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Click here to subscribeM. Plaetorius M. f. Cestianus AR Denarius. Rome, 69 BC. Draped bust of Fortuna right, pedum as symbol behind / Half-length bust of Sors facing, head slightly right; tablet inscribed SORS below, M•PLAETORI CEST•S•C around. Crawford 405/2 (table XXXIX); RSC Plaetoria 10. 4.11g, 18mm, 8h. Near Extremely Fine. Very well centred and preserved, with good detail on reverse, including the facial area which is usually worn. Attractively toned. Rare.
M. Piso M. f. Frugi AR Denarius. Rome, 61 BC. Terminal bust of Mercury right; star behind; wreath in left field; calyx in right field / M•PISO•M•F FRVGI, in two lines above secespita and patera; all within wreath. Crawford 418/2b; RSC Calpurnia 23. 4.04g, 18mm, 2h. Extremely Fine. Very Rare. From the Eucharius Collection.
M. Aemilius Lepidus AR Denarius. Rome, 61 BC. Turreted head of Alexandria right, ALEX[ANDREA] below / Lepidus standing left, crowning Ptolemy V, who stands facing holding sceptre; PONF•MAX•TVTOR•REG around, M•LEPIDVS in exergue. Crawford 419/2; RSC Aemilia 23. 4.00g, 19mm, 5h. Good Very Fine. Attractively toned. Rare. From the Eucharius Collection.
L. Livineius Regulus AR Denarius. Rome, 42 BC. Bare head right / Gladiatorial scene: in foreground, lion charging right toward a combatant who spears it; in background on left, a wounded bear sits right; on right, another gladiator, holding sword and shield, defends himself against a tiger charging left; L•REGVLVS in exergue. Crawford 494/30; RSC Livineia 12. 4.08g, 17mm, 2h. Good Extremely Fine. A fantastically well preserved reverse. Very Rare. From the Eucharius Collection.
C. Vibius Varus AR Denarius. Rome, 42 BC. Bust of Minerva right, wearing crested Corinthian helmet and aegis / Hercules standing facing, holding club in right hand and with lion’s skin over left arm; C•VIBIVS downwards to right, VARVS downwards to left. Crawford 494/38; RSC Vibia 26. 4.07g, 20mm, 1h. Very Fine. Very Rare.
Marcus Arrius Secundus AR Denarius. Rome, 41 BC. Young, bare, male head (Octavian? or Quintus Arrius?) right, wearing slight beard; M•ARRIVS upwards behind, SECVNDVS downwards before / Hasta pura (vertical spear) between wreath on left and rectangular phalera (military decoration) on right. Crawford 513/2; RSC Arria 2. 3.61g, 19mm, 1h. Near Very Fine. Very Rare. From the Eucharius Collection.
Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius Scipio and P. Licinius Crassus Junianus AR Denarius. Utica, 47- Spring 46 BC. Head of Jupiter right, beard and hair in ringlets; below, eagle’s head left above and sceptre; SCIP•IMP upwards to left, METEL•PIVS downwards to right / Cornucopiae, supporting scales, set on curule chair, itself set on ground line; grain ear to left, head of cetus to right; LEG•PRO•PR upwards to left, CRASS•IVN downwards to right. Crawford 460/2; RSC Caecilia 49. 3.60g, 17mm, 8h. About Good Very Fine. Extremely Rare. From the Eucharius Collection.
Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius Scipio AR Denarius. Utica, 47/46 BC. P. Licinius Crassus Junianus, legatus pro praetore. Q•METEL•PIVS on right, SCIPIO•IMP on left, lion-headed figure of Genius of Africa (Sekhmet or leontocephalic Tanit?) standing facing, holding symbol of Tanit; above, G•T•A / Victory standing left, holding winged caduceus and small round shield; P•CRASSVS•IVN on right, LEG•PRO•P•R on left. Crawford 460/4; RSC Caecilia 51. 3.88g, 20mm, 8h. Good Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare - the rarest of Scipio's denarii, and exceptionally complete and well preserved for the issue. Arguably the best example on CoinArchives. From the Eucharius Collection. This coin is traditionally described as depicting the Genius Terrae Africae, or Sekhmet holding an ankh, however this remarkable statue is not Egyptian - the coin is struck in Africa and therefore an ankh symbol makes no sense in a Punic Carthaginian context. Actually, the symbol is quite obviously that of Tanit who was commonly represented by a simple linear female abstract. The identity of the figure must therefore also be called into question in light of statues recovered from Carthage and Tunis which some academics take to represent the Carthaginian deity herself in leontocephalic form. Either way, the coinage of Scipio shows a dramatic break with Republican tradition. No local or city goddess had previously been portrayed on the obverse of Roman coinage other than Roma herself, and certainly never a foreign one! In this case it was made all the more objectionable by either being or holding the symbol of Tanit - a god whose people had slain hundreds of thousands of Roman soldiers and nearly vanquished Rome entirely. Nor indeed was there any precedent for the depiction of a Genius other than the Genius Populi Romani. In no way does Scipio use his coinage to champion the cause of the Republic; though it might have been designed to curry favour with the populace of their last remaining territory, the effect is that it nonetheless appears utterly in the style of an Eastern ruler. Caesar must not have been able to believe his luck, as nothing could better demonstrate to the rank and file the justness of their cause than the thoroughly un-Roman depths to which Scipio had lowered himself. Needless to say then, Scipio’s coinage stands in stark contrast to the traditional republican types of his colleague Cato, whose types replicated those of his ancestor, another M. Porcius Cato, moneyer of 89 BC. Perhaps we should not be surprised. Classical scholar John H. Collins summed up the character and reputation of Metellus Scipio thusly: “From all that can be learned of this Scipio, he was as personally despicable and as politically reactionary as they come: a defender of C. Verres (In Ver. II. 4. 