Indice Dietro Avanti
Siliqua, Milano, Onorio e la Virtus dei Romani
14.11.2020
Gent.mo dott. de Florio,
le sottopongo un quesito al quale, mi rendo perfettamente conto, non è affatto semplice (e forse addirittura impossibile) rispondere. Vorrei infatti un suo parere circa l'imperatore a cui potrebbe appartenere questa siliqua dai bordi quasi totalmente ritagliati. Ecco i pochi dati certi:
metallo: argento
diametro: 12mm
peso: 0,85g
asse: circa ore 12
periodo: IV sec. dC?
La ringrazio e la saluto cordialmente.
fig. 1
Cliccare sulle immagini per ingrandire
Roma, 20.11.2020
Egregio Lettore,
per attribuire un'identità al tondello di figura, severamente tosato e privo di leggende riconoscibili, ho confrontato i tipi del dritto e del rovescio di figura con quelli degli imperatori, da Valentiniano I (364-375 d.C.) a Valentiniano III, 423-455 d.C., non avendone osservati altri, prima o dopo di allora, meritevoli di comparazione.
Tra gli imperatori di cui sopra solo 16, appaiono potenzialmente candidabili all'identificazione ma, tra essi, spicca a mio avviso per stile e dettagli, Onorio con la sua siliqua VIRTVS RO-MANORVM, RIC X 1228 (pag. 321).
Nella lista che segue ho selezionato i 16 campioni di riferimento, uno per ciascun imperatore e, per facilitare il confronto, ho riportato in tabella le immagini relative:
  1. https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=102860 Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. ttp://www.cngcoins.com/ Mail Bid Sale 60 1933 22.05.2002 Beschreibung: VALENTINIAN I. Estimate $250. VALENTINIAN I.364-375 AD. AR Siliqua (2.04 gm). Struck 367-375 AD. Treveri mint. Diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right / Roma seated left on throne, holding Victory on globe and reversed spear; TRPS•. RIC IX 27d.2; RSC 81†e. Superb EF. ($250) From the Jürgen K. Schmidt Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group Auction 45 (18 March 1998), lot 2390.
  2. https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2371565 Numismatik Naumann (formerly Gitbud & Naumann) http://www.numismatik-naumann.at/ Auction 29 680 Beschreibung: VALENS (364-378). Siliqua. Aquileia. Obv: D N VALENS P F AVG. Diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right. Rev: VRBS ROMA / AQPS. Roma seated left on cuirass, holding Victory on globe and reversed spear. RIC 15a. Condition: Extremely fine. Weight: 1.67g. Diameter: 16mm.
  3. https://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/gratian/_rome_RIC_035a.jpg Rome RIC 35a, T Gratian AR Siliqua. 367-383 AD. D N GRATIANVS AVG, diademed and draped bust right / VRBS ROMA, Roma seated left on throne, holding Victory and sceptre. Mintmark R star T. RIC IX Rome 35a; Sear 19965; RSC 86.
  4. https://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/valentinian_II/_trier_RIC_095a.jpg Trier RIC IX 95a Valentinian II, AR siliqua of Trier. AD 388-392. DN VALENTINI-ANVS PF AVG, pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right / VRBS-ROMA, Roma seated left on cuirass, holding Victory on globe and inverted spear. Mintmark TRPS. RIC IX Trier 95a; RSC 76a; Sear 20223.
  5. https://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/theodosius_I/_milan_RIC_032a.jpg Milan RIC IX 32a Theodosius I AR Siliqua. 393-394 AD. DN THEODOSIVS PF AVG, pearl-diademed, draped & cuirassed bust right / VIRTVS ROMANORVM, Roma seated left on cuirass, holding Victory on globe & reversed spear. Mintmark MDPS.
  6. https://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/magnus_maximus/RIC_1601.jpg Barcelona RIC 1601 Magnus Maximus, AD 383-388. Siliqua, 0.74 gr, Barcelona (Barcino) mint. DN MAXIM-VS PF AVG, pearl diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right / VICTOR-A AAVGGG, Roma seated left on cuirass, holding Victory on globe and inverted spear. Mintmark SMBA. RIC X 1601; Sear -.
  7. https://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/flavius_victor/_milan_RIC_019b.1.jpg Milan, RIC 19b Flavius Victor, the young son of Magnus Maximus. 387-388 AD. AR Siliqua. D N FL VICTOR P F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped & cuirassed bust right / VIRTVS ROMANORVM, Roma seated left, holding globe in right hand, reversed spear in left. Mintmark MDPS. RIC IX Milan 19b; RSC 6Ac; Sear (1988) 4210.
