Tejas

Great addition to your collection. I found my Julia Aquilia Severa on Ebay Obv.: IVLIA AQVILIA SEVERA AVG Rev.: CONCORDIA Mint: Rome Year: AD 220 Weight: 3.58g GVF with a large flan, scarce RIC 225

This is a very nice and interesting scarab. For what it is worth, I think it is genuine. The overall shape is consistent with the New Kingdom (or Third Intermediate Period). Chariots were introduced to Egypt in the Hyksos period, i.e. around 1600 BC, but did not play a significant role in the army and in royal imagery until the 18th Dynasty. The image on the scarab is a little crude and stylised, which could indicate a later date, around 1000 BC. Just a hunch, but I think the scarab could have come from the Levant, which was partly under Egyptian rule at the time.

Yes, I asked one the reenactors about the costs of their gear and he told me that he invested around 10'000 to 15'000 Swiss Francs, i.e. up to 18'000 USD. However, some of them make various elements of their equipment themselves. Some work together with (or are themselves) experimental archaeologists.

Ihave about 35 Valerian I Antoniniae, and the one below is one of my favorites. The coin shows a particularly fine bust and it is attributed to the mint of Viminacium. Viminacium was the capital of Moesia Superior and a major military camp on the frontier. Note also the scarcer obverse legend with VALERIANO. Valerian I, 253 - 260 Obv.: IMP P LIC VALERIANO AVG Rev.: FIDES MILITVM Mint: Viminacium Year: AD 253 Weight: 4.06

I visited the annual Roman festival in Kaiseraugst, i.e. ancient Augusta Raurica. There were excellent reenactors from different countries, altogether about 100 Roman soldiers, plus gladiators who demonstrated full contact gladiatorial combat and much more. Picture 1 shows the officiers, including the Centurio Primus Pilus with white feathers. Picture 2 shows Roman troops in full armour Picture 3 shows two Roman soldiers in marching or more casual gear. Picture 4 shows the Legatus Picture 5 shows gladiatorial combat

A very attractive coin.

Below are four coins, which I bought, killing some time on Ebay during summer holidays. Nothing special, but rather inexpensive. 1. Trebonianus Gallus: APOLL SALVTARI The coin is in sharp EF condition. I didn't have this reverse: EUR 60,- 2. Numerian: PAX AVGG The coin is in good condition, particularly the obverse. The bust type is scarce and sought after: EUR 55,- 3. Valerian: CONCORDIA MILIT Attractive condition, Unfortunately, as it turns out I have this type already.: EUR 37,- 4. Philip II: PRINCIPI IVVENT Sharp EF condition. I didn't have the variant without captive: EUR 60,- Post your summer ebay coin haul, or anything else related.

Just to clarify the coins above are not Gepidic, but Gothic. They were minted between 504 to about 530, when Sirmium was under Gothic rule. Gepidic coins are far rarer and were minted in the names of possibly Justinian, but certaintly Justin II. Below is an example of a coin minted when Sirmium was ruled by the Gepids, probably during the reign of Cunimund. Here is something I wrote on this group: (99+) The "Sirmium Group" - an overview | Dirk Faltin - Academia.edu

What a shame. I would probably glue it together and stabilize the rest as long as all the bits are still in place.

You need to log into your Leu account. I'm sure you invoice is sitting there waiting for you.

The ever recurring question. Absent any find spot evidence, it is usually possible on stylistic grounds to attribute solidi to western and eastern mints. The various imitations are mostly (but not exclusively) western imitations. This matches well with the political situation in the western part of the Roman empire, which was basically in disintegration in the second half of the 5th century. Gold coins could have been minted by a variety of polities. 1. Coins minted under the rule of Odovacar and the Ostrogoths are basically official coins minted by the major Italian mints, sometimes with their official mintmarks. 2. Coins minted by mints under the control of other Germanic kings, such as the Visigoths (mostly Toulouse), the Burgundians (probably Lyon and perhaps Geneva), the Franks (Marseille?, Reims?, Cologne?), the Suevi (Braga) and perhaps cities that were still under the control of local Roman governors like Syagrius. These coins are typically imitations of official mint products from Italy. 3. I wonder if rich Romans also commissioned the production of gold coins, perhaps to pay for a private army of retainers or to pay taxed or pay for luxury goods. If such coins existed, we would be unable to identify them as such. 4. Imitations made for non-monetary purposes, i.e. coins that were made to function as grave goods or for official gift giving ceremonies, for example. I think that some very barbarous imitations may fall into this category. Such coins may have been produced by peoples that knew Roman culture, but which lived outside the borders of the Roman empire (most likely Alamanni).

Elsen is a respectable dealer and I think you will have no trouble getting the refund. This is an interesting approach to forgery. Take the counterfeit of a very desirable coin, tamper with that coin to the point where it is difficult to judge the style, and sell it as a low-grade but rare coin.

That is an interesting find. I suppose the Galla Placidia coin underscores the idea that the "Vandalic" solidi are of western origin, i.e. that the design with the star above the cross was copied from a western soldius. Sometimes the star could indicate a particular mint, like in the case of the two stars on solidi from Thessalonika. Hahn also suggests that the placement of the star could mark a new 15 year tax cycle. I agree, that the placement of the star on top of the cross may have become necessary to make space for the V of R-V on coins of Ravenna.

I guess the summer dolldrums played into my hands. There was no interest for the coin below in an Ebay auction and I bought it for the asking price of 55 euros. Obv: IMP C NVMERIANVS AVG Rev: PAX AVGG Measurements: 3.49 g, 24mm The coin is an attractive condition, especially the obverse. The coin has a large flan and it shows a scarcer and more desireable military bust, with Numerian carrying a lance.

So this is a double Antoninian, i.e. a quadruple denarius? Could you post the weight and size of this coin please?