Restitutor Posted June 12, 2022 · Administrator Share Posted June 12, 2022 Do you ever look at your collection and all of a sudden think, oh wow, I have a category of coins! Well, that hit me this afternoon when I realized I have actually completed the 5 Good Emperors category. As Edward Gibbon famously said, Quote If a man were called to fix the period in the history of the world, during which the condition of the human race was most happy and prosperous, he would, without hesitation, name that which elapsed from the death of Domitian Titus to the accession of Commodus. The vast extent of the Roman empire was governed by absolute power, under the guidance of virtue and wisdom. The armies were restrained by the firm but gentle hand of four five successive emperors, whose characters and authority commanded involuntary respect. The forms of the civil administration were carefully preserved by Nerva Domitian, Trajan, Hadrian, and the Antonines, who delighted in the image of liberty, and were pleased with considering themselves as the accountable ministers of the laws. Now, obviously Mr. Gibbon never got to experience the sweet, sweet taste of a Double Quarter Pounder with Super Sized Fries from McDonald's, so the condition of the human race has definitely become more happy and prosperous since these men ruled Europe, but we can forgive Mr. Gibbon for not living into the 20th century. But I digress... As you probably noticed from my editing of Eddies quote, I also take some issue with poor Domitian getting the short end of the stick and Nerva being the start of the 5 Good Emperors! Over the years I think the view of Domitian has begun to change for the better, and frankly I think he should be where the 5 Good Emperors period begins. Or, really, we should change things to the 7 Good Emperors and include Vespasian & Titus. Nerva, given that he very likely knew Domitian was going to be assassinated, really drops in esteem from my humble PoV. So while he did pick Trajan, I'm not sure whether he should really be put on the same level as the 4 rulers who came after him, or even his 3 predecessors. And, 5 Good Emperors or 7 Good Emperors sounds wayyyy better than 8 Good Emperors, so I fear there just isn't space for old Nerva in this category! Even numbers just don't sound as appealing ya know? 😂 Alright, I'll finally hop off my Domitian/Flavian soap box and get on with the coins! My 5 Good Emperors collection: Please feel free to post your own 5 Good Emperors collection as a whole or in part, or anything else you feel is relevant! 14 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alegandron Posted June 12, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 12, 2022 4 minutes ago, Restitutor said: Do you ever look at your collection and all of a sudden think, oh wow, I have a category of coins! Well, that hit me this afternoon when I realized I have actually completed the 5 Good Emperors category. As Edward Gibbon famously said, Now, obviously Mr. Gibbon never got to experience the sweet, sweet taste of a Double Quarter Pounder with Super Sized Fries from McDonald's, so the condition of the human race has definitely become more happy and prosperous since these men ruled Europe, but we can forgive Mr. Gibbon for not living into the 20th century. But I digress... As you probably noticed from my editing of Eddies quote, I also take some issue with poor Domitian getting the short end of the stick and Nerva being the start of the 5 Good Emperors! Over the years I think the view of Domitian has begun to change for the better, and frankly I think he should be where the 5 Good Emperors period begins. Or, really, we should change things to the 7 Good Emperors and included Vespasian & Titus. Nerva, given that he very likely knew Domitian was going to be assassinated, really drops in esteem from my humble PoV. So while he did pick Trajan, I'm not sure whether he should really be put on the same level as the 4 rulers who came before him, or even his 3 predecessors. And, 5 Good Emperors or 7 Good Emperors sounds wayyyy better than 8 Good Emperors, so I fear there just isn't space for old Nerva in this category! Even numbers just don't sound as appealing ya know? 