Present your Parazoniums

[expat]

Let us see your examples of coinage with a parazonium

In Roman statuary, the weapon is cradled in the bearer's left arm

or, on Trajan's Column, for example, it is stuck into the left side of the officer's chest band. Existing examples on statuary show that the parazonium's scabbard shape is a direct copy of the few existing Greek parazonia on display at various Greek museums. The weapon's hilt, grip, and pommel are not copies of the Greek style. The pommel cap is either an eagle's head or a bi-lobed pommel. The details of the hand grip on the statues are no longer clear after 2,000 years. The guards, contrary to some reports, are authentic and are a rather theatrical "S" shape with inset detail.

The Roman parazonium blade tended to be leaf shape and approximately 15–19 in (380–480 mm) long. The use of the Roman parazonium tended to be somewhat theatrical in the sense that it was a mark of rank and it was used to rally the troops. It appears the normal procedure was for the officer to exchange his parazonium for a gladius or a spatha if he was directly threatened during a battle.

Militiae decus hoc gratique erit omen honoris, arma tribunicium cingere digna latus.

Translated: A soldier’s distinction this will be and an omen of a welcome honor, arms worthy to gird the side of a tribune.

Thanks to Wikipedia

 

Marcus Aurelius, as Caesar. AE As. 151-152 AD. Struck under Antoninus Pius.

Obv: AVRELIVS CAESAR ANTONINI AVG PII FIL, bare head right.
Rev: TR POT VI COS II. VIR-TVS and S-C across fields. Virtus standing
left, foot on helmet, holding spear and parazonium (A parazonium is a long triangular dagger, wide at the hilt end and coming to a point. In Roman mythology, it is frequently carried by Virtus, particularly in early representations. It is also sometimes carried by Mars, Roma, or the emperor, giving them the aura of courage).

RIC 1307; Cohen 1013.13,0 g - 26,5 mm

Coins, statues and art, all are welcome.

 

[JayAg47]

A sestertius of Commodus as Caesar with Virtus holding Parazonium.

[shanxi]

Nice coins. Here are two more.

Gordianus III
Macedonia, Edessa
Obv.: AVT K M ANTΩNIOC ΓOPΔIANOC, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right
Rev.: ЄΔЄCCAIΩN, Roma seated left on cuirass, holding Nike and parazonium, crowned by Tyche standing behind her and holding cornucopiae
AE, 24mm, 7.02g
Ref.: Varbanov 3, 3658

 

Faustina II
Aeolis, Myrina
AD 161-165
Magistrate: M. Oul. Aristophanes
Obv.: Φ[ΑVСΤΙΝΑ] СƐΒΑСΤΗ, Draped bust of Faustina II right
Rev.: [ƐΠΙ Μ] οVΛ ΑΡΙС[ΤοΦΑ] ΜVΡΙΝ[ΑΙΩΝ], Amazon Myrina seated left, holding patera, parazonium and spear
AE, 4.66g, 19mm
Ref.: RPC IV online 357, SNG München 593-4

[Edessa]

Nero. AD 54-68. Æ Sestertius (35mm, 25.95g, 7h). Lugdunum (Lyon) mint. Struck circa AD 65. Obv: NERO•CLAVD•CAESAR•AVG•GER•P M TR P IMP P P; Laureate head to left. Rev: Roma seated to left on cuirass, holding Victory and parazonium, shield behind; S-C across fields, ROMA in exergue. Ref: RIC I 443; C. 262; BN 83; WCN 428; Giard, Lyon 119; BMCRE -.

[maridvnvm]

Hadrian denarius

Obv:- HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS P P bare head right
Rev:- COS III, Virtus,standing right, holding scepter and parazonium; left foot raised, resting on helmet.
Unknown Eastern Mint. Bust style is very well executed and good enough to be from Rome.
Reference:- RIC -, cf RSC 355, cf BMC Page 380 #25 (Vienna) (draped bare head bust right) same reverse die though the image is very grainy.

Septimius Severus denarius

Obv:– IMP CAE L SEP SEV PERT AVG COS II, Laureate head right
Rev:– VIRTV-T-E AVG, Virtus standing right, holding spear in right hand, parazonium in left
Minted in Emesa, A.D 194 - 195
References:– BMC 403, RIC 431 (Scarce), RSC 771

This one is controvertial.... what does it look like the emperor is holding on the FTR Hut?