79–81), a debauchee of singular repulsiveness (Valerius Maximus, 9.1.8), an incompetent and bull-headed commander (Plutarch, Cato Min. 58), an undisciplined tyrant in the possession of authority (Bell. Afr. 44–46), an extortioner of the provinces (BC 3.31–33), a proscription-thirsty bankrupt (Att. 9.11), a worthy great grandson des hochmütigen, plebejerfeindlichen Junkers (Münzer, RE 4.1502) who had led the lynching of Tiberius Gracchus, and a most unworthy father of the gentle Cornelia. Only in the ‘Imperator se bene habet’ with which he met death is there any trace of the nobler character of his great forebears (Seneca Rhet., Suas. 7.8).
Julius Caesar AV Quinarius. Rome, 45 BC. L. Munatius Plancus, urban prefect. Draped bust of Victory right; C•CAES upwards behind, DIC•TER downwards before / Jug; L•PLANC upwards to left, PRAEF•VRB downwards to right. Crawford 475/2; Bahrfeldt 22; RBW 1665. 3.87g, 16mm, 9h. Very Fine. Flan somewhat rough at edges, scattered contact marks. Very Rare.
M. Junius Brutus AR Denarius. Military mint travelling with Brutus and Cassius in Western Asia Minor or Northern Greece, 43-42 BC. Laureate head of Apollo right; COSTA LEG around / Trophy of arms; IMP BRVTVS around. Crawford 506/2; RSC 4. 3.90g, 19mm, 12h. Good Extremely Fine; old cabinet tone. Rare.
L. Staius Murcus AR Denarius. Military mint travelling with Murcus, 42-41 BC. Head of Neptune right, with trident over shoulder / Male figure on right, holding sword in left hand and right hand raising kneeling female figure on left, between them, trophy with sword and shield, MVRCVS IMP in exergue. Crawford 510/1; RSC Statia 1. 3.58g, 19mm, 12h. Good Fine. Extremely Rare. From the Eucharius Collection. Like many commanders of the Imperatorial age, not a great deal is known about the career of L. Staius Murcus. Appian relates that he served under Caesar in Gaul and Africa, and was present at the Senate House on the Ides of March and whilst he did not participate in Caesar's murder, he approved of the deed. Following Caesar's assassination, the Senate sent Murcus to Syria as proconsul to besiege Q. Caecilius Bassus alongside Cassius. Murcus was posted to blockade the fleet of Cleopatra as she came to the aid of Marc Antony and Octavian. Domitius Ahenobarbus was sent to assist him in this, and the two formed a highly successful partnership, which resulted in dominance over the seas between Greece and Italy. This partnership was not to last long however, and as a rift formed between the two, Murcus joined forces with Sextus Pompey. Murcus' stubbornness and refusal to cooperate with Pompey's plans led to a growing suspicion on behalf of the latter, who soon had Murcus assassinated.
Quintus Labienus AR Denarius. Uncertain mint in Syria or south-eastern Asia Minor, early 40 BC. Bare head right; Q•LABIENVS•PARTHICVS•IMP around / Horse standing to right on ground line, wearing saddle with quiver attached and bridle. Crawford 524/2; Hersh 15; RSC 2. 3.33g, 18mm, 5h. Areas of old corrosion at edges, otherwise Extremely Fine. A bold and attractive portrait of Q. Labienus. Very Rare. It should perhaps not come as a surprise that Quintus Labienus, the son of Titus Labienus who was an important general to Caesar during the Gaul Campaign and then broke ties with him to form an alliance with Pompey, also became a traitor during his lifetime. After the assassination of Caesar, the younger Labienus joined Cassius and Brutus who sent him as an ambassador to Parthia to request support from King Orodes II. This mission proved to be unsuccessful and thus contributed to Cassius and Brutus being defeated in the battle of Philippi by Octavian and Antony in 42 BC. It is at this point that some may call Labienus a coward, and some an opportunist. He knew if he returned home he would face punishment, and the chances of advancement for himself would all but disappear. However, if he stayed with the Parthians he could perhaps have the opportunity to fulfil his military ambitions. Labienus therefore decided to stay and convince Orodes to invade Syria on the pretence that several areas under Antony and Octavian were not well protected. In 40 BC he jointly commanded forces with Orodes’ son Pacorus II that invaded areas of Syria and Asia Minor. Labienus and Pacorus were able to achieve much success and overtook Apameia, Antioch, and Cilicia. His success was short lived though, as in 39 BC he was defeated, captured and executed in an attack orchestrated by Antony and Octavian and carried out by Publius Ventidius. It is around the time of his military victories that he began striking coinage to pay the many soldiers he was acquiring through his conquests. This coin in particular strikes a balance between Roman and Parthian characteristics. The obverse depicts a very serious, yet commanding portrait in Roman style, but with a legend naming him PARTHICVS. The reverse depicts a horse with a bridled saddle and quiver, making reference to the infamous Parthian soldiers who were known for their accuracy and efficiency as horse archers. After Labienus was killed most of his coinage was melted down, making surviving examples very rare indeed.
