Steppenfool

ALLEGEDLY 😂

Cool coin! So this wasn't related to any particular illness that we know of, but a general well wish? I didn't know Salus was used to possibly commemorate safe returns either! I always associated with illness. Patina is very attractive in hand compared to the photo!

Constantius wasn't an Arian, , he championed various theological alternatives that were less rigorous than the homoousian creed in an attempt to unite the Christian Church. These theologies weren't Arian (although they were closer to Arianism than the Nicene theology), but the charge of Arianism was used by his theological opponents as slander. Maybe that's what you mean by qualifying it with "sympathised" I suppose, but I think it's important to clarify as to not fall into a common error about Constantius. I think his attempt was a positive initiative even if it wasn't successful in the end. This rivalry within the Christian church nearly brought him to war with his brother Constans, it's no wonder he tried to find a middle ground between the East/West theological divide. In my opinion, the only way it can be construed as a negative is if the view is taken that the Nicene view is correct and that Constantius was theologically incorrect, but I don't think that's a good way to make historical judgements. Personally, I rate Constantius II very highly. I think he barely made an error despite his complicated reign.

That was one of Magnentius' reverses, I believe he inverted the Fallen Horseman intentionally. I imagine these were produced after the Battle of Mursa when Italy changed sides to Constantius, but before the mint prepared new reverses. Also possibly made during the revolt of Nepotianus? Very cool coin either way!

Nice coin, I'm surprised it took them so long to depict a temple! As for the reddish encrustation, I quite like it, adds an air of authenticity. However, depending on how it looks in hand, I may be tempted to prod it with a wooden toothpick and see what happens. If it seems very attached I would leave it, if it comes of with a little bit of force or seems crumbly I'd probably attempt to remove it.

I had no idea those were soldiers, I always thought it was simply a decorative pattern!

I must say I am quite shocked. I can hardly weigh in as an expert, but the the "strong lines" in the example for sale don't look like they'd arise from natural wear at all. They also don't seem to match the "strong lines" in the unaltered example. It seems to me that the tooler has cut where the raised points on the veil should be, rather than where there should be depth. Below is (crudely) how I imagine the "strong lines" would actually appear on an unaltered specimen. The tooler seems to get it right at the bottom of the veil but then starts engraving where there should be a raised area instead?

That is a great shot of the bald eagle. I've never seen one in person, we get the golden eagles here in the UK.

Many thanks go to @Curtisimo for letting me use his coin of course, considering it makes up such a large portion of the video. He is blessed to own what (I judge to be) the best Julian coin that has been posted on the internet (and perhaps ever).

Thank you! Yes some of them to have an uncanny look about them. I can only speculate, but I think it was to separate itself via exaggeration from other historical issues with "raised eyes" that are more nuanced like certain Greek types. @David Atherton recently pointed out to me in another thread that certain Domitian portraits are classed as "eyes to heaven." as well I also believe that the orientation that people who photograph the coins choose does not help the uncanny look of the Constantine issues. Often they mark the rotational origin when the eyes are parallel, rather than when the neckline is, which makes Constantine look like he's a cartoon character poking his head around a corner. Below, on the left is the CNG original photo and seems to be the fashion, and on the right is how I personally orientate these coins, both in my mind, and when I photograph/edit coin images.

Bought this beauty from @maridvnvm in a very pleasant private sale! It's a very historically important issue from Carausius when he was trying to achieve a promotion from Usurper and share power with Diocletian and Maximian. Hence the issue with Diocletian on the obverse and PAX AVGGG (Peace of the three Augusti) on the reverse. Unfortunately for Carausius, the two emperors were not prepared to let him into the Imperial college. This is not my photo, but his is so good I can't help but reuse it.

Tooling like this is why I stay away from Large Roman Bronzes altogether. Also absolutely dying laughing at the Julia Domna on the Severus Aureus from @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix, looks absolutely ridiculous.

Excellent, thank you for your help. I was planning on using this coin as evidence in a Youtube video, but best not to include it in this case. Looking back, it was actually Woytek that wrote the above paragraph I quoted from a Nerva book review.

Am I chasing after a fake coin? He wisely excludes a controversial coin type, known in very few examples and accepted as genuine by Mattingly, as a “modern forgery” (39): further research on these pieces by me has shown that the PAX AVGVSTI coins of Nerva are early modern fakes, first attested in a publication of the year 1601. The reverse type, showing Roma and the emperor clasping hands, is borrowed from bronzes of Vitellius. Not only denarii, but also one aureus of this type could be documented; most unusually, the denarii all seem to have been overstruck on Roman Republican pieces, probably at some time in the 16th c https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-roman-archaeology/article/abs/reflections-on-nervas-imperial-coinage-n-t-elkins-2017-the-image-of-political-power-in-the-reign-of-nerva-ad-9698-new-york-oxford-university-press-pp-xvii-207-91-figs-isbn-9780190648039/4B98A90A059775AD6B37D4F876EB87A4

https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces252457.html So I've got some corroborating evidence of its existence, just no picture. It's on OCRE too. RIC II 32, a denarius apparently. https://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.2.ner.32?lang=en

EDIT: I have found corroborating evidence of this coins existence. It's RIC II 32 Nerva, Does anybody have this coin or an image of it? Many thanks EDIT 2: Turns out this coin type is possibly a fake? see post #3 _________________________________________________________________ I can't find any reference or image to this coin that is talked about in a paper I'm reading on Nerva's coinage, it is described as follows: " a PAX AVGVSTI type, restricted to the second issue of 97, shows Nerva shaking hands with Mars (or a soldier) " There's no note or reference attached. I'm assuming this is not the typical clasped hands CONCORDIA types, due to the different legend. The identification of Mars also makes me presume that there is a full figure present? The other possibility I thought was possibly a mix up with the Trajan and Nerva PROVID reverse, but again the legend counters this thought. Any help appreciated.

Lovely Old Cabinet Tone, and a black rectangle around those should you ever consign them to an auction house. 🤣

Couldn't fault this forum, it has had a perfect first year! Commendations to both @Restitutor and all the knowledgeable members that participate! Looking forward to many more.

This show was one of my first forays into Roman History, and Mr. Stevenson played one the most iconic characters. https://apnews.com/article/ray-stevenson-dead-5b07799bc227707825af4ff22786e8f2

Winds me up that the Provincial is so much better than the official in this instance. The pathetic little camel on the Denarius is a let down.

I can't find this information anywhere, but the head looks to be in the style of Domitian to me?

That's a great outcome, and very generous!

Must have been 2021. Here's the proof!

Lodge Antiquities disappeared for quite a while last year (or maybe the year before?) as well around the same time of year! They've been away from vcoins for around a month or two now. I'm certain when I last checked their eBay it was also offline so perhaps they have began the comeback since that has returned.

Does Severus Alexander have any antoninianii? I thought Elagabalus phased it out and Severus Alexander didn't mint any? Still doesn't exclude a brain fart by the mint-worker who prepares the wrong type of flan that was only in circulation a few years earlier.