Philip I's hope for world happiness: SPES FELICITATIS ORBIS

[Claudius_Gothicus]

During the crisis of the Third Century the Roman Empire was faced with a deadly combination of adversities that almost caused its collapse. This is obviously reflected in the coinage of the period as well, and I find coins that clearly communicate the uncertainty of those times to be particularly fascinating, which is why I picked up this one, even though it's a little bit outside of my usual fields of interest:

Roman Empire, Philip I (244-249), Antoninianus, Uncertain Eastern Mint.

Obverse: IMP C M IVL PHILIPPVS P F AVG P M, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind;

Reverse: SPES FELICITATIS ORBIS, Spes walking left, holding flower in right hand and raising skirt with left hand;

RIC IV 70

 

Philip I came to the throne in 244 AD, following the death of Gordian III, in which he might have played a hand. His first act was to secure the Roman army's safe return to its territories, since they were stuck in Sassanid land due to the failure of Gordian's campaign. His first emission featured six different reverses, three for himself as well as three for his wife Otacilia Severa. In the past these coins, alongside some of Gordian III's coins with a similar portrait, were attributed to Antioch, but differences in style and metal composition make it far more likely that they were struck somewhere else, possibly at a military mint following the young emperor in his campaign.

An antoninianus of Gordian III from Antioch (Image courtesy of CNG)

An antoninianus of Gordian III from the uncertain Eastern mint - notice the similarity between this portrait and my Philip's (Image courtesy of CNG)

Of his three types, while VIRTVS EXERCITVS is nothing out of the ordinary, the other two, PAX FVNDATA CVM PERSIS and SPES FELICITATIS ORBIS, were never reused by any other Emperor and stand out for their own reasons: the first explicitely refers to a peace treaty with another foreign power, while the latter is, as far as I know, the only Roman coin where Spes, instead of being a generic symbol of hope, is explicitely advocating for something grander, in this case nothing less than the happiness of the whole world! It's worth wondering whether Philip really believed that he would herald such a golden age, or if he was just cunningly addressing the insecurity felt by the Romans of the time, but what we can be sure of is that he didn't succeed, and that the crisis only worsened after his reign.

While this reverse remained an unicum in Roman coinage, it was actually reused one time, more than a millennium later, by none other than Louis XIV of France, on a medallion celebrating the Peace of Utrecht, which ended the War of the Spanish Succession:

(Image courtesy of Tauler & Fau)

Despite the different imagery, I do not believe this to be a coincidence, and neither does Dominique Hollard, who, in a 2018 article, analysed several cases of Renaissance medallions inspired by third-century Roman coins. It's certainly fascinating that two rulers whose reigns were separated by hundreds of years made use of the same message, and it's also ironic that, no matter our efforts, world happiness still has not been reached and might not even be reachable at all, depending on how you see it.

Anyway, that's all for now - post your coins with Spes, or anything else you feel like might be relevant!

[Prieure de Sion]

22 minutes ago, Claudius_Gothicus said:

post your coins with Spes

 

Imperator Caesar Traianus Hadrianus Augustus
Denarius of the Roman Imperial Period 121/123 AD; Material: Silver; Diameter: 18mm; Weight: 3.19g; Mint: Rome; Reference: RIC II, Part 3 (second edition) Hadrian 601; Provenance: Ex Classical Numismatics CNG USA; Obverse: Head of Hadrian, laureate, right. The Inscription reads: IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG for Imperator Caesar Traianus Hadrianus Augustus; Reverse: Spes advancing left, holding flower and lifting robe. The Inscription reads: P M TR P COS III for Pontifex Maximus, Tribunicia Potestate, Consul Tertium (High priest, holder of tribunician power, consul for the third time).

 

[Kali]

Trajan (98 - 117 A.D.)

AR Denarius
O: IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P, Laureate bust right, slight drapery on left shoulder.
R: COS V P P S P Q R OPTIMO PRINC, Spes walking left, flower in right, raising hem of skirt.
Rome
3.5g
20mm 
SRCV II 3127, RIC II 127, RSC II 84

Severus Alexander (222 - 235 A.D.)

Æ Sestertius
O: IMP ALEXANDER PIVS AVG, laureate bust right with slight drapery on far shoulder.
R: SPES PVBLICA S C, Spes advancing left, flower in right, raising skirt with left.
Rome Mint, 232 A.D.
19g
29mm
RIC IV 648

 

[Ocatarinetabellatchitchix]

Hello my young Italian friend. Happy you’re back in coin collecting. Very nice detailed and sharp coin. Here are some of my SPES, not that sharp sadly…

Edited July 27 by Ocatarinetabellatchitchix
Typo

[Orange Julius]

Great post, I really like the new coin!

