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 Replies: 16 / Views: 5,221 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
949 Posts |
Bruttia Crispina came from an illustrious aristocratic family and was the daughter of twice consul Gaius Bruttius Praesens and his wife Valeria. (So Wikipedia) In 178, at the age of 14, Crispina was married to Commodus who was just over two years her senior. Marcus Aurelius was still emperor at the time but ruled jointly with Commodus, so, upon marriage, Crispina was immediately elevated to Augusta. At first she received public accolades as empress. However, after so many years of imperial adoption of successors, Commodus wanted an heir by birth. However, Crispina did not bear him any children. After ten years of childless marriage and no son (apparently due to HIS insufficiency), that failure was translated in the twisted mind of Commodus into infidelity. In 188 she was charged with adultery and banished to Capri. Commodus did not remarry, preferring daliance with a consort or two. Some time later she was executed on her island get away. Her coinage is sparse, consisting only of two issues: 1st issue: 180-183........CRISPINA AVG 2nd issue: c. 183-?.....CRISPINA AVGVSTA Her issues feature a right or left facing bust, and altogether eight reverse types. Our first two coins are from the first issue with the shorter obverse legend. Her bust is draped, with her hair arranged in waves and bunched in front then knotted into a chignon low on her head.  Both feature the dedicatory inscription "DIS GENITALIBUS" ("To the gods of birthing/regeneration") with the words surrounding a sacrificial altar. This imperial plea was no doubt focused on her concern over the need to bear a child/son for the Imperial succession. The coins are essentially the same except for a slight difference in the break patter of the reverse legend. The first is attributed as BMCRE 31 under Commodus, while the second is an unlisted variant.  The third coin is from the second issue with the longer legend broken between the two words. It features the same bust as on the other issue. The reverse features VENVS draped and standing facing, head left, holding an apple in her extended right hand and lifting a fold in her drapery with her left. Of three specimens in BMCRE the break pattern for this one is most like BMCRE 44 for Commodus.  Edited by lrbguy
04/16/2017 7:26 pm
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Moderator
 United States
34397 Posts |
Nice coins @irbguy! I don't have a Crispina to contribute to this thread, so I am planning to just munch on my popcorn.  "If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
Very nice indeed. I don't have any of her either.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1475 Posts |
I enjoyed the back ground story as much as the coins!!
Good job, and looking forward to read more..
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1304 Posts |
Very nice, a lot of consistency with the bust design is evident in those three.
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Pillar of the Community
 Spain
2752 Posts |
Super coins and write up again lrb.  Another bit of trivia..Why the apple.? Venus holds an apple on many of her coins as this would be a suitable gift of love. But there are lots of interpretations of why the apple? Probably the most used and more romantic interpretation is the "The Judgement of Paris" a story from Greek mythology,"The golden apple of Eris", goddess of discord. which was one of the events that led up to the Trojan war. The story goes that Eris, goddess of discord, had not been invited to a banquet held by Zeus,and so angered by this snub shearrived at the party and threw an apple into the group and on the apple was written "For the fairest one." Three goddesses claimed the apple: Hera, Athena and Aphrodite (Venus). Zeus declared that Paris, a Trojan mortal,known to the gods for his fairness, would judge them. After preparing themselves they all met on mount Ida each godess trying to bribe Paris with their powers, Hera offered to make him king of Europe and Asia, Athena offered wisdom and skill in war, but Paris gave Aphrodite (Venus) the golden apple in return for the most beautiful woman on Earth, Helen...thus sparking the Trojan War. Nice story.. Saludos Paul |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3433 Posts |
Having majored in that least practical area of modern education of all ........ Classics. With a concentration in of all things ....... Mythology. I would point out that the general identification of the apple (whether of Eve or Aphrodite fame) is considered a modern interpretation. In the world of the ancients it is recognized as a pomegranate. The pomegranate is an ancient fertility symbol of motherhood and reproduction being chock full of 'babies' ! (As well as being sweet and delicious) Aphrodite should not be confused with motherhood though. Again our modern interpretations come into play. Aphrodite is all about passion and the Goddess of Love is just that. The goddess of "love" in the verb usage, not the noun ! She was the cause of many an awkward "situation". BTW Mount Ida was the scene of another 'interesting' tale. Aphrodite was the spouse of the God Hephaestus aka Vulcan with whom she was never faithful. After a dalliance with Hermes a male child (Hermaphroditus) was born and sent to Mt Ida to be raised in secret by Nymphs. The "progressive" rock band Genesis made it the subject of a song. A long long time ago ...... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IanDxH3CiXM |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
949 Posts |
Thanks for the comments, guys. From what I saw in my digging I hope this lady gets a better day in the sun.
I'm glad you brought up the pomegranate, FR. I was just going to suggest it, recalling that Edith Hamilton in telling the story of Persephone referred to it as the "love apple." Graphically I don't know how you would tell the difference on small coin engravings. On the other hand, the story of Atlantis, alongside one of the labors of Heracles, highlights the golden apples of the Hesperides, which I believe were apples as we know them (though I could be shown otherwise). Be that as it may, since Aphrodite/Venus won the judgement "contest" this globular fruit certainly deserves to be her emblem.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6130 Posts |
Count me in to Club Crispina!   Not the greatest of shape, but it has a very solid, lifelike portrait and was under $40. Identical to Irbguy's third example, only she seems a bit more thin in this example. |
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Pillar of the Community
Spain
2752 Posts |
Probably a really stupid question but is it a fourree? But whatever its a nice coin Paul |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6130 Posts |
It has a few cracks, but as near as I can tell, it is solid and not plated.
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Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
Nice coin. Looks like a later strike with worn and cracked dies. It gives the coin a bit more character.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
949 Posts |
Nice addition to the group, Steve, especially the obverse. I don't see any reason to question its authenticity. I don't think it's from a cracked die, but the cracking I do see at the back of her head appears to be in the flan.
There is one feature about it you might want to look at closely, and that is the pair of bumps in the right and ;eft reverse fields. I think those bumps are accretions, especially since this design is not listed for her with stars (or anything) in the fields.
Overall I like your obverse better than the one I posted above with this reverse.
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Valued Member
France
383 Posts |
Hello, I want to contribute to the Crispina's group one coin from my small collection. This is Rome mint. CRISPINA AVGVSTA, draped bust left / DIS GENI-TALI-BVS, lighted altar. RIC III 281 var. (bust right) The coin has a hole (worn like decoration by barbarians) and the condition is poor condition. But I think that the coin will be a good addition to the topic.   |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
1168 Posts |
Beautiful coins, and a lot of very interesting reading. Great thread. |
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Valued Member
France
383 Posts |
I only want to add the photos of the denarius I have in my collection. CRISPINA AVG "DIS GENITALIBUS" lrbguy fix it as an unlisted variant with the break patter of the reverse legend.   |
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Replies: 16 / Views: 5,221 |
Posted 04/16/2017 9:07 pm
