Restored 'Livia' as Pietas Dupondius

[David Atherton]

I've always wanted an example of a Livia dupondius restored under Titus. Finally, one turned up on eBay last month that flew under the radar. Luckily, I was able to win it at a decent price.

 

'Livia', Restored by Titus
Æ Dupondius, 13.61g
Rome mint, 80-81 AD
Obv: PIETAS; Bust of Livia (?) as Pietas, draped r., with stephane
Rev: IMP T CAES DIVI VESP F AVG REST; S C in centre
RIC 426 (C2). BMC 291. BNC 305.
Ex eBay, 8 December 2024. Ex Jean Elsen Auction 159, 21-22 June 2024, lot 317.

Titus struck an extensive restoration series of bronze coins of Flavian approved past emperors and imperial family members which reproduced the original coins in their entirety. While this veneration of past coinages was not a new idea (Vespasian copied past types on many reverses for the precious metal issues) it was quite an innovation to copy both the obverse and reverse of these past coinages. To do so likely had a dual purpose - one, to recoin types that were being recalled or falling out of circulation and to keep their memory alive, and secondly to link the Flavian house with those past revered personages. The meaning is quite clear on the reverse with Titus declaring he has restored (REST) this coin. H. Mattingly in BMCRE II described the series as a 'roll of honour of the early Empire, preserving all memories that deserved to be remembered.' This dupondius possibly features Augustus' wife Livia on the obverse as Pietas, although the identification is uncertain. Prototype, RIC 43 (Tiberius).

In hand.

 

 

Coin aside, this is how I will always think of Livia.

 

 

Feel free to share your coins of Livia (especially if you have the Tiberian prototype!).

Thanks for looking!

[expat]

That is a simple but beautiful coin.

I only have one coin featuring Livia, a provincial from Macedonia

RPC Volume: I №: 1568
Reign: Tiberius Persons: Tiberius (Augustus)
City: Thessalonica  Region: Macedonia Province: Macedonia
Denomination: Leaded bronze (22 mm) Average weight: 9.26 g.
Obverse: ΤΙ ΚΑΙΣΑΡ ΣΕΒΑΣΤΟΣ; laureate head of Tiberius, right
Reverse: ΣΕΒΑΣΤΗ ΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΝΙΚΕΩΝ; bust of Livia, right
Reference: Touratsoglou, Tiberius 1–32 (c. 14–20/23)

 

[CPK]

Great score David! That's a particularly nice example.

[Roman Collector]

Here's the Tiberian prototype.

I'm glad you put Livia in quotes, because it's unlikely to be Livia on this coin. Various numismatists identify the obverse figure in various ways. Some think it's Livia and others Livilla. If it isn't simply supposed to be a representation of Pietas, I believe this coin depicts Vipsania, the mother of Drusus. I find @Jasper Burns' 2004 article in The Celator convincing.*

Tiberius, 14-37 CE.
Roman orichalcum Dupondius, 14.32 g, 29.15 mm, 1 h.
Rome, 22/23 CE.
Obv: PIETAS, veiled, diademed and draped bust of (Vipsania? as) Pietas, right.
Rev: DRVSVS CAESAR TI AVGVSTI F TR POT ITER around large SC.
Refs: RIC Tiberius 43; BMCRE Tiberius 98; CBN Tiberius 74; Cohen 1; RCV 1741.

*J. Burns, Vipsania on Roman Coins?, The Celator 18 (2004), pp. 6-20.

[AETHER]

I like this type, who ever it may be. 

[kirispupis]

Interesting pickup. Here's my only Livia.

Livia, wife of Augustus
issued under Tiberius, 22-23 CE
Æ 30mm, 13,07g
obv. draped bust of Livia to right as Salus, SALVS AVGVSTA below
rev. TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVG P M TR POT XXIIII legend around SC
S.1740, RIC 47, BMC 81

[David Atherton]

10 hours ago, Roman Collector said:

Here's the Tiberian prototype.

I'm glad you put Livia in quotes, because it's unlikely to be Livia on this coin. Various numismatists identify the obverse figure in various ways. Some think it's Livia and others Livilla. If it isn't simply supposed to be a representation of Pietas, I believe this coin depicts Vipsania, the mother of Drusus. I find @Jasper Burns' 2004 article in The Celator convincing.*

Tiberius, 14-37 CE.
Roman orichalcum Dupondius, 14.32 g, 29.15 mm, 1 h.
Rome, 22/23 CE.
Obv: PIETAS, veiled, diademed and draped bust of (Vipsania? as) Pietas, right.
Rev: DRVSVS CAESAR TI AVGVSTI F TR POT ITER around large SC.
Refs: RIC Tiberius 43; BMCRE Tiberius 98; CBN Tiberius 74; Cohen 1; RCV 1741.

*J. Burns, Vipsania on Roman Coins?, The Celator 18 (2004), pp. 6-20.

Thank you for the posting your example and the additional info! Certainly, if Titus' moneyers chose this type to restore, it must've been someone from the imperial family ... but who??

[Qcumbor]

23 hours ago, David Atherton said:

 

 

That's the portrait of hers that I like the most. Nice catch David

My only Livia

Livia (+ AD 29), Dupondius - Rome mint, 22-23 CE under the reign of Tiberius
SALVS AVGVSTA, draped bust of Salus (Livia) right
TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVG P M TR POT XXIIII, around large S C
13.90 g, 27 mm,.
Ref : RCV # 1740 (450), Cohen # 5 (6), RIC I, 47.

Q