|
This page may contain links that result in small commissions to keep this free site up and running.
Welcome Guest! Registering and/or logging in will remove the anchor (bottom) ads. It's Free!
To participate in the forum you must log in or register. | Author |
 Replies: 11 / Views: 1,900 |
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
6130 Posts |
I had thought that when I started my Portraits of Power thread back in the summer that I was done, but some convenient auction listings had other plans for me! I was able to fill a great many holes, mostly the uber-tough ones in the time of the Twelve Caesars. Rather than go out of sequence, I'll post them here and maybe eventually do annual or bi-annual installments to the thread series. My first is one I did not thing I would ever be able to snag, but it came to me at a very reasonable price! Vedius Pollio, Procurator of Asia c. 29-27 BC AE21 of Lydia, Tralles Magistrate Menandros, son of Parrisos OYHΔIOΣ KAIΣAΡEΩN, Bare head of Vedius Pollio right MENANΔΡOΣ ΠAΡΡAΣIOY, Laureate head of Zeus right RPC 2635  For a Roman citizen to obtain the right to place his image on a coin under the supervision of Augustus was among the highest honors, granted to only some half dozen men during the entirety of Augustus' four decades in office. It is therefore nothing short of remarkable when history remembers nothing of Vedius Pollio save for his cruelty. An apparent Equestrian, Pollio served as the procurator of Roman Asia during the earliest years of the Empire, and surely was one of Augustus' closest friends and allies. He returned to Rome some time around 22 BC and thereafter became a figure of legendary terror, as he maintained in his large estate at Posillipo a tank of ravenous lamprey (or possibly Moray) eels that he would throw his unfortunate slaves to whenever they made a mistake, however minor. Once fattened on human flesh, the lampreys would be consumed as a traditional Roman delicacy. It is said that one day, Pollio was entertaining Augustus at a dinner party when a slave accidentally dropped and broke a crystal cup. Pollio had the slave seized to be thrown into the pool, but the young boy threw himself at Augustus' feet and begged for a humane death. Augustus asked Pollio to spare the young slave's life, to which Pollio responded that as the slave is his property, he will do as he wishes. Augustus then asked Pollio to bring all of the rest of the crystalware in the house. Everything gathered, the Emperor inspected it over, then ordered it all smashed to pieces, then turning to Pollio and remarking that surely whatever was done to his slave for a single cup must now also be done to his emperor for everything he owned. Flustered, Pollio ordered the slave released. Vedius Pollio died in about 15 BC at an unknown age, and Augustus had his residence at Rome torn down to make room for a public monument in his wife's honor. |
|
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
7066 Posts |
Wow. Wonderful sounding fellow, that Pollio. Reading about the treatment of that slave I was reminded of Tommy Devito's (Joe Pesci's) treatment of Spider (Michael Imperioli) in Goodfellas. Spider failed to serve Devito a drink at a poker game. It was an unfortunate mistake to make.
Glad to see the update, Steve. Looking forward to more.
|
|
Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
Very interesting coin, Augustus put Pollio in his palace. Life was cheap to some in those days.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
 Spain
2752 Posts |
Nice find Steve!....You do pick up some interesting coins...
Again great to learn something new as I always do from your write ups...Thanks.
Amazing how this guy showed such a lack of empathy towards his slaves considering his own father was supposedly a freed slave!