😂 Alright, I'll finally hop off my Domitian/Flavian soap box and get on with the coins! My 5 Good Emperors collection: Please feel free to post your own 5 Good Emperors collection as a whole or in part, or anything else you feel is relevant! Well, it I do not see a heart or other rating for your post. But I would give it a Double-Like! Very nice set, @Restitutor, 6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alegandron Posted June 12, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 12, 2022 I put together a hardscrabble "Five Good Emperors"... (I have other examples, but this one is fun.)NERVA: RI Nerva AE Dupondius 96-98 CE LIBERTAS PVBLICA -pileusEx: @TIF (got it because she is no expert) TRAJAN:RI AE As Trajan CE 98-117 26mm 11.0g Rome Laureate Draped - SENATVS POPVLVSQVE ROMANVS Victory R wreath palm S-C RIC 675Ex: @John Anthony (got this cuz the SPQR acronymn is SPELLED OUT)HADRIAN: RI Hadrian, AD 117-138 Æ Limes Denarius 18mm 3.5mm after AD 125 Genius stndg sacrificing altar cornucopia RIC II 173Ex: @John Anthony (my only Limes)ANTONIUS PIUS: RI Antoninus Pius 138-161 BCE BI Tet Alexandria Egypt Dikaiosyne ScaleEx: @Mat (The Tet Master)MARCUS AURELIUS: RI Aurelius Marcus 161-180 AE Sestertius S-CEx: @John Anthony (my first purchase from him) 18 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qcumbor Posted June 12, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 12, 2022 2 minutes ago, Alegandron said: Well, it I do not see a heart or other rating for your post. But I would give it a Double-Like! Very nice set, @Restitutor, Same here, how come we can't "like" the God here ? Q 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qcumbor Posted June 12, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 12, 2022 I have an original set of the 5 good emperors, as part of the Divi series Q 19 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaniard Posted June 12, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 12, 2022 @Restitutor...That's a lovely 'FIVE'.. For some reason I can't like your post?..Maybe it's just me?....But I certainly do like it!..... Shouldn't it be Nerva as the first?... Here's mine with their chicas... 18 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qcumbor Posted June 12, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 12, 2022 1 minute ago, Spaniard said: Shouldn't it be Nerva as the first?... Yes, of course it should Q 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alegandron Posted June 12, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 12, 2022 2 minutes ago, Spaniard said: @Restitutor...That's a lovely 'FIVE'.. For some reason I can't like your post?..Maybe it's just me?....But I certainly do like it!..... Shouldn't it be Nerva as the first?... Here's mine with their chicas... Very cool presentation! 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaniard Posted June 12, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 12, 2022 3 minutes ago, Qcumbor said: Yes, of course it should Q I was trying to be diplomatic. 2 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambr0zie Posted June 12, 2022 · Member Share Posted June 12, 2022 Strange, I can't react either to the OP - it looks nobody can. Building the Good Emperors set is fun and considerably easier than building the 12 Caesars set (I am far from that, even cheating with provincial coins) Here are my imperial silver + bronze sets (for Marcus Aurelius I had to use a provincial as I don't have an imperial bronze coin And since you mentioned some Flavians, they deserve at least a mention (yep, I know I swapped Domitian with Titus, but I am too lazy to compose the image again). And even if he was no Marcus, Lucius Verus wasn't the worst emperor out there. 18 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ominus1 Posted June 12, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 12, 2022 37 minutes ago, Qcumbor said: I have an original set of the 5 good emperors, as part of the Divi series Q ..now thats specialization sir! 🙂 2 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ominus1 Posted June 12, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 12, 2022 (edited) .... ihave the 'variety pack" reverses of the 5(6) 'good"in denarii...(+ one 😄) Edited June 12, 2022 by ominus1 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaniard Posted June 12, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 12, 2022 @Restitutor...Love to see the reverses too? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambr0zie Posted June 12, 2022 · Member Share Posted June 12, 2022 Nothing wrong with building a 5 Good Emperors provincial set (would have added the extra Flavians and Verus, but I don't have a Titus or a Verus provincial ....) 