Heliodromus Posted August 14, 2023 · Member Share Posted August 14, 2023 (edited) So, one thing leads to another and I'm on OCRE looking for who-chose-who with COMITI types ... Postumus seems a friendly type, and had a lot of companions ... COMITI AVG with Hercules (seems a solid choice) NEPT COMITI with Neptune (odd choice, but OK ...) SERAPI COMITI AVG with Sepapis (an Egyptian god for a Gallic emperor, really?!) Hmmm ... I think I see a pattern here ! 😀 Edited August 14, 2023 by Heliodromus 11 3 3 4 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Kowsky Posted August 14, 2023 · Member Share Posted August 14, 2023 Postumus certainly had a love for Hercules, & there are many different aurei depicting Hercules issued for him. Pictured below is an aureus that was auctioned by Sotheby's from the Hunt collection 33 years ago, it sold for $46,750.00 😲. Pictured below is a gilded bronze forgery made by Carl Wilhelm Becker in the 18th century. The double denarius pictured below I sold in CNG E-auction 483. It looks far superior to the double denarii being struck at the Rome mint at that time 😏. 12 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocatarinetabellatchitchix Posted August 14, 2023 · Member Share Posted August 14, 2023 If I may, here are some interesting backgrounds about two of these reverses: 3 hours ago, Heliodromus said: NEPT COMITI with Neptune (odd choice, but OK ...) Neptune is not widely used in monetary iconography. It is found especially at the beginning of the empire, for Agrippa who had been the brilliant admiral of Octavian's fleet at Actium, then for Hadrian who traveled a lot in the empire. For Postumius, this reverse type is perhaps linked to Brittany, which rallied to him and to the role he gives to the navy in the defense of the Gallic Empire, victim of the incursions of the Frisian pirates. The reverse NEPT COMITI is copied from denarii of Septimius Severus. (it must be noted that Neptune is not only the god of the sea, but also the god of freshwater). This reverses may prove that a part of the legion XXX (whose emblem is Neptune) accompanied Postumus to Britain. 3 hours ago, Heliodromus said: SERAPI COMITI AVG with Sepapis (an Egyptian god for a Gallic emperor, really?!) Serapis was a deity venerated especially in the East and in Egypt where he was from. During the 3rd century, Eastern cults spread throughout the Empire carried by soldiers whose origins had nothing to do with the army of the High Empire. The presence of the Egyptian deity Serapis is certainly unexpected on the coinage of the Gallic Empire. Its design is probably copied from coins of Commodus, with the original inscription SERAPIDI CONSERV AVG modified into SERAPI COMITI AVG. Some scholars sees in this reverse the progress of oriental cults, noting the presence of Sol in the following issue. 4 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steppenfool Posted August 15, 2023 · Member Share Posted August 15, 2023 (edited) I figured the Neptune was because he would have crossed the English channel a bunch of times owing to the territories he was ruler of. If I remember correctly, the Neptune reverse of Severus is linked to his visit to Britain. I like the other theories too though. Serapis was pretty international. When I visited the York Museum in England there was an inscription recording a temple of his. Edited August 15, 2023 by Steppenfool 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heliodromus Posted August 15, 2023 · Member Author Share Posted August 15, 2023 1 hour ago, Steppenfool said: When I visited the York Museum in England there was an inscription recording a temple of his. Built during Septimius Severus' campaign in Britain, per the reference to his 6th legion legate Claudius Hieronymianus. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claudius_Hieronymianus Apparantly Hieronymianus's wife was Christian!. Severus died at York. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor Ancient Coin Hunter Posted August 15, 2023 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted August 15, 2023 Neptune on a Severus denarius: 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor Ancient Coin Hunter Posted August 15, 2023 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted August 15, 2023 Serapis on Postumus antoninianus.... 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Limes Posted August 15, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted August 15, 2023 20 hours ago, Heliodromus said: NEPT COMITI with Neptune (odd choice, but OK ... Fantastic coins to drool at.... Neptune was not only associated with the ocean/sea, but could also be associated with fresh water, rivers, springs. And also horses and horse racing. Earlier, sextus pompey was associated with Neptune, and called son of Neptune, after a couple of victorious sea battles. Like @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix says, there are various explanations to the occasion of this fantastic issue. Its always interesting to think that to us, it takes some investigation and maybe even some guessing, what the reverse of a coin means. But to the romans, legionairs, and other peoples at that time, the meaning of the reverse would probably have been evident. Then again, some coins were in circulation for a long time. Would an ordinary citizen know the meaning of the reverse, say, 50 years later? Anyway, here's my only postumus. A 'double sesterius', but seeing the weight, the 'double' is misplaced. A long time ago, the reverse would have shown Mars. Now it s an alien and the reverse made the coin affordable for me. I love the portrait though! 