The American Journal of Numismatics, 1866–1920.
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COPYRIGHT 1926 BY
THE AMERICAN NUMISMATIC SOCIETY
PANDICK PRESS, INC.,
The following four medallions from the remarkable hoard found at Beaurains-lez-Arras in 1922 are additions to the nine published in Arethuse, January, 1924. They include two medallions with associated or double portraits of members of the first tetrarchy of 1
and two of 2
of the medallion of Arethuse, Pl. viii, 7, while the other is a unique piece and has already been published by 3
Besides these four medallions from the hoard which are now in this country, a fifth piece is known to be in the cabinet of an Ameri-
aurei,
4
of which a part only was subsequently recovered. Rumor carries the number of medallions found, to as high a figure as fifty. It is even reported that several of them were shown to a dealer in
According to 5
It is suggested by
The thirteen medallions thus far known were issued by the following emperors:
The latest medallion is that of
Augustus
with the
As to the general nature of the hoard, incomplete as it is, we are able to draw what seem to be sound inferences. It contained gold medallions and aurei (plus solidi) of the period from aurei of an earlier period—from the Antonines to denarii (forty-one were seen by the writer in Arras) chiefly of rev., virtus militum and a fortified gateway, mint-mark ptr). Besides these coins, there were also objects of jewelry, gold necklaces, bracelets, a silver spoon, gems, a ring, a chain, etc. Thus the ensemble may be imagined to have been the property of some high civil functionary or military chief, or of his family, residing in Gaul. In all probability, it was the family treasure of some wealthy individual to whom some of the medallions were pre-
aurei preserved as bullion, and as jewelry in frames (aurei (and solidi) ranging from Diodetianus to
As in the case of the medallions of the 10
those from Arras are nearly all unique pieces, for these multiple-aurei were struck as imperial largesses and were not issued in very large quantities. They are chiefly five and ten aurei pieces, all remarkably well preserved; some in mint state. There is no large medallion of
1. Obv. dd. nn. constantio et maximiano nobb. caess. D(ominis) N(ostris),
Constantio et Maximiano, Nobilissimis Caesaribus, "To our lords,
Rev. principvm ivventvtis (Principum iuventutis), "(Of) The First of the Knights". The two Emperors standing
patera, with which they are pouring a libation upon a tripod-altar placed between them; in the central background, two military standards; in the exergue, prom (Percussa Romac), "Struck at Rome".
Gold Medallion. 10 aurei, or denio, 38 mm. 54.27 gr. Unique and unpublished. Plate I.
This unique medallion of Caesars, is one of the earliest medallions in the find, as is evidenced by its more worn condition as compared with that of the others. The occasion of its issue is perfectly clear from the obverse and reverse types and inscriptions. It was struck in 293, to commemorate the elevation of Caesars, Principes iuventutis. On the obverse, we have the portrait busts of the two new associates in the empire of
Augustus
without first having appointed him
Our medallion was struck at Rome and is the second one in the Arras find from this mint. For, the medallion of Arethuse, Pl. viii, 3, although
denio of deniones of the hoard,
16
namely, the Arethuse, l. c., Pl. vii, and the medallion bearing the portraits of the four members of the first tetrarchy of
The gold units, or aurei, corresponding to our multiple-piece of ten aurei are the coins struck by var. On the former piece, Fig. 4, the reverse type is that of the Emperor in military dress with cloak, bareheaded, standing to left holding a military standard in the right hand and resting on a long scepter with the left; the inscription, Principi
iuventutis, and mint-mark prom are identical with those on the medallion. On
the latter piece, Fig. 5, the reverse type is similar, but the Emperor is laureate, and the inscription is Principi iuventut. The obverses bear laureate heads, and the inscriptions, D N Constantio
Caes and D N Maximiano
Caes, thus corresponding perfectly with the inscription on our denio of Principi iuventutis
denio and solidus of
Other examples may be cited of medallions of which there exist different denominations in gold, as follows: the medallion of 17
a denio to which there is a corresponding quinio
18
in 19
a quinio, with the reverse type of the two Emperors seated, facing, on curule chairs, each carrying a globe, crowned by Jupiter (?) on 1. and Hercules on r., with the inscription Perpetua concordia
Augg. and mint-mark pr, for which there exist corresponding aurei struck by 20
with a slight modification in the type, the two Emperors seated to 1. on curule chairs, each carrying a globe and crowned by Victory, above and between them, with the inscription, Concordiae Augg. nn. These aurei are
21
From the existence of these aurei of each Emperor, we should infer that a quinio of similar type to that of
The quinio of 22
as our medallion from Arras with the double portraits of Caesars whose appointment it commemorates. The occasion for its issue was probably the celebration of the Decennalia of the two Augusti as may be inferred from the reverse type and inscription. Thus, in the year 293 there were struck (1) our denio of the Caesars, commemorating the naming of the two new colleagues in the empire, and (2) presumably, two quiniones, one each of Augusti, to recall the long-standing harmony, perpetua concordia, existing between them, and to express hopes for its continuance.
