1
10
26
-
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a81f0b3124147e291180c8b644acc730
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8c20a8c0aa32ca88202d0cada48db404
Coin
Specific fields to describe ancient coins and modeled from the Nomisma project.
Mint
Place where coin was made.
Antiochia (Antakya)
Denomination
Kind of coin
AE8
Authority
Emperor or ruler who authorized the making of the coin
Philip the Arab (244-249 A.D.)
Deity
Tyche
Portrait
Person who is depicted on coin. Most likely to be the emperor but could be others.
Philip the Arab
Material
Raw material coin was made with.
Bronze
Obverse Type
A brief description of the imagery contained on the obverse of the coin.
Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Philip
Reverse Type
A brief description of the imagery contained on the reverse of the coin.
Turreted, veiled, and draped bust of Tyche right; above, ram leaping right, head left; ram below
Mintmark
The letters/symbols made by the mint to denote where it was minted.
Ant* workshop: S
Weight
The weight of your coin in grams up to the hundredths decimal point (ex. 1.95).
14.16 g
Obverse Analysis
Your long written analysis of the imagery of the obverse of your coin.
Marcus Julius Philippus (Life: 204-249 CE, Reign: 244-249 CE)
A member of a distinguished equestrian family of Arab descent, Philip was praetorian perfect when the emperor Gordian III was killed in a mutiny (244 CE). Philip's rise to prominence began through the intervention of his brother Priscus, who was an important official under the emperor Gordian III. At the suggestion of his brother Priscus, Philip became the new Praetorian prefect (243 CE), the two brothers intended to control the Emperor and rule the Roman world as partners and joint emperors. Many historians believe that Philip organized the mutiny against Gordian in order to take power and others state that Gordian simply died in battle. But regardless of the circumstances after Gordians death Phillip was able to take the throne and ascend to the title of Emperor (244 CE). A quote from English historian Edward Gibbon helps illustrate Phillips rise to power, “His rise from so obscure a station to the first dignities of the empire seems to prove that he was a bold and able leader. But his boldness prompted him to aspire to the throne, and his abilities were employed to supplant, not to serve, his indulgent master.”
At the beginning of his reign, to Phillip worked hard to please the Senate and solidify his authority within Rome. He reestablished the old Roman virtues and traditions. He quickly ordered an enormous building program in his hometown, renaming it Philippopolis, and raising it to civic status, while he populated it with statues of himself and his family (245 CE). Although because of this massive building project along with a massive tribute that was owed to the Persians, as well as the donations to the army in order to secure his status as emperor, left Phillip with a very small amount of money. In order to compensate for this Philip began to drastically increase taxes and taxation levels. Philip would also cease paying the Germanic tribes to the north which was a key aspect of the current peace that was being held. During his reign, Philip would see little peace throughout Rome. Shortly after his arrival in Rome, the Dacian Carpi crossed the Danube river onto Roman soil to begin an uprising (245 CE). Philip was forced to intervene after his brother-in-law Severus failed to suppress the uprising. This victory would win him the title of Carpicus Maximus. These financial and combative issues that constantly plagued Philips reign would eventually end up in his downfall.
Philip was faced with multiple invasions from foreign enemies and potential usurpers that sought the throne. Philip felt so overwhelmed that he offered to resign as emperor (248 CE), but the Senate voiced its support for Philip with Messius Quintus Decius being the most vocal. Philip gave Decius command of a region that encompassed all of the Pannonian and Moessian provinces, which is where some of the rebelling legions were located. Decius managed to suppress the revolt but discontent was still growing within Rome. Decius soldiers declared him emperor and immediately began to march on Rome in 249 CE. Decius attempted to come to terms with Philip, but Philip instead met him on the battlefield and died during the Battle of Verona. Historians assume his heirs died along with him.
Reverse Analysis
Your long written analysis of the imagery of the reverse of your coin.
Minted: Antioch, (Antakya)
Dates: 244-249 CE
Emperor: Philip the Arab (Reigned 244-249 CE)
Obverse Reverse
Obverse
Legend: AVGOK K MA IOVLI ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟC CEB
Translation
AVTOK
Imperator
CEB
The Greek version of Augustus
K
Hailed as imperator 10 times
MA
Marcus
IOVLI
Julius
ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟC
Equivalent to Philip (May also mean fond of horses)
Depictions
Bust of Philip the Arab
Draped and cuirassed
Facing Right
Reverse
Legend: ANTIOΧEΩN MHTPO KOΛΩ
Translation
ANTIO
Of Antioch
MHTPO
Mother
KOΛΩ
Colony
Typically means you don’t have to pay a certain amount of tax
Depictions
Turreted, veiled and draped bust of Tyche
Facing right
ram leaping right, ram below.
Analysis and Interpretation
On the obverse of the coin, there is a bust of Philip the Arabian who was emperor of Rome from 244-249 CE. He is depicted wearing a radiate crown, in the middle of the first century AD the Romans began to use a crown of spikes on the portrait on the dupondius to help distinguish it from other denominations. He is also shown wearing a cuirass underneath which is a sign of his role as a military commander. The coin legend states that he is hailed as imperator ten times, this shows that Philip wanted to be depicted as a victorious Roman general during his reign. Although, during his reign, Philip faced a constant flow of invasions and uprisings, these became so overwhelming that he even approached the Senate and offered to resign and rescind his role as emperor he was convinced otherwise. The rest of the inscription hails from Philip as Augustus and gives us his full name.
On the reverse side, we see a depiction of the Goddess Tyche. Tyche was the equivalent of the Roman goddess Fortuna. Tyche was the presiding deity who governed the fortune and prosperity of a city. In Classical Greek mythology, she is the daughter of Aphrodite and Zeus or Hermes. She also has special significance to the city of Antioch, Antioch at this time held the status of a colony, which meant that they didn’t have to pay a certain amount of tax to the Roman empire. The coin hails Tyche as the “Mother of Antioch” which signifies that Tyche was one of the presiding deities in the city. The coin also depicts two rams leaping above and below the coin. These rams are meant to depict the Golden Fleece of the ram Aries. In Greek mythology, the golden fleece is depicted as a symbol of authority, kingship, and prosperity which is most likely why Philip had it depicted on his coin. This was used as a reflection of the empire under his reign and a statement of his authority.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Mcalee 990
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
244 CE-249 CE
Description
An account of the resource
An AE 8 of the emperor Philip
Subject
The topic of the resource
Coins, Philip the Arab, Tyche
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Bethel University
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Dustin Clark
Relation
A related resource
Render Unto Caesar Roman Project
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Coin
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
image/jpeg
Language
A language of the resource
Greek
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RomancoinClark0101; RomancoinClark0102
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
POINT(4024199.59161667 4328176.07469579)
-
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0755aa82971566a08767ef0b4740149c
https://renderuntocaesar.betheldigitalscholarship.org/files/original/41acf35e4ac5e00f84fa1dfc93711791.jpg
e66dd68598104dc6cd90a466682041f6
Coin
Specific fields to describe ancient coins and modeled from the Nomisma project.
Mint
Place where coin was made.
Alexandria (Alexandria)
Denomination
Kind of coin
AE4
Authority
Emperor or ruler who authorized the making of the coin
Theodosius I the Great (378-395 A.D.)
