Jump to content

The Bald and the Beautiful


Orange Julius

Recommended Posts

One of my favorite passages from Gibbon’s The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire on the emperor Carus:

“He gives audience to the Pesian ambassadors.
The successor of Artaxerxes, Varanes, or Bahram, though he had subdued the Segestans, one of the most warlike nations of Upper Asia,was alarmed at the approach of the Romans, and endeavoured to retard their progress by a negotiation of peace. His ambassadors entered the camp about sunset, at the time when the troops were satisfying their hunger with a frugal repast. The Persians expressed their desire of being introduced to the presence of the Roman emperor. They were at length conducted to a soldier who was seated on the grass. A piece of stale bacon and a few hard peas composed his supper. A coarse woollen garment of purple was the only circumstance that announced his dignity. The conference was conducted with the same disregard of courtly elegance. Carus, taking off a cap which he wore to conceal his baldness, assured the ambassadors that, unless their master acknowledged the superiority of Rome, he would speedily render Persia as naked of trees as his own head was destitute of hair. Notwithstanding some traces of art and preparation, we may discover in this scene the manners of Carus, and the severe simplicity which the martial princes who succeeded Gallienus had already restored in the Roman camps. The ministers of the Great King trembled and retired.”

I just love imagining this scene. The emperor of Rome, sitting there in the grass, snacking… and making threats to the Persians while making fun of his own baldness. 

Heres a new-ish coin of Carus.
LOOK AT THAT BALD HEAD!!!

I’m having a bit of trouble nailing down the most recent thoughts on mint city. I believe the coin is RIC 124, which seems to be associated with both Siscia and Antioch. Let me know if you have thoughts to add.

B9B788B6-1765-41E4-B3EF-787C7686ADAF.jpeg.c70fb2eb09641cea61d422c5396bdf5f.jpeg

As always, pile on coins of bald or balding emperors, people with wigs, or coins of Carus!

Edited by Orange Julius
  • Like 25
  • Heart Eyes 1
  • Laugh 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fun topic, @Orange Julius, and interesting and informative write-up! Nice coins, too!

Dude is really bald on this one from Antioch.

Carus VIRTVS AVGG Antoninianus.jpg

Carus, AD 282-283.
Roman billon Antoninianus, 3.57 g, 21 mm, 6 h.
Antioch, AD 282.
Obv: IMP C M AVR CARVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust, right.
Rev: VIRTVS AVGG, emperor standing right, holding parazonium and receiving Victory on globe from Carinus (or Jupiter) standing left, holding scepter; A//XXI .
Refs: RIC 124C; Cohen 116; RCV 12188.

Not so much on this one from Ticinum.

[IMG]
Carus, AD 282-283.
Roman billon antoninianus, 3.46 g, 21.1 mm, 1 h.
Ticinum, 1st officina, 2nd emission, AD 282.
Obv: IMP CARVS P F AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust, right.
Rev: PAX EXERCITI, Pax standing left, holding branch and signum; PXXI in exergue.
Refs: RIC 75F; Cohen 56; RCV --; Pink VI/2, p. 28.

Edited by Roman Collector
Spelling.
  • Like 19
Link to comment
Share on other sites

normal_Carus_02.jpg.13ab147c2b762357d4cc678d0ddda3ff.jpg

Carus
Antoninian, Antiochia
Obv.: IMP C M AVR CARVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right
Rev.: VIRTVS AVGG / XXI, Carus and Carinus standing with scepter, holding victory on globe, star above, Γ below
4.28g, 21.1mm
Ref.: RIC 125

  • Like 16
  • Clap 1
  • Heart Eyes 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I got my 3 imperial coins of Carus, Carinus and Numerian from the same auction. I like the Carus coin despites its flaws, especially because the portrait (showing the bald head) and the detailed cuirass

image.png.3923b9d30729b631285f436c0d6a6908.png

Carus AD 282-283. Struck December AD 282 - February AD 283. Ticinium

Antoninianus Æ

22 mm, 3,36 g

IMP CARVS P F AVG, bust of Carus, radiate, cuirassed, right / SPES PVBLICA, Spes, draped, walking left, holding flower in right hand and raising robe with left hand

Mintmark: /-//SXXI

RIC V Carus 82

Edited by ambr0zie
  • Like 17
  • Clap 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like coins of Carus.  A long time ago I sold this coin to a friend and a few years later he sold it back to me. I think he decided didn't like the portrait. He was right--it is not very attractive. The Tripolis mint is known for poor portraits. 

image.jpeg.c9ed08fcbcedba967ad166f133e90d92.jpeg

RIC 128, Tripolis mint.

Here is a website on coins of Tripolis:
http://augustuscoins.com/ed/Tripolis/

Here is a website about how the coins of the family of Carus are assigned dates:
http://augustuscoins.com/ed/Carus/

 

Edited by Valentinian
Added RIC number
  • Like 13
  • Heart Eyes 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, Valentinian said:

I like coins of Carus.  A long time ago I sold this coin to a friend and a few years later he sold it back to me. I think he decided didn't like the portrait. He was right--it is not very attractive. The Tripolis mint is known for poor portraits. 

image.jpeg.c9ed08fcbcedba967ad166f133e90d92.jpeg

RIC 128, Tripolis mint.

Here is a website on coins of Tripolis:
http://augustuscoins.com/ed/Tripolis/

Here is a website about how the coins of the family of Carus are assigned dates:
http://augustuscoins.com/ed/Carus/

 

Fantastic, one of the finest I have seen!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, Orange Julius said:

As always, pile on coins of bald or balding emperors, people with wigs, or coins of Carus!

a094debf7a3e415298227b7484265cef.jpg

Carus, Posthumous antoninianus - Lugdunum, 2nd officina, 284-285 CE
DIVO CARO PIO, Radiate head of Carus right
CONSECRATIO, Eagle facing, II at exergue
3.50 gr
Ref : Cohen #18, RCV #12394

Q

  • Like 14
  • Heart Eyes 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

carustet.jpg.0fba609188c32ad201569492194da862.jpg

Carus (282- 285 A.D.)

Egypt, Alexandria
Potin Tetradrachm
O: A K MA KAΡOC CEB, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
R: Dikaiosyne standing left holding scales and cornucopiae, LA to left.
20mm
6.99g
Sear RCV (2005) 12197; Milne 4660.

  • Like 14
  • Clap 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Benefactor

Carus, looking quite bereft of hair for someone who clearly isn't being portrayed as an elderly man:

Carus, silvered AE Antoninianus, late Autumn 282 [second son, Numerian, elevated to Caesar] - Autumn 283 AD [death of Carus], Antioch Mint (1st Officina). Obv. Radiate bust right, IMP C M AVR CARVS PF AVG/ Rev. VIRTUS AVGGG, Carus, standing right, receives Victory from Jupiter standing left, holding long scepter, star in upper field, A in lower middle field (= 1st Officina, Antioch Mint), XXI in exergue [20/1 copper/silver ratio of alloy]. RIC V-2 125(A), Sear RCV III 12190, ERIC II 141, Cohen 117. 20.25 mm., 3.59 g. [For the dating of Carus’s coins with AVGGG reverse (issued at Antioch mint only), see http://augustuscoins.com/ed/Carus.]

image.jpeg.b64f6ef13258fecbeb0a6bb9ab3e914d.jpeg

Edited by DonnaML
  • Like 12
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, ominus1 said:

..the only other i'm aware of in the receding hairline is this fella's coins...(not my coin....yet:D)

Gordian Africanus ll.jpg

As for other bald or balding emperors… Otho wore a bad wig due to baldness and we’ve all heard the stories of Julius Caesar wearing laurels as he was a bit touchy about his retreating hairline. Am I missing anyone else?

I don’t have any coins that show those two. My only other photographed coin of Carus has patchy silvering where it’s hard to see his fantastic forehead.

Carus.JPG.9f29e9889057e50403607923c707991e.JPG

Edited by Orange Julius
  • Like 13
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Galba was described as very bald and this coin appears to confirm.

image.png.a740832311d9c3671ab93580a74c3529.png

Galba, 68-69 As Tarraco (?) September to December 68, Æ 27mm., 11.17g. Laureate head r., with globe at point of the bust. Rev. Libertas standing l., holding pileus in r. hand and rod in l. C #. RIC 73.

  • Like 7
  • Clap 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Dafydd said:

Galba was described as very bald and this coin appears to confirm.

 

This very expensive ($37,500) Galba sestertius from CNG suggests his hair was thinning or maybe he had a widow's peak:
https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=6982435

This one from Leu (merely $10,000) suggests he had all his hair:
https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=5992528

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...