2. Obv. fl. val. constantivs nobilissimvs C. Fl(avius) Val(erius)
Constantius, Nobilissimus C(
Rev. Marti victori "To Mars Victor". Mars Victor advancing to r., wearing helmet and floating mantle, carrying a trophy over l. shoulder and a spear transversely in r. hand; in the exergue, tr.
Gold medallion. 5 aurei, or quinio. 23 mm. 26.15 gr. Unique. Plate II.
This medallion was issued, as its obverse inscription tells us, while Caesar, hence, within the period 293-305. The reverse type quite plainly alludes to a military victory. op. cit. note 3) refers the type to events of the year, 298, in which Alemanni who had invaded Gaul in the district of
Arethuse, Pl. viii, 6. This medallion is connected in turn by identical reverse type, Emperor and kneeling figure and Victory, with a third issue of Arethuse, Pl. viii, 5, having as obverse type a bust of the Emperor in imperial mantle, holding a scepter surmounted by an eagle. These three medallions are all of Caesar, and are bound together, all three, as strictly contemporaneous issues by their interlinking obverse and reverse types, and their mint-marks.
Hence the question arises whether it can be the victory over the Alemanni
Arethuse, who interpret the kneeling figure as that of Britannia.
23
The head of Augusti, associated with themselves, the two new Caesars, Jovius,
Herculius
, and founded the Herculian dynasty, adopting
3. Obv. imp. constantivs pivs f. avg. Imp(erator) Constantius Pius F(elix) Aug(ustus). Bust of
Rev. temporvm felicitas. "The Luck of the times", or "The auspicious era". Two figures standing, clad in the toga, each holding a volumen in the l. hand and a patera in the r., with which they are pouring a libation upon a tripod-
camillus, or noble youth, holding a palm; above the altar, a flute-player; in the background between the columns, heads of spectators; in the exergue, ptr.
Gold medallion. 5 aurei, or quinio. 32 mm. 21.35 gr. Second example known. Plate III.
The similar medallion now in Arras, Arethuse, Pl. viii, 7, is from different obverse and reverse dies.
This medallion was issued during the period, 305-306, for
Augustus
until May 1, 305, and he died on July 25, 306. The reverse type recalls the "Luck of the times" and has its prototype on bronze medallions of the reigns of
On certain of these pieces of Vota suscepta, Vota publica, Vota soluta show that this type depicts the ceremony of the celebration of the Vota
Quinquennalia or Decennalia, the five-year and ten-year anniversaries of the reign.
26
On the gold medallion of Arethuse, l. c. Pl. viii, 2, a similar type (without the temple and assistants) occurs with the inscription Felicitas temporum. The piece was struck at Trèves in the eighth consulship of the Emperor, namely, in 303. As this was the year of the Vicennial festival of 27
it would seem reasonable in view of the reverse type
28
to attribute the occasion of the issue of this dated medallion to the Vicennalia, or twentieth anniversary of his reign. quiniones are similar, bearing as they do the same inscription and the traditional type which commemorates the Vota festivals, our medallion of Augusti, through the abdication of seniores Augusti, the two Emperors on the reverse are most naturally to be interpreted as Augusti in 305 while at the same time recalling their recent Decennial anniversary in 303. If this be correct, we should assume that a corresponding medallion was also issued by 29
To conclude, our medallion probably commemorates the appointment of quinio may have been issued for Arethuse, Pl. viii, 2, would already have been issued in 303, and our reverse type was probably inspired by it.
The obverse is by far the best portrait of this Emperor known on coins or
30
Nos. 2 and 3, with that of his son, 31
Fig. 1, and note the long, aquiline noses, and then observe the decidedly plebeian features of 32
One gains from these new portraits on the medallions from Arras of the Trèves mint, a much more vivid and doubtless more correct idea of the personal appearance of both Arethuse, Pl. viii, 8, neither of which can now be regarded as a faithful likeness.
4. Obv. diocletianvs avg. et maximianvs c.
Diocletianus Aug(
Rev. maximianvs avg. et constantivs c.
Maximianus Aug(
Gold medallion. 10 aurei, or dcnio. 42 mm. 54.40 gr. Unique and unpublished. Plate IV.