Sicily, Akragas AR Tetradrachm. Circa 460-446 BC. Sea eagle standing left on Ionic capital, AKRACANTOΣ around / Crab; spiral floral ornament below; all within shallow incuse circle. SNG ANS 982 var.; Lee Group II; SNG Lockett 696. 17.23g, 24mm, 2h. Near Extremely Fine. Attractively toned. Rare. Ex Tkalec Auction, 17 May 2010, lot 3.
Marc Antony AR Denarius. Patrae(?), 32-31 BC. Galley to right; ANT•AVG above, III•VIR•R•P•C below / LEG•XVIII•LYBICAE, legionary aquila between two standards. Crawford 544/11; RSC 53. 3.52g, 18mm, 6h. Good Very Fine. Very Rare. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 67, 22 September 2004, lot 1241.
Octavian, with Julius Caesar, Æ Dupondius. Vienna, Gaul, 36 BC. Bare heads of Julius Caesar and Octavian, back to back; •IMP• above, CAESAR below, DIVI IVL downwards to left, DIVI F upwards to right / Prow of quinquereme with elaborate superstructure and mast right; CIV above. RPC 517; SNG Copenhagen 703-4. 18.06g, 31mm, 12h. Rare. Good Very Fine. Exceptional for this issue. Ex Richard Prideaux Collection. The reverse of this piece could refer to one of several naval actions in 36 BC, but the most likely event to which it alludes is the action on September 3rd, when Agrippa defeated Sextus Pompey in a major naval engagement off Naulochus.
Nero Claudius Drusus AR Denarius. Rome, AD 41-54. NERO CLAVDIVS DRVSVS GERMANICVS IMP, laureate head left / DE GERMANIS on architrave of triumphal arch surmounted by equestrian statue to left between two trophies. RIC I 72 (Claudius); von Kaenel Type 14 (unlisted dies); RSC 4; BMCRE 102. 3.48g, 18mm, 4h. Good Very Fine, flan crack. Rare.
Nero AV Aureus. Rome, AD 64-65. NERO CAESAR AVGVSTVS, laureate head right / AVGVSTVS AVGVSTA, Nero, radiate and togate, holding long sceptre and patera, standing to left beside empress Poppaea, veiled and draped, holding patera and cornucopiae. C. 42; BMC 52; RIC 44; CBN 200; Calicó 201. 7.33g, 19mm, 6h. About Extremely Fine. Rare, and in excellent condition for the type which is seldom found in anything other than very worn state.
Civil War, Vindex AR Denarius. Uncertain mint in Gaul, AD 68. AVGVSTVS DIVI F, bare head of youthful Augustus (Octavian) to left / OB CIVES SERVAT in three lines within corona civica with circular jewel in bezel at apex. Nicolas A17RH (same dies); Hess-Leu 1962, 442; BMC 52. 3.29g, 15mm, 5h. Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare, the fifth known specimen. The coins of the ill-fated revolt of Vindex in AD 68 are notoriously rare and difficult to obtain. Until relatively recently they had largely been ignored by scholars, though in the 1970s Peter-Hugo Martin, Colin Kraay and Etienne-Paul Nicolas all published studies on this obscure series. The coins themselves are extremely rare, with many types being known from only very few examples, or unique specimens. Despite the revolt being brief, a matter of just a few months, the coinage is exceptionally diverse. This is due in great part certainly to the large number of men Vindex was able to call to his standards - by his account, over 100,000 though more probably about 20,000 as reported by Plutarch - and the need to pay them. Vindex was a descendent of a family of chieftains granted Roman citizenship during the time of Julius Caesar and who were admitted to the Senate by Claudius. On account of this it is tempting to view his revolt as a campaign for Gallic independence. The numismatic evidence, however, suggests the contrary and demonstrates that rather than having an anti-Roman agenda, Vindex was specifically anti-Neronian and anti-tyrannical. His coinage employs consistently Augustan propaganda, recalling the great Pax inaugurated by Augustus following his defeat of Marc Antony. Augustus' self-styled persona as the protector of the liberty of the Roman people is an obvious choice to champion on the coinage of Vindex as he led a revolt against the tyranny of Nero.
