Le province dell'impero.

[gpittini]

DE GREGE EPICURI

In questo post, le province mi interessano in quanto siano state specificamente ricordate su una moneta: ricordo la Sicilia su un denario repubblicano, l'Egitto (Adriano), la Mauretania (Adriano), la Spagna (Adriano), la Dacia (Traiano Decio), la Britannia (Antonino Pio), l'Africa ( Adriano), l'Asia (sempre Adriano), l'Arabia (Traiano)..e altre che non ricordo. Molte sono citate in altro modo, in relazione a campagne belliche, come le infinite Germanie (che meriteranno pure un post!), oppure tramite l'esercito stante (Exercitus Illyricianus), o per l'affetto particolare dell'imperatore (Cartagine, che però era solo una città). Non ricordo una citazione di Grecia e Macedonia, e neppure della Sardegna (provincia senatoria fino al 6 d.C., poi imperiale). A proposito, non riesco a ricordare, nè a trovare elencate in ordine, le province imperiali (a parte l'Egitto, la più nota) e quelle senatorie, chi si propone? E passiamo alle monete. Purtroppo ho pochissime foto (una poi è orrenda), spero quindi che altri si propongano. Escludiamo ITALIA e ROMA, già citate spesso, che qui comunque non fanno al caso nostro. Eccovi un asse AEGYPTOS di Adriano, usuratissimo e quasi illeggibile; esiste anche il denario, ma non ho la foto.

Modificato 10 Dicembre, 2010 da gpittini

[gpittini]

Rovescio. L'asse pesa 10,5 g. e misura 25 mm.

[gpittini]

Passo a questa HISPANIA che è un po' meglio. Sempre un asse, pesa 9,8 g. e misura 24 mm. L'Hispania sdraiata ha nella mano dx un ramoscello, mentre il gomito sin. si appoggia a un oggetto che non distinguo.

[gpittini]

Rovescio.

[Illyricum65]

Ciao Gianfranco...

per cominciare un bel denario di Augusto AEGYPTO CAPTA e coccodrillo( RIC 545(R3) ; Cohen 4 (30 Fr) ; BMC 653 )

Ciao

Illyricum

:)

Modificato 10 Dicembre, 2010 da Illyricum65

[gpittini]

Vi mostro anche la SICILIA, citata nell'esergo del rovescio. E' un denario serrato di MN AQUILIUS del 71 a.C., classificato RRC 401/1. Se ben ricordo, si riferisce a devastazioni della Sicilia di poco precedenti (forse una delle guerre servili?)

[gpittini]

Rovescio.

[rick2]

la Britannia

http://www.acsearch.info/ext_image.html?id=123563

rovescio usato poi fino al 1969 sui penny !

[Illyricum65]

E in quanto Illyricum ...

d=21 mm

Aureus 249–251, 4.43 g. IMP C M Q TRAIANVS DECIVS AVG Laureate and cuirassed bust r. Rev. GENIVS EXERC ILLVRICIANI Genius standing l., holding patera in r. hand and cornucopia in l.; in field r., standard. RIC 16a. C 48. Vagi 2157. Calicó 3290.

Despite the best efforts of Philip I, the problems that had erupted on the Danube early in his reign continued unresolved. His successor Decius hailed from a provincial family of good standing and had increased his social status by marrying a noble Etruscan lady, Herennia Etruscilla. Before becoming emperor, Decius had gained senatorial status, served as a governor in Spain and Moesia, and had been the city prefect in Rome. In addition to his earlier governorship in Moesia and his return to the Danubian front with a command under Philip I, Decius had been born at Budalia, a small city outside Sirmium, only a few miles from the Danube. Decius could rightly claim to be an Illyrian, for that region traditionally comprised Dalmatia and the two Pannonias. In the time of Decius, Illyria was extremely important as a recruiting ground for soldiers, and the commanders who hailed from the region came to be known as Illyriciani. The reverse of this aureus demonstrates the focus of Decius' brief reign, both in an honorary and an historical sense. Decius celebrates with this aureus the spirit (genius) of the embattled Illyrian army, no doubt because so many of these gold pieces ended up in the hands of soldiers in that region.