Deity
Victory
Portrait
Person who is depicted on coin. Most likely to be the emperor but could be others.
Arcadius
Region
Egypt
Material
Raw material coin was made with.
Bronze
Obverse Legend
The inscription on the obverse of the coin.
D N ARCADIVS P F AVG
Obverse Type
A brief description of the imagery contained on the obverse of the coin.
Bust pearl-diademed draped cuirassed right
Reverse Legend
The inscription on the reverse of the coin.
SALVS REI-[P]VBLICAE
Reverse Type
A brief description of the imagery contained on the reverse of the coin.
Victory advancing left holding trophy and dragging captive
Mintmark
The letters/symbols made by the mint to denote where it was minted.
☧/-//ALEΓ
Diameter
The diameter of your coin in millimeters.
12.5mm
Weight
The weight of your coin in grams up to the hundredths decimal point (ex. 1.95).
0.66g
Obverse Analysis
Your long written analysis of the imagery of the obverse of your coin.
The legend from the obverse is a bust of Arcadius. The legend that is on it means Our ruler, the pious and happy Emperor Arcadius. Just like the other coin. Arcadius is wearing the pearl diadema. The diadema was a crown that was worn on the head. According to legend, the diadema was first worn by the god Baccus. The diadema was worn by other gods, and was a status symbol. It showed that the person wearing it was not an ordinary citizen.
Reverse Analysis
Your long written analysis of the imagery of the reverse of your coin.
The reverse of the coin has Victory holding a trophy and carrying a captive. Victory was originally a Greek goddess, more specifically the goddess of victory, and was taken from the Greeks by the Romans. The legend means health to the republic.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
RIC IX Alexandria 20C
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
388-392 CE
Description
An account of the resource
An AE4 of Theodosius 1
Subject
The topic of the resource
Coin made under Theodosius 1
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Bethel University
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Chad DeSota
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
POINT(3329540.69963893 3658937.03609288)
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Coin
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Image/JPEG
Language
A language of the resource
Latin
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RomancoinDeSota0201.jpeg; RomancoinDeSota0202.jpeg
Relation
A related resource
Render Unto Caesar Roman Coin Project
AE4
Alexandria
Theodosius 1
-
https://renderuntocaesar.betheldigitalscholarship.org/files/original/54b8ad15c54bba58af9b3a518a5f0753.jpg
a224a944f7e1c66ed508d59522c3ec99
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51bfbe1ca9565f7e9292f2903f96a3f2
Coin
Specific fields to describe ancient coins and modeled from the Nomisma project.
Mint
Place where coin was made.
Roma (Rome)
Denomination
Kind of coin
Antoninianus
Authority
Emperor or ruler who authorized the making of the coin
Claudius II Gothicus (268-270 A.D.)
Portrait
Person who is depicted on coin. Most likely to be the emperor but could be others.
Claudius II Gothicus
Region
Italy
Material
Raw material coin was made with.
Silver
Obverse Legend
The inscription on the obverse of the coin.
IMP CLAVDIVS AVG
Obverse Type
A brief description of the imagery contained on the obverse of the coin.
Bust of Claudius Gothicus, radiate, draped, right or bust of Claudius Gothicus, radiate, cuirassed, right or bust of Claudius Gothicus, helmeted, radiate, cuirassed, left, holding spear in right hand and shield in left hand or head of Claudius Gothicus, radiate, right
Reverse Legend
The inscription on the reverse of the coin.
P M TR P II COS P P
Reverse Type
A brief description of the imagery contained on the reverse of the coin.
Claudius Gothicus, standing left, holding branch in right hand and short sceptre in left hand
Diameter
The diameter of your coin in millimeters.
1.6
Weight
The weight of your coin in grams up to the hundredths decimal point (ex. 1.95).
3.14
Obverse Analysis
Your long written analysis of the imagery of the obverse of your coin.
Claudius II otherwise known as Claudius Gothicus was emperor of the Roman Empire from 268-270. He was thought to be born in Illyria which plays a role in how he came to power. Although his reign was short, it was very impactful for years to come providing breathing space for the empire to grow and thrive under the rule of others who claimed at times to be his descendants because of the great victories he provided for the empire.
Claudius II had spent most of his adult life in the military working his way up the ranks eventually landing as the right-hand man for the emperor that he succeeded, Gallienus. Gallienus was assassinated when he reign came to an end and allegedly Claudius II had been sent away in an effort by the conspiracy to keep the blame away from him so that he would still be named Emperor without hesitation by the army. The assassination was said to be performed by Illyrians in an effort to secure more safety for their people due to the fact that the new emperor would have a tie there.
How Claudius II became Claudius Gothicus and the main victory of his reign was the defeat of the Goths in 269. The Goths had been a major threat to the Roman empire and they were moving in quickly. This defeat was one of last minute success which made it all the more impactful and worth celebrating. It was not a gradual threat that the Goths were producing it was fast and it was evident to all citizens. Therefore the defeat was well appreciated by the general public giving Claudius Gothicus great recognition.
A question posed by his reign was that of the city of Autun. This city had revolted claiming themselves in the name of Claudius Gothicus. However, they received no assistance from the emperor and eventually fell under siege to Victorinus. It was almost as though he had no care for this city and paid no mind to what would happen to it.
The end of Claudius’ reign came when he fell ill and died of natural causes. Again as the emperor discussed above he did not die of assassination therefor obtaining at least enough respect to peg him as a successful ruler over the Roman empire for his time. In addition to his proven historical moments, there are theories that claim he was involved in the execution of St. Valentine who was persecuted for his assistance given to Christians in Rome. This has not been proved however there is a mention of an Emperor Claudius and Claudius I would not have accurately fit the situation as much as Claudius Gothicus.
Reverse Analysis
Your long written analysis of the imagery of the reverse of your coin.
Claudius II Gothicus. On the obverse side of the coin you see him facing right. He seems to be wearing a “cuirassed” or a piece of armour that connects the back to the front. On his head there is a crown that is spiked referred to as a “radiant”. The radiant was used to distinguish the antoninianus, which from my findings means that it was worth two denarii. It also signified the emperor being male. For females the bust would have been resting on a crescent moon. On the coin the letters read “IMP CLAVDIVS AVG” because v’s were used in place of u’s. This indicates that it is Claudius II Gothicus because the radiant had not yet been introduced during the time of Claudius I. The reverse depicts a women holding two items in her hands. One forum that I put my coin on suggested this to be Laetitia. She was supposed to be a representation of joy meaning whatever she was holding was supposed to signify joy towards those items. In her right hand is a wreath which was thought to represent eternity. In her left hand is the cornucopia. A cornucopia was typically a basket filled with fruits and other foods, meant to signify nourishment and abundance. The reverse reads “LAETITIA AVG” which means “The joy of the emperor.” From what I understand this coin then means that it is the joy of the emperor to bring abundance to his people for eternity.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
RIC V Claudius Gothicus 11
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
POINT(1391493.63472222 5146011.67856646)
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
AD 269
Description
An account of the resource
An AE3 of Claudius II Gothicus
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Bethel University
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Sophia Carlson
Relation
A related resource
Roman Coin Project
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Coin
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Image/jpeg
-
https://renderuntocaesar.betheldigitalscholarship.org/files/original/7d6927fb2b1e35ff8f192d0a72769f42.jpg
7aaa241fcd1cd2e005c30b7d76daa65f
https://renderuntocaesar.betheldigitalscholarship.org/files/original/cf2f9bda37a11e7182c81e71d1495b50.jpg
0e4aa47a3bf3c6d44ed5faed33456fcd
Coin
Specific fields to describe ancient coins and modeled from the Nomisma project.
