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 Replies: 11 / Views: 1,944 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
870 Posts |
This came in the mail for me today. Not too bad. Nice portrait. Lucius Verus (A.D. 161-169) AR Denarius, A.D. 164, Rome, 17.8mm, 3.25g, 0°, RIC III, 516. Obv: L VERVS AVG ARMENIACVS. Laureate head right. Rev: TR P IIII IMP II COS II. Mars standing right, holding spear and resting hand on shield.  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10045 Posts |
Nice--and what a stern look by the emperor!  |
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
Very nice image of the emperor. Attention was paid by the celator when striking the coin to get a zero alignment.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1549 Posts |
This happens to be my favorite Verus type but for a strange reason. It was copied under Septimius Severus by the Alexandria mint even to the point of keeping Verus' dates making a very rare Septimius coin. This is a nice example of the kind of coin I prefer. It was well struck and centered with good surfaces and tone. The face has a good scowl. Be happy with it.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1315 Posts |
I like the long beard too. Very artistically done portrait.
Congrats on this one.
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
Angry chappy with that sharply defined eyebrow! I haven't seen this variety of die cutting before.
I guess not all Roman die cutters liked their emperor!
I suspect a bit of political license was taken by the die cutter.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
870 Posts |
Quote:
I guess not all Roman die cutters liked their emperor! Well, he certainly wasn't quite as well liked as his brother. :) |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4253 Posts |
Great coin, nice portrait.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4778 Posts |
Like the detail in the bust.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10045 Posts |
Quote:
I guess not all Roman die cutters liked their emperor!
I suspect a bit of political license was taken by the die cutter. It makes you wonder, doesn't it? I wonder if denarii struck in Rome were subject to more official scrutiny than outlying areas? Maybe the mint got a memo that the emperor should "look very angry"?  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1549 Posts |
Sometimes I wonder if the then current culture was different from ours where we expect to 'smile for the camera'. Today there are those who affect a pose of tough guy when their photo is taken so I can see that an emperor might prefer o be shown in strong mode rather than pleasant. Especially with empresses, I wonder if 'true' was valued over 'beautiful'? How else could some of the diecutters have survived to cut again?
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10045 Posts |
Quote:
Sometimes I wonder if the then current culture was different from ours where we expect to 'smile for the camera'. Doug, you hit the nail on the head; happy portraits were not the style of stoic Rome--they are a relatively new development. The Age of Enlightenment brought the "smile of reason"; benevolent rule was in fashion. That said, there were plenty of later-day emperors and strongmen who identified with an earlier era. You'll seldom see any portraits of Napoleon, Mussolini, or Stalin smiling. Edited by DVCollector
03/20/2012 3:44 pm
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Replies: 11 / Views: 1,944 |
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Posted 03/19/2012 7:37 pm
