Faustina Friday – A Ceres of Mistakes in Trusted References

[Roman Collector]

None of the coins of Faustina the Younger issued under Marcus Aureus cause more confusion than those featuring the goddess Ceres holding a torch (Ceres Taedifera, "Ceres the torch-bearer") or raising her robe. There are four types.

Type A: Ceres standing holding corn-ears and long torch; Beckmann Type 7 hairstyle, with or without stephane.

Detail of a denarius, Solidus Numismatik, Auction 11, lot 295, 14 January 2017.

Type B: Ceres seated holding corn-ears and long vertical torch; Beckmann Type 10 hairstyle, with or without stephane.

Detail of a medium bronze in the author’s collection.

Type 😄 Ceres seated holding corn-ears (sometimes also with a poppy) and short transverse torch; Beckmann Type 7 or 9 hairstyle.

Detail of a denarius in the author’s collection.

Type 😧 Ceres seated holding corn-ears and raising robe; Beckmann Type 7 or Type 9 hairstyle.

Detail of a sestertius, Künker, eLive Auction 62, lot 4200, 20 October 2020.

Today's installment aims to clarify the CERES issues of Faustina the Younger. The confusion arises because Cohen and Mattingly (RIC) each make a series of errors in their catalog descriptions. The listings in Szaivert (MIR) are even more confused and erroneous and are not discussed here.[1] Here are the listings in Cohen and RIC for the various coins of this type.

Cohen:




RIC:




The first error these venerable references make is that each fails to distinguish between the B and C types in silver, which I have previously discussed, even though they are clearly different issues, issued years apart.

Faustina II, 147-175 CE.
Roman AR denarius, 3.44 g, 16.6 mm, 7 h.
Rome, c. 170-175 CE.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right (Beckmann Type 10 hairstyle).
Rev: CERES S C, Ceres, veiled, seated left on cista, holding corn ears and long vertical torch.
Refs: RIC 669, BMCRE 79-80; Cohen 35, RSC 35, RCV 5249; CRE 160; MIR 3-4/10c.

Faustina II, 147-175 CE.
Roman AR denarius, 2.53 g, 16.7 mm, 7 h.
Rome, 162-164 CE.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right (Beckmann Type 7 hairstyle).
Rev: CERES S C, Ceres, veiled, seated left on cista, holding corn-ears and short transverse torch.
Refs: RIC 669, BMCRE 81-84; Cohen 35, RSC 35a, RCV 5249; CRE 159; MIR 4-4/10b.

Note that the denarii of each issue are listed as RIC 669 and Cohen 35. I think this is because Mattingly simply cited Cohen, without verification; in his later work, BMCRE4, he notes the two different varieties in the British Museum collection (BMCRE 79-80 and 81-84). Cohen, however, does note there are two reverse types on his description of the bronze issues. Note his description for nos. 36-39. He uses two different words for "torch": flambeau for nos. 33-36 and torche for nos. 37-39.

It's clear that Cohen uses flambeau to refer to a long torch; for the CERES standing variety (Cohen 33 and 34, the denarius and medium bronze, respectively) he uses the term flambeau. These scarce coins depict a long torch.

Cohen 33, Ceres with flambeau, BMCRE 78. RIC 668 describes this simply as "torch."

For Cohen 34, Ceres with flambeau, see the medium bronze in the author's collection, below. RIC 1619 describes the figure as holding a "lighted torch."

Faustina II, 147-175 CE.
Roman Æ as or dupondius, 11.50 g, 24.5 mm, 5 h.
Rome, c. 162-163 CE.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right (Beckmann Type 7 hairstyle).
Rev: CERES S C, Ceres standing left, holding grain ears and long torch.
Refs: RIC 1619; BMCRE 966; Cohen 34; RCV 5289; MIR 1-7/10b.
Notes: Also issued in the denarius denomination with a stephaned bust (RIC 668; BMCRE 78) of identical style to the LAETITIA issue of 162-163 CE. This coin is dated accordingly.

So, Cohen must mean a short torch when he uses the term torche. We also know this because he uses this term to refer to a middle bronze depicting Ceres seated with a short transverse torch, no. 38 (RIC 1622, BMCRE 967), which is not listed in RIC, BMCRE, Cohen, and Sear with the long vertical torch reverse design.[2] We see that Cohen is absolutely consistent in his use of flambeau to refer to a long torch and torche to refer to a short torch.

Turning to the RIC listings for the bronze denominations, the listing for no. 1621 describes Ceres as holding a "long torch." But RIC 1621 erroneously cites Cohen 37, which is the variety for which Cohen uses torche, by which he means "short torch." The coin actually corresponds to Cohen 36.

Faustina II, AD 147-175.
Roman orichalcum sestertius, 24.69 g, 31.4 mm, 11 h.
Rome, c. AD 170-175.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: CERES S C, Ceres seated left on cista, holding corn ears and long, vertical torch.
Refs: RIC 1621; BMCRE 894; Cohen 36; Sear 5271; Banti 25; MIR 3-6/10c.

The listing for RIC 1620 must refer therefore to the Type B reverse type, for it depicts Ceres with a "torch," not a “long torch.” But RIC 1620 erroneously cites Cohen 36, which Cohen describes with the word flambeau, by which he means "long torch." The coin actually corresponds to Cohen 37.

Sestertius (RIC 1620; Cohen 37) featuring Ceres seated left on cista, holding corn-ears (without poppy) and short, transverse torch. British Museum collection, no. 896.