This truly remarkable medallion presents the four co-rulers of the first tetrarchy of Augusti and Caesares, but, as pairs, consisting each of an
Augustus
and a
There is no mint-name, but, as stated above, this medallion also was probably struck at Trèves as were the majority of those in the hoard. The medallion is struck on a much larger flan than the medallion of
The occasion for the issue of this piece, one feels convinced, must have been an extraordinary one. Does it then commemorate the formation of the tetrarchy in 293? This would be perfectly in keeping with the subject matter of the medallion, which represents on each face, an Caesar. It must surely have been issued within the period Mar. 1, 293-May 1, 305, after the accession of Constantius and Galerius as Caesars, and before their elevation to the rank of Augusti upon the retirement of seniores or honorary Augusti.
But is it not just as probable that the medallion was struck in 303, to commemorate an event of even greater importance, the Vicennial anniversary or jubilee of the reign of the two Augusti,
Arethuse, Pl. viii, 9, and it may possibly have been just following the end of this period, to judge from the presence in the hoard of the solidus of Arethuse, Pl. viii, 3, shows a
Augusti and the Caesars, rather than in that of the formation of the tetrarchy.
Medallion, No. 1, may possibly not belong to the hoard. It is somewhat more worn than the other medallions, and has not the discoloration of the gold peculiar to the medallions and aurei of this find. It is from the mint of Rome, while most of the other medallions bearing a mint-mark are from the Trèves mint. There is, however, one other medallion in the hoard, which, though without a mint-mark is, according to its style, probably also from the Roman mint, Arethuse, Pl. viii, 3. Hence, the mint-mark alone does not constitute an objection to the inclusion of No. 1 in the hoard. Also, it was brought to this country with other medallions from Arras.
Cf. Navilie Cat. XI, Pl. 38, 977.
Jaarboek voor Munt en Penningkunde, 1923, illus., p. 80.
The number of aurei is conjectured to have been upwards of three hundred. About eighty of them belonging to the period, aurei were seen at Arras by the writer, of which 87 were of the period of the Antonines.
It is equally reasonable to suppose that the hoard was contained in the two vases separately, for it was made up of two distinct lots, an earlier lot of aurei ranging from
Num. Constant. I, p. 399, x.
Ratto Sale Cat., April, 1923. No. 447.
Now Jameson Coll., Cat. Ill, No. 476.
Rev. Num. 1906.
Rev. Num. 1904, p. 74.
Med. Rom. Pl. 5, 1;
Num. Const. iii, p. 190.)
The medallion of Arethuse, Pl. viii, 9, is probably also to be reckoned as a denio of the solidus standard, as its weight, 40.72 gr., though somewhat light, seems to class it as a ten-solidi piece.
Med. Rom. Pl. 5, 1—
Cf. Jameson Cat. II, Pl. xiv, Nos. 309, 313 for these types of aurei.
Its obverse, head of Num. Zeit. 1891, Pl. IV, 3, 4) and this latter reverse appears on a third medallion of Virtuti Augg. V. et IIII cos. (ibid. Pl. viii, 1) which proves that all three were struck in 293, year of the fifth consulship of
Cf. also Num. Zeit. 1924, p. 86 ff.
Rev. Num. 1904, p. 72.
Cf. further, the article by Col. Voetter, Herculi and Iovi, Num. Zeit. 1901, for coins of the members of the tetrarchy on which the Jovian and Herculian titles and symbols occur. A series from the Roman mint bears in the exergue the following: Iovio et Herculio, with the two Emperors, Moneta Iovi et Herculi Augustorum duorum, with a figure of Moneta between Jupiter and Hercules. Caesars, each issued an identical reverse type, the Emperor on horseback (Virtus Herculi Caesaris and Virtus Iovi Caesaris.
Med. Rom., Pls. 50, 2, 3; 61, 3; 63, 2, 9; 89, 2-5; 108, 9; 109, 6.
Later bronze medallions repeat this type with a different inscription, such as Saeculum Novum—Ludi Saeculares,
Commemorated on an aureus from the hoard, Ratto, No. 391.
Cf. the type of the two Emperors, Votis X and Votis Decennalibus on small bronze issues of these Emperors, C. p. 475, 532, and p. 562, 668.
A small bronze of Caesar, C. 235, with the inscription Votis X has, as reverse, the traditional type, aureus recorded in
Also, similar types in Arethuse, Pl. viii, 6, 7.
Op. cit. Pl. viii, 9.
Op. cit. Pl. viii, 4, 3.