Please clothes this thread: a thread to show off your tightest duds

[Ryro]

Sorry for being so puny. It's part of being a father of three. 

In the Post it pick it thread there's been some pretty fancy outfits which have gotten me thinking that it would be pretty fun to have a thread with fancy outfits from across the ancient world. 

Let's see what the ancients wore as shown on coinage. It wasn't all nudity all the time. Or we'd have invited a time machine by now!

This Constantius II kinda sets the gold standard for fancy lads in my collection:

Constantius II

As Caesar, AD 324-337. Æ Follis, Treveri (Trier) mint. Struck AD 326. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust left / Camp-gate with two turrets and no door; star above; PTR(pellet-within-crescent). RIC VII 480; LRBC 29.

Former @Severus Alexander

It's always fun to see someone geared up wearing their battle attire. I wonder what color Julian's outfit was:

Julian II. Apostate. (361-363 AD). Æ Follis. (17mm, 2,96g) Antioch. Obv: D N FL CL IVLIANVS P F AVG. diademed, helmeted and armed bust left. Rev: VOT / X / MVLT / XX. legend in wreath.

The "White Huns" knew how to flex the fresh drip:

HEPHTHALITES. "Nspk Malka". Circa 500-560 AD. AR Drachm (25 MM, 3.27 gm). Bust right wearing bull's head crown / Fire altar with attendants. MACW 1507; Göbl, Hunnen 198. Toned, nearly very fine

The ladies have some incredible clothes as well as hair:

Helena, Augusta, 324-328/30. Follis (Bronze, 19.5 mm, 3.37 g 6), Treveri, 327-328. FL HELENA AVGVSTA Diademed and draped bust of Helena to right. Rev. SECVRITAS REI PVBLICE / STRE Securitas standing left, holding branch in her right hand. LRBC 41. RIC 508. Nicely patinated. Extremely fine.

Just like modern day models, good old Herk was just fine wearing dead animal skins. I'll let you decide who's sexier:

Cornelius. Pub Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus. Denarius. 100 BC. Auxiliary mint of Rome. (Ffc-617). (Craw-329 / 1b). (Rsc-478). Anv .: Bust of young Hercules right, turned from spectator, wearing lion's skin, club over shoulder, shield and Latin letter K and dots behind. ROME, below. Rev .: LENT MAR F, (NT and MAR interlace), in exergue. Roma standing facing, being crowned by the Genius of the Roman People, same letter K between them, all within laurel-wreath. Ag. 2.95 g. VF. Purchased from Tauler & Fau 4/2021

 

 

And that's it. Let's see what your ancients are wearing!

[Xeno]

Helena AE4. 330 AD. F L IVL HE-LENA AVG, diademed and mantled bust right / PAX PVBLICA dot, Pax standing left, holding olive branch and transverse sceptre, uncertain mint

Look at that necklace!

[expat]

Aurelian in his fancy fighting suit and Sol fully robed showing off his finery to a captive audience

[ewomack]

Here's the Apostate himself finely arrayed in diadem and cuirass. Lookout Sassanids! Those pagans apparently knew their way around a color chart too! His look certainly is no bull!

Julian II (360 - 363) AE1 (BI Maiorina); Thessalonika Mint; Obv: DN FL CL IVLIANUS PF AUG; Diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right; Rev: SECVRITAS REIPVB; Bull standing right, two stars above;*TESΓ in exergue; Ref: RIC 226
 

And doesn't Maurice just look splendid decked out in a consular robe accessorized with mappa and an eagle-tipped scepter! Chirp, chirp! He looks way too fabulous to overthrow! All usurpers recoil at a well-dressed emperor! Don't you dare wear white socks with black shoes in front of this vivacious ruler!

Maurice Tiberius. 582-602. Æ Decanummium 17mm, 3.1g Theoupolis (Antioch) mint. Dated RY 8 (AD 589/90); Obv: blundered legend, Crowned facing bust, wearing consular robe, holding mappa and eagle-tipped scepter; Rev: Large X; cross above, R below; A/N/N/O U/III (date) across field; Sear 536
 

Double your pleasure! Leo V and Constantine step out together in style wrapped finely in matching chlamys and crowns! How long do those things take to put on again? It's certainly worth the wait, especially when presented in sensational scintillating stereo!! Did I hear an ancient swoon?

Leo V AD 813-820, Æ Follis (23mm, 4.43 grams) Constantinopolis; LEON S CONST; facing busts of Leo (l.) and Constantine (r.);
Large M between XXX and NNN; cross above and A below; Sear 1630

 

They certainly didn't call him "The Wise" for nothing! Leo VI looks absolutely stunning and "fashion wise" (wink wink) enthroned in sparkling loros, accentuated by a big big big labarum and adorable little akakia! Wow! Wow! WOW! Who says smart people can't also look good?

Leo VI (AD 886-912); Constantinople; Æ Follis; Obv: +LEOn bAS - ILEVS ROM* Leo enthroned facing, wearing crown and loros, and holding labarum and akakia; Rev: Inscription in four lines: +LEOn / Eh ΘEO bA / SILEVS R / OmEOh; 6.90g, 28.00 mm;  Sear 1728

 

The "Gentle Usurper" Romanus I is definitely "gentle on the eyes" in this eye-popping jeweled chlamys!! Step aside Constantine VII and let Romanus on the runway!! That gorgeous crown, globus cruciger and labarum just make you want his reign to go on forever! No wonder the Bulgarians ceded! Who wouldn't?!