E

d=21 mm

Aureus circa 249-251, 4.35 g. IMP C M Q TRAIANVS DECIVS AVG Laureate and cuirassed bust r. Rev. PANNONIAE The two Pannoniae, veiled and draped, standing to front, turning l. and r. away from one another, each holding signum outward. RIC 21a var. (draped and cuirassed). C 85. Vagi 2157. Calicó 3295.Virtually as struck and almost Fdc

Decius with this aureus honours Pannonia, the northern portion of Illyricum. This region was important because it bordered the Danube, and was an invaluable buffer between the barbarians and Italy. The province was established in A.D. 9, and was named after a group of Illyrian peoples who had absorbed many Celtic customs into their own culture. Early in Imperial history Octavian, Marcus Agrippa and Tiberius had campaigned there, with the latter completing its subjugation by extending Roman control to the Danube. Pannonia was divided into two regions by the emperor Trajan when he annexed Dacia in 106. The western portion, which was larger, was called Superior, and the smaller eastern portion was called Inferior. They were home to different consular legates who, in the western region, faced Germans and in the eastern region largely fought Sarmatians. On the reverse of this aureus the two Pannoniae are depicted as draped, veiled female figures standing beside one another, holding military standards, one facing west, the other facing east in reflection of their protective roles. On some of Decius' Pannoniae issues they face in the same direction or face each other, either clasping hands or holding the same military standard, or the provinces are depicted as one woman holding a standard. In such cases their postures (or posture) would seem to demonstrate unity rather than individual duties.

E

d=21 mm

Antoninian, 251. IMP CAE TRA DEC AVG. Büste mit Strahlenkrone und Panzer rechts. Rs: GEN ILLYRICI. Genius mit Opferschale und Füllhorn en face stehend, den Kopf nach links gewandt. RIC 38 (a). C. 43. 3,19g. Gutes Portrait, vorzüglich.

E ancora:

Antoninianus, Rome. IMP C M Q TRAIANVS DECIVS AVG Bust, radiate, to r. Rev. GENIVS EXERC ILLYRICIANI Genius with patera and cornucopia standing to l. 4,30 g. RIC 16c. C. 49. Extremely fine.249-251 AD.

E poi, per vicinanza, come dimenticare i bronzi di Viminacium con la MOESIA raffigurata tra i simboli delle Legioni stanziate?

Gordianus III., 238-244.

Æ-Sesterz, Jahr 3 (= 241/242), Viminacium (Moesia superior); 21.14 g. Drapierte Büste r. mit Lorbeerkranz//Moesia steht l. zwischen Stier und Löwe. AMNG 81; Varbanov 115. Grüne Patina, sehr schön/fast vorzüglich

Per poi passare alla DACIA, restando tra le provinciali...

PROVINCIA DACIA. Philip I. 244-249 AD. Æ 29mm (16.47 gm, 1h). Dated local era year 2 (247/48 AD). IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG, laureate and draped bust right / PROVINCIA DACIA, AN II in exergue, Dacia standing left, holding sword (logobolon?) and standards of the legions V (with eagle) and XIII (with lion). AMNG I 9; Varbanov 6 var. (obv. legend); Mionnet Supp. II 5. Good VF, jade green patina. Rare variety.

The personification of the province of Dacia holds either a sword, patera or grain ears, according to AMNG. The object on this coin resembles none of those, but rather the curved throwing stick used in hunting small game, the logobolon, but no identification can be certain. This local era for Dacia begins in 246 AD, the year Philip expelled barbarian invaders from the province.

E qui, al momento, mi fermo... ma ce n'è di carne al fuoco !!!

Ciao

Illyricum

:)

Modificato 10 Dicembre, 2010 da Illyricum65

[Illyricum65]

Anzi, approfitto dell'aggancio di DACIA per alcune monete di Traiano sul tema...

[Illyricum65]

La prima sul Danubio è leggermente fuori tema ma è dedicata alla conquista della provincia...

[Illyricum65]

...al limite anche l'asse con le armi dei daci sconfitti...

[Illyricum65]

..ma questo splendido sesterzio centra in pieno il titolo (RIC 621 (S); Cohen 125 var.(12 fr.)) ...

e il secondo ne commemora la conquista (RIC 507 var. ©; Cohen 452(8 fr.) ).

Ciao

Illyricum

:)

[FlaviusDomitianus]

Per i Flavii il classico Iudaea Capta di Vespasiano, moneta che molti considerano un must.

[FlaviusDomitianus]

La sua compagna Germania Capta di Domiziano.

[FlaviusDomitianus]

A seguire due monete che avevo in collezione, ma ho a suo tempo ceduto:

Africa di Settimio Severo (molto consumata ma ricca di cuprite) con la provincia rappresentata con la testa di elefante.

Dacia di Traiano Decio con un bastone il cui pomolo è a forma di testa d’asino.