Civil War, Vindex AR Denarius. Uncertain mint in Gaul, AD 68. SALVS GENERIS HVMANI, Victory standing to left on globe, holding palm branch and wreath / SPQR within corona civica with circular jewel in bezel at apex. Nicolas 77TRE (same rev. die); RIC 72; Martin 77. 3.27g, 17mm, 11h. Good Very Fine. Rare.
Civil War, Vindex AR Denarius. Uncertain mint in Gaul, AD 68. SALVS GENERIS HVMANI, Victory standing to left on globe, holding palm branch and wreath / S•P•Q•R within corona civica with circular jewel in bezel at apex. Nicolas 77; RIC 72; Martin 77. 3.37g, 18mm, 8h. Good Very Fine. Rare.
Civil War, Vindex AR Denarius. Uncertain mint in Gaul, AD 68. S•P•Q•R• within corona civica, circular jewel in bezel at apex / SALVS GENERIS HVMANIS, Victory standing to right on globe, bearing wreath in outstretched right hand and palm branch over left shoulder. Martin 78; RIC 73a; C. 421; Nicolas 70, pl. III, 70NIG. 3.99g, 19mm, 6h. Good Extremely Fine. Very Rare – one of as few as a dozen examples. Interestingly, this issue reverses the normal convention of placing Victory on the obverse, who is instead relegated to the reverse of the coin, and replaced by the corona civica.
Civil War, Vindex AR Denarius. Uncertain mint in Gaul, AD 68. SALVS GENERIS HVMANI, Victory standing to right on globe, holding palm branch and wreath / SPQR within corona civica with circular jewel in bezel at apex. Martin 78; RIC 73a; C. 421; Nicolas 70, pl. III, 70NIG (same dies). 3.59g, 16mm, 6h. Extremely Fine. Very Rare – one of as few as a dozen examples.
Civil War, Vindex AR Denarius. Uncertain mint in Gaul, AD 68. AVGVSTVS CAESAR, laureate head of Augustus to right / DIVVS IVLIVS, comet of eight rays with tail upward. Nicolas A8; BMC p.301, 49-50; RIC 92; Martin A10; Classical Numismatic Group 90, 23 May 2012, 1479 (same dies). 2.81g, 16mm, 12h. Very Fine. Very Rare.
Civil War, Vindex AR Denarius. Uncertain mint in Gaul, AD 68. CAESAR AVGVSTVS, bare head of the deified Augustus to right / SPQR within corona civica with circular jewel in bezel at apex. Nicolas A22BR (same dies); BMC 55; RIC 106; Martin 29. 3.90g, 17mm, 5h. Good Very Fine. Extremely Rare. The fourth known example.
Galba Æ Sestertius. Rome, July AD 68-January 69. IMP SER GALBA AVG TR P, laureate and draped bust right / Victory alighting to right, holding wreath in outstretched right hand and palm over left shoulder. RIC -, cf. 251-252; BMC -; Stacks Bowers & Ponterio 1743, 12 January 2013, 6082 (same obverse die). 27.65g, 36mm, 5h. Very Fine. Extremely Rare.
Vitellius AR Denarius. Lugdunum (Lyon), March-July AD 69. A VITELLIVS IMP GERMAN, laureate head right, globe at point of neck / IO MAX CAPITOLINVS, Jupiter Maximus Capitolinus seated left within distyle temple, holding thunderbolt and sceptre. RIC 56; Lyon 6; RSC 39. 3.28g, 18mm, 6h. About Extremely Fine. Very Rare, and in excellent condition for the issue. Ex Helios 6, 9 March 2011, lot 136; Ex Numismatica Ars Classica 46, 2 April 2008, lot 523.
Vespasian AV Aureus. Rome, AD 73. IMP CAES VESP AVG CEN, laureate head right / VESTA, domed tetrastyle Temple of Vesta, containing statue of Vesta holding [patera] and sceptre; temple flanked by two further statues. RIC 515; Calicó 690a (same obv. die). 7.12g, 20mm, 1h. Good Extremely Fine - Near Mint State. Well struck on sound, lustrous metal. Rare. The original Temple of Vesta is believed to have been built by Numa Pompilius along with the original Regia and House of the Vestal Virgins, though the site had already been the centre of the cult’s activity since the 7th century. The temple was the storehouse for the legal wills and documents of Roman Senators and relics such as the Palladium. Popular superstition held that the sacred fire of Vesta contained within was closely tied to the fortunes of the city, and its extinction was viewed as a portent of disaster. One of the earliest structures located in the Roman Forum, it was destroyed by fire and rebuilt several times. The present depiction is that of Nero’s restoration after the Great Fire of AD 64. The appearance of the temple as a type on the coinage of Vespasian is likely linked to the seriousness with which he took the role of Pontifex Maximus, head of Roman religion, a position which he assumed in 71 and which was followed by an explosion in types related to religion on the coinage. It is also appropriate that the founding emperor of the Flavian Dynasty should use the temple sacred to the goddess of hearth, home and family in Roman religion on his coinage. It is perhaps a little ironic however, that while commemorating the temple built by Nero to replace that lost in the Great Fire, Vespasian had recently begun work building the Flavian Amphitheatre, or Colosseum. This lasting monument to the Flavian Dynasty stands over part of the large central area of Rome that Nero appropriated after the fire to build the lavish and extravagant Domus Aurea palace within, and was a symbolic act for Vespasian to be returning part of the city of Rome to her people.
