. This past month 2 came my way: a Julia Domna from Emesa (I think - I used Doug's site and others to make the attribution) and a Salonina antoninanus. The Salonina is pretty cruddy, but the price was right.

I know there have been several CT posts with Venus and her derriere, but I don't recall seeing any from Salonina - she is pretty scarce, I think - are there any others out there? From what I can find it is Goebl 904c but no listing in RIC? According to Wildwinds: "Cunetio hoard 735 (Not in RIC)."

 

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Very nice! The Salonina is indeed scarce in any condition.

 

Yeah, that Salonina really caught my eye too. Didn't know that was out there.

 

The second coin may be scarce, but I love the Domna.

JULIA DOMNA
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: IVLIA DOMNA AVG, draped bust right
REVERSE: VENERI VICTR, Venus standing right, naked to waist, leaning on column to left, holding palm and apple
Struck at Rome, 194 AD
2.5g, 17mm
RIC 536

 

Nice one, Bing. The Domna versions (yours and mine) are definitely more attractive.

 

Great coins

 

Here's my Venus Victrix types from the Emesa mint:

Half nekkid:


Julia Domna, AD 193-217
Roman AR denarius, 3.58 gm, 16.8 mm
Emesa, AD 193-196
Obv: JULIA DOMNA AVG, bare-headed and draped bust, right
Rev: VENER VICTOR, Venus, naked to waist, standing r., holding apple and palm, resting l. elbow on column
Refs: RIC-633; Cohen-189

Fully clothed:


Julia Domna, AD 193-217
Roman AR Denarius; 2.74 gm, 18.2 mm
Emesa, AD 193-197
Obv: IVLIA DOMNA AVG, bare-headed and draped bust, right
Rev: VENER VICT, Venus standing left, holding apple and scepter
Refs: RIC 630; BMCRE 422, RSC 188a; RCV --.

 

@Marsyas Mike Those are both attractive coins. Congrats on the Salonina pick up. I did not know that these coins were issued for her.

 

The Flavian antecedent.

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
Ex Harry N. Sneh Collection.

 

And here's the history of the classical statue that was the example for Venus Callipyge, as she is called.

 

I seem to like this type. Here is a small sample.....

I think that this is an obverse doe match to the OP JD Venus.



VENERI VICTR



Later bust


Obv:– IVLA (sic) DOMNA AVG, Draped bust right, hair tied in bun behind
Rev:– VENERI VICTI (sic), Venus, nude with drapery falling below hips, standing with back turned, head right, resting left arm on low column, holding an apple in extended right hand and palm, sloping upward to left in left hand: coil of drapery falls over column
Minted in Alexandria, A.D. 194
RIC -, RSC -, BMCRE -.

 

That is special! Wish it were mine

 

I think I might have an obverse die match with one of Martin's coins, based on the lettering of the obverse inscription.

Here's mine:



Here's Martin's:

 

Yes, I do enjoy the Aphrodite Kallipygos.

The coins, however, are modeled after a statue in Pompey's Temple of Venus Victrix. Here is a fun discussion we had a year and a half ago, demonstrating intaglios, mirrors, and -- of course -- coins bearing the image of the temple statue.

 

Don't forget Titus.

 

I guess following Roman Collector's link to the old discussion frees us from the need to do it all again here but....

Don't jump line. I have wanted one of those for longer than you have been in the hobby. Somehow I have never found an Alexandria Domna I could buy even though I have piles of the other mints and the Alexandria Septimius which I believe to be the most rare of the bunch.

 

Perhaps we should mention that the IVLA misspelling also is found from Emesa and that more than one die was made with the error. These exist but are not easy to find. There are Alexandria denarii of the reverse with correct IVLIA but those are not all that common either. I don't have one. I was offered one many years ago by a guy without a table at a Baltimore show and was afraid to buy it under the circumstances. That was a mistake.

 

Or Julia Titi!

 

Gosh, I only have a BRONZE-As, not the fancy SILVER-Sixteen-Asses you all have:

Venus? No. This is VICTORY!


RI AE As Trajan CE 98-117 26mm 11.0g Rome Laureate Draped - SENATVS POPVLVSQVE ROMANVS Victory R wreath palm S-C RIC 675

 

Thank you so much for sharing all of these Venuses (Venii?), and for the links. You folks have some beautiful coins.

Here is a recent (March 2018) eBay auction photo of an aureus of Severus Alexander with Venus-from-Behind. It sold for $1300 in a Buy It Now auction (I did not bid, for this is way out of my league). It wasn't for sale very long, so some of you might've missed it. I'd never seen one before: