Faustina Friday – Medium Bronzes Depicting Venus Adjusting Drapery and Holding Apple

[Roman Collector]

Friday felicitations, fellow Faustina fanatics. I hope you have a coin-filled weekend. Today I'm going to explore an issue for Faustina the Younger that has fascinated me for some years now, the VENVS reverse type depicting the goddess standing right, arranging her palla with her right hand, and holding an apple in her left. I have previously written here and elsewhere about this issue, but I have since acquired additional specimens of this type and have somewhat revised the proposed dates of issue for the various varieties. Therefore, I think it's worthwhile to revisit this type in this week's installment of Faustina Friday.

The Reverse Iconography

An apple as an attribute of Venus stems from the mythology surrounding the Trojan War. The Iliad itself begins in medias res – 10 years into the war, when Apollo sends a plague upon the Greeks for abducting the daughter of his priest. However, the legend of the Trojan war begins with the judgment of Paris, when Eris, the goddess of discourse, tosses an apple marked "for the fairest" among three goddesses – Hera (Juno), Athena (Minerva), and Aphrodite (Venus). Unsure of for whom it was intended, they asked Zeus (Jupiter) to decide. Of course, Zeus knew better than to open up THAT can of worms, so Zeus declared that Paris, the son of King Priam of Troy, would judge the case.

Each of the goddesses tried to bribe Paris with various things, but Venus offered him the most beautiful woman in the world if he would declare that she was the fairest of the goddesses and the apple was intended for her. Venus got the apple and Paris got Helen of Troy. The judgment of Paris has been a subject of art since antiquity.

Hermes leads the three goddesses Aphrodite, Athena and Hera to Paris for his judgement in the contest for the golden apple. The Trojan prince sits in a pillared doorway, holding a royal staff and lyre. Before him stands Hermes, holding a kerykeion (herald's wand) and wearing a chlamys (traveler's cloak) and winged cap. Of the three goddesses, Aphrodite is veiled and holds a winged Eros (Love) and myrtle wreath in her hands, Athena wears the aegis cloak and holds a spear and helm, and Hera wears a crown and bears a miniature lion and royal lotus-tipped staff. Attic red figure kylix, 440-430 BCE, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Antikensammlung, Catalogue No. F2536; Beazley Archive No. 217284. Photo courtesy Theoi.com.[1]

The iconography of Venus lifting her palla and holding an apple seems to have been among the standard depictions of the goddess in antiquity. See, for example, this Roman statue roughly contemporary with the coinage of this reverse type.

"Venus Génitrix." Roman statue made with marble from Paros (H. 1.64 m) from the imperial period (late 1st century or early 2nd century CE). Paris, Louvre (Ref: MR 367. Ma 525). Photographs public domain.[2, 3]

This iconography first appears on Roman coinage on coins issued for Sabina bearing the epithet Venus Genetrix, such as this denarius in my own collection. It is, admittedly, not the most well-centered specimen.

Sabina, 117-137 CE.
Roman AR denarius, 3.55 g, 16.7 mm, 6 h.
Rome, 136 CE.
Obv: SABINA AVGVSTA, diademed and draped bust, right.
Rev: VENERI GENETRICI, Venus standing right, lifting fold of drapery and holding apple.
Refs: RIC 396; BMCRE 944; RSC 73; RCV 3924.

The Issues for Faustina the Younger under Antoninus Pius

Coins of this reverse design appear to have been issued for Faustina the Younger on at least two occasions. The first emission of this reverse type was issued in the quinarius aureus and medium bronze denominations. The obverse inscription is Faustina's earliest, the dative case FAVSTINAE AVG PII AVG FIL, and the empress is depicted in her earliest hairstyle, the Beckmann Type I coiffure. On this basis, it can be securely dated to 148-early 149 CE.[4] The quinarius aureus is extremely rare, with as few as perhaps three known specimens. The medium bronze was struck with both right- and left-facing busts.

AV quinarius aureus, RIC 514. British Museum specimen, BMCRE 1061.

Faustina II, 147-175 CE.
Roman Æ as or dupondius, 11.88 g, 23.1 mm, 11 h.
Rome, 148 - early 149 CE.
Obv: FAVSTINAE AVG PII AVG FIL, bare-headed and draped bust, right (Beckmann Type 1 hairstyle).
Rev: VENVS S C, Venus standing right, arranging drapery on right shoulder, and holding apple in her left hand.
Refs: RIC 1410(a); BMCRE 2164; Cohen 258; Strack 1304; RCV –.