A Claudius II Spes for @Claudius_Gothicus

Claudius II Gothicus AE Antoninianus. Siscia mint. IMP CLAVDIVS AVG, radiate, draped bust right / SPES AVG, Spes standing left, holding flower and raising hem of robe. II in left field. Cunetio hoard 2296, Normanby hoard 1086; Sear5 11373.

…and peace founded by Gallienus during a time when I didn’t think it was very peaceful.

Gallienus AE Antoninianus, Antioch. Sole reign. AD 265. GALLIENVS AVG, radiate, draped, cuirassed bust right / PAX FVNDATA, Trophy with a captive on each side. Mintmark: branch right. RIC 652; RSC 770; Goebl 1635i; Sear 10306.

[seth77]

@Claudius_Gothicus is there any new research regarding Antioch vs 'eastern mint' for these early Philip coins? I thought that the coinage of Philip with these irregular legends are the continuation of the Antioch radiate minting started in late 242 or early 243 by Gordian.

 

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

 

Marcus Aurelius as Caesar from Alexandria, struck under A. Pius:

Type: AE Drachm, 33mm, 22.95 grams of Alexandria

Obverse: Bare headed and draped bust right M AVPHLIOC KAICAP

Reverse: Elpis (Greek equivalent of Spes) standing left holding flower and hitching skirt LEND EKATOV

Reference: BMC 1238 listed as "rare" by R.A. Numismatics 

 

Edited July 27 by Ancient Coin Hunter

[ambr0zie]

Good write-up!

I have 2 Spes coins 

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

 

 

 

Saloninus AD 256. Samosata
Billon Antoninianus
23 mm, 4,09 g
SALON VALERIANVS NOB CAES, bust of Saloninus, radiate, draped, right / SPES PVBLICA, Spes, draped, presenting flower to Saloninus with right hand and holding skirt with left hand; Saloninus in military attire and holding spear
RIC V Saloninus 36, RSC 95

 

And the Greek equivalent 

Egypt, Alexandria. Carinus, 283-285. Potin Tetradrachm. 18,2 mm 6,93 g. RY 2 = 283/4.
Α Κ Μ Α ΚΑΡΙΝΟC CЄΒ Laureate and cuirassed bust of Carinus to right. Rev. L - B Elpis standing left, holding flower in her right hand and raising skirt with her left; to upper right, star.
Dattari (Savio) 5585. Emmett 4007.2. K&G 115.10. Sear 4779

Edited July 27 by ambr0zie

[LONGINUS]

Great coin and post @Claudius_Gothicus!

When I first saw your thread, I had forgotten that I had any coins featuring SPES.

Thanks for inspiring me to read more about her. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[John Conduitt]

I have a lot of Spes and they're all awful. This is the best.

Tetricus II Antoninianus, 273-274

Cologne or Trier. Bronze, 2.56g. Radiate, draped Bust A right; C PIV ESV TETRICVS CAES. Spes walking left, holding flower and raising skirt; SPES AVGG (RIC V.2, 270). From the Beachy Head Hoard 1973, 5,540 third century antoniniani in a bronze bucket, a few yards from finds in 1961 and 1964.

[Claudius_Gothicus]

22 hours ago, seth77 said:

@Claudius_Gothicus is there any new research regarding Antioch vs 'eastern mint' for these early Philip coins? I thought that the coinage of Philip with these irregular legends are the continuation of the Antioch radiate minting started in late 242 or early 243 by Gordian.

 

Hello @seth77, unfortunately I do not know of any recent publication that addresses these questions, but there are some papers, namely those of Ovari and Muona, that discuss it: I have been unable to find the first, but the second is available on the internet. My understanding is that, according to this system, there is a first issue of antoniniani at Antioch in the early part of Gordian III's reign, with the legend IMP CAES M ANT GORDIANVS AVG, a style very close to the provincial tetradrachms of the same mint and sometimes left-facing busts, just like them.

A few years later, for the Sassanid campaign, a new mint was opened, which struck coins with the legend IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, a very different portrait style and a bust that is always facing right and usually cuirassed-only: this mint also struck the very first coins for Philip I and Otacilia (the very first Philip I coins have PIVS FEL just like Gordian's last ones). After a short while it was closed and production restarted at Antioch, with the standard obverse legend and more bust variety, just like on the provincial tetradrachms.