Titus AR Denarius. Rome, struck 1 January - 30 June AD 80. IMP T CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M, laureate head left / TR P IX IMP XV COS VIII P P, tripod with fillets; dolphin to right above. RIC 130; cf. RSC 323 (for type); Kölner Münzkabinett 82, lot 121. 3.21g, 19mm, 6h. Near Extremely Fine, with a deep tone. Very Rare with this obverse legend. Ex CNG Auction 99, 13 May 2015, lot 610.
Domitian AV Aureus. Rome, AD 92-94. DOMITIANVS AVGVSTVS, laureate head right / GERMANICVS COS XVI, Germania, bare-chested but wearing drapery from the waist, seated to right in attitude of mourning upon Germanic hexagonal shield, a bent spear below her. RIC 747; BMC 211; Calicó 854. 6.98g, 19mm, 3h. Good Very Fine. Rare.
Julia Titi AR Denarius. Rome, AD 80-81. IVLIA AVGVSTA TITI AVGVSTI F, draped bust right / VENVS AVGVST, Venus standing right, seen from behind, half nude with drapery hanging low beneath her posterior, holding sceptre in her left hand and helmet in her right and leaning with her left elbow on a column to her left. RIC 388 (Titus); RSC 14. 3.45g, 19mm, 5h. Good Extremely Fine. Very Rare. Attractively Toned, with a beautiful reverse. Despite the nobility and quality of her father Titus, Julia was no model of womanly virtue. Although a married woman, she and her uncle Domitian carried on an affair that gained public notoriety and was thoroughly condemned by contemporary Roman writers.
Trajan AV Aureus. Rome, AD 116. IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIM AVG GER DAC PARTHICO, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / REGNA ADSIGNATA, Trajan seated to left on platform with two attendants standing behind him; before platform, three kings standing right. RIC 367; Woytek 564f; BMC 613; Calicó 524. 7.26g, 19mm, 6h. About Extremely Fine. Very Rare. This historically significant type proclaims Trajan's assignment of rulers to the freshly conquered kingdoms of Armenia, Parthia and Mesopotamia following his victories in the East. In his campaign of AD 114-116 Trajan expanded the territories of the empire to what was then the greatest extent of Rome's borders; her dominion now stretched from the coasts of the Atlantic Ocean to the waters of the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf. Trajan had his statue set up on the shore of the latter, and sent the Senate a laurelled letter declaring the war to be at a close but bemoaning that he was too old to go on any further and repeat the conquests of Alexander the Great, to whose conquests this expedition was widely compared. The admiration and respect in which Trajan held the Macedonian king was evidenced by his determination to return to Babylon where he intended to offer sacrifice to Alexander in the house where he had died in 323 BC. The successes referenced on this coin were to be short-lived however, as shortly after his death revolts erupted in Armenia, Mesopotamia, Cyprus and Cyrene, as well as in North West Africa and along the Northern borders of Europe, prompting his successor Hadrian to abandon much of the newly gained territory in favour of a smaller but more defensible empire.
Hadrian AV Aureus. Rome, AD 125-128. HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS, laureate head right, with drapery on left shoulder / COS III, Sol in prancing quadriga to left, holding whip and wearing chlamys. RIC 168; BMC 378; C –; Calicó 1209; Biaggi 583. 7.30g, 20mm, 7h. Mint State. Rare. While it is very likely that the Romans, like many other cultures, had a reverence for the sun from the earliest of times, the ‘official’ cult of the sun-god, Sol Indiges, did not have a very high profile initially. According to Roman sources, the worship of Sol was introduced by Titus Tatius. A shrine to Sol stood on the banks of the Numicius, near many important shrines of early Latin religion. In Rome itself Sol had an ‘old’ temple in the Circus Maximus according to Tacitus, and this temple remained important in the first three centuries AD. Sol also had an old shrine on the Quirinal Hill where an annual sacrifice was offered on August 9. Romans were therefore well acquainted with the concept of a sun god, though his appearance on coinage was infrequent; it would require an Eastern revival of the cult to bring it to prominence. It is known that by AD 158 the cult of Sol Invictus was established at Rome, as evidenced by a votive military inscription (see Campbell, 1994, The Roman army, 31 BC–AD 337: a sourcebook, p. 43 and Halsberghe 1972, p. 45.), however Rome’s first contact with the Syrian cult that would come to worship the sun under this name probably occurred sometime during the reign of Hadrian, whose Eastern connections led to an intensification of relations with the eastern provinces of the empire. Hadrian had accompanied Trajan on all his campaigns in Dacia and the East, and had been appointed legate of Syria, and remained there to guard the Roman frontiers as Trajan, now seriously ill, returned to Rome. Now the de facto supreme commander of the Eastern Roman army, Hadrian’s position as a potential claimant to the throne became unchallengeable. Even after his accession, Hadrian would remain in the East, consolidating the frontiers of the empire and assisting in the restoration of Egypt, Cyprus, Cyrene and Judaea. Sol does of course appear on the coinage of Trajan (see lot 800) where the type is used as a deliberate and obvious reference to his campaign of conquest in the East. Sol also appears early on in the coinage of Hadrian’s reign (see RIC 16), personifying the East more explicitly still with the inscription ORIENS below the portrait, doubtless representing not only a continuation of Trajan’s legacy but also an indirect reference to the emperor himself who, like the sun, had risen to power in the east. This second major issue of a Sol type appears to have coincided with the anticipation of the emperor’s imminent arrival from his tour of the Eastern provinces, heralding his return in a manner reminiscent of his earlier coinage.