Faustina II, AD 147-175/6.
Roman Æ as, 9.85 g, 26.0 mm, 6 h.
Rome, 148 - early 149 CE.
Obv: FAVSTINAE AVG PII AVG FIL, Bust of Faustina II, draped, with band of pearls, left.
Rev: VENVS S C, Venus standing right, arranging drapery on right shoulder, and holding apple in her left hand.
Refs: RIC 1410b (bust l.); BMCRE 2165; Cohen –; Strack 1304; RCV –.
Note: Heritage Auctions, Inc., Auction 271933, lot 35249, 18 August 2019. Ex-Morris collection.

The reverse type reappears on a subsequent emission, issued only in the medium bronze denomination(s). The obverse inscription is the expanded, nominative case FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG PII FIL, and the empress is depicted in her second hairstyle, the Beckmann Type 2 coiffure. On this basis, it can be securely dated to the end of summer AD 151 to about June AD 152.[5]

Faustina II, 147-175 CE.
Roman orichalcum dupondius, 9.19 g, 26.88 mm, 5 h.
Rome, end summer 151 - June 152 CE.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG PII FIL, bare-headed and draped bust, right (Beckmann type 2 hairstyle).
Rev: VENVS S C, Venus standing right, arranging drapery on right shoulder and holding apple in her left hand.
Refs: RIC 1410c; BMCRE 2169; Cohen 257; Strack 1312; RCV 4737.

An Issue for Faustina the Younger Under Marcus Aurelius?

The reverse type may also make an appearance on a medium bronze issued some ten years later under Marcus Aurelius. I'm not sure what to make of this coin. It is unlisted in all the major references.[6] It is known from a specimen in the collection of the American Numismatic Society, which appears to be unique after a search of internet databases. The coin was added to the ANS collection in 1995 and its provenance is listed as "Loret 7990."

Copper as in the collection of the ANS with the FAVSTINA AVGVSTA obverse legend and the empress wearing the Beckmann Type 7 hairstyle, securely dating the coin from late 161 to c. 165 CE. Its reverse depicts Venus standing right, arranging drapery on right shoulder and holding apple in her left hand and bears the VENVS inscription. American Numismatic Society collection, 1995.11.471.

You'll notice the obverse has the later FAVSTINA AVGVSTA legend paired with a bust depicting the empress in her Beckmann Type 7 hairstyle. This hairstyle first makes its appearance with the SALVTI AVGVSTAE issue of late 161 CE, shortly after the birth of Faustina's twins on 31 August.[7] This hairstyle was used most frequently before the mid-160s CE, when the Type 9 hairstyle largely replaces it, but it was discontinued definitely before the Beckmann type 10 hairstyle was introduced after the death of Lucius Verus in AD 169.[8] I date the coin from late 161 to about 165 CE.

The coin's reverse is essentially identical to the coins illustrated above issued during the reign of Antoninus Pius. As I noted above, the coin is unlisted and apparently unique, though Cohen cites M. Elberling for a medium bronze bearing a reverse with a mirror image of the design. Mattingly, in RIC and BMCRE, simply cites Cohen uncritically. The coin is not cited by Szaivert. Elberling appears to be the original and sole source of information about the mirror image design.

Cohen 265 notes a medium bronze (MB) in the collection of M. Elberling with its reverse type described as the mirror image of the coin in the ANS collection.[9]

I translate Cohen's listing as "Venus standing left, holding an apple and adjusting her hair with the left hand. M. Elberling." Even after a diligent search for a specimen of the type in the online databases, I have not been able to verify the existence of the coin described by Cohen. Therefore, with the possibility in mind that Cohen may have misdescribed the coin in Elberling's collection, I sought Elberling's article to verify its description, because of the possibility that the coin in the ANS collection illustrated above might be an example of Elberling's coin.

Elberling notes a medium bronze with its reverse type described in detail as the mirror image of the coin in the ANS collection.[10]

I translate Elberling's listing as "VENVS S. C., standing to left, holding an apple with the right hand and arranging veil with the left." Note two things about the Elberling listing. Venus is described as adjusting her head veil, as on the coins illustrated above, not her "coiffure" as in the Cohen listing. Cohen's description is erroneous in this regard. More importantly, Elberling's description is very explicit in terms of right and left and it's clear that he is describing a reverse type that is the mirror image of the coin in the ANS collection. Elberling explicitly clarifies that his coin is the mirror image of the usual type: "Not in Cohen. His no. 232 and 233 have different obverse inscriptions and Venus stands right. No. 233 is in my collection." Writing in 1865, Elberling is referring to an earlier edition of Cohen which does not cite his coin and in which Cohen 232 and 233 correspond to Cohen 257 and 258 in the 1883 edition. These coins are illustrated above.