Mint
Place where coin was made.
Mediolanum (Milan)
Denomination
Kind of coin
Antoninianus
Authority
Emperor or ruler who authorized the making of the coin
Claudius II Gothicus (268-270 A.D.)
Deity
Spes
Portrait
Person who is depicted on coin. Most likely to be the emperor but could be others.
Claudius Gothicus
Region
Italy
Material
Raw material coin was made with.
Silver
Obverse Legend
The inscription on the obverse of the coin.
IMP CLAVDIVS PF AVG
Obverse Type
A brief description of the imagery contained on the obverse of the coin.
Bust of Claudius Gothicus, Radiate, Draped Right
Reverse Legend
The inscription on the reverse of the coin.
SPES PVBLICA
Reverse Type
A brief description of the imagery contained on the reverse of the coin.
Spes, draped, walking left,holding flower in right hand and raising robe with left hand
Mintmark
The letters/symbols made by the mint to denote where it was minted.
P
Diameter
The diameter of your coin in millimeters.
2 cm
Weight
The weight of your coin in grams up to the hundredths decimal point (ex. 1.95).
2.3 g
Obverse Analysis
Your long written analysis of the imagery of the obverse of your coin.
Officially known as Marcus Aurelius Valerius Claudius. He was born May 10, 214 AD in the region of Dardania-which was a part of the province Illyricum or the Upper Moesia. He was of a barbarian birth and was the first in a series of tough soldier-emperors who would help restore the Empire from the crisis of the third century. He served as an army officer most of his life, making his way up the military hierarchy. He was then, under the emperor Gallienus, became the commander of Gallienus’ newly formed elite cavalry. In the Summer of 268 there was a plot to kill Gallienus-a man by the name of Aureolus. After Gallienus’ death Claudius was chosen to succeed him. The new rulers he quickly suppressed the rebellion of the traitor and drove out all his men form Italy.
In 269 AD, Claudius sought to rid the Balkans of the Gothics, at this time he also served as consul. The Battle of Naissus was the defeat of the Gothic force near Naissus. He drove out the great army and together with his cavalry commander Aurelian, they took thousands of prisoners and destroyed its cavalry. In addition to the bad weather and lack of supplies there was a plague which played a major role in defeating the Goths. He won one of the greatest battles in Roman histories and assumed the name “Gothicus” conqueror of the Goths. However, his victory was short, he himself caught the plague of Cyprian (possibly smallpox) and died in early 270.
This coin was minted in Mediolanum(Milan), in the Antoninianus denomination. The name Antoninianus comes from the Emperor Caracalla-M. Aurelius’ Antoninus Caracalla (A.D 211-217), who first introduced it. This coin has a copper base and probably had a light silver wash. Late Antoninianus coins had a lights silver wash, this one’s silver has faded. However, occasionally it is still possible to find some of the late coins with the silver still present.
Obverse: This side has the Bust of Claudius Gothicus with a radiate (Solar or Sun) crown facing right. He is also draped in some sort of clothing seen at the bottom. Around the edge of the coin possibly reads IMP CLAVDIVS AVG- Imperator or Emperor Claudius Augustus. AVG-Augustus and became a title for all successive emperors after that.
Reverse Analysis
Your long written analysis of the imagery of the reverse of your coin.
Reverse: This side has the deity SPES who represented hope. A woman a flower in her right ad and raising her robe with the other hand walking to the right which is depicted as more subtle and graceful. On this coin, she is more “gangly looking like the adolescent she was supposed to be” (Bill welch). This image of SPES shows her hand drawn too big, oversized. This was to make it look that the grip was a delicate one, as to not crush the flowers of hope. On the edge of this side reads, SPES PVBLICA- “Hope of the People”.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
RIC V Claudius Gothicus 168
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
268-270 AD
Description
An account of the resource
An Antoninianus of the Emperor
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Bethel University
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Lizzie Johnson
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
POINT(1022810.16043567 5694826.66795594)
214-270 AD
Relation
A related resource
Render unto Caesar Roman Coin Project
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Coin
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Image/jpeg
-
https://renderuntocaesar.betheldigitalscholarship.org/files/original/ad27383d6a685a3a45c4f188a323a255.jpg
7aaa241fcd1cd2e005c30b7d76daa65f
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0e4aa47a3bf3c6d44ed5faed33456fcd
Coin
Specific fields to describe ancient coins and modeled from the Nomisma project.
Mint
Place where coin was made.
Siscia (Sisak)
Authority
Emperor or ruler who authorized the making of the coin
Claudius II Gothicus (268-270 A.D.)
Deity
Laetitia
Portrait
Person who is depicted on coin. Most likely to be the emperor but could be others.
Claudius II Gothicus
Region
Pannonia
Material
Raw material coin was made with.
Silver
Obverse Legend
The inscription on the obverse of the coin.
IMP CLAUDIVS AVG
Obverse Type
A brief description of the imagery contained on the obverse of the coin.
Bust of Claudius Gothicus, radiate, draped, right or bust of Claudius Gothicus, radiate, cuirassed, right or head of Claudius Gothicus, radiate, right
Reverse Legend
The inscription on the reverse of the coin.
LAETITIA AVG
Reverse Type
A brief description of the imagery contained on the reverse of the coin.
Laetitia, draped, standing left, holding wreath in right hand and cornucopiae in left hand
Mintmark
The letters/symbols made by the mint to denote where it was minted.
S
Diameter
The diameter of your coin in millimeters.
17 mm
Weight
The weight of your coin in grams up to the hundredths decimal point (ex. 1.95).
2.05 mg
Denomination
Kind of coin
Antoninianus
Obverse Analysis
Your long written analysis of the imagery of the obverse of your coin.