[Illyricum65]

Tornando all'ordine cronologico, dopo Augusto troviamo galba, con il tema su HISPANIA:

Galba, 68 – 69 AD

d=21 mm

Aureus July 68-January 69, AV 7.34 g. IMP SER GALBA CAESAR AVG Laureate and draped bust r. Rev. HISPA – NIA Hispania advancing l., holding poppy and corn-ears in r. hand and round shield and two transverse spears in l. RIC 192 (this coin). BMC p. 311 note (this coin). C –. CBN –. Calicó 480a (this coin).

An apparently unique variety of an extremely rare type. A strong portrait and a magnificent reddish Boscoreale tone. Brilliant extremely fine

Ex Sothebys 10 November 1972, Metropolitan Museum of Art part I, 42 and Triton IV, 2000, 480 sales. From the Boscoreale hoard.

The uprising of Vindex in Gaul that sparked the civil war of 68 to 69 was important, but doomed to failure; the soldiers he had gathered were no match for the legions being sent from Germany to confront them. Even that did not prevent Galba from offering his support to Vindex, after which he was hailed imperator at Carthago Nova on April 2, 68. Soon enough he learned of Vindexs defeat and left Hispania Tarraconensis to lead his legions on the long march to Rome. Fortunately for Galba, no battle was necessary since Nero committed suicide while he and his soldiers were still en route, and the capital lay open to receive him as emperor when he arrived.

Neros death represented the end of the Julio-Claudian dynasty and Galba took the helm at a critical moment, for he was not only the first emperor who was not a member of the ruling house, but his revolt had shown the senate that emperors easily could be made in the provinces – a lesson that would be learned time and again during the next few centuries.

Certainly one of Galbas most elegant coin types, this aureus celebrates Spain, the land he had governed at the time of his insurrection against Nero. Hispania, the personification of Spain, is here shown as a woman of dual virtue: fertility of the land, and prowess in war. In some later representations she is accompanied by a rabbit – a symbol of the region. Both Stabo and Pliny wrote that rabbits were so plentiful in Spain that occasionally entire towns had to be moved because their communities were overrun and, on at least one occasion, a citys foundation had been dangerously undermined by burrows.

Galba, 68-69.

Imperator 68. Extremely wealthy and stemming from Roman nobility, Galba was a favorite of the Julio-Claudians. He held important posts in Aquitania, Germany and Africa. During his office as governor of Hispania Tarraconensis, he joined the revolt of Vindex. Being 70 years of age he allied himself with Vindex in March of 68. Nero’s days in Rome were counted and the Senate condemned him to death by flogging, whereupon he committed suicide. Galba was hailed emperor at the same time. Perhaps his unwillingness to pay his legions and to reward the Praetorians led to a rapid erosion of support and the defection of his own guards to the cause Otho.

Galba, 68-69. Denarius April to late 68, Spanish mint (Tarraco?). GALBA – IMP Laureate head to l., globe at point of bust. Rev. HISPANIA Hispania standing to l. holding corn ears and poppy in r. hand, round shield and two spears in l. hand. 3,43 g. RIC -. BMC 173 C. 79. Rare. Very fine.

Ex Münzhandlung Basel

GALBA (68 - 69)

Denar, Tarraco, 68. HISPANIA. Büste der Hispania nach rechts. Rechts davor zwei Ähren, links Speer, darunter Patera. Perlkreis. Rs: GALBA IMP. Der Kaiser zu Pferde sprengend nach links, eine Hand im Gruß erhebend. Perlkreis. RIC 2; BMCRE 162; BN 3; Hunter -; C. 77. 3,39g. St. 6. Selten. Gut zentriert, sehr schön. Hervorragender Stil.

Rapida regressione in età repubblicana con tema HISPANIA:

A. Postumius Albinus , AR denier serratus, 81 av. J.-C. Rome. Droit : Tête voilée de Hispania à droite. Derrière, HISPAN. Revers : A·/ POST·A·F·/ S·N·/ ALBIN Personnage en toge, la main droite levée, debout entre les faisceaux et une aigle légionnaire. Ref.: Cr., 372/2; Syd., 746. 3,55g.

presque Très Beau a. VF

(segue)

[Illyricum65]

Dopo Galba, viene Vespasiano, con IVDEA. Di seguito alcune varianti di IVDEA CAPTA ed un denario.

