Temples variants in Defification coinage from Maxentius in Rome

[Barzus]

Hi All,

Among the Roman consecration coinage, I particularly like the late folles struck for the deified Tetrarchs. Maxentius has largely contributed to this specific coinage, for Galerius, Constantius and Maximianus, in several mints (Aquilea, Ticinum, Roma and Ostia).

Rome and Ostia coins share the same general features, with veiled portraits of the deified characters on the obverse, and a domed shrine surmounted by an eagle on the reverse. The obverse is circled by long and interesting legends aiming at recalling the links between Maxentius and his divine and honorable parents. These legends contain the mentions COGN(AT) and ADFINI for Constantius, SOCERO for Galerius, and PATRI for Maximianus. On the reverse, the legend reads MEMORIAE AETERNAE in Rome or MEMORIA AETERNA in Ostia. The architecture of the shrine may vary substantially: The hexastyle type is the most seen, and is present on all the coins from Ostia, but Distyle or Tetrastyle types appear in Rome mint, with interesting variations and decoration elements.  As part of my collection, I am aiming at building the most exhaustive galery of temples varieties. Maxentius  issued consecration coins for his son Romulus too, in Rome and Ostia, with the same features (but barehead portrait on the obverse). 

A few examples

Galerius: DIVO MAXIMIANO SOCERO MAXENTIVS AVG, Ostia (5th officina), Hexastyle temple

Constantius: IMP MAXENTIUS DIVO CONSTANTIO COGN, Rome (RET, 3rd officina), Tetrastyle temple

Maximianus: IMP MAXENTIUS DIVO MAXIMIANO PATRI, Rome (RES, 2nd officina), Tetrastyle decorated temple

Here below a family picture from Rome mint.

 

Please, add your specimens from Rome and Ostia for Divus Maximianus, Galerius, Constantius and Romulus to this post!

Especially if they depict a fancy temple... 🙂

 

Edited August 12, 2022 by Barzus

[ambr0zie]

Excellent specialized subcollection, Barzus! Congratulations!

I am not a LRB expert but seeing these examples is very tempting for me so I could grab a few.

[Restitutor]

Wonderful collection! Particularly like the detail on the temple doors in your first image, reminds me of shields. Here’s my Maxentius temple:

[shanxi]

The Romulus Temple is still there:

 

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

Sorry I don't have any Divus coins for the rulers you mentioned. I will share my last tetrarchic purchase, though:

 

[Diocletian, retired, not dead (yet)]

Diocletian (A.D. 284-305) AE Follis

Weight: 6.90 grams

Diameter: 23 mm

Mint: Follis struck at Alexandria (ALE Mintmark) between 308 and 310, after his abdication.

Obverse: DN DIOCLETIANO BAEATISS, laurel-wreathed bust right wearing mantle, holding olive branch and holding mappa in the other hand. [Note: The retirement issues for Diocletian and Maximian are the first instance of the use of DN (Dominus Noster) on Imperial coinage]

Reverse: PROVIDENTIA DEORVM, Providentia standing right, extending right hand to Quies, standing left, holding branch and sceptre.

Reference: Sear 12922, RIC VI Alexandria 80 corr.

 

 

Edited August 12, 2022 by Ancient Coin Hunter
Adding information

[Curtis JJ]

I probably don't have any Divus / Temple coins to contribute (even if there's one among my heavily worn junkers, those are only suited to keeping in bags/boxes/piles!), but I that's a great collection. I enjoy these posts for specialized collections / sub-collections even when I don't have a coin of my own to share.

[ominus1]

....i have A coin of Max/temple reverse....i probably won't go down that rabbit hole, but that's a fine collection of that specific type @Barzus :
)

[Qcumbor]

Well done @Barzus that's the kind of collection I like (I think you know that already though 😉 )

Q

[Romancollector]

This is my only coin from this series, AE Follis of Divus Romulus

[Etcherdude]

Depictions of specific temples on Roman coins are often represented generically. For example, this cistophorus depicts the rectangular temple of Mars Ultor as a circular structure. 

Today much of the Forum of Augustus lies beneath the Via dei Fori Imperiale, though the ruins of its centerpiece temple of Mars are visible notably in an extant partial wall and row of Corinthian columns. (The octastyle, semi-peripteral temple was still under construction when it was dedicated to the god of war in 2 B.C. and survived largely intact until the 16^th century when Renaissance papal ambition led to its despoliation.)

 

@shanxi, here's a shot of the Temple of Romulus interior. It was taken peeking between curtains in the crypt of the adjoining Basilica of Cosma e Damiano.

 

 

Edited August 14, 2022 by Etcherdude

[Jims,Coins]

Bronze coin (AE Follis) minted at Ostia for DIVUS ROMULUS (son of Maxentius) Bi Nummus. Ostia, 309-312 A.D. Obv. DIVO.ROMVLO.N.V.BIS.CONS., bare head to right. Rev. AETERNAE.MEMORIAE. eagle perched atop enclosed masonry shrine with a domed-shaped roof with right door ajar; MOSTP in exergue. RCS #3786. RICVI #34. DVM #1 pg. 285. 7.92g. 26 mm. 5h. Extremely fine; traces of original silvering remaining. From the collection of Z.P., Austria, collector’s ticket included.

[mc9]

Here some tempel coins and another divo coin from my collection

 

[Barzus]

Thanks @mc9 , nice coins! The first three were indeed issued by Maxentius (Galerius and Romulus in Ostia and Constantius in Ticinum) while the last one is a restitution of Galerius by Licinus in Siscia.

[mc9]

@Barzus

I still need to attribute the last one, so thanks for the info.