According to the questionable account of the author of the Historia Augusta, Claudius II Gothicus was born during the reign of Caracalla in Illyricum. His military career likely started before the reign of Gallienus, with the Historia Augusta attributing his first role to an appointment by Valerianus as dux in Illyricum (Mennen 2011, 222). Nevertheless, he rose to the role of supreme commander of the cavalry under the command of Gallienus (Watson 2003, 47). Gallienus’ memory continued to be mocked by the senate after his lifetime, and he eventually came to his death at the hands of his young Illyrian officers (Dunstan 2011, 288). Claudius then succeeded Gallienus in 268 C.E., inheriting the task of restoring the unity of the Empire and continuing on Gallienus’ struggle to stem the decline (Mennen 2011, 237). One of Claudius’ major military successes dealt with the successful defeat of a barbarian group, the Alamanni, in its attempt to take advantage large amount of resource centered around Milan during the power struggles in that area (Watson 2003, 43). With the help of future emperor Aurelian, he marched north to meet this pillaging group and successfully defeated this group at Lake Garda in 269 C.E. (Watson 2003, 43). He earned his title, “Gothicus” from his successful victories in defeating multiple Gothic waves of invasion (Dunstan 2011, 288). The second invasion of the Goths in his reign occurred when a group of tribes, led by the Heruli, decided to break their truce with the Romans and once again assemble an armada and attack various Balkan states (Watson 2003, 43). The author of Historia Augusta speaks to Claudius’ eventual success in thwarting this invasion by praising his crushing of 2,000 barbarian ships and killing of 320,000 men (Historia Augusta). He is then responsible for giving the “state both security and an abundance as riches” after defeating the Goths in the series of events to follow this particular naval battle (Historia Augusta). The Gothic threat then did not reemerge in Italy until more than a century later (Dunstan 2011, 289). Upon the ending of this series of impressive victories against the Goths, a certain pestilence began to spread among the Goths and spread to the Roman army (Historia Augusta). Claudius succumbed to this pestilence in 270 C.E. (Historia Augusta). Claudius’ reign marked several changes within the leadership of the empire. By this time in the third century, imperial authority was critically unstable and was characterized by the diminishing role for senators in military events (Mennen 2011, 238). In this time of crisis, the emperor faced many military threats all at once on opposite frontiers of the empire, and he consequently had to rely on various military officers to travel and deal with the arising issue (Mennen 2011, 238). By the 260s, the military system had become much more flexible, relying on the legions placed under the control of duces, men that accumulated military connections, supplies, and troops in and around their native area to confront various threats (Mennen 2011, 238). Naturally, these duces came from areas on the frontier, and they began to more or less replace traditional governors due to the constant instability of these regions (Mennen 2011, 239). Although almost nothing is known about how Claudius became a dux, but he likely arose through a similar process, although it was not typical for duces to gain much more then regional acceptance for their power.
A right facing, radiate, and cuirassed portrait of Claudius II Gothicus exists on the obverse of this coin. The inscription around the edge of the obverse reads, IMP CLAVDIVS AVG, or in longhand, Imperator Claudius Augustus. The reverse bears an image of Laetitia, one of the personifications for happiness that the Romans used on coinage, standing left, holding a cornucopia in her left hand. Although difficult to see on this particular coin, she also holds a laurel wreath in her left hand, held at her side. Laetitia is portrayed with her typical anchor facing vertically downward. The inscription around the obverse reads, LAETITIA AVG, also known as, Laetitia Augustus. Claudius wears the radiate crown common to the need to distinguish the antoninianus from other denominations although the Sol Invictus had not yet been instilled as the prime deity by Aurelian.
Reverse Analysis
Your long written analysis of the imagery of the reverse of your coin.
The reverse’s depiction of Laetitia reflects the need for this third century emperor to communicate a sense of prosperity and success in the midst of the turmoil that characterized this time (Manders 2012, 187). The inclusion of Laetitia by Claudius represented an attempt to obscure reality or invoke a certain wish or promise of a better reality in the various financial, economic, and military crises at the time (Manders 2012, 187). Laetitia served as the personification of a less religious sense of rejoicing, and the Romans held many public festivals in dedication to her (“Happiness” 2009). The addition of “Augustus” after “Laetitia” indicates that this quality was attributed directly to the emperor, Claudius, himself (“Happiness” 2009). The inclusion of Laetitia, even when attributed to the emperor, indicated a sustained commitment to represent “the real benefits of the empire and monarchy” (Norena 2011, 173). But, it is most likely that Claudius included Laetitia on the reverse not in a conscious attempt to make people happy, but it probably was just a carryover from past times (Norena 2011, 174). For the Romans, Laetitia personified a personal type of joyfulness, but it could be associated with festivals and public displays put on by the emperor (Norena 2001, 172). But, this specific depiction of Laetitia likely refers more to a joyfulness on the abundance or security that came from the military expeditions of Claudius. The cornucopia that Laetitia is holding serves to remind the public of the conceptual relationship between happiness and joyfulness and material abundance and prosperity (Norena 2011, 173). But, there is also a connection with the laurel wreath, which was traditionally given to generals and later used to symbolize the military leadership of the emperor, and its association with military victory as a way for an emperor to propagate this emotion (Norena 2011, 173). The anchor that can be seen on the reverse symbolizes the “well-founded and long-lasting nature of the cause of rejoicing” (“Happiness” 2009). Given Claudius’ relative success in his victories against the Goths, it makes sense that he would attribute the joyfulness, which would be seen as having expansive effects on the empire, to himself because he was the one to guarantee this success along with its hopefully long-lasting consequences on the prosperity and abundance on the empire.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
RIC V Claudius II Gothicus 181
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
268 - 270 CE
Description
An account of the resource
An Antoninianus of the emperor Claudius II Gothicus.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Bethel University
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Sarah Sauer
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
POINT(1822454.57548542 5697909.84686708)
268 - 270 CE
Relation
A related resource
Render Unto Caesar Roman Coin Project.
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Coin
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
image/jpeg
Language
A language of the resource
Latin
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
romancoin4-Sauer_03.jpg; romancoin4-Sauer_04.jpg
Subject
The topic of the resource
Coins; Claudius II Gothicus; Laetitia
-
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Coin
Specific fields to describe ancient coins and modeled from the Nomisma project.
Mint
Place where coin was made.
Lugdunum (Lyons)
Denomination
Kind of coin
Antoninianus
Authority
Emperor or ruler who authorized the making of the coin
Valerian (253-260 A.D.)
Deity
Sol
Portrait
Person who is depicted on coin. Most likely to be the emperor but could be others.
Valerian
Material
Raw material coin was made with.
Silver
Mintmark
The letters/symbols made by the mint to denote where it was minted.
PLG
Region
Gaul
Obverse Legend
The inscription on the obverse of the coin.
VALERIANVS P F AVG
Reverse Legend
The inscription on the reverse of the coin.
ORIENS AVG
Weight
The weight of your coin in grams up to the hundredths decimal point (ex. 1.95).
3.50
Obverse Analysis
Your long written analysis of the imagery of the obverse of your coin.
Publius Licinius Valerianus (Life: 193-260 CE, Reign: 253-260 CE)
Valerian was born into a noble Roman senatorial family during the reign of Septimius Severus (193-211 CE). This period in Rome was known as the Crisis of the Third century (235-284 CE). This was a period in which the Roman Empire nearly collapsed under the combined pressures of invasion, civil war, plague, and economic depression. He held a number of offices before he was named Emperor by the army, although details of his early life are elusive. He married Egnatia Mariniana, who gave him two sons: later emperor Publius Licinius Egnatius Gallienus and Valerianus Minor. Valerian was given charge of affairs in Rome after Decius left for his ill-fated last campaign in Illyrium (251 CE). After Decius died, Trebonius Gallus took over as emperor of Rome and appointed Valerian as leader of an army. During the rebellion of Aemilianus in 253 CE, Gallus called to Valerian for assistance to destroy the usurpation. Valerian headed south but was too late: Gallus was killed by his own troops, who joined Aemilianus before Valerian arrived. The Raetian soldiers then proclaimed Valerian emperor and continued their march towards Rome. Aemilianus's legions defected, killing Aemilianus and proclaiming Valerian emperor (253 CE). In Rome, the Senate quickly acknowledged Valerian, not only for fear of punishment but also because he was one of their own.
