Coin Information: Tantalus S/N 30899

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Coin type:	Roman Provincial
Entered by:	scottatlaw
Added on:	May 1, 2008
Ruler:	Caracalla (AUGUSTUS)
Region, City:	Phonecia, Aradus
Coin:	VG AE (AYTKMAYP-ANTWNINOC) - Laurelate, draped and cuirassed bust right (viewed from rear). (ARADIWN) - Cypress tree flanked by bull & lion, both with a star above thier heads and a signa or standard behind them.
Exergue:	(Likely Designation for CY 476 - Aprx. 217-218)
Mint:	(217-218 AD)
Wt./Size/Axis:	13.89g / 27.75mm / -
Acquisition/Sale:	Bassem Daou aka bassem.d www.ebay.com 3-29-2008
Notes:	May 2, 08 - While this coin isn't the highest grade specimen I've ever seen, it is probably one of the more attractive examples thanks to its lovely glossy black patina with red desert soil hilights. Simply gorgeous! There is some debate about who is portrayed on this coin (Caracalla or Elagabalus) because the coin dates roughly to the end of Caracalla's reign and the begining of Elagabalus'. Toss into the mix that the portraiture style is rather crude and the legend used is plausible for either man. You can check out two higher grade specimens for a better look at all the details and the portraits here: http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=155889&AucID=188&Lot=780 http://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=122043 Ultimately for me it doesn't matter too much who it is on this coin (although I strongly suspect Caracalla due to the hint of a beard and/or mutten chops and also for the fact that this coin types dies were likely cut before Elagabalus began his rule). What realy interests me about this coin is the striking similarity the reverse bears to those popularized in the Viminacium Provincial Bronze series. This semblence (in my opinion) is far too striking to be mere coincidence and I find it quite likely that this coin type served as the direct inspiration for Viminacium's coin design. I must respectfully disagree with some of the attribution in the above link to CNG's coin. For me the animal on the left is more probably a bull and not a zebu due to the shape of the animal's back. Instead of a hump, I believe instead we are seeing the muscular shoulders of a bull. The presence of a zebu doesn't seem to logicaly fit either when off set against the lion on the other side of the tree. Why would a lion and a zebu flank the tree of life? Is it some sort of symbolic life and death struggle set around the immortal tree of life? Nope. I don't buy it. The clue is found in the back ground. What is in the background are crudely drawn military standards. More specificaly the banners for Legion VII Claudia (the Lion) and Legion IIII Flavia (the bull). I know what you are asking... "Weren't they station in Viminacium and nearby Singidunum?" Yes, they sure were. There realy isn't a solid answer to why the legions would be honored on a coin by Aradus, far east of Viminacium & Singidunum, but I can offer an educated guess. As I recall, there were a number of sizeable campaigns in the "Far East" during the reign of Septimus Severus. During this time Legions VII and IIII were set up in Viminacium and Singidunum, but detachments were regularly shipped all over the empire (this is why you see these legions depicted on the coins of gallic sessesionists later on). One might go so far as to speculate that these two legions specialized in border protection and anti-tribal warfare because these would have been thier primary duties in Moesia Superior. Its possible that small detachments were sent out as supplemental footsoldiers or possibly even as specialists to help establish and/or train regional defenses in the wake of Severus' liberation force. At any rate, my guess is that the VIIth and the IIIIth wound up in Aradus and were tasked with protecting it during Caracalla's reign. This was no doubt a crucial duty because Aradus is positioned as a costal port on the far eastern shore of the Mediterranean and would have functioned as the last "civilized" port of trade before you enter the desert wastes in the east. If we are to agree upon the use of the Cypress tree as a symbol of life (or even eternal life as the CNG citation indicates), the the positioning of the bull and the lion (and thier legionary banners in the background) besides the tree takes on a clearer meaning. The legions are protecting the tree, the bastion of life. Take it one step further. Aradus would have been a relatively typical "desert port" type of town at this time. Aradus would have been something like an isolated realm of life surrounded by inhospitable conditions to the east. Perhaps then the Cypress tree (the eternal bastion of life) is meant to symbolize Aradus (the isolated spark of life at the edge of the desert) and the bull / lion (the legions) are her her protectors. All of this symbolism carries over directly to the message so monotonously decried on Viminacium's coins (Fronterier Maiden/Mother protected by the legions). The similarities continue into the use of semetry in the reverse legend too and the use of a date line in the exergue that states a local calander year. Coincidence? So how did such a limited edition coin from the far east wind up serving as the design template for Gordian III's Viminacium coins some 22 years later? More guess work. Lets say that there was a young military officer stationed in Aradus during 217-218 AD (lets say hes in his 20s or early 30s). He does his job well and he hasn't gotten himself killed. After a long tour out on the gods forsanken edges of civilization (maybe 5 years, maybe more) he is finaly rewarded for all his hard work by being recalled back to Viminacium (the local tribes are becoming bolder and the legions back home need troops who are hardened). He hasn't liked life out in the wastes. These people are greeks, barbarians, mixed bloods, merchants, and worse. At least they were greatfull enough to strike these fancy coins acknowledging the fact that the only thing keeping this town from drying up is the efforts of the mighty roman legions. That is why he has kept ahold of his Aradus legionary commemorative coin. It is proof, permanent proof of flattery bestowed upon him and his men. Our officer makes it back to Viminacium. Maybe he retires from the service and becomes a bureaucrat. Maybe he stays in the service and he steadily rises up the chain of command. Either way, our man becomes someone of some influence and he has himself a good long career because he is still around (or well remembered) in early 239 AD (give or take). In the local tavern or at upscale parties he relives his glory days and he is known to flash his Aradus coin around when he explains how the locals were so greatfull to the legions that they practicaly made them gods, and heck, they even struck coins in our image! This sort of pride in the legions must've gone over well with the higher ups and when word comes down from the fat cats in Rome the Viminacium will now have the honor of striking her own coins, the big brass known exactly what they want thier coins to look like, they want them to look just like those good ole Aradus coins looked like. Voila! They might not have thier pictures on the front of the coins, but how many folks get to claim bragging rights that they are depicted on a coin? Every last man in the Mighty IIIIth and VIIth, thats who! Lets face it, this is about as close to putting your face on a coin as you can get without assuming the purple. That is a pretty heady honor. All guess work. Fiction realy. But it makes for a good story doesn't it? So what does the star over the animals' heads mean? Quasi-divinity of legions (god/heaven sent?)? Does it mark some great battle or event? There is no way to tell realy, but I'd guess the former is as good of a guess as any. Please feel free to share your theories on any of this.
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