Log in or Sign up
Coin Talk
Home
Forums
>
Coin Forums
>
Ancient Coins
>
Venus Verticordia
>
Reply to Thread
Message:
<p>[QUOTE="Jochen1, post: 3791313, member: 103829"]Dear Friends of ancient mythology!</p><p><br /></p><p>Today I want to talk about the mysterious Venus Verticordia.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>The coin:</b></p><p>Roman Republic, Mn. Cordius Rufus, gens Cordia</p><p>AR - Denarius, 19.5mm, 3.82g</p><p>Rome, 46 B.C.</p><p>Obv.: Conjugate heads of the two Dioscuri, wearing laureate pilei surmounted by </p><p>stars.</p><p>behind RVFVS II.VIR</p><p>Rev.: Venus Verticordia standing l.., holding in extended r. hand scales and in the left </p><p>hand transverse sceptre; on her left shoulder Cupido</p><p>in right field MN.CORDIVS (MN ligate)</p><p>Ref.: Crawford 463/1a; Sydenham 976; Cordia 2s</p><p>about VF, weak struck on reverse left</p><p>ex Harlan J. Berk</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1012904[/ATTACH] </p><p><b>Note:</b></p><p>The home of the gens Cordia, Tusculum, only 12 miles from Rome, was a center of worship of the Dioscuri. The reverse is a clever play on the moneyer's name (CORDIA > CORDIVS) and can also be taken as a compliment to Julius Caesar, whose gens claimed a direct descent from Venus. The particular representation of Venus on the rev. may be derived from a statue erected in the Temple of Venus Genetrix in the year of issue (FAC).</p><p><br /></p><p>This coin was issued in a quantity corresponding to Rome's need at the time of Caesar's fourfold triumph, when every legionnaire was paid 5000 and every Centurio 10000 denarii (Sear, The History and Coinage of the Roman Imperators, p.45). That's why Venus has a scale in his hand, which is very unusual and more to the Annona's credit!</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Mythology:</b></p><p>Sometimes you can read that Venus Verticordia is the Venus that turns people's hearts to love. In fact, the exact opposite is true!</p><p><br /></p><p>Verticordia is the nickname of Venus (Serv. auct. Aen. 1, 720), which had a <i>fanum </i>in the myrtle grove of the <i>Vallis Murcia </i>(ibid. 8, 636) between Palatine Hill and Aventine Hill. During the Hannibalian war (216 BC?) Sulpicia due to the dictum of the Sibyl from Cumae was determined by an heavy examination as <i>pudicissima</i> (Plin. nat. 7, 120. Solin. 1, 126) and a <i>simulacrum </i>was erected by her for Venus, <i>quo facilius virginum mulierumque mens a libidine ad pudicitiam converteretur</i> (i.e. should be turned from lust to shame!) (Val. max. 8, 15, 12).</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1012905[/ATTACH] </p><p>Vallis Murcia</p><p><br /></p><p>And that had happened: At that time three vestals had violated the law of virginity and had therefore been buried alive. In order to reconcile the gods, the Senate, according to the orders of the Sibylline books, chose hundred matrons from all, and out of these ten by lot, and of these ten, Sulpicia, daughter of Servius Paterculus and wife of Q. Fulvius Flaccus, was the most chaste of all, and therefore she received the order to carry the image of the goddess into the <i>Sepulcrum.</i> </p><p><br /></p><p>In 114 because of a prodigium in the shape of a lightning bolt an <i>aedes</i> was built (Plut. mor. 284 ab. Oros. 5. 15, 20). Ovid (Fasti 4, 133ff.) then connects Sibyllinum and temple building with the celebration on April 1, which was dedicated to <i>Verticordia</i> and <i>Fortuna virilis </i>and was carried out by <i>matronae</i> as well as <i>humiliores</i> (= men of low rank) under myrtle crowning in the baths with the purpose of <i>forma, mores, bona fama</i> (i.e. harmony and decency. Ovid (Fasti, book 4, 157-161) writes: At the time of our forefathers Rome had lost its sense of shame and therefore they asked the venerable Sibyl of Cumae for advice. She ordered to build a temple for Venus; and when that was done, the goddess took the name Verticordia.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Note:</b></p><p>Prodigium: In the ancient Roman religion a wonderful sign of divine wrath (which one sought to counter by cultic atonement measures) </p><p><br /></p><p>According to Kleiner Pauly, the name Verticordia is only by folk etymology connected to vertere (Ov. ibid. 161 et al.), that means that it has nothing to do with turning.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Sources:</b></p><p>(1) Ovid, Fasti</p><p>(2) Plinius, Nat. Hist.