Antoninus Pius AV Aureus. Rome, AD 158-159. ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XXII, bareheaded bust to right, drapery on left shoulder / TEMPL DIVI AVG REST, octastyle temple of Divus Augustus, seated cult-statues of Augustus and Livia within, surmounted by a quadriga and statues on the corners and by the steps; COS IIII in exergue. Calicó 1625 (Same obv. die); RIC -; C. -. 7.16g, 18mm, 6h. Very Fine, edge scrape on obv. Very Rare. There are no examples of this variety in CoinArchives, and it was unknown to RIC and Cohen.
Antoninus Pius AV Aureus. Rome, AD 159-160. ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XXIII, bareheaded, draped, and cuirassed bust right / PIETATI AVG COS IIII, Pietas standing facing, head left, holding globe in extended right hand and child in her left arm; a child standing to either side. RIC III 302; Calicó 1601a; Biaggi 750; BMCRE 983. 7.23g, 19mm, 6h. Good Extremely Fine. Rare.
Marcus Aurelius AV Aureus. Rome, March-December AD 161. IMP CAES M AVREL ANTONINVS AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / PROV DEOR TR XV COS III, Providentia standing left, holding globe and cornucopiae. RIC 20; Calicó 1904; BMC 14. 7.27g, 20mm, 11h. About Good Very Fine. Very Rare, only two other examples on CoinArchives, both in lower grade.
Commodus Æ Sestertius. Rome, AD 185-186. M COMMODVS ANTON AVG PIVS BRIT, laureate and draped bust right / P M TR P X IMP VII COS IIII P P, Victory seated right on shields, inscribing shield set on knee, S-C across fields, VICT BRIT in exergue. RIC 452 var. (draped bust); BMC 560 var. (draped bust). 24.13g, 31mm, 6h. Good Very Fine. A very well preserved example of the type. Very Rare. Cassius Dio relates in his Historiae Romanae (LXXII.viii.1-6) that in the last months of Marcus Aurelius' life there was a serious incursion by the northern tribes into the province of Britannia; the wall was overrun and possibly even the governor himself was lost in battle. The wall in question is likely to have been the Hadrianic frontier, the Antonine wall having been already abandoned. Ulpius Marcellus was therefore dispatched to Britain and by AD 184 had secured a victory against the tribes. This type was struck in commemoration of that victory.
Septimius Severus AV Aureus. Rome, AD 207. SEVERVS PIVS AVG, laureate head right / RESTITVTOR VRBIS, Roma seated left on shield, holding palladium and sceptre. RIC 288; Calicó 2529; BMC 358; Hill 840. 7.19g, 20mm, 6h. Good Extremely Fine. Lustrous metal. Rare. Septimius Severus was credited with restoring stability to the Roman Empire after the turbulent reign of Commodus and the civil wars that erupted in the wake of his murder, and by the time this coin was struck he had enlarged the empire in the East and strengthened the southern borders through the expansion of the Limes Tripolitanus, a frontier zone of defensive forts in north Africa. The improved security of the empire enabled Severus to undertake restorative works in Rome itself, the theme of this reverse type. Roma, personification of Rome, is portrayed here as a direct reference to Severus having restored peace and prosperity to the city.
Septimius Severus AV Aureus. Rome, AD 210. SEVERVS PIVS AVG, laureate head right / P M TR P XVIII COS III P P, Victory advancing right, head left, carrying trophy and leading captive by hand. RIC 237; C. 544; BMC 23; Calicó 2517; Hill 1107. 7.14g, 21mm, 6h. Extremely Fine - struck on a broad flan; lustrous. Very Rare.
