Commemorating an ancient amphibious landing

[LONGINUS]

 

I felt like posting something in remembrance of D-Day.

 Although I’m unsure of what month it occurred I thought Vespasian’s river assault might be somewhat appropriate.

 

Your coin images and comments are always appreciated .

 

 

 

 

Edited June 7, 2023 by LONGINUS

[Curtisimo]

Great coin @LONGINUS! I also have a coin related to an invasion of Britain. Here is a coin struck at a traveling mint and used during Constantius’s invasion of Britain.

Roman Empire
Constantius Chlorus (Invasion Issue)
AE Follis, silvered, Lugdunum/traveling mint, struck ca. AD 296
Obv.: FL VAL CONSTANTIVS NOB C; Laureate bust right
Rev.: GENIO POPVLI ROMANI; genius standing left holding patera and cornucopia 
Ref.: RIC VI 17a 
Ex James Pickering Collection of Romano-British Coins

[David Atherton]

Nice Vespasian!

I'll add a Vespasian with an amphibious landing craft piloted by Victory.

 

Vespasian
Æ As, 9.85g
Rome mint, 76 AD
Obv: IMP CAESAR VESP AVG COS VII; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r.
Rev: VICTORIA AVGVST; S C in field; Victory stg. r. on prow, with wreath and palm
RIC 897 (R). BMC p. 169 note. BNC -.
Ex eBay, 30 October 2018.

[Al Kowsky]

The coin pictured below is a follow-up to the coin posted by Curtisimo 😊. Constantius I arraigned a two-prong invasion force to recapture Britannia; one force was led by his praetorian prefect who fought the forces of Allectus from the Isle of Wight, while the forces Constantius moved into London. The forces of Allectus were successfully defeated in AD 296. 

[DonnaML]

Great idea. This coin has a reverse that doesn't represent an amphibious landing, but one achieved by building a bridge. Close enough!

Trajan AR Denarius, AD 107 [Sear RCV II], Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate bust right, slight drapery on far shoulder, IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P / Rev. Danuvius (the Danube), naked to waist, reclining with left elbow on rocks amidst reeds, looking right, cloak billowing out in circle behind head, right hand resting on ship behind him with prow in shape of bird’s head (swan?), COS V P P S P Q R OPTIMO PRINC; in exergue, DANVVIVS. RIC II Trajan 100, RSC II 136 (ill. p. 88), Sear RCV II 3138 (ill. p. 102), BMCRE III 395. 19 mm., 3.05 g. Purchased from Silbury Coins, UK, Jan. 2022.*

*According to Foss at p. 100 [Clive Foss, Roman Historical Coins (Seaby, London, 1990)], this coin (Foss, Trajan No. 22), together with two other types (RIC II 542-544 and RIC 556-569), commemorate the preparations for the second Dacian war in AD 106, including “crossing into Dacia by a bridge and with the aid of the god of the Danube who helped to overcome Dacia.” 

And then there's Isis Pharia heading in on her little sailboat for a landing at the Lighthouse of Alexandria:

Hadrian, AE Drachm, Year 17 (AD 132/133), Alexandria, Egypt Mint. Obv. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from rear, ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙϹ ΤΡΑΙΑΝ -  ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟϹ ϹƐΒ / Rev. Isis Pharia, holding billowing sail and sistrum above, sailing right in galley towards the Pharos of Alexandria, which has doorway in front and is surmounted by a statue as well as two tritons blowing seashell trumpets; [L]I – Z (Year 17) across lower fields behind and in front of Isis. 33 mm., 22.64 g., 12 h. Emmett 1002.17, K&G 32.547, RPC III Online 5838 (see https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/5838), Milne 1373 at p. 33. Purchased Feb. 2022; ex. Classical Numismatic Group, eAuction 384, Oct. 12, 2016, Lot 482.

[John Conduitt]

This coin commemorates Constans’s sailing to Britain. There was no need for a battle, but he wanted to show he was a conquering emperor nonetheless.

Constans Centenionalis, 348-350

Treveri. Bronze, 23mm, 5.26g. Pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right; D N CONSTA-NS P F AVG. Emperor standing left on galley, holding Victory on globe and standard with Chi-Rho in banner; Victory seated at stern, holding rudder; FEL TEMP – REPARATIO; TRP (RIC VIII, 219). From the Bridgnorth (Shropshire) Hoard 2007.