For clarity, let's review the situation with the two coins that were apparently issued under Marcus Aurelius. Elberling notes a medium bronze that he expressly notes has a different obverse inscription and whose reverse design is a mirror image to those issued under Antoninus Pius and listed in Cohen. However, the existence of the Elberling coin is unverified. The ANS coin was previously unknown and was unlisted by the major reference words until a specimen from the Loret collection was added to the society's holdings in 1995. This specimen is of official style and does not appear barbarous in style or fabric but is apparently unique.

This situation is very strange. It's hard to imagine a situation in which the Rome mint issued a VENVS type under Marcus Aurelius, using at least two dies (one with a left-facing Venus and another with a right-facing Venus), but with only a single specimen surviving to modern times. It's hard to imagine that this coin is a mule of an obverse of Faustina under Marcus Aurelius paired with a reverse die used ten to twelve years previously, and if so, how does one explain Elberling's mirror image coin? Neither scenario is impossible, but each situation is unlikely. Could the coin be a barbarous imitation? It doesn't appear to be in terms of style. Is it a modern forgery? That may well be the most likely of the possible scenarios.

Conclusions

The Venus standing right, arranging her palla and holding an apple design was well-known in antiquity and is represented in Roman statuary and coins from the second century CE. This design was used for two separate issues for Faustina the Younger under Antoninus Pius, and possibly on a third issue under Marcus Aurelius. This possible third issue is documented only by an unillustrated description by Elberling with a mirror-image reverse and by a single specimen in the ANS collection of apparently official style and fabric. It's possible, however, that the ANS specimen is a modern forgery.

Do you have any coins of this reverse design? Let's see them! As always, post comments, coins, or anything you feel is relevant.

~~~

Notes

1. "K4.5 the Judgement of Paris." Judgement of Paris - Ancient Greek Vase Painting, Theoi.com, www.theoi.com/Gallery/K4.5.html. Accessed 24 Aug. 2024.

2. "Category:Venus Genitrix (Louvre, MA 525)." Wikimedia Commons, Wikimedia Foundation, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Venus_Genitrix_(Louvre,_Ma_525). Accessed 24 Aug. 2024.

3. "File:Aphrodite Naples Fréjus - Musée Du Louvre AGER Ma 335." Wikimedia Commons, Wikimedia Foundation, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aphrodite_Naples_Fréjus_-_Musée_du_Louvre_AGER_Ma_335_;_MR_369_;_N_530.jpg. Accessed 24 Aug. 2024.

4. We know that this reverse type was not among those issued in December 147 to commemorate the birth of Faustina's first child, so it must date to early 148 at the earliest. Faustina's portrait changes to the Beckmann Type 2 hairstyle upon the occasion of the birth of her daughter Lucilla on March 7, 149 CE, so the coin cannot date to much later than c. April 149 CE. See Beckmann, Martin, Faustina the Younger: Coinage, Portraits, and Public Image, A.N.S. Numismatic Studies 43, American Numismatic Society, New York, 2021, pp. 24ff and pp. 35-40.

5. Curtis L. Clay, personal communication, 13 September 2021.

6. The coin is not listed in RIC, BMCRE, Cohen, Strack, or MIR (Szaivert).

7. See the beginning of Die Chain 7, Beckmann, op cit., p. 164.

8. Szaivert, Wolfgang, Die Münzprägung der Kaiser Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus und Commodus (161/192), Moneta Imperii Romani 18. Vienna, 1989, p. 231. See also Beckmann, op. cit., pp. 64-65.

9. Cohen, Henry. Description historique des monnaies frappées sous l'Empire Romain, Tome III: de Marc Aurèle à Albin (161 à 197 après J.-C.). Paris, 1883, p. 158.

10. Elberling, Karl Gustav. "Die wichtigsten Exemplare in meiner Sammlung Römischer Münzen." Société Pour La Recherche et La Conservation Des Monuments Historiques Dans Le Grand-Duché de Luxembourg, XX, no. III, 1865, p. 179.