</p><p>(3) Kleiner Pauly</p><p>(4) Benjamin Hederich, Gründliches mythologisches Lexikon</p><p><br /></p><p>Best regards[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Jochen1, post: 3791313, member: 103829"]Dear Friends of ancient mythology! Today I want to talk about the mysterious Venus Verticordia. [B]The coin:[/B] Roman Republic, Mn. Cordius Rufus, gens Cordia AR - Denarius, 19.5mm, 3.82g Rome, 46 B.C. Obv.: Conjugate heads of the two Dioscuri, wearing laureate pilei surmounted by stars. behind RVFVS II.VIR Rev.: Venus Verticordia standing l.., holding in extended r. hand scales and in the left hand transverse sceptre; on her left shoulder Cupido in right field MN.CORDIVS (MN ligate) Ref.: Crawford 463/1a; Sydenham 976; Cordia 2s about VF, weak struck on reverse left ex Harlan J. Berk [ATTACH=full]1012904[/ATTACH] [B]Note:[/B] The home of the gens Cordia, Tusculum, only 12 miles from Rome, was a center of worship of the Dioscuri. The reverse is a clever play on the moneyer's name (CORDIA > CORDIVS) and can also be taken as a compliment to Julius Caesar, whose gens claimed a direct descent from Venus. The particular representation of Venus on the rev. may be derived from a statue erected in the Temple of Venus Genetrix in the year of issue (FAC). This coin was issued in a quantity corresponding to Rome's need at the time of Caesar's fourfold triumph, when every legionnaire was paid 5000 and every Centurio 10000 denarii (Sear, The History and Coinage of the Roman Imperators, p.45). That's why Venus has a scale in his hand, which is very unusual and more to the Annona's credit! [B]Mythology:[/B] Sometimes you can read that Venus Verticordia is the Venus that turns people's hearts to love. In fact, the exact opposite is true! Verticordia is the nickname of Venus (Serv. auct. Aen. 1, 720), which had a [I]fanum [/I]in the myrtle grove of the [I]Vallis Murcia [/I](ibid. 8, 636) between Palatine Hill and Aventine Hill. During the Hannibalian war (216 BC?) Sulpicia due to the dictum of the Sibyl from Cumae was determined by an heavy examination as [I]pudicissima[/I] (Plin. nat. 7, 120. Solin. 1, 126) and a [I]simulacrum [/I]was erected by her for Venus, [I]quo facilius virginum mulierumque mens a libidine ad pudicitiam converteretur[/I] (i.e. should be turned from lust to shame!) (Val. max. 8, 15, 12). [ATTACH=full]1012905[/ATTACH] Vallis Murcia And that had happened: At that time three vestals had violated the law of virginity and had therefore been buried alive. In order to reconcile the gods, the Senate, according to the orders of the Sibylline books, chose hundred matrons from all, and out of these ten by lot, and of these ten, Sulpicia, daughter of Servius Paterculus and wife of Q. Fulvius Flaccus, was the most chaste of all, and therefore she received the order to carry the image of the goddess into the [I]Sepulcrum.[/I] In 114 because of a prodigium in the shape of a lightning bolt an [I]aedes[/I] was built (Plut. mor. 284 ab. Oros. 5. 15, 20). Ovid (Fasti 4, 133ff.) then connects Sibyllinum and temple building with the celebration on April 1, which was dedicated to [I]Verticordia[/I] and [I]Fortuna virilis [/I]and was carried out by [I]matronae[/I] as well as [I]humiliores[/I] (= men of low rank) under myrtle crowning in the baths with the purpose of [I]forma, mores, bona fama[/I] (i.e. harmony and decency. Ovid (Fasti, book 4, 157-161) writes: At the time of our forefathers Rome had lost its sense of shame and therefore they asked the venerable Sibyl of Cumae for advice. She ordered to build a temple for Venus; and when that was done, the goddess took the name Verticordia. [B]Note:[/B] Prodigium: In the ancient Roman religion a wonderful sign of divine wrath (which one sought to counter by cultic atonement measures) According to Kleiner Pauly, the name Verticordia is only by folk etymology connected to vertere (Ov. ibid. 161 et al.), that means that it has nothing to do with turning. [B]Sources:[/B] (1) Ovid, Fasti (2) Plinius, Nat. Hist. (3) Kleiner Pauly (4) Benjamin Hederich, Gründliches mythologisches Lexikon Best regards[/QUOTE]
Your name or email address:
Do you already have an account?
No, create an account now.
Yes, my password is:
Forgot your password?
Stay logged in
Coin Talk
Home
Forums
>
Coin Forums
>
Ancient Coins
>
Venus Verticordia
>
Home
Home
Quick Links
Search Forums
Recent Activity
Recent Posts
Forums
Forums
Quick Links
Search Forums
Recent Posts
Competitions
Competitions
Quick Links
Competition Index
Rules, Terms & Conditions
Gallery
Gallery
Quick Links
Search Media
New Media
Showcase
Showcase
Quick Links
Search Items
Most Active Members
New Items
Directory
Directory
Quick Links
Directory Home
New Listings
Members
Members
Quick Links
Notable Members
Current Visitors
Recent Activity
New Profile Posts
Sponsors
Menu
Search
Search titles only
Posted by Member:
Separate names with a comma.
Newer Than:
Search this thread only
Search this forum only
Display results as threads
Useful Searches
Recent Posts
More...