Mensis Germanicus

[Octavius]

Well, tomorrow it will be September, a time when I still get the cold sweats because of the beginning of school. For many, September is a welcomed month - a cool reprieve from the hot , sticky days of summer(excepting, of course our friends in Australia). But September has an interesting history. It was not always called September, or "the seventh month". As you know, The early Roman calendar year began in March. This probably made more sense due to the beginning of the agricultural season as well as the military campaigns. But this changed to January 1st and soon the 9th month was called the 7th month. There was precedent to change the names of the months ; Quintilis became Julius , or July and Sextilis became Augustus.

September also had a name change albeit briefly. It became Mensis Germanicus, but strangely not in honor of the famous Germanicus, son of Drusus and Antonia, but in honor of Domitian.

In AD 82-83 the Roman legions defeated German tribes, i.e. the Chatti, and Domitian was awarded the honorific title of Germanicus which he personally so rightly did NOT deserve. He further thought it would be a great idea to compound this honor by renaming September Mensis Germanicus, after himself. The senate did so , but this did not last very long and Germanicus reverted to September. About 100 years later, another megalomaniac , Commodus, would try to rename September again and call it Hercules. This also failed.

 In celebration of steadfast September, I thought it would be nice to recall the "original" Germanicus. Also, if you like , post anything relating to Domitian or the Fall.(Ceres included).

 

Sestertius of Domitian depicting him on horseback fictitiously slaying fallen German. The title germanicus is seen on this sestertius.

 

Dupondius of Germanicus commemorating regaining the standards.

As of Germanicus struck by his brother, Emperor Claudius.

another.

As of Germanicus struck by his son, Caligula.

Dupondius of Claudius with Ceres on reverse -  celebrating Fall's harvest.

Happy September, happy Fall.

 

[shanxi]

Nice coins !!

 

Here is my small Germanicus

It's ugly but I like it.

 

 

Germanicus
Lydia, Sardeis
AE 16
Obv.: [ΓEΡM]ANIK[OΣ] KAIΣ[AΡ], Bare head left
Rev.: ΣΑΡΔΙΑΝΩΝ / ΜΝΑ−ΣΕΑΣ, Athena standing left, holding phiale
AE, 3.33g, 16 mm
Ref.: RPC 2993

[singig]

Very interesting story about the months names  , beautiful coins as always.

Germanicus Æ As struck under Claudius.RIC 106 [Claudius], 

GERMANICVS CAESAR TI AVG F DIVI AVG N, bare head right / TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG GERM P M TR P IMP P P around large SC. Cohen 9.

Edited September 1, 2022 by singig

[Curtis JJ]

Very interesting! Lovey your "Emperor spearing fallen German enemy"! Still don't have one of those (or the more accessible Trajan-Dacian enemy version either). I showed this one previously in David Atherton's Germania Capta thread, but here's my Domitian Sestertius in my captives collection:

[NathanB]

7 hours ago, shanxi said:

Nice coins !!

 

Here is my small Germanicus

It's ugly but I like it.

 

 

Germanicus
Lydia, Sardeis
AE 16
Obv.: [ΓEΡM]ANIK[OΣ] KAIΣ[AΡ], Bare head left
Rev.: ΣΑΡΔΙΑΝΩΝ / ΜΝΑ−ΣΕΑΣ, Athena standing left, holding phiale
AE, 3.33g, 16 mm
Ref.: RPC 2993

@shanxi, I think ugliness is, to some extent, like beauty: it's in the eye of the beholder.  For what it is, I like your coin.  I can make out the features of the bust and the figure well enough.  A fair bit of the legends are legible.  As the saying goes, it's a very good example of a well-circulated coin. 😉

One of the things I like about this site is that collectors who own gorgeous, expensive coins worth four or five figures, still routinely upvote coins that cost only two.  To be sure, there are some truly ugly coins, but I think with many coins on the lower end of the scale, they can still be celebrated for the charms that they do possess. 🙂