My latest Julia Domna from Emesa: Venus Victrix from behind before and after Julia Domna

[Ryro]

After chasing the elusive Emesa Venus of Julia Domna I was able to nab one today. This also fits in with the few Septimius Severus coins of Emesa that I have. Butt the larger collecting niche area being filled is my Venus Victrix from behind collection:

JULIA DOMNA (Augusta, 193-217). Denarius. Emesa.

Obv: IVLIA DOMNA AVG.

Draped bust right.

Rev: VENERI VICTR.

Venus standing right, seen from behind, holding palm frond and apple, resting elbow on column to left.

RIC 632 (Septimius); T&M 410.

18mm // 2,85g

VF

Us moderns have the luxury of knowing the reason that the Venus de Milo is showing off is actually due to her inability to pull up her toga due to her missing arms. The ancients wouldn't have gotten this having their statues all in one piece:

I don't yet have this reverse with Septimius Severus obverse, but know the type exist thanks to @dougsmit and his amazing Severan collection. 

Here are a couple others of mine featuring Julia from Rome:

Julia Domna Denarius . 193-196 AD . Rome . (Ric- 536 ). Ob .: IVLIA DOMNA AVG, Bust draped to the right . Rev .: VENERI VICTR, Venus standing to the right, leaning on a column, holding a palm and an apple . Ag . 3.18 g. Displaced. Tone . EBC . Tauler & Fau Jan 2021

JULIA DOMNA (WIFE OF SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS). AR Denarius, Rome Mint, struck under Septimius Severus, ca. A.D. 193-196. ANACS AU 50.

RIC-536 (Severus); RSC-194. Obverse: Draped bust right; Reverse: Venus standing right, with back facing, holding apple and palm frond, and resting upon column to left. A popular type, this example presents a solid overall strike with subtle toning and brilliance.

Here's a chunky one... coin that is:

Julia Domna

193-211 CE. Rome Sestertius Æ 27mm., 19,52g. IVLIA DO-MNA [AVG]; draped bust right / VENERI [VICTR]; Venus standing right, seen from behind, leaning on column, holding palm with left hand and apple with right; S C across fields. Revere almost slate RIC IV 842.

Of course they reverse style was around before and after Julia Domna came from the east. 

Even the boys didn't mind such a titillating reverse, as Titus shows:

Titus, 79-81. Denarius (AR, 17mm, 3.2 g 6), Rome, 79. T CAESAR IMP VESPASIANVS Laureate head of Titus to right. Rev. TR POT VIII COS VII Venus standing right, leaning on cippus, holding helmet in her right hand and long transverse scepter in her left. BMC 255. BN 223. Cohen 332. RIC 1078. Purchased from Dara Museum Sept 2021

And his poor daughter shared the type under her uncle:

Julia Titi, daughter of Titus (died 90 AD). AR Denarius, 80-81. Obv. Bust right, draped. Rev. Venus standing right, resting elbow on column and holding scepter and helmet. RIC II-p. 1 (2nd ed.) (Titus) 388. AR. 2.83 g. 20.00 mm. R. Rare type. F. Purchased from Artemide May 2021

I'm sure good pal @Roman Collector has one of these to share:

Faustina II, wife of Marcus Aurelius, 147-175. Denarius (Silver, 19 mm, 2.92 g, 6 h), Rome, 161-175. FAVSTINA AVGVSTA Draped bust of Faustina to right. Rev. VENERI VICTRICI Venus, half-draped, standing to right, leaning on column and holding spear with left and helmet with right hand. BMC 161 ( Marcus Aurelius ). RIC 723 ( Marcus Aurelius ). RSC 240. Scarce. Nearly very fine. Purchased from Nomos Obols 28 July 2023

 

 

And years after JD and the Severans Gallienus wife, Salonina, sported a trimmed up Venus. The last of the type that I'm aware:

Salonina

(AD 254-268) AR Antoninianus / Venus

AD 257-260, 22.30mm, 3.38 grams,

Obv: SALONINA AVG, draped bust right, wearing stephane, set on crescent

Rev: VENVS VICTRIX, Venus Victrix standing right, seen from rear, leaning on column and holding palm branch and apple

RIC Vi 8 Cologne, XF

Ex-Marc Breitsprecher purchased Jan 2022. Ex-Phil Peck sold as the Morrison Collection at Heritage.

I'll end the show with a couple coins that ain't mine. 

