Coin Portrait of the Week #37

[Drusus]

 

A.D. 360-363 (IMP) : Julianus -AE3 / RIC 106 LRBC 1909 (Heraclea) / DN FL CL IVLI-ANUS P F AVG / Helmeted, diademed, cuirassed, holding shield and spear bust left. / VOT X MVLT XX / Wreath./ Exe: HERACL•A / Heraclea Mint

 

The votive coins from this city, IMO, are some of the most recognizable, stylized portraites ever. This is my favorite portrait type of his coins. He almost looks like animal from the muppets.

 

This is a votive coin of the Emperor Julianus minted at Heraclea, Now the Turkish city of Marmara Ereglisi. The Roman mint at Heraclea was established during the reign of Diocletian and continued to strike coins throughout the 4th century AD.

 

The coin bears the stylized helmeted and diademed Bust of the Emperor, cuirassed holding a spear and shield. The Obverse legend reads DN FL CL IVLI-ANVS P F AVG which literally translates to say Dominus Noster (our Lord) Flavius Claudius Julianus Pius (dutiful) Felix (fortunate) Augustus (title).

 

The reverse depicts a wreath with the inscription VOT X MULT XX inside and the city mint initials (HERACL•A) below. This means VOT (vows) X (ten) MULT (advanced by) XX (twenty).

 

This coin commemorates both the completion of Julian's ten year vows and their extension to a total of twenty. Julian died eight years after he was made Caesar and roughly three years after being acclaimed Augustus by his troops. The vows this coin is commemorating never reached the tenth year, let alone twenty.

 

NOTE: The coins of the Emperor Flavius Claudius Julianus identify him as Iulianvs, often putting FL, CL, or both in front. He is commonly referred to as Julian or Julian the Apostate. For purpose of coinage, he is often referred to as Julian II to differentiate him from an earlier usurper, Marcus Aurelius Sabinus Julianus, who also minted coins identifying himself as Iulianvs. Although historically, this Iulianus is an unsuccessful usurper (one of several by that name) who simply managed to mint coinage thus he is often referred to as Julian I (of Pannonia).

 

These are not to be confused with the emperor Marcus Didius Severus Julianus who ruled for a very short time in 193 A.D. and is identified on coins as M Did Iulian.

 

There is a lot of information on Julian and so I will just say that Further information on Julianus can be had here:

 

http://www.cachecoins.org/julianii.htm

[Art]

Great coin and information. Thanks for sharing.

[thedeadpoint]

[constanius]

NOTE: The coins of the Emperor Flavius Claudius Julianus identify him as Iulianvs, often putting FL, CL, or both in front. He is commonly referred to as Julian or Julian the Apostate. For purpose of coinage, he is often referred to as Julian II to differentiate him from an earlier usurper, Marcus Aurelius Sabinus Julianus, who also minted coins identifying himself as Iulianvs. Although historically, this Iulianus is an unsuccessful usurper (one of several by that name) who simply managed to mint coinage thus he is often referred to as Julian I (of Pannonia).

 

These are not to be confused with the emperor Marcus Didius Severus Julianus who ruled for a very short time in 193 A.D. and is identified on coins as M Did Iulian.

http://www.cachecoins.org/julianii.htm

 

Now I am totally

 

Just kidding, hope there is not a test later though

 

Very informative post, keep them coming.

[Drusus]

I was a bit confused at first as well on that point. I never heard Julian refered to as Julian II in historical research....I noticed the only time I saw anyone refering to him as Julian II was in reference to his coins. I then realized...coin collectors call him Julian II, most everyone else refer to him as simply Julian.