Faustina Friday – SALVTI AVG: A Deathbed Prayer for Faustina the Elder?

[Roman Collector]

Friday felicitations, fellow Faustina fanatics. Today I'm going to discuss a very rare lifetime issue of Faustina the Elder, a medium bronze depicting Salus and bearing the dative case inscription, SALVTI AVG, translated as "For the health of the Empress." I took advantage of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to purchase one of these coins when @curtislclay placed it for sale through Harlan J. Berk.

Faustina I, 138-140 CE.
Roman orichalcum dupondius, 16.02 g, 28.2 mm, 5 h.
Rome, 140 CE.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG PII P P, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: SALVTI AVG S C, Salus standing left, extending patera to a snake rising from an altar and holding scepter.
Refs: RIC 1096; BMCRE 1131; Cohen 265; Strack 1223; Sear 4684; Hill UCR 171.
Notes: Ex-Curtis L. Clay; Ex- F.J. Roth list, May 1988, no. 284. All known specimens struck with same die pair; obverse die match to Cohen 264/Strack 1222, indicating simultaneous production.

The Coin's Iconography

The SALVTI AVG type appears to have only been issued in the medium bronze denomination and with two reverse dies with similar designs. In addition to the rather standard Salus feeding a serpent rising from an altar design shown above, a second reverse design features the goddess holding the the snake and leaning against a tree. The two designs are well demonstrated by specimens in the Bibliothèque Nationale De France, illustrated by Strack.

Medium bronze issues of the SALVTI AVG type of Faustina I in the French national collection, Cohen 264 and 265. Strack (Taf. XVIII, 1222 and 1233).[1]

Salus is the Roman equivalent of the Greek Hygieia (Ὑγιεία). As such, she is the daughter of Aesculapius and was worshiped as a goddess of health, safety, and the general welfare. This goddess is typically depicted as a woman clothed in the stola, either sitting or standing, often holding a scepter, and feeding a serpent from a patera held in her extended hand.[2] Serpents were the sacred animal of Aesculapius and were felt to have supernatural healing powers. I have previously written about these snakes elsewhere. It is with these attributes that Salus is almost always depicted on coins on the imperial series from Galba to Maximianus.

The type depicting Salus standing, holding the serpent, is well-attested in the Roman imperial and provincial series.

Trebonianus Gallus, 251-253 CE.
Roman orichalcum sestertius, 19.25 g, 27.4 mm, 1 h.
Rome mint, 3rd officina, 1st emission, 251 CE.
Obv: IMP CAES C VIBIVS TREBONIANVS GALLVS AVG, Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right.
Rev: SALVS AVGG S C, Salus standing right, feeding serpent which she holds in both arms.
Refs: RIC 121a; Cohen 115; RCV 9678; Banti 31; Hunter p. cvi.

Gordian III, with Tranquillina, 238-244 CE
Roman provincial AE 4½ assaria, 12.80 g, 28.2 mm, 7 h.
Moesia Inferior, Tomis, 241-244 CE.
Obv: AVT K M ANTΩNIOC ΓΟΡΔΙΑΝΟC // CABINIA TPA / NKVΛΛINA, confronted laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Gordian right and diademed, draped bust of Tranquillina left.
Rev: MHTPOΠON-TOV TOMEΩC, Hygieia standing right, feeding serpent from patera; Δ< (ligate) in lower left field.
Refs: RPC VII.2, 1699; AMNG I (Pick) 3534.

The presence of a tree on coins depicting Salus is unusual but not unprecedented among the Antonine coinage. Various trees and groves were common symbols of healing in antiquity and represent the curative power of the earth manifest in the vegetable kingdom.[3] A medallion of Antoninus Pius depicts Salus standing, leaning on a garlanded altar and feeding a snake coiled around a tree.

Orichalcum medallion of Antoninus Pius depicting Salus feeding a serpent in a tree, Gnecchi 147 and pl. 149, 5. Leu Numismatik, Auction 2, lot 258, 11 May 2018.