|
|
Pillar of the Community
 United States
6130 Posts |
Thanks all! I had actually heard about the story of Vedius Pollio and the eels shortly before spotting this one up for auction. It wasn't cheap, but I feel like a lot of these rare one-offs of the early empire have gone down in price/interest considerably in the past few years versus what is in the archives of CNG and other auction houses.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
6130 Posts |
Another couple treats before Christmas  Paullus Fabius Maximus, Proconsul of Asia 10-9 BC AE15 of Hieraopolis, Phrygia Struck under Theokritos Obv: ΦABIOΣ MAΞIMOΣ, Bare head of Maximus right Rev: EPAΠO / ΛEITΩN / ΘEOKPITOΣ  Paullus Fabius Maximus was born in the 50s or 40s BC, the son of Quintus Fabius Maximus, a legate in Caesar's civil war who famously died without apparent cause halfway through his last day as Consul, December 31, 45 BC. (He was famously replaced by Caninius, who served as Consul for just a few hours - historians like to crack jokes like "Nobody was permitted to breakfast nor even to sleep while Caninius was consul!") Maximus served as Quaestor during Augustus' travels to the East from 22 to 19 BC. At an unknown date in the 10's BC, he married Marcia, the daughter of Marcius Philippus and cousin of Augustus. While serving as Proconsul of Asia, he became part of the very exclusive club of men permitted to appear on coinage. From contemporary sources we can glean that Maximus was a pious member of the ancient Roman religions, particularly in that he joined the ranks of the then-obscure Arval Bretheren, offering annual sacrifices to the gods to ensure good anual harvests. As a wealthy aristocrat, he was also a patron of the arts, and several surviving poems of the late 1st century BC are dedicated to him. Tacitus relates that in the late years of the emperor's life, Maximus accompanied Augustus on his secret visit to Agrippa Postumus, the last living blood grandson of Augustus (via Julia and Agrippa) who was exiled on account of an unknown mental condition. Tacitus claims that Maximus discussed this top secret visit with his wife, breaking the emperor's trust and earning him a summary death sentence shortly before the emperor himself died in AD 14. |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
6130 Posts |
Asinius Gallus, Governor of Syria 6-5 BC AE16 of Temnos, Aiolis ΑCΙΝΙΟC ΓΑΛΛΟC ΑΓΝΟC, Bare head of Gallus right ΑΠΟΛΛΑC ΦΑΙΝΙΟY ΤΑΜΝΙΤΑΝ, Head of Dionysos right, wreathed in ivy  Born in perhaps the 40s BC, the early life of Asinius Gallus is largely uncertain. He came to prominence in Augustus' inner circle in the late 20s or early 10s BC, and is best known as the second of husband to Vipsania Agrippina, Tiberius' first wife and love of his life. Tiberius and Vipsania were forced apart in 11 BC so that he could be married to Augustus' daughter Julia, although Gallus claimed the paternity of Tiberius' son Drusus, born in 14 BC. Gallus and Vispania went on to have five children together (She was pregnant when the marriage ceremony took place; the true paternity of Marcus Asinius Agrippa is unknown, although per Roman law Tiberius had no rights even if he were the biological father.) Tiberius never recovered from the heartbreak of his forced divorce, and is recorded as having at least once followed his ex wife around, sobbing and confessing his continued love for her. Sometime about 6-5 BC, Gallus was sent to be the governor of Syria by Augustus, at which he joined the mug-on-coins club. Still a major public figure at the time of Augustus' death in 14, Asinius Gallus attended to some of the preparations for Augustus' funeral, and was one of the many speakers at the event. Tacitus relates that during the transfer of imperial power to Tiberius, Gallus publicly humiliated Tiberius by reminding the public that the ceremony was just a farce and that Tiberius was not a mere reluctant servant in the matter. His arch nemesis now in power, Gallus somehow managed to keep his head down for sixteen years, but is recorded as having been arrested in AD 30, and ultimately died in prison in 33 after about three years of solitary confinement and malnutrition. |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
6130 Posts |
Julia the Elder, Daughter of Augustus, Wife of Agrippa AE17 of Pergamon, Mysia (With Livia) Struck under Charinos IOYΛIAN AΦPOΔITHN, head of Julia (with features of Aphrodite) right ΛIBIAN HPAN XAPINOΣ, Head of Livia right  "I have two wayward daughters that I have to put up with: Julia, and the Roman Commonwealth." - Augustus Born on 30 October 39 BC, Julia was the daughter of Octavian by his second wife Scribonia and was ultimately the only biological child of the future Emperor of Rome. Octavian divorced Scribonia on the day that Julia was born, and took her to raise her himself. Julia had a very strictly controlled childhood; her father sent her to live with her stepmother Livia and although he pampered his daughter with the finest tutors to be employed, she was not allowed to have an unsupervised social life. While young Julia continued her studies, the Roman Republic gave way to the Empire as her father donned the name Augustus and Julia became his most precious pawn in the grand scheme to rally the Roman aristocracy behind the new government. Julia was married to her first cousin Marcellus (Daughter