This little lady sold for 14,000 euros:

And the first of the type that I can find under young Octavian also had the most artistically pleasing style:

Octavian, 32–31 BC, AR Denarius, 3.70g, uncertain Italian mint, bare head left, rev. Venus Victrix standing right, leaning against column, holding helmet and spear, a shield left, caesar divi f. across field (RSC 62; RIC 26), beautifully toned with an exceptional profile of Venus Victrix, about extremely fine, rare.

 Thanks for taking a look! I'd love to see any and all of your Venus vix, thoughts, rear ends in general, or anything that adds to the thread!

Edited December 29, 2024 by Ryro

[Kali]

Nice addition to your collection.

My poor Venus had a desk job in accounting. So she sat most of her life & due to that, she developed a flat rump!

Domitia (82 - 83 A.D.)

AR Cistophoric Tetradrachm
O:  DOMITIA AVGVSTA, draped bust right.
R: VENVS AVG, Venus standing right, leaning on cippus, holding helmet and spear. 
Ephesus mint. Struck 82-83 AD.
10.29g
26mm

RPC II 870; BMCRE 256 (Domitian); RSC 19

 

[Roman Collector]

I do, in fact, have a Faustina II with this reverse type!! The goddess isn't depicted at her most callipygean, though.

[Curtisimo]

Really nice sub-collection Ryan!

[mc9]

Here is my only veneri victr coin, from Salonina.

 SALONINA (Augusta, 254-268). Antoninianus. Rome.

Obv: SALONINA AVG : Diademed and draped bust right, set on crescent.

Rev: VENERI VICTR : Venus, draped below waist, seen from behind standing right, leaning on column

to left, holding apple in extended right hand and palm frond in left.

RIC : NIR ; 2,79 g.,  20 mm. Second known specimen.

[Qcumbor]

Oh my !

Butt, when I think of it I can show a very generous venerable Venus on one side and a Titi on the other (no titti available on show 😉 )

Julia Titi, Denarius - Rome, c.79-81 CE
IVLIA AVGVSTA T AVG F, Bust of Julia right
VENVS AVG, Venus leaning on a column, holding helmet and sceptre
3.03 gr
Ref : Cohen #12, RCV #2611

Q

[JayAg47]

The only place where it's appropriate to say, I have a passion for venereal coins!

I believe it’s an obverse die match to one of your coins, as I mentioned in the post I made about this coin.

193-195 AD, 2.36g.
IVLIA DOMNA AVG
VENERI VICTR, Venus standing right, naked to waist, leaning on column to left, holding palm and helmet.

[ambr0zie]

Funny - even yesterday I saw 2 good examples of RIC IV 536, but already having 3 in my collection I decided to leave other collectors enjoy this rear side denarius. 

Mine 

On my 3rd example the engraver probably became anxious and made a mess 

But my favorite rear side denarius remains this Titus 

 

I also own a Domna sestertius. 

[Romismatist]

@ambr0zie, I think your third coin may be double-struck.

[ominus1]

...the bootys in the top middle....and a big thank ya to @Ryro for gifting it to me! 😄

[ambr0zie]

3 hours ago, Romismatist said:

@ambr0zie, I think your third coin may be double-struck.

Certainly a double strike and no issues with the die, but it's more fun to think the engraver was nervous. 

[Marsyas Mike]

20 hours ago, Ryro said:

Here's a chunky one... coin that is:

Julia Domna

193-211 CE. Rome Sestertius Æ 27mm., 19,52g. IVLIA DO-MNA [AVG]; draped bust right / VENERI [VICTR]; Venus standing right, seen from behind, leaning on column, holding palm with left hand and apple with right; S C across fields. Revere almost slate RIC IV 842.

Nice grouping of Venus from Behinds, @Ryro.  I think my sestertius might be an obverse die-match to yours?

 

Here's a couple denarii of the type - Emesa top, Rome bottom (or so I think): 

Another sestertius:  

[maridvnvm]

When I saw the OP coin I was convinced that the style was unofficial but am happy to be corrected.

[Ryro]

1 hour ago, maridvnvm said:

When I saw the OP coin I was convinced that the style was unofficial but am happy to be corrected.

That means an lot coming from you. Thanks for the correction.  I guess it's unofficial then. 

Do you have any unofficial or Emesas for comparison?

Edited December 30, 2024 by Ryro

[maridvnvm]

The aspects that give me pause for thought are:-

the portrait, especially the eyes and the nose but even the structure of the drapery, is not consistent with the eastern coins that I have seen from this period. Julia Domna is typically quite young on these issues. Here are a few of the Syrians that I have owned:-

The Alexandrians are quite different so that can be ruled out.

I have a barbarous imitative...

Here is a barbarous imitative of Septimius Severus with the Venus type that sold on VCoins recently.

Regards,

Martin