Caracalla AV Aureus. Rome, AD 204. ANTON P AVG PON TR P VII, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / VICTORIA PARTHICA MAXIMA, Victory advancing left, holding wreath and palm. RIC 79; Calicó 2844 corr. (this coin); Hill 680. 7.42g, 20mm, 6h. Good Very Fine. Very Rare. Septimius Severus’ Parthian campaign was concluded in 198 with the capture of the Parthian capital of Ctesiphon. On this occasion Septimius was acclaimed imperator for the eleventh time, and he received the title Parthicus Maximus. His successful campaign was celebrated on coinage over the next few years, and an arch was erected in Rome in commemoration of the event in 203. In the wake of his great triumph, Septimius elevated Caracalla, who had campaigned with him in the east, to co-augustus. That the coinage of Caracalla shared in the celebration of his father’s Parthian victory is attested to by the reverse of this aureus. We find Caracalla bearing the title given to his father, Parthicus Maximus, along with a figure of Victory. As Caracalla neither gained the military victory as Emperor or as a military leader, this aureus demonstrates that victory was also an abstract quality associated with emperorship. The willingness of Septimius Severus to share his victory names with his sons reflects his desire to create a strong and lasting dynasty.
Caracalla AR Denarius. Rome, AD 206-210. ANTONINVS PIVS AVG, laureate head right / LAETITIA TEMPORVM, the spina of the Circus Maximus decorated as a ship facing left, with the turning posts at its prow and stern, a sail mounted on the central obelisk, and the spina’s other monuments visible in between; around the ship, four quadrigas racing left; below, seven animals: an ostrich at left and bear at right; between them a lion and a lioness chasing a wild ass and a panther attacking a bison. RIC 157; BMC 508; Hill 793; RSC 118. 2.65g, 20mm, 6h. Good Very Fine. Very Rare.
Caracalla AR Antoninianus. Rome, AD 217. ANTONINVS PIVS AVG GERM, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind / VICT PARTHICA, Victory seated right on cuirass, inscribing VO XX in two lines on shield which she props on her left knee and holds with her left hand; shield behind and helmet below. RIC IV 314 note; BMCRE 89; RSC 656b. 4.83g, 24mm, 7h. Good Very Fine. Very Rare. This coin was struck in anticipation of a Roman victory over the Parthians that was to coincide with the beginning of Caracalla's twentieth year as Augustus. Caracalla had taken the opportunity of a divided Parthian kingdom, invading their lands in early AD 216. Meeting initial success and pushing the Parthians back deeper into their territory, the emperor decided to consolidate his gains and winter in Edessa. A decisive victory however eluded the emperor, as in the spring of AD 217, while on a trip to Carrhae, Caracalla was assassinated by a member of his bodyguard.
Severus Alexander AV Aureus. Rome, AD 231. IMP SEV ALEXAND AVG, laureate bust right, slight drapery over far shoulder / VICTORIA AVG, Victory standing left, holding wreath and palm. RIC 211b; Calicó 3138; BMC 699. 6.12g, 20mm, 12h. Fleur De Coin. Very Rare, the only example on CoinArchives. Ex Jesus Vico 134, 28 February 2013, lot 399. In the second period of the reign of Severus Alexander, AD 228-231, the general character of his coinage remains unchanged. The same deities and personifications recur regularly, but at the end of the period we find Profectio, Virtus and Victoria types, which mark the preliminary stages of the campaign against Artaxerxes of Persia. In AD 227, Artaxerxes had invaded Parthia and overthrown King Artabanus V, proclaiming himself the restorer of the Achaemenids under the title of King of Kings. Having consolidated his position in Media and Persia, he proceeded to overrun Mesopotamia and threaten the provinces of Syria and Cappadocia. News of the impending danger reached Rome in AD 230, and in the following year Alexander and his mother set out for Antioch. Whilst the campaign appears to have brought little credit to the Roman army and still less to the Emperor as a military commander, the desires of Artaxerxes were temporarily arrested and Alexander celebrated a triumph in September AD 232. The Victory type we find on the reverse of this coin, as in several other cases, may have been anticipatory, rather than commemorative, although it was likely issued in connection with the campaign in the East.
Gordian I Africanus AR Denarius. Rome, March-April AD 238. IMP M ANT GORDIANVS AFR AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind / P M TR P COS P P, Gordian standing facing, head left, holding branch in right hand and short sceptre in left. RIC 2; RSC 2. 2.94g, 19mm, 12h. Extremely Fine. Hint of copper deposit on reverse; lustrous and bright metal. Rare.