of Augustus' sister Octavia) in 25 BC at the age of 14; the marriage ended two years later when Marcellus died of an illness; the couple had no children. Upon reaching the age of 18 in 21 BC, Julia was married to Marcus Agrippa, Augustus' right hand man whom many warned was becoming too powerful to not have marriage ties into the Julian family. Although probably not thrilled to be married to a man more than twice her age, the marriage between Agrippa and Julia was fruitful; she bore him five children - Gaius, Julia the Younger, Lucius, Agrippina the Elder, and Agrippa Postumus. While married to Agrippa, it is said that Julia carried on a number of secret love affairs, most notably and lastingly with Sempronius Gracchus. Julia was widowed when Agrippa died of illness in 12 BC; by this time her father had already adopted her two oldest sons and was grooming them to someday be joint heirs of the empire. It was around this time that Augustus thought it imperative to have Tiberius as his contingency plan, and so in 11 BC Tiberius was compelled to divorce his wife Vipsania Agrippina and take Julia as his wife. From the start the marriage was deeply unhappy as Tiberius felt that Julia was without honor, and Julia thought Tiberius was beneath her. Julia became pregnant and gave birth to a son, who died in infancy - she and her husband thereafter were estranged and Julia continued her lasting affairs with other men. Apparently unable to overlook her multiple affairs any longer, Augustus nullified the marriage between Julia and Tiberius in 2 BC and had his daughter arrested on charges of adultery and treason. She was publicly accused of plotting against her husband, but Augustus could not bring himself to execute his daughter and so banished her to live on exile on the tiny island of Pandateria, where she was forbidden any contact with men. Her various lovers were either executed or forced into exile themselves. After five years, Augustus permitted her to move to the mainland and have contact with people again, although she would never again be permitted to return to Rome, despite incessant pleas from the people for her return. Julia died under unclear circumstances shortly after her father; most agree that Tiberius and/or Livia had a hand in her demise, which was probably exacerbated by harsh treatment and the news that her last surviving son Agrippa Postumus had been murdered and her two daughters exiled to clear house for Tiberius' accession. She was 52 years old. |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
7066 Posts |
Excellent posts, Steve, and nice bronzes. Good to see some bit players in Roman history getting coverage.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
Spain
2752 Posts |
Aaah you find some cool coins Steve!.....
Really interesting write ups...These Romans were so brutal!
Congrats on these additions, you've got an amazing collection!...
Thanks for sharing Paul
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
6130 Posts |
Thanks guys! Next up are two that we've already seen on the main thread, but I managed to upgrade while acquiring each on their own coin! Gaius and Lucius, grandsons of Augustus and his preferred heirs, died 4 and 2 AD, respectively. Gaius Caesar AE15 of Hierapolis, Phrygia Struck under Lynkeus, 4BC? ΓAIOΣ, Bare head of Gaius Caesar right IEPA - ΠOΛEITΩN - ΛΥΝΚΕΥΣ, Palm RPC2946  This type from Hierapolis was struck for at least a few years, as in addition to Lynkeus, it was also struck under magistrates Kokos, Diphilos, Pappias, and Hieras. Lucius Caesar AE14 of Caria, Antioch ad Meandrum ΛEYKIOC KAICAP, bare head right A-N/T-I around winged caduceus, all within wreath Unpublished, similar to RPC 5478 (Augustus)  While solo coins of Gaius are scarce, solo coins of the younger and much less accomplished Lucius are very rare. Tralles in Lydia made solo coins for both young Caesars, including two reverse types for Lucius (Capricorn and founders ploughing scene). They also struck a coin in his name without a human portrait at all - only an eagle and Nike. This coin therefore is perhaps the second city to strike for Lucius alone, making it only the third type to feature the boy's portrait without his brother's also on the coin. RPC 5478 (with which this coin was confused) features a similar bare portrait with no name, only ANTIOXEΩN - The portrait could be Augustus, Gaius, or Lucius. https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=5493474There is one other example of this type on acsearch: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=6010567 |
|
Pillar of the Community
Spain
2752 Posts |
Nice upgrades Steve! Looks good to me...Nice additions..  |
| |
Replies: 11 / Views: 1,900 |
|
To participate in the forum you must log in or register.
Disclaimer: While a tremendous amount of effort goes into ensuring the accuracy of the information contained in this site, Coin Community assumes no liability for errors. Copyright 2005 - 2026 Coin Community Family- all rights reserved worldwide. Use of any images or content on this website without prior written permission of Coin Community or the original lender is strictly prohibited.
Contact Us | Advertise Here | Privacy Policy / Terms of Use
|
| Coin Community Forum |
© 2005 - 2026 Coin Community Forums |
| It took 0.4 seconds to rattle this change. |
 |
|
| |
| |
Posted 12/20/2019 8:09 pm
