Die Engravers Eyesight

to the Community!

This is indeed one of the theories, though more for Greek than Roman coinage. As a myope myself, I certainly feel like it sounds plausible!

AFAIK a few Greek types where the dies apparently included engraver signatures are known (especially from Syracuse), though it's still a rare exception and most dies were unsigned; offhand I can't think of any Roman examples, but I wouldn't say for sure that there are none.

IIRC it's suspected that sometimes different people might have worked on busts and lettering on the same die. I'm not very confident though.

Sometimes we forget how sharp our eyesight was in our youth. I assume that is at least part of the equation.

I recently stumbled upon this beauty of a Titus As. The realism of the portrait immediately attracted my attention, and I began to study the details. I was stunned! The level of skill demonstrated by the nameless artist is truly awe inspiring!

All the points of realism that have impressed me on other coins are present here...but it is one singular subtlety that really floored me. The delicate line delineating the nostril: separating the columella from nasal alae.

On a face that cannot measure too much more that 10mm!!

Was this ancient engraver simply an extraordinary myopic? Or was a lens/crystal used?

In the published article linked by Kamnaskires (thank you, Bob!), author Bart Lewis writes:

"Perhaps the most important discovery was a Roman period magnifying lens discovered in 1854 in the "House of the Engraver" on the Stabian Way in Pompeii."

"I personally feel it is most unrealistic to assume that during the first millennium BC no one would have looked through a lens or polished gem at a small object and not noticed its magnifying properties. Rather, it is far more reasonable to assume that the practical use of such an image magnifier was simply not generally appreciated or written about."

"So perhaps we will never be able to prove conclusively that the ancients used lenses, especially in any commercial endeavor, for their magnifying properties. But my denarii say they did."
(Page 41 of the November 1997 edition of The Celator)

When these coins speak...perhaps it is wise to listen.

Ahhh yes...indeed, Bob. My nerves would no doubt cause my hand to shake! The trick, you see, is to draw an emperor from life...and manage to keep your own.