On medallions of Faustina II and Commodus, Salus is enthroned in a garden and feeds a snake in a tree. According to Jocelyn M. C. Toynbee, "This design is closely paralleled by a marble relief found on the site of a villa of Herodes Atticus at Loukon in Thera and now in the National Museum at Athens,"[4] The same type also appears on sesterces of Commodus.

Æ Medallion of Faustina the Younger depicting Salus seated left on throne, adorned by sphinx and griffin, feeding a snake uncoiling from a tree; to left, column surmounted by statuette, Gnecchi II 3, pl. 67, 3. Classical Numismatic Group, Electronic Auction 255, lot 309, 4 May 2011.

Sestertius of Commodus featuring similar iconography, RIC 450. British Museum collection, BMCRE 556.

Inventory of Known Specimens and Die Analysis

After a thorough search of online databases, there appear to be five known specimens of the SALVTI AVG type of Faustina the Elder, two specimens of the Salus leaning against a tree variety and three of the Salus feeding serpent rising from altar variety.

SALVTI AVG S C, Salus standing left, holding snake and leaning against a tree (RIC 1095; Cohen 264; Strack 1222):

Æ as, 11.39 g, 27 mm. Bibliothèque Nationale De France, Cohen 264. Photo by Roxane Gauthier-Dussart.[5]

Æ as in the collection of Numismatikforum member “Homer J. Simpson.”[6]

These two coins appear to have been struck with the same die-pair and seem to be copper asses.

SALVTI AVG S C, Salus standing left, feeding snake rising from an altar and holding scepter (RIC 1096; Cohen 265; Strack 1223):

As or dupondius, 11.87 g, 28 mm. Bibliothèque Nationale De France, Cohen 265. Photo by Roxane Gauthier-Dussart.[7]

Orichalcum dupondius in my collection, ex-Curtis L. Clay.

Coin postulated in BMCRE to be an “Æ as (?),” 11.83 g. British Museum collection, BMCRE 1131.

All three of these coins were struck with the same die pair. In addition, the coins are obverse die matches to the two specimens with the Salus leaning against a tree variety, confirming the simultaneity of the two reverse types. Upon examination in-hand, the metallic composition of my coin appears to be orichalcum; the composition of the remaining two is uncertain. Because of the die-linkages, I suspect all three specimens to be orichalcum. It's possible that the different reverse designs were intended to represent different denominations: the Salus and tree indicating the copper as, and the Salus feeding serpent rising from altar and holding scepter indicating the dupondius. But a larger inventory of specimens would be required to establish this trend.

Implications for History
 

We know very little about the death of Faustina the Elder because the few primary sources say very little about it. The Fasti Ostienses for A.D. 140 records:
 

On October 23(?) Faustina Augusta died and on the same day was named diva by the Senate and a senatorial decree was made awarding her a state funeral. Games and circus-races were offered. [Some unknown number of days before] November 13 Faustina’s state funeral was celebrated, gold and silver statues were set up(?), and a senatorial decree.[8]

If the often-unreliable Historia Augusta is to be believed in this instance, it is most likely that Faustina was either in or not far from Rome when she died, perhaps at Pius’s villa at Lorium west of Rome on the Via Aurelia, where the emperor had been raised.[9] We don't know with certainty how old she was at the time of her death because we don't know when she was born. Barbara Levick estimates her birth year as c. 97 CE, while acknowledging that Kienast suggests a date as late as 105 CE.[10]

Faustina, then, would have been in her late thirties or early forties when she died. In the absence of foul play, the young age at the time of her death implies that she died of a serious medical illness. Since the Saluti Augustae inscription on these coins is in the dative case, meaning "for the health of the Empress," it's quite reasonable to infer they were issued in response to a health crisis.