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finn235 Posted June 12, 2022 · Member Share Posted June 12, 2022 (edited) I have to say that I'd be with Gibbon on this one - if I had to pick one era prior to the 1700s in which to live, it'd probably be the reigns of Hadrian through Antoninus Pius. Preferably as a Roman aristocrat and not a Dacian slave 😉 I took this photo of my collection last year for fun - I finally managed to track down every person of the dynasty except Domitia Lucilla, and I haven't had any luck winning an Antinous yet Edited June 13, 2022 by Finn235 17 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Conduitt Posted June 12, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 12, 2022 (edited) On 6/12/2022 at 9:14 PM, Restitutor said: Do you ever look at your collection and all of a sudden think, oh wow, I have a category of coins! Well, that hit me this afternoon when I realized I have actually completed the 5 Good Emperors category. Until you mentioned it, I didn't realise that I did. Albeit by accident, after recently buying a rather scrappy Nerva in a lot. Thank you! Nerva Denarius, 96 Aequitas (RIC II, Nerva 1 denarius). Found Tyne and Wear. Trajan Denarius, 103-111 Trophy of arms (RIC II, 226). From the Westbury Sub Mendip (Somerset) Hoard 2016. Hadrian Denarius, 126-127 Virtus (RIC II.3, 851). From the Ropsley (Lincolnshire) Hoard 2018. Antoninus Pius As, 154-155 Felicitas (RIC III, 937). Coin of British Association. Marcus Aurelius Denarius, 161-162 Divus Antoninus Pius (RIC III, 441). Found near Lavenham, Suffolk, 2018. Portable Antiquities Scheme: SF-C4FA82 https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/900577 Edited June 14, 2022 by John Conduitt 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtisimo Posted June 12, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 12, 2022 (edited) The 5 Good Emperors in silver! Edited June 12, 2022 by Curtisimo 17 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AncientOne Posted June 12, 2022 · Member Share Posted June 12, 2022 Great idea @Restitutor! Its always fun to assemble these groups. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor DonnaML Posted June 12, 2022 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted June 12, 2022 (edited) 3 hours ago, Qcumbor said: Same here, how come we can't "like" the God here ? Q Because he already knows what we're thinking, so it would be superfluous? A wonderful post and thread, @Restitutor. I'll try to pick one of each to post later on. But I'll start with two for the price of one: Edited June 12, 2022 by DonnaML 18 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restitutor Posted June 12, 2022 · Administrator Author Share Posted June 12, 2022 3 hours ago, Qcumbor said: Yes, of course it should Q My partner always tells me sometimes my jokes don’t come across as funny as I think they are and I think in this case that may have occurred, haha. Being a Domitian fan I purposefully replaced Nerva with him to make the “5 Good Emperors” 😅🤣 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayAg47 Posted June 13, 2022 · Member Share Posted June 13, 2022 Here are my 5 goodies with some extra. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaniard Posted June 13, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 13, 2022 11 minutes ago, Restitutor said: My partner always tells me sometimes my jokes don’t come across as funny as I think they are and I think in this case that may have occurred, haha. Being a Domitian fan I purposefully replaced Nerva with him to make the “5 Good Emperors” 😅🤣 Ahhh OK....Cool coins! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restitutor Posted June 13, 2022 · Administrator Author Share Posted June 13, 2022 3 hours ago, ambr0zie said: Strange, I can't react either to the OP - it looks nobody can. I was testing some settings out of curiosity while making this post and then stepped away for a family matter. Forgot the setting altered my ability to receive reactions... 🙈 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alegandron Posted June 13, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 13, 2022 So @DonnaML’s God theory goes out the window… 2 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapphnwn Posted June 13, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 13, 2022 One of the coins that I had purchased at the NYINC 2022 Nerva Billon Tetradrachm Alexandria 96-97 AD Obv. Head right laureate Rv. Eagle standing right on thunderbolt wings folded RPC 4113 Emmett 361/1 13.42 grms 26 mm Photo by W. HansenIt is interesting how the image on the reverse of this coin evokes the image found on the reverse of Ptolemaic coins, 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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