Vespasian, Judea. (69-79 AD). Orichalcum sestertius (27.01 gm). Rome, Spring 71 AD. IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M TR P P P COS III, laureate head right / IVDEA CAPTA S C, palm tree, to left emperor in military dress standing right, placing left foot on cuirass and holding spear and parazonium; to right Jewess seated right on cuirass, supporting head with hand in attitude of mourning. Scarcer legend variant with IVDEA, not IVDAEA, rare type variant with emperor placing foot on cuirass, not helmet, apparently occurring on just this one reverse die. RIC 168 note. BMCRE 546 var. BNC 499 var. Cohen 239 var. (12 Fr.). Kraay A10/P98 (new die combination). About extremely fine.

d=30 mm

As, Tarraco 71, æ 11.89 g. IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG COS III Laureate head r. Rev. IVDEA – CAPTA Jewess in attitude of mourning, seated r., under trophy. In exergue, S C. RIC –. BMC 791. C –. CBN –. Hendin 782.

Vespasianus 69-79

Denar (3,45 g), Rom 69/71. Av.: (IMP CAESAR V)ESPASIANVS AVG, belorbeerte Büste rechts. Rv.: Judea sitzt rechts vor Trophäe, i.A. IVDEA. RIC:15, C:226, Av. Graffito s.sch.

[Illyricum65]

Poi segue Domiziano, del quale FlaviusDomitianus ha già postato un bronzo, con il tema GERMANIA:

Domitian augustus, 81 – 96

d=21 mm

Aureus 88-89, AV 7.60 g. DOMITIANVS – AVGVSTVS Laureate head r. Rev. GERMANICVS COS XIIII Germania seated r. on shield, in attitude of mourning; below, broken spear. RIC 127. BMC 143. C 148. CBN 133. Kent-Hirmer 243 (these dies). Calicó 838.

A light scratch on neck, otherwise good extremely fine

Ex NFA XX, 1988, 168 and Sothebys 8 July 1996, 168 sales.

Domitian harboured an inferiority complex toward his brother and father. In the matter of military glory, the jealousy was acute: his brother had led the siege of Jerusalem, and his father had led most of the war in Judaea, and had won much glory in his earlier years, including a triumphia ornamentalia for his command in Claudius invasion of Britain. Domitian had always been eager for a military command, and Suetonius (Domitian 1) tells us that when his father established his government in Rome, Domitian wanted glory so badly that he "éplanned a quite unnecessary expedition into Gaul and Germany, from which his fathers friends managed to dissuade him". In actuality, his skills in the art of war were enviable: he is said to have been able to shoot an arrow between the spread fingers of a hand without fail. His first campaign – which this well-composed issue celebrates – was against the Chatti in 83. Domitian led a perfectly successful campaign in which the Chatti were roundly defeated and the Roman border was extended beyond the Rhine. In honour of this victory Domitian was hailed Germanicus, won a triumph, and even had an arch erected. The series of coins he struck for several years are especially beautiful and imaginative compared with the rather pedestrian issues of his later years.

DOMITIAN. 81-96 AD. Æ Sestertius (27.38 gm). Struck 85 AD. Laureate head right, aegis on far shoulder / Emperor standing left, with spear, receiving shield from Germania who kneels before him. RIC II 258; BMCRE 299; Cohen 488. EF, brown patina. ($10,000)

While this reverse celebrates Domitian's "victories" over the Germans, it wasn't until the reign of Trajan that victory was actually obtained.

Æ Sestertius. Rome, A.D. 85. Laureate bust of Domitian right, aegis on far shoulder. Rv. Victory standing right, foot on helmet, inscribing DE/GER in two lines on shield attached to trophy; at foot of trophy to right, Germania seated right, resting head on hand in attitude of mourning. 23.03 grams. RIC 365. BMC 330-1. Cohen 472. Minor porosity. Tiber patina. Very Fine. (200-300)

[Illyricum65]

Di Traiano abbiamo già visto la serie DACIA, poi c'è la serie MESOPOTAMIA:

TRAJANUS, 98-117.

d=34 mm

Sesterz, 116. IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GER DAC PARTHICO P M TR P COS VI P P Drap. Büste mit L. n. r. Rv. ARMENIA ET MESOPOTAMIA IN POTESTATEM P R REDACTAE / S-C Traian, in militärischer Tracht, frontal stehend, Kopf n. r., in der Linken Parazonium haltend, in der Rechten Lanze; zu seinen Füssen l. der n. r. gelagerte Flussgott Euphrat, Schilfstaude in der Linken, der r. Ellbogen ruht auf einem Quellgefäss; r. die mit auf den Rücken gefesselten Händen, n. l. sitzende Armenia, hinter ihr der mit Schilfstaude in der Rechten n. l. sitzende Flussgott Tigris, der l. Ellbogen ruht auf einem Quellgefäss. 27,06 g. BMC 221, 1033. RIC 289, 642. C. 39. Strack I, 472 (dieses Exemplar erwähnt). Hill 149, 734. F. Imhoof-Blumer, Fluss- und Meergötter auf griechischen und römischen Münzen, SNR 23 (1923, postume Veröffentlichung von A. Engel), 387, 528 (dieses Exemplar erwähnt, abgeb. auf Tf. 16, 16). Sehr selten. Dunkle, schwarz-olive Patina, leicht geglättet.