One of Valerians first acts as emperor was to appoint his son Gallienus as co-emperor. They split up the empire between them with the son taking the West, and Valerian taking the East (253 CE). The empire was currently in dismay, with external pressures that Valerian was being faced, especially the Persian threat led by Shapur I. While attempting to lead a response to the Persian threat in the East, Valerian made moves against the Christians by sending two letters to the Senate ordering that firm steps be taken against the Christians. The first, sent in 257 CE, commanded Christian priests to perform sacrifices to the Roman gods or face banishment. The second, the following year, ordered the execution of Christian leaders. It also required Christian senators to perform acts of worship to the Roman gods or lose their titles and property and directed that they are executed if they continued to refuse. In Antioch, Valerian had set up a base of operations for his campaign against the Persian threat (255 CE). His minimal success in the east would earn Valerian titles such as Restorer of the World, Restorer of the Human Race, Restorer of the Orient. Although in 260 CE Valerian would suffer a massive defeat at the Battle of Edessa and eventually be captured by Shapur I.
This capture of a Roman Emperor was a huge blow to Roman morale and Roman pride. There are many depictions of the treatment that Valerian faced when under Persian captivity. One very popular image is of Shapur I using Valerian as a stepping stool to get onto his horse. Upon his death, Valerian’s skin was removed and dyed, then shown to future temple visitors (mostly as a warning). Shapur’s Res Gestae Divi Sports or 'The Acts of the Divine Shapur' celebrated the emperor’s capture. Valerian’s death would never be avenged for Shapur would die from illness in 270 CE.
Reverse Analysis
Your long written analysis of the imagery of the reverse of your coin.
Minted: Lugdunum
Date: 258-259 CE
Emperor: Valerian I (Reigned 253-260 CE)
Obverse Reverse
Obverse
Legend: VALERIANVS P F AVG
Translation
VALERIANVS
Valerian I (Emperor of Rome)
P+F: Pius Felix
Pious and Happy (or lucky)
AVG: Augustus
Emperor
Depictions
Bust of Valerian I
Portrait facing right
Valerian is draped
Reverse
Legend: ORIENS AVG
Translation
ORIENS: Oriens
The Rising Sun, also sometimes refers to the East
AVG: Augustus
Emperor
Depictions
Sol moving left
Raising right hand
Holding whip in left hand
Analysis and Interpretation
The obverse meaning is very straightforward. The obverse depicts a bust of Valerian I who was emperor of Rome from 253-260 CE. Valerian is depicted with a crown of spikes on his head. This radiant crown was used to distinguish the antoninianus and a variety of other denominations. The pious and happy remark was seen on many coins during the 4th century, these phrases were used to evoke affection for the emperor and create feelings of happiness while under his reign. It is also evident that Valerian's bust is draped in some type of robe. While it is obvious that we cannot see the color on the coin, the assumption is that the robe is purple. Purple was the color worn by Roman magistrates and important Roman officials.
On the reverse side of the coin,Valerians we see a depiction of what we assume to be the ancient Roman sun god Sol. The inscription of ORIENS means “The Rising Sun”, but it also sometimes refers to the east. This might be significant as one of Valerians first acts as emperor was splitting his empire in two. With his son Gallienus taking the west and Valerian taking the east. It also depicts Sol raising his right hand and holding his whip in his left hand. This whip might alsoValerian's campaign in the east against the Persian threat. His minimal success in the east earned him many titles and praise of his attempted restoration of the Roman empire in the east, before his capture and death.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Bethel University
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Dustin Clark
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Render Unto Caesar Roman Coin project
Title
A name given to the resource
RIC V Valerian 12
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
258-259 CE
Description
An account of the resource
An Antoninianus of the Emperor Valerian
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
image/jpeg
Language
A language of the resource
Latin
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
POINT(536498.051912016 5741927.7541519)
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ccb215a3101e97082bfddafd595f273c
Coin
Specific fields to describe ancient coins and modeled from the Nomisma project.
Mint
Place where coin was made.
Thessalonica (Thessaloniki)
Denomination
Kind of coin
AE2
Authority
Emperor or ruler who authorized the making of the coin
Galerius (305-311 A.D)
Deity
Genius
Portrait
Person who is depicted on coin. Most likely to be the emperor but could be others.
Licinius
Region
Macedonia
Material
Raw material coin was made with.
Bronze
Obverse Legend
The inscription on the obverse of the coin.
VAL LICINIVS P F AVG
Obverse Type
A brief description of the imagery contained on the obverse of the coin.
Head of Licinius, laureate, right
Reverse Legend
The inscription on the reverse of the coin.
GENIO A-VGVSTI
Reverse Type
A brief description of the imagery contained on the reverse of the coin.
Genius, wearing modius, sometimes radiate, nude, chlamys draped over left shoulder, standing left, pouring liquid from patera in right hand and holding cornucopiae in left hand
Mintmark
The letters/symbols made by the mint to denote where it was minted.
*/A//•SM•TS•
Diameter
The diameter of your coin in millimeters.
18
Weight
The weight of your coin in grams up to the hundredths decimal point (ex. 1.95).
1.78
Obverse Analysis
Your long written analysis of the imagery of the obverse of your coin.
Around the year of 250 CE, Gaius Galerius Valerius Maximianus (Galerius) was born to a peasant family and received no formal education. Given his social status at birth, it would be thought that he would not amount to much. However, he joined the army and was able to work his way up in the ranks to become Diocletian’s right-hand man. This new status opened a large amount of doorways for Galerius’ future. Working alongside Emperor Diocletian, Galerius gained enough of his trust to be entrusted with the title of Caesar in 293 CE. Along with this title, he married Diocletian’s daughter, Valeria, and gained power in the East. During his time serving as Caesar under Diocletian’s rule, Galerius fought both the Sarmatians and the Carpi successfully. Additionally, wars with Persia persisted. Around the year 295 CE, Sasanian King Narseh declared war on Rome, thus Galerius began another dreadful fight. The Battle of Carrhae resulted in a massive defeat, leaving Galerius to take the blame for the entirety of the incident.
Eventually, Galerius was able to come to a peace agreement, or negotiation, with King Narseh in 299 CE. The conditions of this negotiation were as follows: Persia gave up Roman territory, Armenia was given back to Rome, Rome got control over the provinces between the Tigris and Armenia, and so forth.
Once Diocletian stepped down from power, Galerius gained the position of Augusti along with Constantius I. They then named their two Caesar as Maximinus Daia and Severus. However, when Constantius I died, Constantine was named his successor. Following this event, Galerius then sent Severus to fight Maximian with no success in the end.
In 307 CE, Galerius called the Carnumtum conference where he named Valerius Licinianus Licinius (Licinius) the Augusti of the West, but also named Maximinus his successor. Almost immediately, Licinius set out against Maximinus for the purpose of gaining the power he felt was rightfully his. Similar to Galerius, Licinius came from a poor family and had to work his way up through the ranks to reach a higher social status. Prior to being named Augustus, Licinius worked as Caesar over the province of Pannonia.