Indeed, Strack postulates the coin was struck in response to a sudden, serious illness: "That Faustina died suddenly after a short illness is evident from the rarity of her coinage with SALVTI AVG: only one As with each of the usual representations of the goddess has survived today (1222/3 = Taf. XVIII)." (Translation mine.)[11] Mattingly similarly concludes, "'Salus Aug.' perhaps suggests anxiety about the Empress’s health."[12] Noted numismatist, Curtis L. Clay, writes in his notes about the coin, "It seems likely that this rare As, and another similar As that adds a tree to the type, reflect concern about the illness which was to cause Faustina's death in November 140.This rare coin probably records the illness that Faustina died of."[13]

Since these SALVTI AVG asses appear to have been struck from one obverse and two reverse dies, only a few thousand copies may have been issued. This is strictly conjecture, but I imagine Faustina fell gravely ill and an order to strike these coins went to the mint when it became apparent that her life was in danger. Two dies were engraved, and production of the coins ensued for a few days until the news of the empress's death put an end to this series of coins. If so, these were the last coins produced in her lifetime.

As always, please post coins, comments, and anything you feel is relevant!

~~~

Notes

1. Strack, Paul L., Untersuchungen zur Römischen Reichsprägung des Zweiten Jahrhunderts, vol. 3, Die Reichsprägung zur Zeit des Antoninus Pius. Stuttgart 1937.

2. Sear, David R., Roman Coins and their Values, vol. 2, The Accession of Nerva to the Overthrow of the Severan Dynasty, A.D. 96 -A.D. 235. London, 2002, p. 40.

3. Penn, Raymond G. Medicine on Ancient Greek and Roman Coins. Seaby, 1994, p 31.

4. Catherine, Toynbee Jocelyn Mary. Roman Medallions. N.Y., 2022, p. 222.

5. Gauthier-Dussart, Roxane, et al. "Entre Rome et Alexandrie: Le Monnayage d'antonin Le Pieux (138-161), Idéologie Du Règne et Adaptations Locales." l'Université de Montréal, 2017, Pl. 18, 1439.

6. Simpson, Homer J. "Faustina I.: Ihre Letzte Münze Zu Lebzeiten??" Numismatikforum, 1 Nov. 2007, www.numismatikforum.de/viewtopic.php?t=22734.

7. Gauthier-Dussart, op. cit., pl. 18, 1440.

8. Fasti Ostienses (tablet O, lines 11-15), quoted and transl. by Martin Beckmann. The texts are damaged and both dating formulas are corrupted; therefore, the precise days cannot be recovered. See Beckmann, Martin. Diva Faustina: Coinage and Cult in Rome and the Provinces. American Numismatic Society, 2012, p.22.

9. Historia Augusta Pius 1.8, as cited by Beckmann, op. cit., p. 22.

10. Levick, Barbara. Faustina I and II: Imperial Women of the Golden Age. Oxford University Press, 2014, p. 169.

11. Strack, op. cit., p. 48. The original German text reads: "Daß Faustina schon nach kürzer Krankheit und plötzlich starb, geht aus der Seltenheit ihrer Prägungen mit SALVTI AVG hervor: nur je ein As mit einer der üblichen Darstellungen der Göttin sind heute erhalten (1222/3 = Taf. XVIII)."

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

13. Lot #211: Faustina I. 40-as 227th Buy or Bid Sale. Harlan J. Berk, Ltd., www.hjbltd.com/#!/inventory/item-detail/ancient-coins/105447. Accessed 6 Apr. 2024.

[Marsyas Mike]

An exceptionally interesting coin type, @Roman Collector.  The idea of these limited issues is very appealing - Hadrian's issues for his erstwhile successor Aelius comes to mind, though these Faustina I types are far scarcer.  I want one!  

Sorry to say I don't have one of these to share, but the Salus cradling the snake type came my way recently for Valerian - a somewhat scarce type for him, from what I can find.  I wonder if he was sick when this was issued?  The Persians gave him other things to worry about, unfortunately:  

Valerian I  Antoninianus (c. 255-257 /  257-259 A.D.) Mediolanum (Milan) Mint IMP VALERIANVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right / SALVS AVGG, Salus standing right, feeding serpent held in arms RIC V 252; Cohen RSC 202a; Göbl MIR 836 b (5 ex.). (2.54 grams / 21 x 19 mm) eBay April 2024  