  8. https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2666216 Auction 11 241 09.10.2015 Beschreibung: Eugenius, 392-394. Siliqua (Silver, 17mm, 2.04g 6), Lugdunum. D N EVGEIN - VS P F AVG ( sic! ) Pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Eugenius to right. Rev. VRBS ROMA / LVGPS Roma seated left on cuirass, holding Victory set on globe in her right hand and reversed spear in her left. Cohen 72. Lyon 230. RIC IX, 46. A remarkably attractive, beautifully toned example with an unusually realistic portrait of great quality. About extremely fine. From a European collection. This coin, which is of unusually fine style, is also notable for the presence of the exceptional engraving error in the obverse legend. It is that the engraver made three vertical strokes, for NI, but then put the N’s cross bar between the wrong two!
  9. https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=7396836 Nomos http://www.nomosag.com/ Obolos Web Auction 16 1205 11.10.2020 Beschreibung: Roman Imperial. Honorius, 393-423. Siliqua (Silver, 14mm, 0.91g, 7h), Milan, 402. D N HONORI-VS P F AVG Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust of Honorius to right. Rev. VIRTVS RO-MANORVM / MDPS Roma seated left on cuirass, holding Victory set on globe in her right hand and spear in her left. RIC 1228. RSC 59†b. Nicely toned. With clipped edges, otherwise, nearly extremely fine. From a Dutch collection. Despite the slight clipping, a practice often done in late antiquity even though the act was criminal, this coin exhibits nearly full legends. Usually when a siliqua from this period is clipped it has been done such that most of the legends are no longer even on the coin!
  10. https://www.numisbids.com/n.php?p=lot&sid=4154&lot=711 Lot 711 Estimate: 1000 GBP. Price realized: 1200 GBP. Constantine III AR Siliqua. Treveri, AD 408-411. D N CONSTANTINVS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped a. nd cuirassed bust right / VICTORIA AAVGGG, Roma seated left on cuirass, holding Victory on globe and inverted spear; TRMS in exergue. RIC 1534; Lafaurie 11. 1.38g, 16mm, 6h. Extremely Fine; minor flan crack 12/6h, sharply struck on an unusually broad flan. Rare. Ex Trausnitz Collection, acquired from Münzhandlung Athena GmbH (Munich) prior to 2000, dealer's ticket included. Constantine III is remembered chiefly as the general and usurper who declared himself Western Roman Emperor in 407 while based in Britannia, stripping all troops from the province and thus leaving the province open to Saxon invasion and conquest. Thus was Britannia forever lost to Rome.
  11. https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=417208 Numismatica Ars Classica NAC AG http://www.arsclassicacoins.com/ Auction 42  237 20.11.2007 Beschreibung: The Barry Feirstein Collection Part II. The Roman Empire. Constans, son of Constantine III, 410 – 411. No.: 237. Estimate: CHF 40000. d=17mm. Siliqua, Treveri 410-411, AR 1.58 g. D N CONSTA – NS P F AVG Pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust r. Rev. VICTOR – [IA] AAGGG Roma seated l. on cuirass, holding Victory on globe and reversed spear; in exergue, SMTR. RIC 1537 (this coin cited in note). C 1 var. Lafaurie –. LRC – Of the highest rarity, only eight coins known of this ruler, of which this is the second and the only one in private hands from the mint of Treveri. Old cabinet tone and about extremely fine. Ex Leu sale 71, 1997, 576. As the son of Constantine III, a soldier who was hailed emperor by his comrades in Britain, it was natural that Constans II would serve in his fathers regime. Times were difficult in the West, and desperate measures were required to preserve the order. The soldiers abandoned hope that Honorius would defend the western provinces, as he was occupied with trying to keep the Visigoths out of Italy. So they hailed their own emperor three times in rapid succession – Marcus, Gratian and Constantine III. The first two were killed quickly and issued no coins, but the last survived approximately four years before he was captured and executed. Though Britain had just been ravaged by the Picts, Constantine III crossed the Channel into Gaul to fend off Honorius general Sarus and to try to expel the Burgundians, Vandals, Alans, Alemanni, Franks and Suevi who had crossed the frozen Rhine into Germany and Gaul. Constantine III found success and eventually enlarged his domain to include Britain, northern Spain, Germany, Gaul and seemingly also Rhaetia. His victories were significant, but his gains were temporary, as rebellions soon arose in Britain and in Spain. Constans II apparently was a monk before he was hailed Caesar. Even his younger brother Julian seems to have been given the title nobilissimus at the time Constans II was hailed Caesar, but nothing else is known of him. Presumably in 408 Constans II was sent to Spain with his fathers magister militum Gerontius to secure the peninsula. Their work was only partially successful and Constans II returned to Gaul with two ringleaders of the pro-Honorius resistance, Verenianus and Didymus, both of whom were executed at Arles. By 410 Constans father had raised him from Caesar to Augustus. The only coins struck for Constans II are siliquae from Arles and Trier, the inscriptions of which confirm he held the rank of Augustus. Though flattering, the promotion was an empty gesture, and we are fortunate that a handful of his coins survive as a testament to his reign. From Spain Gerontius returned to Gaul to besiege, capture and execute Constans II at Vienne, and a few months later helped to assure his father was also captured and executed.
