Faustina Friday – The Dative Case Inscriptions for Faustina the Elder

[Roman Collector]

Friday felicitations, fellow Faustina fanatics! I hope you have a coin-filled weekend ahead. Today we're going to explore one of the most enigmatic features of Faustina the Elder's later coinage: the use of the dative case DIVAE FAVSTINAE inscription on three types.
 

• Denarius: AETERNITAS, Aeternitas (?) standing front, head right, right hand drawing back fold of veil and holding transverse scepter in left;
• Denarius: CONSECRATIO, Ceres (?) standing left, raising right hand and holding short torch in left.
• Sestertius: AETERNITAS SC, Aeternitas enthroned left, holding phoenix facing right on globe and scepter.

On each of these three types, the following obverse inscriptions were used.
 

• DIVA FAVSTINA
• DIVA AVG FAVSTINA
• DIVAE FAVSTINAE

There are therefore nine varieties of these three types. I have the good fortune of owning examples of eight of the nine varieties. However, I have previously written about the coins with the DIVA AVG FAVSTINA legend in simultaneous production with the coins bearing the typical DIVA FAVSTINA legend. Therefore, I'm not going to show those coins again; rather, I'm going to limit today's installment to those with the dative DIVAE FAVSTINAE inscription. No matter the obverse inscription, these coins date to 155-161 CE. Why the Rome mint began to experiment with the deified empress's titulature at that time is a mystery. Although all three types with the dative case inscription are extremely rare, known from only a handful of specimens, they were each struck with more than one obverse die, indicating purposeful use of the DIVAE FAVSTINAE legend.

The Denarius with the AETERNITAS Reverse Type

Several different deities are represented on the reverses of Faustina the Elder, all bearing the inscription AETERNITAS: Aeternitas, Fortuna, Providentia, Ceres, Juno, Venus, Vesta, and Pietas, each identifiable on the basis of their attributes (Ceres holding corn ears and torch, for example). However, the figure portrayed on the reverse of this coin is enigmatic, with Aeternitas, Juno, Pudicitia and Venus all contenders.[1] Because the figure on this reverse type is typically depicted sown with stars, I take her to be Aeternitas, while acknowledging the scholarly uncertainty about her identity.

The coin is very rare, but well-attested. The British Museum acquired one for their collection in 1937 (BMCRE 487, p. 67).[2] Strack records two specimens in Sofia, although these are not reported at the Oxford catalog of the coins found in the Reka Devnia hoard.[3] A specimen sold at Rauch Auction 71, lot 690, 28 April, 2003. These coins were produced by a minimum of three separate obverse dies.

Faustina I, 138-140 CE.
Roman AR denarius, 2.83 g, 18.7 mm, 7 h.
Rome, 155-161 CE.
Obv: DIVAE FAVSTINAE, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: AETERNITAS, Aeternitas (?), veiled and draped, standing facing, head right, drawing back veil with right hand and holding scepter in left hand.
Refs: RIC –; BMC 487; RSC 40a; Strack 441; RCV –.
Note: Acquired from @Ryro, who purchased it at Aquila Five, Auction 11, lot 413, 23 July 2023.

The Denarius with the CONSECRATIO Reverse Type

Another type is the CONSECRATIO issue featuring a goddess standing, raising her right hand and holding a short torch. The identity of the goddess on this issue has also confounded numismatists over the years.[4] Because the goddess carries a torch, one of the primary attributes of Ceres, I accept Mattingly's identification of the goddess here as Ceres.

This coin is extremely rare and not as well-attested. It is somewhat controversial. It was first described by Anne Robertson in a paper about a hoard found in Handley.[5] However, that coin is not illustrated in the paper. A specimen sold at Classical Numismatic Group, Inc., Electronic Auction 315, lot 437, 20 November 2013. Another specimen is described at the Portable Antiquities Scheme (WILT-61EFD1). Sam Moorhead describes the P.A.S. example as a "silver contemporary copy." Yes, both my coin and the P.A.S. specimens are underweight, but I must disagree with Moorhead's assessment. The P.A.S. coin shares its obverse die with the C.N.G. specimen but it is paired with a different reverse die, which is not something a forger would be expected to do. Moreover, the specimen in my collection uses a different obverse die altogether and one would have to postulate a second forger who happened to have the same idea to use the dative case on the obverse paired with this particular reverse type, which is farfetched. Moreover, all these obverse dies are different from the three specimens with the Aeternitas reverse type (described above) that are illustrated online. The best explanation is that the Rome mint at the time issued an official denarius using at least two obverse dies with the DIVAE FAVSTINAE inscription, just as it did for the AETERNITAS type.

Faustina I, 138-140 CE.
Roman AR denarius, 2.35 g, 18.4 mm, 11 h.
Rome, 155-161 CE.
Obv: DIVAE FAVSTINAE, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: CONSECRATIO, Ceres (?) standing left, raising right hand and holding short torch in left.
Refs: RIC –; BMCRE 487n; Cohen –; Strack –; RCV –; CRE 88.
Notes: BMCRE cites the specimen from the Handley hoard; Temeryazev & Makarenko (CRE) cite the CNG specimen. My specimen acquired from @Barzus, who purchased it from another collector without provenance.