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor Ancient Coin Hunter Posted August 15, 2023 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted August 15, 2023 (edited) 22 hours ago, Heliodromus said: So, one thing leads to another and I'm on OCRE looking for who-chose-who with COMITI types ... Postumus seems a friendly type, and had a lot of companions ... COMITI AVG with Hercules (seems a solid choice) NEPT COMITI with Neptune (odd choice, but OK ...) SERAPI COMITI AVG with Sepapis (an Egyptian god for a Gallic emperor, really?!) Hmmm ... I think I see a pattern here ! 😀 An interesting question @Heliodromus is why Mithras didn't appear on the coinage. It would seem like representing Mithras would have resonated with the soldiery, where the religion was popular. Maybe it was too off-kilter for regular Romans, like maybe putting Christian symbols on coins in the 3rd century would have been. Anyway, who knows? I like your handle which is one of the seven levels of progression in Mithraism. Edited August 15, 2023 by Ancient Coin Hunter 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heliodromus Posted August 16, 2023 · Member Author Share Posted August 16, 2023 (edited) 20 hours ago, Ancient Coin Hunter said: An interesting question @Heliodromus is why Mithras didn't appear on the coinage. Despite the popularity of Mithraism, I don't think Mithras appeared on any imperial coinage (although he does on a few provincials). Naturally being deficient in the beard department, he was a non-starter for Postumus anyway! 🙂 I'm still not 100% clear on the relationship, if any, between Mithraism and the cult of Sol Invictus. Sol & Luna appear alongside Mithras on the typical tauroctony (Mithras sacrificing bull) scene, but that doesn't really help. I believe the combination of Sol+Luna are sometimes used to convey the concept of aeternitas, and Mithras himself is sometimes addressed as Deo Soli Invicto Mithrae (the invincible sun god, Mithras), although he still seems to be "more than" and distinct from Sol Invictus. Maybe if I could make it from Heliodromus to Pater I'd be fully initiated into the mysteries ?! 🙂 On the coinage of Kanishka I there is an identical depiction of a radiate sun god first labeled in Greek as Helios, then in the following issue as Mithras in Bactrian. Interesting to see Helios apparently equated to Mithras, but this was probably the eastern Mithras anyway, not the romanized one. I do wonder if Sol Invictus might have served (or been perceived as, if you cared to) the public face of Mithras on roman coinage? The public could take him at face value as Sol Invictus, while the army could take it with a wink and know that it's really Soli Invicto Mithrae being referred to? I don't think Postumus even used the legend Soli Invicto on his coinage, although he did use Oriens Avg, and even Aurelian seems to have used those two somewhat interchangeably. Here is Postumus using Sol as a seemingly somewhat random pairing with a PACATOR ORBIS legend. There's an interesting article here about what's known about the Mithraic grades, for anyone interested: https://www.academia.edu/2564886/Seven_Mithraic_Grades_An_Initiatory_or_Priestly_Hierarchy Edited August 16, 2023 by Heliodromus 1 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor LONGINUS Posted August 19, 2023 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted August 19, 2023 (edited) Great post, @Heliodromus! I’m happy to have two Postumus antoniniani. I received the first as a generous gift from a fellow collector back when I was very new to the Roman emperors. The name Postumus was not familiar to me and I misread the coin label as posthumous. My next thought was — okay, it’s a coin minted posthumously for someone but who died? 😕 Today, several years later I’m a little bit better informed but I still have a long way to go. Edited August 20, 2023 by LONGINUS 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maridvnvm Posted August 19, 2023 · Member Share Posted August 19, 2023 Here is a lowly Postumus - Sol in bronze Obv:– IMP C POSTVMVS P F AVG, Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right Rev:– PACATOR ORBIS, Radiate, draped bust of Sol right. Minted in Trier. A.D. 269 Reference– RIC 317 3.25g. 19.41 mm. 0 degrees 4 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maridvnvm Posted August 19, 2023 · Member Share Posted August 19, 2023 On the COMITI theme. Here are some Probus.... Hercules Obv:– IMP C M AVR PROBVS AVG, Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right; seen from the rear Rev:– COMITI P-ROBI AVG, Hercules standing left, holding olive-branch, club and lion skin Minted in Lugdunum (IIII) Emission 7, Officina 4. Summer A.D. 281 Reference:– Cohen -. RIC 70 Bust Type C. Bastien 329 (5). Batien Suppl I -. Batien Suppl II -. ex Phillippe Gysen. ex Mike Vosper, Collections 3.76 gms, 22.36 mm. 180 degrees Minerva Obv:– IMP C PROBVS • P • F • AVG, Radiate, cuirassed bust right Rev:– COMITI PROBI AVG, Minerva standing left, holding olive-branch and spear and resting left hand on shield Mint – Lugdunum (I in exe) Emission 7 Officina 1. A.D. 280 Reference:– Cohen -. Bastien 315. RIC 69 Bust type F Weight 5.06g. 23.37mm. 180 degrees And the classic spelling error PORBI (sic) which I have somehow managed to obtain two examples from the same die pair over the many years of collecting Obv:– IMP C PROBVS • P • F • AVG, Radiate, cuirassed bust right Rev:– COMITI PORBI(sic) AVG, Minerva standing left, holding olive-branch and spear and resting left hand on shield Mint – Lugdunum (I in exe) Emission 7 Officina 1. A.D. 280 Reference:– Cohen -. Bastien 315 (example c). RIC 69 Bust type F var (PORBI in error not listed in RIC) One of the examples cited by Bastien of 315 - the standard PROBI coin, 315c - Voetter, is also PORBI from the same reverse die. No examples cited in Bastien Suppl. II. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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