Tranquillina AR Denarius. Rome, AD 241-244. SABINIA TRANQVILLINA AVG, draped bust right, wearing stephane / CONCORDIA AVGG, Concordia seated left on throne, holding patera in right hand and cradling double cornucopiae in left arm. RIC IV 252; RSC 1a; Hunter 1. 3.12g, 20m, 7h. Good Extremely Fine. Boldly struck, and certainly one of the finest surviving examples. Very Rare. From an old European collection; Ex Münzen & Medaillen 28, 19 June 1964, lot 448. In contrast to the prodigious output of the standard silver antoninianus for her husband Gordian III, the corresponding imperial issues for Tranquillina are exceedingly scarce to a puzzling extent, more especially as her provincial issues are comparatively great in number. Changing from the denarius, which had been struck for him in 240, to the antoninianus as the standard issue renders denarii of both Gordian and Tranquillina a rare denomination probably only struck on special occasions. However, this does not explain the scarcity of Tranquillina's imperial coinage in general. The daughter of Gaius Furius Sabinius Aquila Timesitheus, commander of the Praetorian Guard, Tranquillina was married to the young boy-Emperor in 241 who, at only 13 when he had been raised to the purple, was soon to be held in sway by his new father in law, de facto ruler of the Empire. That this situation prevailed has been suggested by David Vagi to explain the scarcity of Tranquillina's coinage, and might also go some way to give reason to the vast output of coinage for Gordian: Timesitheus might be controlling the Emperor, but it may have been more favourable not to promote this to the population of Rome in the traditional propagandist form of the coinage, instead opting to use all issues to reinforce that Gordian was in fact Emperor. That Tranquillina's provincial issues continued in a more standard pattern simply shows that outside of Rome the relationship between the Emperor and the Commander of the Praetorian Guard mattered less. In any event, Timesitheus remained in his position until his death in uncertain circumstances two years later while on campaign in the east, while Gordian remained married to Tranquillina for the rest of his life also, though there were no new issues of coinage for the Empress and after her husband's death in 244 she disappears from the historical record.
Otacilia Severa AV Aureus. Rome, AD 245-247, in a gold pendant with an openwork border of leaf-pattern with a ribbed suspension loop. M•OTACIL SEVERA AVG, draped bust of Otacilia right, wearing stephane, hair in six tight waves with turned up plait / CONCORDIA AVGG, Concordia seated left, holding patera and double cornucopiae. R. Bland, ‘The gold coinage of Philip I and family’, in RN 171, 2014, pp. 93-149, 30 (OS10/O3); RIC Philip I 125; Calicó 3264. For a similar openwork gold setting with loop see: F.H. Marshall, Catalogue of the Jewellery, Greek, Etruscan and Roman, in the Department of Antiquities, British Museum, London 1969, pl. 68, 2937 (Philip I). 25.17g (including mount and chain), 28mm (coin in mount), 1h (coin). Extremely Fine. Rare.
Sicily, Kamarina AV Diobol. Emergency issue, circa 406/5 BC. Head of Athena right, wearing Attic helmet decorated with winged hippocamp / KA surrounded by olive sprig with two berries. Westermark & Jenkins 206; HGC 2, 518; SNG ANS 1209; Rizzo VII, 17; Weber 1248. 1.06g, 10mm, 5h. About Good Very Fine. Very Rare. This coin, like the contemporary issues at Gela, Stiela, Akragas and Syracuse (see lot 114), was struck to finance a defence against the great Carthaginian expedition which was at that time ravaging the Greek cities of Sicily. Akragas had been sacked and razed in 406, Gela in 405. Having suffered a defeat against the Carthaginian army at Gela, the Syracusan tyrant Dionysios chose not to offer battle again, but rather to evacuate the population. Retreating to Kamarina, it appears that Dionysios immediately ordered the complete evacuation of the city, and so Kamarina in its turn was also left to the advancing Carthaginians. The people fled toward Syracuse, chased by the fear of the Carthaginians, though not by the Carthaginians themselves; the rumour among the Greeks was that Dionysios had betrayed their cause and made a deal with the enemy to cement his power over Syracuse. With this issue, the high period of coinage at Kamarina came to an abrupt end.
Postumus Æ Sestertius. Cologne, AD 261. IMP C POSTVMVS PIVS F AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / P M TR P COS II P P, emperor in military attire standing left, holding globe and spear, S-C across fields. RIC 109; Bastien 58 (same dies); C. 256; De Witte 208; Elmer 208. 18.46g, 31mm, 6h. Pleasing patina, Good Very Fine. Rare obv. legend variant with PIVS.
Martinian Æ Nummus. Nicomedia, AD 324. D N M MARTINIANVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right / IOVI CONSERVATORI, Jupiter standing left, holding Victory on globe in right hand and eagle-tipped sceptre in left, captive on ground to right, X-IIΓ above, eagle to left holding wreath in beak; SMNΓ in exergue. RIC 45; C.3. 2.64g, 20mm, 12h. Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare, and very well preserved for the issue.
Martinian Æ Nummus. Nicomedia, AD 324. D N M MARTINIANO P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right / IOVI CONSERVATORI, Jupiter standing left, holding Victory on globe in right hand and eagle-tipped sceptre in left, captive on ground to right, X-IIΓ above, eagle to left holding wreath in beak; SMNB in exergue. RIC 46. 3.08g, 19mm, 1h. Good Very Fine. Extremely Rare.
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![M. Aemilius Lepidus AR Denarius. Rome, 61 BC. Turreted head of Alexandria right, ALEX[ANDREA] below / Lepidus standing left,](https://cdn.globalauctionplatform.com/286fba17-474b-46be-9c98-a5bc00ee8b5b/d3412d76-72e0-45b7-abfc-9716ca8b068b/468x382.jpg)