Additionally, Galerius ruled during a time before Christianity had become a legally tolerated religion. With this being said, under his rule there were Christian persecutions happening across the empire. However, when nearing his death in 311 CE, Galerius issued an edict of toleration for the Christians in connexion with Constantine and Licinius. It was commonly called the Edict of Toleration by Galerius, but formally the Edict of Serdica. In the end, Galerius died around April or May of 311 CE due to an unknown disease. The disease was speculated to be possible a form of bowel cancer, gangrene, or fournier gangrene.
Reverse Analysis
Your long written analysis of the imagery of the reverse of your coin.
On the obverse we see the inscription of the phrases Valerius Licinius, pius felix, and Augustus. Relating back to the authority of the coin, we have Galerius despite Licinius being the portrait on the obverse of the coin. With this concept, tied together with the inscription, we can deduce that the coin was created during the more narrowed time frame of 308-311 CE as that was a time when both Galerius and Licinius were reigning as emperors/augusti. Additionally, the obverse we see Licinius wearing a laureate, which has historically represented the god Apollo in addition to being a common head-dress for emperors before the late Roman period. Having been tied to Apollo through the laureate, the message of crop and herd prosperity is clear. When looking at the inscriptions, it is clear Galerius is working towards creating a positive image for Licinius in the times of disagreement.
The inscription reads the following phrase: pius felix, or in other words, pious and happy (or lucky). During Galerius’ reign, there was controversy over whether Licinius or Maximinus was the rightful successor of Galerius as he had named them both successor. In one interpretation, it can be said that having Licinius’ portrait on the coin is reaffirmation of Licinius’ victory over Maximinus in becoming the next successor and emperor.
On the reverse, the deity Genius being depicted wearing a radiate in addition to holding a cornucopia and pouring liquid out of a patera, a common way to depict genius. In Roman culture, having a cornucopia depicted is a sign of prosperity, a common theme about the coin RIC VI Thessalonica 30b. Additionally, the overarching idea of having Genius depicted on the reverse points out the act of working towards unity in the Roman Empire through the translation as “spirit of the roman people”. Overall, the common theme of this particular coin seems to be one of prosperity and happiness.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
RIC VI Thessalonica 30b
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
308 - 310 CE
Description
An account of the resource
An AE2 of the emperor Galerius
Subject
The topic of the resource
coin, Galerius, Licinius, Genius
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Bethel University
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Angie Pedersen
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
POINT(2554782.31335 4958407.87595731)
Relation
A related resource
Render Unto Caesar Coin Project
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Coin
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Image/Jpeg
Language
A language of the resource
Latin
-
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b189ab8222e795e25b365c1a3bd1d3e2
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3ed1e5c56cb3b617aaf63dd4be7e6f81
Coin
Specific fields to describe ancient coins and modeled from the Nomisma project.
Mint
Place where coin was made.
Thessalonica (Thessaloniki)
Denomination
Kind of coin
AE3
Authority
Emperor or ruler who authorized the making of the coin
Licinius (308-324 A.D.)
Deity
Jupiter
Portrait
Person who is depicted on coin. Most likely to be the emperor but could be others.
Constantine I
Region
Macedonia
Material
Raw material coin was made with.
Bronze
Obverse Legend
The inscription on the obverse of the coin.
IMP C CONSTANTINVS P F AVG
Obverse Type
A brief description of the imagery contained on the obverse of the coin.
Bust of Constantine I, laureate, draped, cuirassed, right
Reverse Legend
The inscription on the reverse of the coin.
IOVI CONSERVATORI AVGG NN
Reverse Type
A brief description of the imagery contained on the reverse of the coin.
Jupiter, chlamys draped over left shoulder, standing front, head left, holding Victory on globe in right hand and leaning on sceptre with left hand; at feet to left, eagle holding wreath in beak
Mintmark
The letters/symbols made by the mint to denote where it was minted.
A, B,Γ, Δ,∈
Diameter
The diameter of your coin in millimeters.
21 mm
Weight
The weight of your coin in grams up to the hundredths decimal point (ex. 1.95).
3.07
Obverse Analysis
Your long written analysis of the imagery of the obverse of your coin.
Constantine I was most likely born on February 27th 270 CE. There is much debate on the actual year, however 270 is the most agreed upon to this point. His father was Constantius I Chlorus who was Maximian’s Caesar in the west and part of the Tetrachy. During his father’s reign, he gained military influence. When Maximian and Dioclation stepped down it was expected that Constantine would fulfill his father’s place, but that didn’t happen. However, when his father died in 306 C.E. he took his place. This is where Maxentius began to hate Constantine because he did not believe that he deserved this role. During this time, Constantine was seen as illegitimate by some since his mother was a concubine to his father.
Constantine continued to gain victory in multiple civil wars between Maxentius and Licinius. Maxentius increasingly became his enemy and their final fight happened in 312 C.E. at the Milvian bridge. At this battle Constantine did not have all of his troops, however he still came out victorious, showing his military power. This win granted him power over the entire west and he became the sole ruler form 323-337 C.E. After his win, he built a triumphal arch to display his victory.
His reign is known for two major reasons; the impact of his reign on Christianity and his creation of Constantinople. For the first time in Empires history the capital was not in Rome it was moved to Byzantium. It was named Constantinople, after himself in 330 C.E. Rome could no longer be the center of the empire because it was important to be in Byzantium in order to protect the borders. This also allowed him to continue trade with black sea city ports, which brought wealth into the empire. He gained land and immigrants and built wonderful buildings and brought in statues and books. He also built churches which helped the support of Christianity
He also changed the empire by being the first emperor to claim conversion to Christianity. There is skepticism on whether or not he truly converted. He was baptized by the end of his life so it is not known if he truly converted, but he definitely acknowledged Christ. He also brought some protection for Christianity in Rome. In Milan, Constantine and Licinius met and agreed to make a policy that would allow for Christianity to have legal status within Rome. This happened in February 313 C.E. and it was called the Milan Edict. It did not make Christianity the official religion, rather It legislated the tolerance of it within the empire. Constantine still tolerated paganism but wanted to unify and strengthen Christianity.
He did influence the church and worship. He was seen as a hero at this time for bringing some protection from persecution within Rome. He grew up with a Christian education but slowly claimed more of the religion as he grew up. With the building of churches and claiming his conversion to Christianity he was seen in a good light by many Christians. Early Christian writers seem to view him in a heroic sense and truly believe in his conversion while others belief it was a political move to unify the empire. His military success, building of the economy, buildings, and legal reforms all strengthen the empire during his reign.
RIC VI Thessalonica 61b, depicts Constantine I on the obverse. He has a Laureate on his head and he is draped and wears a cuirass. His laurel crown is also depicting his military glory and his armor is showing that he is a military man . He faces right and the inscription around the border reads IMP C CONSTANTINVS P F AVG. That translates into Commander Caesar Constantine, a pious and happy emperor . This coin states that he is pious and shows it in the drapery.
Reverse Analysis
Your long written analysis of the imagery of the reverse of your coin.