Romanus I Lacapenus (920 - 944); Constantinople Æ Follis; Obv: +RwMAN bAS-ILEVS Rwm’ Facing bust of Romanus I, bearded, wearing crown and jeweled chlamys, and holding labarum and globus cruciger; Rev: +RwMA/N’ENΘEwbA/SILEVSRw/MAIwN; 27mm, 8.09g, 6h; R.1886-8, Sear 1760

[happy_collector]

Interesting post, @Ryro. Here are a few special ones I noticed in my collection:  🙂

 

[Hrefn]

Miss Nike’s obligatory wings and trailing cloak are set off by some strappy sandals and the most adorable polka dot miniskirt.  And look at those dance moves!  A new update on an old favorite!  

[kirispupis]

I think for me Elymais was the most fashionable...

Kings of Elymais, Kamnaskires III, with Anzaze
Seleukeia on the Hedyphon
dated SE 233 = 80/79 BCE
AR Tetradrachm 15.89g, 27mm, 12h
Conjoined busts of Kamnaskires and Queen Anzaze to left; Seleukid anchor terminating in monogram behind
Zeus seated to left, holding sceptre and Nike, who crowns him; IΛCIΛEΩ[C] [KΛ]MNΛCKIIOY [...]IΛCIΛHHIH ANZAZH around, [MAK]EΔ[ΩN] to inner left, ГΛΣ (sic, date) in exergue.
Van't Haaff Type 7.1.1-1-2 (date unlisted); Alram 454 (date unlisted); Roma E-103, 597 (same dies); Sunrise -; DCA 518. 

 

Some others:

THRACE, Islands of. Samothrace
Circa 280 BCE
Æ 18mm, 5,27 gm, 12h
Obv: Helmeted and draped bust of Athena right.
Rev: ΠΥΘΟK, magistrate, to right, .ΣA-MO, to left. Cybele seated left, holding scepter and patera
SNG Copenhagen 998 var. (head of Athena); BMC Thrace, etc. pg. 215, 2-4

 

Cilicia. Philopator
20 BCE - 17 CE
Æ 22 mm, 6,73 g
Veiled and turreted bust of Tyche right; A on veil
Athena standing left, holding Nike and shield; monogram right.
RPC I 3872; SNG Levante 1259; SNG France 1917; SNG von Aulock 5414

 

Lesbos, Antissa
Circa 250-167 BCE
Æ 2.19g, 15mm, 11h.
Bull standing to left; club above
A-N, Apollo standing to left, holding lyre and plectrum
BMC 9; HGC 6, 870. 

[Hrefn]

He may be the second emperor to bear the name, but there is nothing second rate about Justinian’s formal ensemble on the left.  Nothing says “L’etat, c’est moi” like a sumptuous jewel-encrusted loros wrapped around the imperial shoulders.  A cross, a diadem with cross, and a globus cruciger let the audience know that this emperor is backed up by you know who.  All he is saying, is give pax a chance.   

But for lounging about the palace with the imperial progeny, there is nothing like the comfort of a chlamys.  Set off with gorgeous cloak pins with not one, but three pendilia, the look is completed by matching father and son diadems suitable for any occasion.  

Edited December 8, 2023 by Hrefn
Grammar

[ambr0zie]

Hard to beat Elegabal's head wear. 

Mercury/Hermes was also a trendsetter in these. 

Of course, one cannot forget Hercules with this headdress 

[Al Kowsky]

The most common reverse type seen on the Diocletian era nummi is the Genius of Rome, who appears almost the same on all these coins, however, some of the engravers made subtle differences. I'd like to make a humorous comparison with the two coins pictured below 😁. The Genius on the left was struck at the Trier mint, & shows a modest Genius covering the "family jewels", & the coin on the right, struck at the Cyzicus mint, shows Genius "strutting his stuff" 😂.

[expat]

Venus displaying her new headware and accessories set of matching earrings and necklace. One of the horses pulling Victory´s triga is thinking, WOW!

[Roman Collector]

Hadrian disagrees! After all, with all those clothes, how could he show off his bare chest? Or is that bear chest?

Hadrian, 117-138 CE.
Roman AR denarius, 2.51 g, 19.1 mm, 7 h.
Rome, 117 CE.
Obv: IMP CAES TRAIAN HADRIAN OPT AVG GER DAC, laureate heroic bust of Hadrian, right, with drapery on left shoulder.
Rev: PARTHIC DIVI TRAIAN AVG F P M TR P COS P P, Justitia seated left on throne, holding patera and scepter; IVSTITIA in exergue.
Refs: RIC II.3 (2nd ed.) 19; BMCRE 12; RSC 875a; Strack 5; Sear --. Unlisted with this bust type in RIC (1st ed.) and Cohen.
Notes: Rare bust type. Double die match to the British Museum specimen and Heritage Auction 3063, lot 33412, 1/16/2018.

[Limes]

Nice idea for a thread, and great coins! And I completely understand the relationship between puny and being father of three 😉

Anyway, when it comes to outfits, these come to mind.

1. A nice harnas to keep you warm during the winter:

2. A nice warm hat also helps:

3. Some extra clothing for the imaginative figure... 

[LONGINUS]

Great post, @Ryro!

 

Ms. Victory is looking rather formal on this coin.

 

 

[expat]

2300 years ago the high fashion item of the Greek population, a pileus

Fast forward a couple of millennium, add a brim and it is still the thing to wear.

[jdmKY]

If one wished to be ostentatious, one could always choose an elephant for headgear!

[Constantivs]

I love this coin's silvering and patina.... and certainly enjoy Sol's flowing robes....

 

Edited December 9, 2023 by Constantivs