  12. https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=6497479 Nomos http://www.nomosag.com/ Auction 19 375 17.11.2019 Beschreibung: Roman Imperial & Provincial. Magnus Maximus, 383-388. Siliqua (Silver, 11.5mm, 1.43g, 6h), Treveri (Trier), 2nd officina. D N MAG MAX-IMVS P F AVG Pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Magnus Maximus to right. Rev. VIRTVS RO-MANORVM / TRPS Roma seated facing on throne, her head to left, holding globe and scepter. RIC 84b.1. Toned and lustrous. Minor die break on the obverse, otherwise, extremely fine. From the Trausnitz Collection, acquired prior to 1990.
  13. https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=499415 UBS Gold & Numismatics http://www.ubs.com/ Auction 78 2020 09.09.2008 Beschreibung: ANCIENT COINAGE SPECIAL COLLECTION OF ROMAN IMPERATORS AND EMPERORS ROMAN EMPIRE Priscus Attalus, 1st Reign, 409-410. No.: 2020. Schätzwert/Estimate: CHF 10000. Rebel in Rome. While Honorius resided in Ravenna the Visigoths threatened to starve Rome. The Senate accepted the Visigothic demands and appointed Priscus Attalus as emperor, although Honorius was not far distant. The Visigoths turned their attention now to Ravenna but failed to take the city in 410 when Theodosius II sent relief from the East. Alaric, the Visigothic King, now turned back to Rome, deposed Attalus and sacked the city – the first time in 800 years. Honorius pardoned Attalus who was taken away by the Visigoths as a prisoner. He was used once more by the Visigoths in 414-415 when they, once again, made him a puppet emperor. In 416 he was captured by Honorius and banished to the Lipari Islands. Siliqua 409/410, Rome. PRISCVS ATTA – LVS P F AVG Draped and cuirassed bust to r. with pearl diadem. Rev. INVICTA RO – MA AETERNA Roma seated l. on cuirass with Victory on globe in r. hand and spear in l. hand. 2,00 g. RIC 1411. C. 7. Extremely rare. Toning. Miniscule marks on rev. Excellent portrait. Almost extremely fine. Ex Münzhandlung Basel.
  14. https://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/jovinus/RIC_1711.jpg RIC 1711 Jovinus, AR siliqua, Trier. 1.22 g. AD 411-413. DN IOVINVS PF AVG, pearl diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right / VICTOR-IA AVGG, Roma seated left on stylized cuirass, holding Victory on globe and inverted spear. Mintmark TRMS. RIC X 1711; RSC 4+a; Sear 21092.
  15. https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=4395068 Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co. KG http://www.kuenker.de/ Auction 295 1155 25.09.2017 Beschreibung: RÖMISCHE MÜNZEN. MÜNZEN DER RÖMISCHEN KAISERZEIT. Sebastianus, 412-413. AR-Siliqua, Arelate; Drapierte Büste r,. mit Perldiadem//Roma sitzt l. mit Victoria auf Globus und Zepter. King, Fifth Century Silver Coinage S. 291 (dies Exemplar erwähnt); RIC 1718. Von größter Seltenheit. Min. korrodiert, Prägeschwächen, sonst fast vorzüglich. Exemplar der Auktion Tkalec & Rauch, Wien 15.-16. April 1985, Nr. 424. Es existieren viele Fälschungen von Siliquen des Sebastianus, Cathy E. King hat an den meisten bekannten Stücken begründete Zweifel (an dem vorliegenden Stück allerdings nicht!). Der Sammler hatte das Stück daher nach dem Erwerb zur Prüfung an das British Museum gesandt, wo Dr. J. P. C. Kent sich eingehend mit dem Stück beschäftigt hat. Das Ergebnis der Prüfung teilte Dr. Kent dem Sammler in einem Schreiben vom 3. September 1985 mit: "I am happy to confirm that in our opinion your coin is authentic."
  16. https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=1237185 Roma Numismatics Limited http://www.romanumismatics.com/ Auction 3559 31.03.2012 Beschreibung: Valentinian III AR Siliqua. Rome, AD 455. D N PLA VALENTINIANVS P F AVG, rosette-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right / VRBS ROMA, Roma seated facing left on cuirass, holding Vicory on globe in right hand, inverted spear in left, RMPS in ex. RIC 2079; RSC 46b. 2.09g, 18mm, 6h. Extremely Rare - R4. Good Extremely Fine. Exceptional condition for the issue, struck in good metal on a and thick broad flan. One of the finest known.
In conclusione, a mio avviso, la siliqua di figura potrebbe essere quella emessa sotto Onorio (393-423 d.C.), classificata RIC X 1228 (pag. 321), con Roma, seduta a sinistra su una corazza, che regge con la mano destra una Vittoria su un globo e una lancia nella mano sinistra.
Non è una certezza ma una concreta possibilità.

Un saluto cordiale.
Giulio De Florio
Indice Dietro Avanti