20070429

Commodus CE 177-192

AE Sestertius, 24.03 g, CE 189
RCV 5799
O: laur bust of Commodus r. M COMMODVS ANT P FELIX AVG BRIT
R: Roma std l. ROMAE AETERNAE/ COS V PP/ SC


Trajan CE 98-117



AE As of an Eastern mint, according to Hendin this is a provincial coin from the time of the War of Quietus CE 115-117, 8.07 g.,

H. 938, RCV 3243 (Antioch? CE 115-116), RIC 644 var., BMCRE 1093

O: Radiate, draped bust of Trajan, IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GERM
R: SC in a laurel wreath surrounded by DAC PARTHICO PM TR POT XX COS VI PP

Ex: Windsor Antiquities


From the Jewish Encyclopedia: http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=237&letter=B

War of Quietus.

The insurrection of the Jews of Cyrene, Cyprus, and Egypt in the last years of the emperor Trajan had not been entirely suppressed when Hadrian assumed the reins of government in 118. The seat of war was transferred to Palestine, whither the Jewish leader Lucwas had fled (Abulfaraj, in Münter, "Der Jüdische Krieg," p. 18, Altona and Leipsic, 1821). Marcius Turbo had pursued him, and had sentenced to death the brothers Julian and Pappus, who had been the soul of the rebellion. But Turbo was himself executed upon special orders sent from Rome, and the lives of the brothers were saved (Sifra, Emor, viii. 9 [ed. Weiss, p. 99d]; Meg. Ta'anit xii.; Ta'anit 18b; Sem. viii.; Eccl. R. iii. 17). Lucius Quietus, the conqueror of the Jews of Mesopotamia, was now in command of the Roman army in Palestine, and laid siege to Lydda, where the Jews had gathered. The distress became so great that the patriarch Rabban Gamaliel II., who was shut up there and died soon afterward, permitted fasting even on Ḥanukkah; though other rabbis, such as the peace-loving R. Joshua b. Hananiah, condemned this measure (Ta'anit ii. 10; Yer. Ta'anit ii. 66a; Yer. Meg. i. 70d; R. H. 18b). Soon afterward Lydda was taken and masses of the Jews were executed; the "slain of Lydda" are often mentioned in words of reverential praise in the Talmud (Pes. 50a; B. B. 10b; Eccl. R. ix. 10). Pappus and Julian were among those executed by the Romans in the same year (Ta'anit 18b; Yer. Ta'anit 66b). The foregoing are the most important events of the campaign of Quietus as mentioned in rabbinical sources (see also "Revue Etudes Juives," xxx. 212).


Also cf: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitos_War

Maximinus II CE 309-313



AE Follis, 5.09 g, Trier (Treveri) mint, CE 310-313
C. 60 type
O: IMP MAXIMINVS PF AVG, laur cuir bust r
R: GENIO POP ROM/ T F in field/PTR in ex.
Genius stg l holding modius on hd naked but for a chlamys over l shoulder holding patera in r hand cornucopiae in l
Noted as VF with hard green deposit

Provenance:
Ex: Paolo Berardengo Collection (Italy) as of present date
Ex: Copper Penny
Ex: JG Collection
Ex: York Coins
Ex: Baldwins Auctions 42, 26 September 2005, portion of lot 688
Ex: William C. Boyd Collection (1840-1906)
Purchased by Boyd from Spink in London in February 1892


William C. Boyd, photograph from the Baldwin Auction Catalogue, 2005.

India; Mauryan Empire BCE 322-185



Ashoka BCE 272-232

AR Punchmark Drachm, 15 mm, 3.38 g, Pataliputra mint

O: Five punch-mark symbols
R: Small Ashoka's symbol

Ex: F. S. Robinson

Map source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurya_Empire

For more information pertainining to Ashoka cf. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashoka





Greek; Kingdom of Macedon; Antigonus Gonatus BCE 277-239

AE 18 mm, 4.48 g,
GCV 6786 v.
O: Hd of Athena r in crested Corinthian helmet.
R: Pan adv r erecting trophy; B---A in upper field, ANTI monogram beneath Pan, and helmet in the far left lower field.

Ex: F.S. Robinson


For further info on this subject cf: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antigonus_Gonatus

Greek; Thessalian League BCE 196-146

AE 17 x 20 mm, 5.0 g
GCV 2237 v
O: Hd of Athena r in crested Corinthian helmet, IΠΠAI/TAΣ above and beneath.
R: ΘΕΣ/ΣΑΛΩΝ above and below horse trotting r

Ex: J. Jencek

Caracalla CE 198-217


possibly minted in Caria(?)

AE Medallion. 37mm, 24.1g ,
O: Laureate and draped bust of Caracalla facing right, seen from over the shoulder. M AYPHΛ ANTΩ [-----]
Reverse - Caracalla, on horseback, right arm raised. ΩΝ in exergue.

Ex: Incitatus

common theme from period late in Caracalla's reign circa CE 215-217 with emp. on horseback riding down the enemy.

Should anyone have a definitive ID for this coin, please email me with the information and photos of the ID as well for reference.