Coin of Thea Faustina, with Tyche, in two sizes/denominations from Bostra (BOS0101)

Dublin Core

Title

Coin of Thea Faustina, with Tyche, in two sizes/denominations from Bostra (BOS0101)

Description

Civic bronze coin from Bostra (dated by the title Thea to 141-161 CE), depicting Faustina, deceased and now deified wife of the emperor Antoninus Pius on the obverse

Source

Publisher

(1) Roman Provincial Coinage Online IV no.6701 (temporary #)

(2) Bibliothèque nationale de France, département Monnaies, médailles et antiques

(3) British Museum Online Collection

Date

Rights

(1) Ashmolean Museum (University of Oxford), via Roman Provincial Coinage Online (http://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/)

(2) Bibliothèque nationale de France, département Monnaies, médailles et antiques, Fonds général 76 (FRBNF41762523)

(3) BM 1908,0110.1422

Format

Bronze

Language

Identifier

BOS0101

Numismatics Item Type Metadata

Metal

Bronze

Province

Arabia

Obverse Type

Draped and veiled bust of Faustina, facing right

Reverse Type

Tyche standing and facing left, holding a spear and a cornucopia (or ears of grain, or or with hand placed on her waist), resting her left foot on a river god (sometimes absent)

Obverse Legends

ΘEΑ ΦΑVСΤEΙΝ (Thea Faustina)

Reverse Legends

ΤVΧΗ ΝEΑ(С) ΤΡΑΙΑΝΗ ΒΟСΤΡΑ (Tyche of Nova Traiana Bostra)

Type Notes

As noted in reverse description, the obverse design appears on several with minor changes. Spijkerman (1978, 70-71, no.14) identifies an issue that he describes as "barbarous." This type, represented by the third obverse example in this entry, is noticeably more schematic, with both obverse and reverse designs composed of thicker and less precise lines.

Name 1

Notes

This obverse + reverse combination apparently appears on two different dominations; one of approx. 8.37g+/-, and a smaller denomination of c.4.60g+/-.

Ears of grain appear alone (eg. RPC III nos.4063-4067; BOS0102) or with Tyche (see also Meshorer et al. 2013: 149, nos.5-7) on reverse designs throughout the second century CE before falling out of favor in types of the third century CE.

Selected Bibliography

Roman Provincial Coinage Online (http://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/); temp #6701 [http://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/4/6701/]

Bibliothèque nationale de France, département Monnaies, médailles et antiques [http://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb41762523k]

Spijkerman, A. 1978. The Coins of the Decapolis and Provincia Arabia. Jerusalem: Franciscan Press. (pp.70-71, no.11-14)

British Museum Collection Online, Museum #1908,0110.1422

Meshorer, Y., G. Bijovsky, and W.Fischer-Bossert. 2013. Coins of the Holy Land: The Abraham and Marian Sofaer Collection at the American Numismatic Society and the Israel Museum (Volume 1), New York: The American Numismatic Society. (pg.149, no.13-14)

Citation

“Coin of Thea Faustina, with Tyche, in two sizes/denominations from Bostra (BOS0101),” WIRE: Women in the Roman East Project, accessed April 26, 2024, https://wireproject.org/items/show/38.

Output Formats

Geolocation