 

 

[Heliodromus]

Constantine celebrating the virtus of his gallic troops in his victory over Maxentius. Virtus with spear and rather phallic-looking parazonium !

The X-VI field marks indicate the unusual denomination of 16/25 DC or approximately 2/3 (16/24) of a nummus.

 

[Prieure de Sion]

Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus Augustus; Reign: Commodus; Mint: Rome; Date: 180 AD; Nominal: Denarius; Material: Silver; Diameter: 18mm; Weight: 3.60g; Reference: Reference: RIC III Commodus 5 var (laureate and draped); Rare: R3; Provenance: Soler y Llach Numismatics Barcelona, Spain (Auction 1124, Lot 989); Obverse: Head of Commodus, laureate and draped, right; Inscription: M COMMODVS ANTONINVS AVG; Translation: Marcus Commodus Antoninus Augustus; Reverse: Roma, helmeted, draped, seated right, holding spear in right hand and parazonium in left hand; Inscription: TR P V IMP IIII COS II P P; Translation: Tribunicia Potestate Quinta, Imperator Quartum, Consul Secundum, Pater Patriae; Translation: Holder of tribunician power for the fifth time, Imperator for the fourth time, consul for the second time, father of the nation.

 

[Roman Collector]

Here are a couple in my collection. They aren't the most "hi-res" depictions of the parazonium.

Valerian I, AD 253-260.
Roman AR antoninianus, 2.75 g, 20 mm, 7 h.
Uncertain Eastern mint, 2nd emission, AD 256-260.
Obv: IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS·P·F·AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from the front.
Rev: PIETAS AVGG, Valerian, holding eagle-tipped scepter, and Gallienus, holding parazonium, standing facing each other, sacrificing over lighted altar between them.
Refs: RIC 285; Göbl 1684e; Cohen/RSC 152; RCV 9955; Hunter 73.

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.

[ambr0zie]

I have just one, but this is one of my favorite LRBs. 

17,5 mm, 3,54 g.
Constantine II, Caesar under Constantine I 317-337. Ӕ nummus. Treveri. 322. CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB C, laureate bust to left, wearing ornate trabea, holding Victory on globe in right hand and parazonium in left / BEATA TRANQVILLITAS, large globe on an altar inscribed VO/TIS/XX; three stars above, •STR• dot in exergue. RIC VII Treveri 382.

[DonnaML]

My most obvious parazonium, in more ways than one:

Hadrian, AE Dupondius, AD 119 - c. mid-120 [RIC II.3 pp. 89-97], Rome Mint. Obv. Radiate head right with part of upper shoulder line viewed from behind, IMP CAESAR TRAIANVS HADRIANVS AVG PM TRP COS III / Rev. Virtus standing right, right breast bare, left foot on helmet, holding spear with right hand and parazonium with left hand, VIRTUTI AVGVSTI,* S - C across fields. RIC II.3 Hadrian 278 [bust variety A1: nude, no drapery] & Pl. 68 (2019 ed.), old RIC II 605 (1926 ed.), Sear RCV II 3670, Cohen 1470, BMCRE 1239. 27 mm., 11.36 g.

 

*See RIC II.3 Introduction at p. 49, explaining that new messages seen during the 119-121 period include “Honos and Virtus, celebrating the Emperor’s honour and courage. Honos is a relatively rare male personification. The more commonplace Virtus is female but she demonstrates the masculine nature of her message – vir = man in Latin – by holding a parazonium [large dagger in ornamental scabbard with bulbous end] in a distinctly phallic pose.”

One more:

Caracalla AR Denarius 211 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate head of Caracalla right, ANTONINVS PIVS AVG BRIT/ Rev. Virtus, helmeted, draped, standing right, right breast bare, left foot on helmet, holding reversed spear in her right hand and parazonium in her left hand, PONTIF TR P XIIII COS III. (Fourteenth anniversary as ordained heir.) RIC IV-1 117B, RSC III 478. 19 mm., 3.01 g.

 

 

[Dafydd]

Here is one of mine, the tone attracted me.

Domitian dupondius with COS XV in the obverse legend.
Roman Imperial Domitian (81-96), Dupondius 90-91, Rome mint Obverse: radiate head right
IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XV CENS PER P P
Reverse: Virtus standing right, foot on helmet, holding spear and parazonium, SC in fields
VIRTVTI AVGVSTI
Weight 12,67 g.