The Reverse shows Jupiter with a chlamys draped over his left shoulder. He is standing front with his head left. Jupiter was a roman sky god who was often identified with Zeus. He was known as the chief of gods. The chlamys, that is over his shoulder is a military cloak . This is a symbol for war. In his right hand he holds Victoria on a globe and with his left hand he is leaning on a scepter. He is holding a scepter, which is a common symbol recognized with him . In his other hand, he holds Victoria, who, for the Romans, was an important deity who was often depicted on coinage. She was considered the guardian of the empire . Suggesting that she would guard the empire during times of war. She is guarding the whole empire, since she is on top of the globe . To the left of his feet is an eagle who is holding a wreath in its beak. Eagles are often depicted with Zeus, who is associated with Jupiter . It is not uncommon for Jupiter to be seen with an eagle. The wreath, however, in his beak suggests military victory. The inscription surrounding the border of the coin reads IOVI CONSERVATORI AVGG NN. This translates into Jupiter, the preserver and the two emperors, our two. He is the chief of gods thus, this text must be representing that he preserves the empire and rules with Constantine I.
This coin is showing Constantine I’s military victory while honoring the gods who are helping them in the military process. Jupiter and Victoria are important figures in their religion and they tied their success to their belief in their gods.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
RIC VI Thessalonica 61b
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
312-131 C.E.
Description
An account of the resource
An AE3 of the Emperor Constantine I issued by Licinius
Subject
The topic of the resource
Coin, Jupiter, Victory, Eagle, Constantine I
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Bethel University
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Mikalah Pruss
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
POINT(2554782.31335 4958407.87595731)
Relation
A related resource
Render unto Caesar Roman Coin Project
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
coin
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
jpeg photo
Language
A language of the resource
Latin
-
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f3a05b897f06f70b9f57ab70806ad3c0
Coin
Specific fields to describe ancient coins and modeled from the Nomisma project.
Mint
Place where coin was made.
Treveri (Trier)
Denomination
Kind of coin
AE3
Authority
Emperor or ruler who authorized the making of the coin
Constantine I (306- 337 A.D.)
Portrait
Person who is depicted on coin. Most likely to be the emperor but could be others.
Constantine I
Region
Gallia
Material
Raw material coin was made with.
Bronze
Obverse Legend
The inscription on the obverse of the coin.
CONSTANTINVS AVG
Obverse Type
A brief description of the imagery contained on the obverse of the coin.
Bust of Constantine I, laureate, cuirassed, right
Reverse Type
A brief description of the imagery contained on the reverse of the coin.
VO/TIS / X within a wreath
Mintmark
The letters/symbols made by the mint to denote where it was minted.
SMTR
Diameter
The diameter of your coin in millimeters.
18 mm
Weight
The weight of your coin in grams up to the hundredths decimal point (ex. 1.95).
3.01g
Obverse Analysis
Your long written analysis of the imagery of the obverse of your coin.
Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus Augustus (Life: ca 27 February 272– 22 May 337 AD, Rule: 306- 337 AD)
Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus Augustus (Constantine) was born in Moesia to Flavius Valerius Constantius (Constantius Chlorus), and his consort Helena. Constantius was considered a tolerant and politically skilled military officer. In 293, Constantius used his innate skill to become Caesar in the western empire. While his father was in the west, Constantine grew up in the east learning Latin literature, Greek, and philosophy from Diocletian’s court (emperor of the east). Diocletian and the eastern empire were much more open to new ideas, allowing Constantine to learn from pagan and Christian alike. Constantine was kept in the east as a “hostage” by Diocletian to ensure Constantius remained in good behavior. Never the less, Constantine was a loyal servant to Diocletian’s court, going off to war several times in the name of Diocletian. In 303, Constantine bore witness to Diocletian’s Great Persecution of the Christians. It is unlikely that Constantine participated in the persecution.
On May 1st, 305, Diocletian resigned as emperor and Maximian (emperor of the west) did the same, making Constantius and Galerius the successors. It was rumored that Galerius attempted to murder Constantine multiple times. Being under the threat of death or knowing he had no chance of rising in rank under Galerius, Constantine fled to the west to join his father in Gaul (305). For a year, Constantine campaigned with his father until Constantius grew ill and died on July 25th, 306. Before he died, Constantius named Constantine the new Augusti for the western empire. Constantine remained on the frontier for a while battling barbarians, fortifying the border, and building infrastructure. In 306, Maxentius (former emperor Maximian’s son) declared himself emperor, jealous of Constantine’s authority. Galerius sent Severus (new commander of Maximain’s former army) to eliminate Maxentius, however Severus’ troops defected and Severus himself was killed. In order to avoid civil war, Constantine married Maxtinius’s sister, Fausta, and recognized Maxtinius as emperor. Constantine remained in the frontier, avoiding Maxtinius entirely and refused supporting him in his war with the east. Maximian remained in Constantine’s court until his failed rebellion and he later hanged himself (310).
Later that year, Galerius died, leaving no heir to the eastern throne. Eager to take the throne, Constantine and Maxinius waged war. Constantine emerged victorious with the new symbol for his reign, the initials “Chi Rho,” which he saw in a dream. He and Licinius became co-emperors who later signed the Edict of Milan which legalized the worship of Christianity (313). Licinius later began persecuting the Christians again, ignoring the edict. Constantine waged war against him for it and became sole emperor of Rome. He executed many reforms within the empire and moved the capital to Constantinople (though he did also murder his son and wife). In 337, Constantine grew ill and died. Before his death however, he was baptized as a Christian.
Reverse Analysis
Your long written analysis of the imagery of the reverse of your coin.
The obverse clearly depicts Constantine I as a bust, announcing him as Augustus, or emperor of Rome. The authority, Constantine, is blatantly and simplistically declaring his position in the empire. The abruptness of it was likely to make it clear he was in charge, not Maximian (and a year later, Maximian’s son), who had rebelled in the year 310 seeking dominion and claiming the throne. The cuirass was likely to show Constantine as an able combatant. He spent many of his early years as emperor fighting “barbarians” and quelling rebellions and probably wanted people to know it. The Wreath atop his head was to reaffirm his emperorship since a wreath of bay leaves, or a laureate, meant royalty or nobility before crowns became popular in Rome.
On the reverse side is another simplistic image with the same purpose as the bust on the obverse side. Simply, it was the abbreviation VOTIS and an X within a wreath. It was Constantine vowing to rule for ten years as emperor despite the civil wars he was fighting. Again the wreath of bay leaves appears to encompass the vow, again signifying Constantine’s royalty. Constantine issued this coin most likely to subtly assert his dominance and rule over the Western Roman Empire. The early years of his rule were plagued by war and he needed to remind people he was in charge, and he wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
RIC VI Treveri 906
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
310-311 AD
Subject
The topic of the resource
Coin, Constantine I, Wreath
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Bethel University
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Anthony Bothun
Relation
A related resource
Render Unto Caesar Coin Project
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Coin
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
.jpeg image
Language
A language of the resource
Latin
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
POINT(739316.041537135, 6404241.01143284)
-
https://renderuntocaesar.betheldigitalscholarship.org/files/original/0d2cd5bf3cebc8ebcf4e6d95d93f73bd.jpg
27521aa95002380831e3d4e49f1ea7fd
https://renderuntocaesar.betheldigitalscholarship.org/files/original/718f13002fa74082e468e24d17933ac1.jpg
7fddd2e7830ba502ed9b6e50871a70b9
Coin
Specific fields to describe ancient coins and modeled from the Nomisma project.