Note: OCRE breaks this down:

RIC V 252a: draped (two examples, both cuirassed!)

RIC V 252c: draped & cuirassed All other sources just cite 252. 

Mints location and dates vary:

RIC/OCRE and most auctions:   Mediolanum, 257-259 A.D.

CGB.fr  Viminacium 255-257 A.D.

[Jims,Coins]

Bronze coin (AE Antoninianus) minted at Siscia during the reign of PROBUS in 280 A.D. Obv. IMP.PROBVS.P.F.AVG.: Radiate, cuirassed bust right, Rev. SALVS.AVG.: Salus stg. r., feeding serpent in arms. In ex. XXI, in r. field T. DVM #43. RICV #748 RCSII #12029.

[expat]

Another fascinating episode of your highly enjoyable series. The only thing remotely relevant I have is an orichalcum of Faustina II

Faustina II Orichalcum Dupondius, 13.55g, 27mm. Rome 161-164 CE.
RIC 1671, Sear 5303, BMCRE 995, Cohen 201.
FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, diademed draped bust right / SALVTI AVGVSTAE, SC below, Salus seated left on a low decorative chair, feeding from a patera a serpent coiled around and raising up from altar.
 

Edited April 14 by expat

[Roman Collector]

On 4/12/2024 at 8:01 AM, Marsyas Mike said:

An exceptionally interesting coin type, @Roman Collector.  The idea of these limited issues is very appealing - Hadrian's issues for his erstwhile successor Aelius comes to mind, though these Faustina I types are far scarcer.  I want one!  

Sorry to say I don't have one of these to share, but the Salus cradling the snake type came my way recently for Valerian - a somewhat scarce type for him, from what I can find.  I wonder if he was sick when this was issued?  The Persians gave him other things to worry about, unfortunately:  

Valerian I  Antoninianus (c. 255-257 /  257-259 A.D.) Mediolanum (Milan) Mint IMP VALERIANVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right / SALVS AVGG, Salus standing right, feeding serpent held in arms RIC V 252; Cohen RSC 202a; Göbl MIR 836 b (5 ex.). (2.54 grams / 21 x 19 mm) eBay April 2024  

Note: OCRE breaks this down:

RIC V 252a: draped (two examples, both cuirassed!)

RIC V 252c: draped & cuirassed All other sources just cite 252. 

Mints location and dates vary:

RIC/OCRE and most auctions:   Mediolanum, 257-259 A.D.

CGB.fr  Viminacium 255-257 A.D.

Thank you as always for your interest and kind words, @Marsyas Mike. I like your Salus antoninianus of Valerian. The coinage of Valerian/Gallienus is a very interesting area and there's often scholarly disagreement between sources. At one time, there were a couple of excellent online pages about coinage of this dynasty, but sadly, the pages are no longer operational. 

On 4/12/2024 at 8:12 AM, Jims,Coins said:

Bronze coin (AE Antoninianus) minted at Siscia during the reign of PROBUS in 280 A.D. Obv. IMP.PROBVS.P.F.AVG.: Radiate, cuirassed bust right, Rev. SALVS.AVG.: Salus stg. r., feeding serpent in arms. In ex. XXI, in r. field T. DVM #43. RICV #748 RCSII #12029.

That's a cool coin of Probus! I like how it shows the snake food inside the patera. 

4 hours ago, expat said:

Another fascinating episode of your highly enjoyable series. The only thing remotely relevant I have is an orichalcum of Faustina II

Faustina II Orichalcum Dupondius, 13.55g, 27mm. Rome 161-164 CE.
RIC 1671, Sear 5303, BMCRE 995, Cohen 201.
FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, diademed draped bust right / SALVTI AVGVSTAE, SC below, Salus seated left on a low decorative chair, feeding from a patera a serpent coiled around and raising up from altar.
Faustina II AR Denarius, 18mm, 3.27g. RIC 495a, RSC 15, BMC 1099
Rome mint 156/7 CE

Thank you for your kind words! I too have an interest in the Salus coinage of Faustina II. I have written several times about various aspects of her Salus issues. You may find these of interest:

Faustina Friday – The Salus Issues: An Obstetrical Complication? | Coin Talk

Faustina Friday -- Salus Edition | Coin Talk