Faustina Friday – The SIDERIBVS RECEPTA and Biga Sestertius of Diva Faustina the Younger

[Roman Collector]

Friday felicitations, fellow Faustina fanatics! I hope you have a great weekend! Today we're going to talk about one of the posthumous issues for Faustina the Younger. This new acquisition depicts the empress with a billowing veil over her head riding in a biga, which drives right. Its reverse legend reads SIDERIBVS RECEPTA. This reverse type was issued only in the sestertius denomination, and it appears to have been struck with only four reverse dies.

Faustina II, 147-175 CE.
Roman orichalcum sestertius, 23.45 g, 31.45 mm, 11 h.
Rome, 176 CE and possibly later.
Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA PIA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: SIDERIBVS RECEPTA S C, Faustina, with billowing veil over her head, seated in a biga which travels right.
Refs: RIC 1717; BMCRE 1591-92; Cohen 217; RCV 5234; MIR 66-6/10; Banti 123; Hunter 34.

The Iconography of the Reverse Design

The reverse design depicts the apotheosis of the deified Faustina the Younger to the celestial realm, travelling in a biga to be received by the stars. I have previously written about the consecration and apotheosis of Faustina the Younger elsewhere here and here.

The coin's inscription, SIDERIBVS RECEPTA, is well translated as "received by the stars." This imagery likens Faustina to the goddess Diana.[1] Just as her twin brother Apollo as sun god drives a chariot across the daytime sky, Diana Lucifera, as the moon goddess, drives her chariot across the night sky.

Diana (Artemis) in Her Chariot, by Claude Mellan, 1633. The Met Museum.

Another posthumous sestertius, also bearing the legend SIDERIBVS RECEPTA, makes the comparison of Faustina to Diana Lucifera even more explicit. Here the empress is depicted as Diana Lucifera, wearing a crescent on her shoulders and holding a torch. The crescent symbolizes the moon, and the torch symbolizes moonlight.

Faustina II, 147-175 CE.
Roman orichalcum Sestertius, 23.66 g, 30.2 mm, 12 h.
Rome, 4th posthumous issue, 176 CE or later.
Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA PIA, bare-headed and draped bust, right (Beckmann Type 10 hairstyle).
Rev: SIDERIBVS RECEPTA, Diva Faustina, as Diana Lucifera, draped, wearing crescent on shoulders behind neck, standing right, holding lighted long torch.
Refs: RIC 1715; BMCRE 1584-88; Cohen 215; RCV (4th ed.; not in 5th) 1530; MIR 64-6/10.

This iconography is identical to a type issued about five years previously, during the empress’s lifetime, bearing the inscription DIANA LVCIFERA.

Faustina II, 147-175 CE.
Roman orichalcum sestertius, 23.09 g, 32.1 mm, 6 h.
Rome, 170-171 CE.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, draped bust, right, wearing stephane (Beckmann Type 10 hairstyle).
Rev: DIANA LVCIFERA S C, Diana standing right, holding lighted torch in both hands.
Refs: Refs: RIC 1631; BMCRE 901; Cohen 91; RCV –; MIR 8-6/10c diad.

The comparison of Faustina to Diana is therefore quite explicit on these posthumous coins with the SIDERIBVS RECEPTA reverse legend.

The billowing veil above and behind the empress represents "the starry mantle of the sky" and is an attribute of Aeternitas,[2] as demonstrated on this sestertius of Faustina the Elder.

Faustina I, 138-141 CE.
Roman orichalcum sestertius, 26.54 g, 33 mm.
Rome, 150 CE or later.
Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: AETERNITAS S C, Aeternitas standing left, holding globe and raising above head a starry mantle.
Refs: RIC 1106; BMCRE 1495-97; Cohen 30; Sear 4610; Strack 1262.

Faustina the Younger appears with this billowing, starry mantle, riding either on the traditional peacock or on an eagle flying to the heavens.

Faustina II, 147-175 CE.
Roman orichalcum sestertius, 26.28 g, 32.2 mm, 12 h.
Rome, 176 CE and possibly later.
Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA PIA, bare-headed and draped bust right.
Rev: CONSECRATIO S C, Faustina, holding scepter, seated left on back of peacock flying upward to right.
Refs: RIC 1702; BMCRE 1570-71; Cohen 69; RCV 5227; MIR 56.

Faustina II, 147-175 CE.
Roman orichalcum sestertius, 25.23 g, 30.2 mm, 11 h.
Rome, 176 CE and possibly later.
Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA PIA, veiled and draped bust, right.
Rev: CONSECRATIO S C, Faustina II carried by an eagle flying left, holding transverse scepter in her right hand and with veil decorated with stars floating above her head.
Ref: RIC 1701; BMC 1572; Cohen 68; RCV 5226; MIR –; Cayón p.153, 32.

Faustina the Younger is also depicted seated in the celestial realm between two dancing girls on this rare sestertius. All three of them wear veils billowing above and behind them.

Sestertius of Diva Faustina the Younger, RIC 1697. Nomos Auction 15, lot 256, 22 October 2017.

Dating the Issue

There were four obverse legends used for the posthumous coinage of Faustina the Younger. Pace Mattingly,[3] but consistent with Szaivert,[4] they certainly appeared in the following chronological order:
 

1. DIVAE FAVSTINAE PIAE
2. DIVAE FAVSTIN AVG MATR CASTROR
3. DIVA AVG FAVSTINA
4. DIVA FAVSTINA PIA

The order of the legends is established by the following observations. The earliest obverse legend must be that which appears on the coins of the MATRI CASTRORVM reverse type, which first appears on lifetime issues but then continues after her death. These coins feature the dative case DIVAE FAVSTINAE PIAE inscription on the obverse. I have discussed these coins in depth previously here at NVMIS FORVMS. Faustina's Mater Castrorum title is then moved to the obverse as DIVAE FAVSTIN AVG MATR CASTROR for the CONSECRATIO reverse types featuring Pietas, the empress's ustrinum, and an eagle flying left, carrying the deified empress to the celestial realm. These coins were issued after the MATER CASTRORVM reverse type because the ustrinum reverse design was also used with the later DIVA AVG FAVSTINA obverse legend and the Pietas sacrificing and eagle flying left designs were used with the still later DIVA FAVSTINA PIA obverse legend. Indeed, Coin Talk member Aestimare has performed a die-linkage study of the sestertii of the ustrinum reverse type and found two die reverse die linkages between dies with the FAVSTIN AVG MATR CASTROR and the DIVA AVG FAVSTINA obverse legends, demonstrating these obverse legends were used in rapid succession. The DIVA FAVSTINA PIA legend is the latest. It appears on a large and varied series of reverse types, which continued to be issued for a considerable period. It is probable that coins continued to be issued for Diva Faustina until the death of Aurelius in 180.[5] Nonetheless, the biga flying to the celestial realm features such clear apotheosis imagery that it's hard to imagine it being in use for much longer than some months after her death. I therefore date the coin to "176 CE and possibly later" to indicate the coin was issued shortly after her death but to indicate the lack of a certain terminus ante quem for the issue.

The Four Reverse Dies

After an extensive search of online and print references, I have found illustrations of 16 different specimens of this reverse type. Cohen cites the Bibliothèque nationale de France; unfortunately, that specimen is not available online to examine its reverse. This issue appears to have been struck using only four reverse dies. My coin is not well preserved, so I will illustrate its reverse die with another die-matched specimen. I shall call this reverse die A and it is represented by more specimens than the other three dies combined. The features of this die are the following:
 

• The forelegs of the lead horse are flexed to nearly 90 degrees.
• The hindlegs of the horses are flexed quite close to the body.
• The A in RECEPTA appears just in front of the lead horse's left hoof.
• The S in S C is some distance from the wheel of the chariot.
• The C in S C is close to the body of the lead horse.
• The S in S C has a prominent serif on its upper curve.

Sestertius struck with reverse die A. Bolaffi, Auction 44, lot 568, 6 December 2023. Other specimens struck with this die include American Numismatic Society 1995.110.12; British Museum R.14754 = BMCRE 1592; Cayón Subastas, Auction June 2009, lot 1242, 5 June 2009; CGB 311911; CNG Electronic Auction 282, lot 306, 11 July 2012; Gorny & Mosch Auction 237, lot 1913, 7 March 2016; Künker eLive Auction 78, lot 5338, 17 July 2023; Nomisma E-Live Auction 34, lot 67, 27 January 2024 (my coin); Hunterian Museum, Glasgow GLAHM:27676 = Hunter 34 (link not currently functional); NAC Auction I, lot 2076, 19 May 1999.

Reverse die B is exemplified by a specimen in the British Museum collection. The features of this die are the following.
 

• The forelegs of the horses are flexed to only about 30 degrees.
• The hindlegs of the horses are flexed much less and point away from the body.
• The A in RECEPTA appears just in front of the C in S C.
• The S in S C is some distance from the wheel of the chariot.
• The S in S C does not have a prominent serif on its upper curve.

Sestertius struck with reverse die B. British Museum 1872,0709.709 = BMCRE 1591 = MIR 66-6/10. See also CNG Electronic Auction 104, lot 184, 22 December 2004.

Reverse die C has the following features.
 

• The forelegs of the horses are nearly straight.
• The hindlegs of the horses are flexed quite close to the body.
• The horses have very prominent manes.
• The S in S C is very close to the wheel of the chariot.

Sestertius struck with reverse die C. Heritage Auction 271920, lot 40236, 26 May 2019. See also Herbert Grün, Auction 81, lot 2404, 10 May 2021.

Reverse die D has the following features.
 

• The forelegs of the horses are held very high and are bent sharply at the elbows and somewhat at the knees.
• The left front hoof of the lead horse is below the A of RECEPTA.
• The S in S C is very close to the right rear hoof of the trailing horse.
• The C in S C is far away from the bodies of the horses.

Sestertius struck with reverse die D. Dumez 3506.

As always, post comments, coins, and anything you feel is relevant! Do you have an example of this reverse type?

~~~

Notes

1. Stevenson, Seth William, et al. A Dictionary of Roman Coins, Republican and Imperial. G. Bell and Sons, 1889, s.v. SIDERIBVS RECEPTA, p. 744.

2. Mattingly, Harold, Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, vol. IV: Antoninus Pius to Commodus. Introduction, indexes and plates. London, BMP, 1968, p. lxxxiii.

3. Mattingly’s suggested chronology is as follows: (a) DIVA AVG FAVSTINA, (b) DIVAE FAVSTIN AVG MATR CASTROR, (c) DIVAE FAVSTINAE PIAE, (d) DIVA FAVSTINA PIA. See Mattingly, op. cit., pp. cxii.

4. Szaivert, Wolfgang, Die Münzprägung der Kaiser Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus und Commodus (161/192), Moneta Imperii Romani 18. Vienna, 1989, p. 231.

5. Szaivert, ibid.

[seth77]

Reason to post this dupondius again:




With the stars.

[expat]

Another absorbing write up, thoroughly entertaining and educational.

I have a sestertius, with one of your described reverses. This with an error

Faustina II AE Sestertius. 19,80g, 33mm.
 DIVA FAV-STINA PIA, draped bust right / SIDERIBVS RECEPTA S-C, Faustina as Diana, standing right, holding long torch across body with both hands, crescent behind neck. RIC 1715, Cohen 215. SEAR 1988 # 1530
Commemorative issue struck under Aurelius, circa
175/6 AD.
Reverse struck twice with clear images of two torches and two S of SC.

[Roman Collector]

16 hours ago, seth77 said:

Reason to post this dupondius again:




With the stars.

Thanks for showing your crescent and stars as! That's one of my favorite reverse designs for the deified empress. Scarce, too. I can't afford a specimen in the higher grades.

13 hours ago, expat said:

Another absorbing write up, thoroughly entertaining and educational.

I have a sestertius, with one of your described reverses. This with an error

Faustina II AE Sestertius. 19,80g, 33mm.
 DIVA FAV-STINA PIA, draped bust right / SIDERIBVS RECEPTA S-C, Faustina as Diana, standing right, holding long torch across body with both hands, crescent behind neck. RIC 1715, Cohen 215. SEAR 1988 # 1530
Commemorative issue struck under Aurelius, circa
175/6 AD.
Reverse struck twice with clear images of two torches and two S of SC.

Thank you for the kind words and I'm glad you enjoyed this week's installment of Faustina Friday. That's a fun one, with the double-struck reverse!! I like big ol' flan cracks, too. It's wabi-sabi, as @dougsmit would say. 

[Marsyas Mike]

Nice installment of FF @Roman Collector.  As always!  I gathered together my Diana Lucifera types and came up with a rather scruffy lot:

A dupondius/as:

Sestertius - torch left

Sestertius - torch right

Sestertius - weird AE obverse legend - torch right

I also have the flight of the peacock type - I keep trying for an upgrade, but wind up with different versions of "problematical" (to put a spin on it):