Trajan, 98 – 117

d=20 mm

Aureus 117, 7.28 g. IMP CAES NER TRAIAN OPTIM AVG GER DAC PARTHICO Laureate bust r., with aegis on l. shoulder. Rev. P M TR P COS VI P P S P Q R Two mourning captives seated on ground back to back with trophy between them; on either side of captive, bow in bow-case erect. In exergue, PARTHIA CAPTA. RIC 325 var. (globe below bust). BMC 606 var. (globe below bust). C 186 var. (globe below bust). Calicó 1037 (this coin). Biaggi 498 (this coin).

Very rare and a very interesting type. Two unobtrusive nicks on obverse, otherwise good very fine

Ex M&M sale XI, 1953, 113.

Trajan departed Rome in October, 113, to launch his last great campaign in the east. After rejecting a proposal by a Parthian embassy in Athens, Trajan moved onto Antioch, where he wintered in preparation for the anticipated Armenian campaign of 114. After the successful conclusion of this initial campaign, Trajan once again wintered in Antioch, and in the spring of 115 led his army into northern Mesopotamia and Adiabene; he found success in both places and added the former to the Empire. Trajan’s greatest triumph, however, did not come until 116, when he once again left Antioch, initially to revisit Adiabene, and then to march down the Tigris and sack the Parthian capital Ctesiphon. The campaign was an enormous success: the capital was stripped of its legendary wealth and by mid-116 the defeat of Parthia seemed complete. Afterward, Trajan felt sufficiently secure to make a brief excursion to the Persian Gulf. However, he soon realized his gains were ephemeral, and in an effort to preserve some control over the Parthians he installed the pro-Roman king Parthamaspates on the throne, but his puppet-king did not fare well. At the end of Trajan’s long and productive life he witnessed the consequences of his decades of expansionism, as revolts erupted in Armenia, Mesopotamia, Cyprus, Egypt, Cyrene, western North Africa and the Empire’s northern borders in Europe. Before Trajan could march westward to address some of these uprisings, he died while encamped in Cilicia. His successor, Hadrian, scaled back Trajan’s expanded empire to a more manageable size and as a result enjoyed a relatively peaceful reign.

This aureus was struck at the height of Trajan’s success, and is dated by Hill to early 117. The reverse type is of an ancient and familiar composition, with two dejected captives seated at the base of a trophy composed of arms and armour. In this case the captives are in Parthian attire with bows-in-cases upright at their feet. Beneath is the explicit and unapologetic inscription PARTHIA CAPTA.

[Illyricum65]

Adriano emette molte monete a tema "provinciale":

RIC 297 ©; Cohen 100 (5 fr.)

Avers : HADRIANVS AVG COS III PP : Sa tête laurée à droite

Revers : AEGYPTOS : L'Egypte couchée à gauche tenant un sistre, un Ibis à ses pieds.

134-138 AD

[Illyricum65]

RIC 299 ©; Cohen 137 (5 fr.)

Avers : HADRIANVS AVG COS III PP : sa tête nue à gauche

Revers : AFRICA : l'Afrique couchée à gauche, tenant un scorpion et une corne d'abondance, un modius à ses pieds.

[Illyricum65]

E collegato a AFRICA e AEGYPTOS, un denario con legenda ALEXANDRIA.

[Illyricum65]

Quindi tocca all'Asia (in epoca romana limitata all'Asia Minore...)

RIC 301 ©; Cohen 188 corr.(5 fr.)

Avers : HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P : Sa tête nue à droite

Revers : ASIA : L'Asie debout à gauche, tenant un acrostolium et une rame, le pied sur une proue de navire.

[Illyricum65]

Il BRITANNIA ve lo abbuono, in compenso:

RIC 848 (S); Cohen 204 (10 fr.)

Avers : HADRIANVS AVG COS III PP : Son buste lauré à droite

Revers : CAPPADOCIA