Message:

<p>[QUOTE=&quot;David Atherton, post: 8123288, member: 82616&quot;]Sometimes coins can change our ideas and perceptions about the past. This deceptively unassuming provincial bronze is one such piece which enriches our historical knowledge.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1414429[/ATTACH]<b>Vespasian</b></p><p>Æ23 9.44g</p><p>Iconium, Galatia-Cappadocia mint, undated</p><p>Obv: IMP CAESAR VESPASIAN AVG; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r.</p><p>Rev: COL IVL - AVG - ICONI; Priest ploughing, l.</p><p>RPC 1609 (1 spec.).</p><p>Acquired from Musa Numismatic Art, December 2021.</p><p><br /></p><p>Iconium produced coins with Greek legends under the Julio-Claudians for Nero and Claudius. Under the Flavians there are two series, one in Greek and the other in Latin. RPC explains the importance of this: &#039;The Latin series (1609-11) proves that a Roman colony was created at Iconium under Augustus as the reverse of Vespasian&#039;s issue reads <i>Col(onia) Iul(ia) Aug(usta) Iconi(ensium). </i>Before these coins came to light, it was thought that Iconium was created a colony under Hadrian, perhaps in 136/7, according to <i>CIL </i>Suppl. 12136, where a <i>Col(onia) Aelia Hadriana Aug(usta) </i>is mentioned...The old polis of Iconium and the new colony lived side by side and a distinction was drawn between natives and colonists, which explains the two parallel series of coins, struck in two denominations.&#039;</p><p><br /></p><p>The ploughing ritual depicted on the reverse is the creation of a boundary known as the <i>sulcus primigenius</i>, the first furrow, which delineated the line of the <i>pomerium</i>. The <i>pomerium</i> was a city’s ritual boundary which demarcation the sacred from the profane. The creation of this boundary was the first step in the foundation of a new colony.</p><p><br /></p><p>Coins matter, they sometimes can rewrite history! Please post your coins that matter.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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