Baldwin & Sons
Auction 99 4 May 2016
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ANCIENT ROMAN COINS, Commodus (AD 177-192), Æ Medallion, struck AD 190-191, M COMMODVS ANTONINVS PIVS FELIX AVG BRIT, laureate and bearded bust of Commodus right, wearing a paludamentum and a cuirass, border of dots, rev COS VI in exergue, Commodus standing right, wearing a paludamentum and a cuirass, holding a parazonium and leaning on a spear, before him, Africa reclines to left, wearing a peplum and an elephant's skin head-dress, and placing her right hand on the back of a lion and holding corn-ears, Victory standing right in the background, erecting a trophy, border of dots, 83.22g, 12h, 42mm (Gnecchi 5, pl. 78, 5; cf BMC 29, pl. XXXIII, fig 3; Cohen 69). Smoothing in fields, somewhat more extensive on the reverse, red-brown patina, good very fine and very rare.
ex Michele Baranowsky sale, Milan, 25 February 1931, lot 2218
ex Henry Platt Hall collection (Part II), Glendining's, 17 November 1950, lot 1636
ex Baldwin's Auction 62, 29 September 2009, lot 105
It is not impossible that this medallion is the specimen illustrated in Gnecchi. However, the cataloguer finds it difficult to fully accept that the shield of the trophy is identical in appearance.
Commodus, an Emperor infamous for his megalomania, does not have a reputation as a military leader, preferring to leave provincial campaigns to his generals. He had gained the title BRITannicus in AD 184, following the successes of Ulpius Marcellus in a war in Britain against the Caledonian tribes after they had crossed the Antonine Wall. This medallion was presumably issued to commemorate an African victory, although we would appear to have few details of any specific campaign. The reverse had first been used on a medallion of Antoninus Pius in AD 160 (Gnecchi plate 47, 1 and see plate 45, 7) after a revolt in Africa had been crushed. We know that Commodus had been planning to visit Africa in AD 188 (see also BMC clxxxii) and that in AD 186 he had instituted a regular fleet of ships to help safeguard the corn supply from Africa (Scriptores Historiae Augustae 17, 7).
An Aureus of Commodus (BMC 335, plate 99, 15), struck in AD 192 (COS VII) would appear to refer to the successful completion of a campaign in Africa. Commodus is shown togate, clasping hands with Serapis and Isis, and being crowned by Victory. As Commodus is depicted in civilian dress on the Aureus, as opposed to military dress on the above medallion, we can perhaps assume that a recently completed campaign had taken place, albeit on a minor scale, by AD 191.
Mint of Rome unless otherwise stated
Estimate: £14,000-18,000
ex Michele Baranowsky sale, Milan, 25 February 1931, lot 2218
ex Henry Platt Hall collection (Part II), Glendining's, 17 November 1950, lot 1636
ex Baldwin's Auction 62, 29 September 2009, lot 105
It is not impossible that this medallion is the specimen illustrated in Gnecchi. However, the cataloguer finds it difficult to fully accept that the shield of the trophy is identical in appearance.
Commodus, an Emperor infamous for his megalomania, does not have a reputation as a military leader, preferring to leave provincial campaigns to his generals. He had gained the title BRITannicus in AD 184, following the successes of Ulpius Marcellus in a war in Britain against the Caledonian tribes after they had crossed the Antonine Wall. This medallion was presumably issued to commemorate an African victory, although we would appear to have few details of any specific campaign. The reverse had first been used on a medallion of Antoninus Pius in AD 160 (Gnecchi plate 47, 1 and see plate 45, 7) after a revolt in Africa had been crushed. We know that Commodus had been planning to visit Africa in AD 188 (see also BMC clxxxii) and that in AD 186 he had instituted a regular fleet of ships to help safeguard the corn supply from Africa (Scriptores Historiae Augustae 17, 7).
An Aureus of Commodus (BMC 335, plate 99, 15), struck in AD 192 (COS VII) would appear to refer to the successful completion of a campaign in Africa. Commodus is shown togate, clasping hands with Serapis and Isis, and being crowned by Victory. As Commodus is depicted in civilian dress on the Aureus, as opposed to military dress on the above medallion, we can perhaps assume that a recently completed campaign had taken place, albeit on a minor scale, by AD 191.
Mint of Rome unless otherwise stated
Estimate: £14,000-18,000