Mint
Place where coin was made.
Cyzicus (Belkis)
Denomination
Kind of coin
AE2
AE3
Authority
Emperor or ruler who authorized the making of the coin
Licinius (308-324 A.D.)
Deity
Jupiter, Victoria
Portrait
Person who is depicted on coin. Most likely to be the emperor but could be others.
Licinius
Region
Mysia
Material
Raw material coin was made with.
Bronze
Obverse Legend
The inscription on the obverse of the coin.
D N VAL LICIN LICINIVS NOB C
Obverse Type
A brief description of the imagery contained on the obverse of the coin.
Bust of Licinius, laureate, draped, left, holding sceptre in right hand and mappa in left hand
Reverse Legend
The inscription on the reverse of the coin.
IOVI CONS-ERVATORI CAESS
Reverse Type
A brief description of the imagery contained on the reverse of the coin.
Jupiter, nude, chlamys draped across left shoulder, standing left, holding Victory on globe in right hand and leaning on sceptre with left hand; to left, captive
Diameter
The diameter of your coin in millimeters.
18 mm
Weight
The weight of your coin in grams up to the hundredths decimal point (ex. 1.95).
2.92 g.
Obverse Analysis
Your long written analysis of the imagery of the obverse of your coin.
Valerius Licinius Licinianus was born to a peasant family in the Upper Moesia in the year 250 CE. He started his life in a very impoverished society finding refuge in the Roman military. After joining the military Licinius began to climb through the ranks of Rome’s army. While he was climbing the ranks, he befriended a man named Galerius Valerius Maximianus who would soon become the emperor after Diocletiaon. During a campaign against the Persians Licinius proved himself to Galerius. Galerius saw Licinius’ performance and was very impressed. After that campaign Licinius was rewarded with military command over the Danube province.
In 306 CE Licinius traveled to Rome on Galerius’ request to help negotiate with Maxentius who at the time was one of Rome’s emperors. It ultimately was unsuccessful and lead to a series of civil wars between Galerius and Maxentius. During these civil wars Licinius was promoted to the rank of Augustus during a conference at Carnuntum in 308 CE. At the same conference, Diocletian adopted him and appointed him the Territories of Pannonia, Italy, Africa, and Spain. Even though he was named emperor he was one of the weakest and needed to find an ally to defend himself against Maximinus II. Constantine made a treaty with Licinius, but to confirm the treaty Licinius would have to marry Constantine’s sister Constantia in exchange they would become allies. After the treaty was ratified Maximinius II made the aggressive move against Licinius by marching his troops to Thrace. In the end this campaign was a disaster for Maximinius II. His troops were exhausted after crossing Turkey and were cut down by Licinius and his men at Campus Serenus. After this defeat Maximinius II retreated with his troops back to Asia Minor and Licinius issued his own edict restating the Edict of Milan and paying his respect to Constantine I. This edict gave Christians the freedom to worship through the entire empire. After this edict was introduced Licinius set his gaze to Asia minor to defeat Maximinius. Licinius pushed through each of the fortifications, and as he made it to Tarsus, finally in August, 313 CE Maximinus committed suicide and Licinius became the sole ruler of Eastern Rome. Even though Licinius was the lesser emperor to Constantine he didn’t like how Constantine appointed his brother Bassianus to the rank of Caesar, and gave him control of the province of Balkans. Licinius tried instigating a revolt involving Bassianus, but this plot was discovered by Constantine and this lead to a civil war between the two emperors. Constantine won the war, but the civil war took a toll on Rome’s armies. Instead of abdicating his position Licinius instead made a treaty with Constantine that would keep him in power, but made Constantine the higher emperor. This didn’t quell any of the tension between the two empires it actually made it worse. Instead of following the treaty Licinius openly opposed Christians in the west which lead to another civil war. This time it ended differently for Licinius, Constantine defeated him at Chrysopolis in September 324. With this Licinius fled to Nicomedia where he captured by Constantine and his armies. Constantine forced Licinius to give up his position of emperor in the East which made Constantine the sole emperor of Rome. As a gift to his new Emperor Licinius brought a purple garment to the feet of Constantine declaring him Emperor and king. This officially reuniting the two Roman empires which were separated by Diocletian. Constantine took pity on Licinius and kept him under house arrest in Thessalonica until he was hung in 325 CE, on the grounds of leading a rebellion against Constantine.
Roman coins are small enough to fit into the palm of your hand, but hold more symbols then most modern coinage. When you study a coin, you can’t take it for face value you must break down its Obverse and reverse looking at each symbol for meaning. Most importantly remember that every mark on coin should be considered important until you research it no matter what it looks like. On the reverse of coin RIC VII Antioch 29 it shows the god Jupiter holding a globe with the goddess Victory standing on the top. The naked god Jupiter has a chlamys draped over his left shoulder leaning on a Hosta and to the left of Jupiter there is a human captive. Focusing on the picture on the obverse we see a picture of Licinius holding a scepter in his right hand and wearing a laurel. Surrounding the obverse’s picture there is an inscription of words reading “D N VAL LICIN LICINIVS NOB C” which roughly translates to “Our lord Valerius Licinianus Licinius, Royal heir to the throne.” On the reverse of the coin there is another inscription that reads “: IOVI CONS-ERVATORI CAESS” which some believe translates to Jupiter Guardian and protector of the Caesars.
Reverse Analysis
Your long written analysis of the imagery of the reverse of your coin.
When you look at the reverse of the coin the first image that draws you in is the nude figure in the center of the coin. The nudity of this man is symbolizing divinity in the Greco-Roman world. There is a very strong assumption that the deity is depicting Jupiter, because of the goddess Victoria that is standing to his left, and also the inscription around perimeter of the reverse. There is a captive that is standing off to the left of Jupiter which could symbolize a triumph over Licinius’ enemies in the field of combat. This could be referring to the defeat of Maximinus II Daia which gave Licinius sole power over the eastern empire.
If we move from the depiction of the captive to the depiction of the woman standing on a globe we see that the figure has wings, and it is associated with Jupiter so we can assume it is Victoria the goddess of victory. In this case Victoria is standing on a globe or sphere which symbolized the area that the emperor ruled over. Sometimes instead of a globe she may stand on a rostrum to depict a series of naval battles that an emperor had won. If you look close at Victoria’s hand you can see her holding a laurel which is a crown given to citizen who have won a great victory in Rome. From the viewers angle it could look like she is presenting the laurel to Jupiter as a sign of his victory over the world.
Every time this coin is looked at there may be something new discovered or interpreted, and that is the cool thing about coins. No one knows the true reason why the romans used these images. It will forever be a mystery, but within any mystery there are clues that can lead us on a journey to fill in the blanks about why these coins were made a specific way.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
RIC VII Antioch 29
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
317-320 CE
Description
An account of the resource
An AE 2 of Emperor Licinius.
Subject
The topic of the resource
Jupiter, Victoria
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Bethel University
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Conor Nordmeyer
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
POINT(3104951.62324393 4921510.81469073)
Relation
A related resource
Render Unto Caesar Roman coin project.
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Coin
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Image/Jpeg
Language
A language of the resource
Latin