Whose Hand is This ?

The top obverse of this ancient Roman coin shows a clear hand holding some kind of a wreath.What meaning could it bear ? Is this common to all Roman coins ? I've noticed this once on a bronze coin of Emperor Constantine the Great. Did other rulers resort to such images or ceremonies ? I appreciate your comments. Thanks..

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

I'm pretty sure that's the hand of God, my friend




... oh, and that's a nice lookin' coin

 

Antioch RIC IX 41a Arcadius AE2. 378-383 AD. DN ARCADIVS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped & cuirassed bust right, holding spear & shield, hand of God above / GLORIA ROMANORVM, emperor standing facing holding labarum & resting left hand on shield; kneeling captive to left; cross to left, star ANTS in ex.

Now that I look at it, I do not see the cross in the left field on your coin. However, this is a common enough coin. Yours is in good condition though.

 

I just double checked. With or without the cross it is common and still is Arcadius Antioch RIC IX41a

 

Have you noticed the artistic design of the two letters R and D by the engraver in the word Arcadius ?
Charles

 

I also have a coin-example with the good ol' Hand-of-God ...

Aelia Eudoxia AE3
(Constantinople mint)
Date: 395-401 AD
Diameter: 17.7 mm
Weight: 1.5 grams
Obverse: AEL EVDOXIA AVG - Diademed and draped bust of Eudoxia, crowned by hand of God.
Reverse: GLORIA ROMANORVM - Empress seated on throne, crowned by hand of God; cross left.
References: RIC 77 or 78

 

7C, that is a really excellent example of the "hand of God" with excellent Antioch surfaces. The type is mentioned (40% of the way down) on my site about Christian symbols on Roman coins:

http://esty.ancients.info/Christian/ChristianSymbols.html

 

Excellent site. I did not pay attention or take care of many coins with Christian sites among my collection. I shall find them out and post them on this thread in one or 2 hours. I didn't even know that the chi - Rho ( X P ) was a Christian signal on Eastern Roman coins. Thanks.. Charles

 

"I slapped the hand of God!". -- Six Degrees of Separation

 

SV..
I shall pray the God of Love to enter hope , life and love in your heart despite your will. Cheers..
Charles

 

Valentinian.. I managed to pick up quickly those seven reverses that could match your researches. Please tell me which of them fits, and I shall be posting it clearly on both obverse and reverse.

 

7C, three of those are on my page. Four are "GLORIA EXERCITVS" Constantinian period coins of 330-340 AD. In the upper row of three, the left one is type 15 from Antioch, the right one in the top row is type 31 from Antioch, and the left one in the bottom three is type 5.
http://esty.ancients.info/ricix/

 

I hope I could assist you more in the coming days.
Charles

 

Thanks! Though I was quoting a line from a movie called "six degrees of separation" starring Will Smith. Cheers!

 

SV ..
I'm cheerful to hear that. Cheers..
Charles