The author’s collection contains a similar coin but depicting Ceres holding a poppy in addition to corn ears. Although cataloged as a separate type by Cohen (and therefore RIC), it is unlikely to have been a separate issue, but simply as a stylistic choice on the part of the die engraver.

Faustina II, AD 147-175.
Roman orichalcum sestertius, 28.83 g, 32.5 mm, 12 h.
Rome, AD 162-164.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, draped bust, right, wearing two strands of pearls (Beckmann Type 7 hairstyle).
Rev: CERES S C, Ceres seated left on cista, holding corn-ears and poppy in raised right hand and short, transverse torch in left hand.
Refs: RIC 1623; BMC 895n.; Cohen 39; MIR 2-6/10b; RCV –.

Therefore, the second source of confusion is that RIC is vague and in error in translating Cohen's descriptions.

Lastly the Type D reverse depicts Ceres seated left on a cista, holding corn ears (and poppy on the sestertii) but without a transverse torch. The coins are extremely rare. The denarius is known from a single specimen sold by Aureo & Calicó S.L., Subasta 314, lot 2143, 19 September 2018 = Subasta 269, lot 2163, 7 July 2015. The sestertius is known from a handful specimens, see the Künker specimen (illustrated below). Also José Herrero and Soler y Llach. The known sestertii were struck from a single reverse die.

Künker, eLive Auction 62, lot 4200, 20 October 2020.

I consider this variety to not be a separate issue, but simply as a stylistic choice on the part of the die engraver.

In conclusion:

There are TWO varieties of this coin in the silver and bronze denominations, an earlier one depicting Faustina's Beckman Type 7 or 9 hairstyle coupled with Ceres holding corn ears (+/- a poppy) and a short transverse torch (or her robe), and a later one depicting Faustina's Type 10 hairstyle coupled with Ceres holding a long, vertical torch.

The types depicting Ceres seated, holding a poppy in addition to grain ears (RIC 1623, Cohen 39), and depicting Ceres seated, lifting her robe, are best considered minor variants of the earlier type.

Mattingly errs in RIC when he cites Cohen in his description of the two sestertii with the Ceres seated reverse design.

Let's see your CERES reverse types, Faustina sestertii, examples of erroneous RIC listings, or whatever you feel is relevant!

~~~

Notes

1. The interested reader is referred to Dinsdale, Paul H The Imperial Coinage of the Middle Antonines: Marcus Aurelius with Lucius Verus and Commodus. Leeds, Paul H Dinsdale, 2020, p. 90.

2. A single specimen of the type is known, however: MIR 3-7/10c, citing Münzhandlung Basel (Auction 1, [Prince Waldeck]), 28.6.1934, pl. 33, 1379; Classical Numismatic Group, Inc., Electronic Auction 128, lot 394, 7 December 2005. This coin is currently in the author's collection.

[shanxi]

Nice write up. Since I have no AEs I can only add my Ceres denarii:

 

Ceres standig / long torch / Beckmannhairstyle type 7

 

 

Ceres seated / short transverse torch / Beckmann hairstyle type 7

 

 

Ceres seated / short transverse torch / Beckmann hairstyle type 9

 

 

Ceres seated / long vertical  torch / Beckmann hairstyle type 10

 

What about RIC 493 ? Does it exist? A mule with e.g. Faustina I 360a?

Edited December 6, 2024 by shanxi

[LONGINUS]

Great post, RC !

Diva Faustina I with Ceres is a favorite of mine. I love the portrait.

 

Edited December 6, 2024 by LONGINUS

[DonnaML]

My only denarius from either Faustina depicting Ceres on the reverse is this Diva Faustina I, which happens to have an error in its RIC description:

Diva Faustina I [Senior] (wife of Antoninus Pius), AR Denarius, prob. 150-160 AD [see Dinsdale, infra at p. 216 -- including this type among coins issued upon and after 10^th anniversary of Faustina’s deification]. Obv: Draped bust right, DIVA FAVSTINA / Rev: Ceres, veiled, standing left, holding torch in left hand and holding right hand up in greeting,  CONSECRATIO. RIC III 382b corr.*, RSC II 165a, Sear RCV II 4593, Dinsdale 020610 [Dinsdale, Paul H, Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius Caesar AD 138-161: Antonine Coinage (2018) at p. 249; photo at p. 254]. 17 mm., 3.3 g.

* RIC III 382b erroneously describes Faustina’s bust on obverse as veiled.  (RIC III 382a has  different obverse legend [DIVA AVG FAVSTINA]).

A few more coins with Ceres on the reverse:

 

M. [Marcus] Volteius, Liber on obv., Ceres in biga of snakes on reverse searching for her daughter. Crawford 385/3.

C. Memmius C.f., Quirinus on obverse, Ceres seated on reverse. Crawford 427/2.

Antoninus Pius AV aureus w/Ceres & Proserpina on reverse, probably representing Faustina II and (per @Roman Collector) Faustina III.

 

[Ryro]

Ceres-ly great title! You know in a sucker for a good pun. 

Best I can offer up is Sabina Ceres:

SABINA

Dupondius, 136 CE 

Mint: Rome 

26.3 mm, 10,2 g.

Obverse legend : SABINA AVGVSTA - HADRIANI AVG PP, Obverse: Diadémé bust and drape of Sabina on the right, hair raised, artistically capped. Reverse: Veiled and draped Ceres, seated left on a basket, holding ears of corn in right hand and torch in left hand

[Barzus]

A rare Ceres for Faustina I, with veiled portrait: