Antinous was a youth celebrated for his statuesque looks who caught the fancy of Emperor Hadrian. So beloved by the Emperor was this youth that, upon his untimely death, he  More »

Antinous was a youth celebrated for his statuesque looks who caught the fancy of Emperor Hadrian. So beloved by the Emperor was this youth that, upon his untimely death, he was deified. His portrait was immortalized in many life size marble representations and smaller, more intimate, memorials such as this commemorative medallion. The relationship of the youthful Antinous and the powerful, older Hadrian was often compared to the legendary myth of Jupiter and Ganymede. This myth, also known as the Rape of Ganymede (by “rape,” the literal meaning of abduction is implied), describes time when Jupiter, in the guise of an eagle, swooped down an kidnapped the beautiful young boy Ganymede, with whom he had become enamored, and carried him away to Mt. Olympus where he served as cup bearer to the Gods. The linking of the tragic life of Antinous with the mythological Ganymede reveals how both naïve youths were swept away by the power and wisdom of an older man, one the King of the Gods, the other the Emperor of men. This gorgeous hand struck medallion is a testament to enduring love and heartbreak. Hadrian, having lost his young lover, eased his broken heart by creating numerous works of art to honor Antinous. Gazing upon this medallion, we see the idealized image of this handsome youth. We can imagine that the Emperor himself might have once held this medallion in his hands and stared longingly at his lost love. - (C.0493)   « Less

Germanicus was the very popular nephew of Emperor Tiberius and grandson of Livia by her first marriage to Tiberius Claudius Nero. Germanicus gained popularity through his  More »

Germanicus was the very popular nephew of Emperor Tiberius and grandson of Livia by her first marriage to Tiberius Claudius Nero. Germanicus gained popularity through his excellence as a leader in the Roman army on the frontiers. The Roman social and political system had a way of blending family relationships and political relationships in a way we would find very confusing today. Tiberius and Nero Claudius Drusus were both sons of Livia and Tiberius Claudius Nero. Livia divorced T. Claudius Nero and married Octavian (later Augustus) in 38 B. C. This was done not because of her loss of love for one man and finding it with another, but because of political convenience. Again, for political reasons (mainly to ensure a smooth succession), Augustus compelled his adopted son to adopt his own nephew Germanicus to be his son and heir. Tiberius was not happy about this requirement at all, and rumors perpetuated by writers such as Tacitus and Suetonius would have us believe that Tiberius was somehow responsible for Germanicus' death in A. D. 19; but there is no real evidence to support these accusations. Later, Germanicus' widow Agrippina Senior began publicly accusing Tiberius of Germanicus' murder, and she was subsequently tried for treason. In truth, Germanicus was a popular and competent military leader who would probably have caused trouble for Tiberius in the event that he had lived, whether or not he intended to. He pushed back the German tribes beyond the Rhine as far as the Elbe and was later transferred to an Eastern post where he died of a mysterious illness. How many hands have touched a coin in your pocket or purse? What eras and lands have the coin traversed on its journey into our possession? As we reach into our pockets to pull out some change, we rarely hesitate to think of who might have touched the coin before us, or where the coin will venture to after it leaves our hands. More than money, coins are a symbol of the state that struck them, of a specific time and location, whether contemporary currencies or artifacts of a long forgotten empire. This magnificent coin, minted during the reign of his son Caligula, is a magnificent memorial to Germanicus passed down from the hands of civilization to civilization, from generation to generation. - (C.2015)   « Less

Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa was Octavian's most effective general. He led the armies that gave Octavian the victories he needed to bolster his political position and eventually  More »

Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa was Octavian's most effective general. He led the armies that gave Octavian the victories he needed to bolster his political position and eventually become the first Roman emperor, Augustus. Agrippa was born in 56 BC and was a friend of Octavian from childhood. He grew to become a capable military leader, winning battles on both land and sea. In 36 BC, he defeated and destroyed the fleet of Sextus Pompey in a battle off Naulochus. Agrippa's most famous victory was won at the Battle of Actium, where he defeated the combined forces of Cleopatra VII of Egypt and Marc Antony. Antony was Octavian's only remaining rival to overcome before becoming the most powerful man in the Roman world. Octavian was given sweeping new powers to run the government and the title of Augustus by the Roman Senate in 27 BC. Although Octavian was in name simply First Citizen (Princeps) he was in fact Rome's first emperor. Although the high office was not intended to be hereditary, Augustus married Agrippa to his daughter Julia and made it clear that Agrippa was to succeed him on the throne. All this preparation came to naught when Agrippa died in 12 BC. Although Agrippa was never officially an emperor nor did he ever lay any claim to power by having himself proclaimed imperator, coins were nevertheless struck in his name which are quite popular amongst collectors today because of their historical connection with this famous Roman general and victor of Actium. How many hands have touched a coin in your pocket or purse? What eras and lands have the coin traversed on its journey into our possession? As we reach into our pockets to pull out some change, we rarely hesitate to think of who might have touched the coin before us, or where the coin will venture to after it leaves our hands. More than money, coins are a symbol of the state that struck them, of a specific time and location, whether contemporary currencies or artifacts of long forgotten empires. This magnificent coin is a memorial to an ancient general passed down from the hands of civilization to civilization, from generation to generation. - (C.2016)   « Less

Caracalla was born April 4,188 in Lyon, where his father, Septimius Severus, was serving as governor of the province of Gallia Lugdunensis under Emperor Commodus. His name  More »

Caracalla was born April 4,188 in Lyon, where his father, Septimius Severus, was serving as governor of the province of Gallia Lugdunensis under Emperor Commodus. His name was changed from Lucius Septimius Bassianus to Marcus Aurelius Antoninus at the age of seven. The name change was a way of connecting the family of Severus to that of the Antonines. The nickname Caracalla was taken from the name of a type of cloak popularized by the emperor, but this nickname, originally derisive, was never used officially. From the time of his name change to Antoninus, Caracalla was the designated heir of Severus. Less than three years later he was proclaimed emperor, officially joining his father as co-rulers of the empire. At the age of 14, he was married to the daughter of the praetorian prefect Plautianus, but the teenager despised his wife. The marriage ended less than three years later and there were no children. Upon his father’s death in 211, Caracalla ruled the empire jointly with his brother, Geta, until he was murdered later the same year, leaving Caracalla in sole control at the age of 23. The year 212 saw a flurry of administrative reforms under the young emperor's leadership. Soldiers received increases in pay and in legal rights, but the most noteworthy change was the bestowal of Roman citizenship upon all free residents of the empire. Construction was also well underway on the magnificent baths in Rome that would bear the emperor's name. In 217, Caracalla was assassinated on the road back from his military campaigns against the Partians in the east. Although Caracalla remains a rather dubious figure, historians often overlook the energetic, reformist and even intellectual character of Caracalla's reign. The changes brought about in the little more than five years of Caracalla's sole rule would have long-lasting implications throughout the empire for generations to come. How many hands have touched a coin in your pocket or purse? What eras and lands have the coin traversed on its journey into our possession? As we reach into our pockets to pull out some change, we rarely hesitate to think of who might have touched the coin before us, or where the coin will venture to after it leaves our hands. More than money, coins are a symbol of the state that struck them, of a specific time and location, whether contemporary currencies or artifacts of a long forgotten empire. This stunning hand-struck coin reveals an expertise of craftsmanship and intricate sculptural detail that is often lacking in contemporary machine-made currencies. This ancient coin is a memorial an emperor’s reign passed from the hands of civilization to civilization, from generation to generation that still appears as vibrant today as the day it was struck. - (C.2290)   « Less

The bust of the goddess Roma, with its winged helmet, is a popular obverse type during the Republican period. The helmet itself is reminiscent of Hellenistic and Roman  More »

The bust of the goddess Roma, with its winged helmet, is a popular obverse type during the Republican period. The helmet itself is reminiscent of Hellenistic and Roman helmets of the time period, categorized by scholars as the Italo-Attic type. Officers and deities are often depicted as wearing this helmet long after such a design had gone into general disuse by the military. As such, it continued to be employed as a symbol connected with deities and heroic figures of the past. The reverse bears a representation of the monument erected to L. Minucius Augurinus at Rome to commemorate his success in reducing the price of corn.   « Less

The bust of the goddess Roma, with its winged helmet, is a popular obverse type during the Republican period. The helmet itself is reminiscent of Hellenistic and Roman  More »

The bust of the goddess Roma, with its winged helmet, is a popular obverse type during the Republican period. The helmet itself is reminiscent of Hellenistic and Roman helmets of the time period, categorized by scholars as the Italo-Attic type. Officers and deities are often depicted as wearing this helmet long after such a design had gone into general disuse by the military. As such, it continued to be employed as a symbol connected with deities and heroic figures of the past. The winged goddess Victory, parallel to the Greek Nike, was a common figure on coins, often seen driving a chariot, or flying above another deity who is driving. Occasionally, a diminutive Victory is held in the hand of the goddess Athena.   « Less

Obverse: Bust of Genius (or Apollo Vejovis) right, laureate and winged, trident and symbol (wreath? ) behind Reverse: Victory in quadriga, L. IVLI BVRSIO in exergue Vejovis  More »

Obverse: Bust of Genius (or Apollo Vejovis) right, laureate and winged, trident and symbol (wreath? ) behind Reverse: Victory in quadriga, L. IVLI BVRSIO in exergue Vejovis was a Roman deity of uncertain attributes, at times being associated with the deity Apollo. The winged goddess Victory, parallel to the Greek Nike, was a common figure on coins, often seen driving a chariot, or flying above another deity who is driving. Occasionally, a diminutive Victory is held in the hand of the goddess Athena. Crawford 352/1a. RSC Julia 5. - (C.5370)   « Less

Obverse: Helmeted head of Roma right, monogram behind. Reverse: Macedonian horseman right, Macedonian helmet behind, Q. PILIPVS below, ROMA in exergue The bust of the  More »

Obverse: Helmeted head of Roma right, monogram behind. Reverse: Macedonian horseman right, Macedonian helmet behind, Q. PILIPVS below, ROMA in exergue The bust of the goddess Roma, with its winged helmet, is a popular obverse type during the Republican period. The helmet itself is reminiscent of Hellenistic and Roman helmets of the time period, categorized by scholars as the Italo-Attic type. Officers and deities are often depicted as wearing this helmet long after such a design had gone into general disuse by the military. As such, it continued to be employed as a symbol connected with deities and heroic figures of the past. The reverse type refers to Q. Marcius Philippus, an ancestor of the moneyer, who had campaigned against Macedon after previous diplomatic missions. Crawford 259/1. RSC Marcia 11. - (C.5372)   « Less

Obverse: Head of Juno of Lanuvium right, wearing goat skin, I. S. M. R. behind. Reverse: Bull charging right, E above, L. THORIVS below, BALBVS in exergue The legend on the  More »

Obverse: Head of Juno of Lanuvium right, wearing goat skin, I. S. M. R. behind. Reverse: Bull charging right, E above, L. THORIVS below, BALBVS in exergue The legend on the obverse stands for Iuno Sispes Mater Regina, indicating that Juno was worshipped in the city of Lanuvium as the protectress of women. This manifestation of Juno, also known as Juno Sospita, is frequently depicted as wearing a goat skin on her head. This obverse type is seen on the issues of a few other moneyers as well. The charging bull on the reverse may be a reference to a modification of the moneyer’s name. Crawford 316/1. RSC Thoria 1. - (C.5374)   « Less

Obverse: PV behind helmeted head of Roma right, within laurel wreath. Reverse: RVF above Victory in biga right, M. LVCILI in exergue The bust of the goddess Roma, with its  More »

Obverse: PV behind helmeted head of Roma right, within laurel wreath. Reverse: RVF above Victory in biga right, M. LVCILI in exergue The bust of the goddess Roma, with its winged helmet, is a popular obverse type during the Republican period. The helmet itself is reminiscent of Hellenistic and Roman helmets of the time period, categorized by scholars as the Italo-Attic type. Officers and deities are often depicted as wearing this helmet long after such a design had gone into general disuse by the military. As such, it continued to be employed as a symbol connected with deities and heroic figures of the past. The winged goddess Victory, parallel to the Greek Nike, was a common figure on coins, often seen driving a chariot, or flying above another deity who is driving. Occasionally, a diminutive Victory is held in the hand of the goddess Athena. Crawford 324/1. RSC Lucilia 1. - (C.5375)   « Less