The Sestertius with the AETERNITAS Reverse Type

This issue is well-attested and was struck from multiple obverse dies. See also BMCRE 1606, Roma Numismatics Limited E-Sale 90, lot 1029, 18 November 2021, Bertolami Fine Arts E-Live Auction 38, lot 705, 10 December 2016, and Hauck & Aufhäuser Auktion 21, lot 332, 17-18 March, 2009.

Cohen (no. 19) quotes M. Decauville for a variant with a veiled bust on the obverse (cited from Cohen as RIC 1104), but Strack records no examples. Its existence is doubtful. Sally Rosenberg, Frankfurt, Auction 64, lot 1680, 19 June 1928, describes a specimen with a stephaned bust, but unfortunately the coin is not illustrated in the catalogue. Its existence is also doubtful; the soft band across Faustina's brow has probably been misinterpreted as a stephane.[6]

Faustina I, 138-140 CE.
Roman orichalcum sestertius, 21.82 g, 31.7 mm, 11 h.
Rome, 155-161 CE.
Obv: DIVAE FAVSTINAE, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: AETERNITAS S C, Aeternitas seated left, holding phoenix on globe and transverse scepter.
Refs: RIC –; BMCRE 1606; Cohen –; Strack 1255; RCV –.
Notes: BMCRE 1606n. – the veiled or stephaned variants listed in the footnotes are likely misdescribed (Cohen 19; RIC 1104).

Conclusion

The three coin types featuring the dative case DIVAE FAVSTINAE obverse inscription are rare but attested in the numismatic literature. Each appears to have been officially and purposely issued and were struck with two or more obverse dies. Moreover, each reverse type paired with the dative case inscription also appears paired with the anachronistic DIVA AVG FAVSTINA obverse legend as well as with the usual DIVA FAVSTINA obverse legend of the period. For whatever reason, the Rome mint in the late 150s seems to have experimented with a variety of obverse legends for the deified empress.

Do you have any thoughts on the matter? Please post examples of any of these reverse types you may have in your collection, whatever obverse inscription may appear on them. As always, comments and any coins you deem relevant are encouraged.

~~~

Notes

1. BMC 4 (p. 42n) states, "The sceptre suggests Juno here, but the gesture with the veil might seem more appropriate to Venus perhaps, while the stars on the body directly suggest Aeternitas." Elsewhere (p. 54n), the author suggests Juno or Pudicitia. Strack (s.v. no. 441) identifies the figure as Aeternitas. RSC (s.v. no. 40) identifies her as "Aeternitas (or Juno or Pudicitia or Venus)." Temeryazev and Makerenko (p. 54) identify Venus as the reverse type. The coin is unlisted in Sear.

2. After the publication of RIC and Strack.

3. "Coin Hoards of the Roman Empire." Reka Devnia 1929, Oxford University. https://chre.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/hoard/3406.

4. Cohen: Pietas (or Vesta?). Strack: Aeternitas. Mattingly: Ceres. Temeryazev and Makarenko: Ceres.

5. Robertson, Anne S. "A Hoard of Denarii from Handley, Dorset." The Numismatic Chronicle and Journal of the Royal Numismatic Society, vol. 10, no. 39/40, 1950, pp. 311–315. 6. See p. 313. Available online at https://www.jstor.org/stable/42661473.

6. Dinsdale, Paul H. Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius Caesar AD 138-161; Second Revised Edition. Leeds, Paul H Dinsdale, 2021, p. 302.

Edited December 1, 2023 by Roman Collector
I have OCD

[Ryro]

I'm glad that my gift not only made its way to you, but also made it to another amazing addition of Faustina Fridays!!!

How lucky am I to have a friend who more than returns the favor sending me this MASSIVE Sestertius!

here's a side view just to show off how thicc this little lady is!

Thanks RC! I can't wait to catch up at another show. 

[LONGINUS]

Excellent post, @Roman Collector — your research is amazing.

 

 

 

[Roman Collector]

9 hours ago, Ryro said:

I'm glad that my gift not only made its way to you, but also made it to another amazing addition of Faustina Fridays!!!

How lucky am I to have a friend who more than returns the favor sending me this MASSIVE Sestertius!

here's a side view just to show off how thicc this little lady is!

Thanks RC! I can't wait to catch up at another show. 

You're welcome, @Ryro! I'm glad you like it. It was like SATURNALIA IN AUGUST for us!!

8 hours ago, LONGINUS said:

Excellent post, @Roman Collector — your research is amazing.

 

 

 

Thank you for the kind words and the funny die-engraver meme, @LONGINUS!! Arimanius! Now THERE is an obscure deity!

[Sulla80]

Thanks @Roman Collector for an interesting post on these dative case coins.   I have only uninformed, wild speculation to offer.  With earlier examples of the use of dative case appearing to me to read "in honor of",  I like the thought that these coins more specifically honor the deification of Faustina - perhaps connected to her deification or the dedication of the temple to deified Faustina or funding of temple construction.  The temple later rededicated to DIVO ANTONINO ET DIVAE FAVSTINAE EX S C as seen here (image by ThePhotografer, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons).

Here's my dative coin of the daughter of Antoninus & Faustina, the living Faustina II, which I understand to honor her elevation to Augusta with the birth of her child by Marcus Aurelius (a daughter Domitia Faustina)

For more context for this coin: https://www.sullacoins.com/post/faustina-the-younger

 

Edited August 26, 2023 by Sulla80