TWO MORE REPUBLICAN COINS...GENS CLAUDIA AND POBLICIA

Gens Claudia
Appius Claudius Pulcher, T Manlius Mancinus & Q Urbinus, 111-110 BC.

Obv.: Helmeted head of Roma right, square behind.
Rev.: Victory in triga right, one horse looking back, AP CL T MANL Q VR in ex.





Gens Poblicia
C Malleolus Cf, 118 BC.
Obv.: C•MALLE•C•F, helmeted head of Roma right, X behind.
Rev.: L•LIC•CN•DOM, warrior (Bituitus) driving Biga right, hurling spear and holding sheild and carnyx.

BEWARE OF FAKES!!! BLACK LIST SELLERS...

Searching through the internet, i was ASTONISHED by the number of fake coins going around... one can never be too careful...most of them are discovered by a very simple principle: it would extraodinary to have two coins, 2000 years old, with exactly the same cast...

One excelent preventive site is www.forgerynetwork.com. I found out on this site i bought few weeks ago a fake Herrenia coin to french seller magnence26 who was already asked for explanations...i will ALWAYS from now on check first this site before bidding any coin...

Another great site for forgeries www.chijanofuji.com/ancientforgeries.html.

And of course the extremely useful yahoo group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CoinForgeryDiscussionList.

Two tips: looking at feedback numbers (the fake "specialists" are often forced to change names lossing their postiive feedbacks and beginning from zero) and avoiding "private biddings" (for "byer's privacy", my ass!).

Names i found - if they didn't change - of sellers to remember and avoid (or at least be extra cautious):

- magnence26
- empire_gallery
- imperatorial
- alexandriacoins
- 333omega (Spain)
- mazagurini
- romanseller
- antique_seller13
- Ancient-shop_com
- ber1yn
- legion_viii

and many more...

Joannus dixit.

TWO NEW REPUBLIC COINS! GENS MINUCIA AND VIBIA...

Minucius Thermus Mf Denarius. 103 BC.

Obv.: Helmeted head of Mars left
Rev.: Q*TERM*MF below two warriors in combat, one on left protecting a fallen man.


Beauty, isn't it? I 've been waiting quite a while for these soldiers to enrich my collection...

Joannus dixit.



C. Vibius Pansa Denarius. 90 BC.

Obv.: PANSA behind laureate head of Apollo right Rev.: Minerva in galloping quadriga right, holding scepter & reins, C VIBIUS CF in ex.

Nice gens Vibia coin also... and also a first one in the collection... a profitable day indeed.

Joannus dixit.

SEVERUS ALEXANDER/ MARS ULTOR...

Obv.: IMP ALEXANDER PIUS AUG
Rev.: MARS ULTOR

232ad. Laureate draped & cuirassed bust right / MARS VLTOR, Mars advancing right with spear & shield


Another beautiful coin from young emperor Severus Alexander added to my collection...

Joannus dixit.

"Alexander Severus or Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander (Gessius Bassianus Alexianus, or Alexianus Bassianus) was born 208 in Phoenicia and died 235 in Gaul. Severus was emperor of Rome from 222-235 A.D. Alexander Severus had been adopted by Elagabalus a year before Elagabalus was assassinated on the instigation of Alexander Severus' grandmother and Septimius Severus' sister-in-law Julia Maesa and Alexander's mother, Julia Mamaea who was said to have done the real ruling in Alexander Severus' reign.When Alexander bought peace instead of fighting with the Germanice tribe of Allemani, his troops were outraged and killed Alexander Severus and his mother in 235. The troops then made Gaius Julius Verus Maximinus emperor".

Source - http://ancienthistory.about.com

GENS RUTILIA, 77BC...

L Rutilius Flaccus Denarius. 77 BC.
Obv.: Helmeted head of Roma right, FLAC
Rev.: Victory in biga right, L RVTILLI in ex.

Nice coin but terrible photo, i know... i didnt get it yet, that's why...

Joannus dixit.


"Rutilia, a plebeian family; surnamed Flaccus. The following is the only medal (in silver, and not very rare) extant of this family;This denarius refers to L. Rutilius Flaccus, who was an edilis plebis ".
source -Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities edited by William Smith (1870).

"Apart from two tribuns (in 169bc y 56bc), the most famous members from this family were Q. Rutilius Lupus, consul with J. César y L. Rutilus who was a judge and most possibly the only magister in the gens".
source - www.tesorillo.com (free translation)

SEPTIMUS SEVERUS, THE AFRICAN EMPEROR...

Septimus Severus, 200ac.
Rev.: Severus Augustus Part Max, laureate head right
Obv.:P M TR P VIII COS II P P, Victory flying left holding open wreath in both hands over
round shield set on low base

Another Severus Coin for the collection. Nice bust and nice price!...

Joannus dixit.

"Lucius Septimius Severus (193-211ad) restored stability to the Roman empire after the tumultuous reign of the emperor Commodus and the civil wars that erupted in the wake of Commodus' murder. However, by giving greater pay and benefits to soldiers and annexing the troublesome lands of northern Mesopotamia into the Roman empire, Septimius Severus brought increasing financial and military burdens to Rome's government. His prudent administration allowed these burdens to be met during his eighteen years on the throne, but his reign was not entirely sunny. The bloodiness with which Severus gained and maintained control of the empire tarnished his generally positive reputation".

source - www.roman-emperors.org

THIRD MARCUS AURELIUS IN TWO WEEKS...

Obv.: M ANTONINUS AUG TRP XXVI
Rev.: IMP VI COS III
171-172dc.

Beautiful reverse of Mars, helmeted, standing right holding spear, left hand on shield.

Joannus dixit.

PHILIPPUS I, THE ARAB...

Obv. IMP M IUL PHILIPPUS AUG
Rev. PMTRP III COS PP

246ad.

Acceded to the throne in 244dc, after the murder of young Gordiannus III... "left" the throne in 249dc, murdered by his most trusty general, Trajanus Decius... "He who lives by the sword shall perish by the sword", once again...

Fine example summing up to the "Romae Aeternae" and the "Annona Augusta" i already have from this emperor.

Joannus dixit.