[seth77]

26 minutes ago, Claudius_Gothicus said:

Hello @seth77, unfortunately I do not know of any recent publication that addresses these questions, but there are some papers, namely those of Ovari and Muona, that discuss it: I have been unable to find the first, but the second is available on the internet. My understanding is that, according to this system, there is a first issue of antoniniani at Antioch in the early part of Gordian III's reign, with the legend IMP CAES M ANT GORDIANVS AVG, a style very close to the provincial tetradrachms of the same mint and sometimes left-facing busts, just like them.

A few years later, for the Sassanid campaign, a new mint was opened, which struck coins with the legend IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, a very different portrait style and a bust that is always facing right and usually cuirassed-only: this mint also struck the very first coins for Philip I and Otacilia (the very first Philip I coins have PIVS FEL just like Gordian's last ones). After a short while it was closed and production restarted at Antioch, with the standard obverse legend and more bust variety, just like on the provincial tetradrachms.

Where can I find the paper available online?

[Steppenfool]

What a case of Serendipity! I had an example of this coin from CGB on my bookmarks for a couple of weeks now, and was intently staring at it for a good few days. I have wanted this issue for some time due to the uniqueness you talked about @Claudius_Gothicus. This post has convinced me to pull the trigger!

Your example is very beautiful and has a very interesting portrait of Philip. I always thought the portrait on your example is almost like an older and more rugged Gordian, I think the features and proportions are similar. Regardless, he certainly looks imposing!

Mines is an underweight issue, coming in at 3.04g. However the remaining details on Spes are so beautiful and really drive home the message on the reverse legend.

 

Edited July 28 by Steppenfool

[Claudius_Gothicus]

On 7/28/2023 at 12:27 PM, seth77 said:

Where can I find the paper available online?

There are actually two papers by Muona: they are not particularly in-depth, but it's still better than nothing. The first one, "The Imperial mints of Philip the Arab", is available here; the second, "The Antoniniani of Philip the Arab", was published in the February 2002 issue of The Celator, which can be downloaded from Vcoins.

17 hours ago, Steppenfool said:

What a case of Serendipity! I had an example of this coin from CGB on my bookmarks for a couple of weeks now, and was intently staring at it for a good few days. I have wanted this issue for some time due to the uniqueness you talked about @Claudius_Gothicus. This post has convinced me to pull the trigger!

Your example is very beautiful and has a very interesting portrait of Philip. I always thought the portrait on your example is almost like an older and more rugged Gordian, I think the features and proportions are similar. Regardless, he certainly looks imposing!

Mines is an underweight issue, coming in at 3.04g. However the remaining details on Spes are so beautiful and really drive home the message on the reverse legend.

 

Thanks for your comment, @Steppenfool: I'm happy to know that my post made you add another coin to your collection!

[Roman Collector]

Fascinating write-up, @Claudius_Gothicus! It's good to see you posting again, too!

I have too many coins of Spes to show, so I'll show one from one of my favorite emperors.

Antoninus Pius, AD 138 – 161.
Roman Æ as, 11.13 g, 27.0 mm, 12 h.
Rome, December, AD 142-143.
Obv: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P COS III, laureate head, right.
Rev: IMPERATOR II, Spes, advancing left, holding flower in right hand and lifting drapery of skirt with left hand.
Refs: RIC 730; BMCRE 1619; Cohen 444; Strack 938; RCV --.

[Curtisimo]

It’s good to see you posting @Claudius_Gothicus!

Here is my Elpis (Roman Spes) example.

Egypt, Alexandria 
Antoninus Pius
BI Tetradrachm, Alexandria mint, RY 11 = AD 147/8. 
Dia.: 24 mm
Wt.: 13.81 g
Obv.: ANTωNEINOC CEB EYCEB, Laureate bust right
Rev.: L ENΔEKATOV, Elpis standing left, lifting hem of skirt and holding flower
Ref.: Dattari-Savio pl. 111, 8160 (this coin illustrated); Emmett 1383.11; RPC Online IV temp #13607 (this coin cited).
Ex Giovanni Dattari Collection (1853-1923); Ex Robert L. Grover Collection of Roman-Egyptian Coinage; Ex Art Institute of Chicago (1981.511)

 

Here is my favorite Philip I

Roman Empire
Philip I the Arab (AD 244-249)
AR Antoninianus, Rome mint, struck ca. AD 245
Dia.: 23 mm
Wt.: 4.36 g
Obv.: IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG; Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right
Rev.: ADVENTVS AVGG; Philip on horseback left, raising right hand and holding spear
Ref.: RIC IV 26b
Ex David Kallai (ca. 1908-1924) with old tag; Ex arnoldoe Collection; Ex AMCC 2, lot 194 (Nov. 9, 2019).