Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Electronic Auction 403 9 Aug 2017
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Nero. AD 54-68. Hinged Æ Mirror (32mm, 17.24 g, 6h). Imitating a DECVRSIO Sestertius of Nero. Crudely cast from an original (and worn) coin, the obverse and reverse are joined by a flange and bent over into position. A pin, serving as a rivet (obverse bottom center) once served to hold the reflective surface which pivoted outwards. On such mirrors, see Paul–André Besombes, "Les miroirs de Néron," RN 153 (1998), pp. 119-40. For prototype: cf. RIC I 128. VF, lightly porous brown patina with light greenish encrustation. Unusual.
Ex Classical Numismatic Group 54 (14 June 2000), lot 2212.
Such Neronian mirrors, either styled after sestertii or made from actual coins, were first studied by W. Froehner in 1889 ("Grands–Bronzes de Néron transformés en miroir," ASFN 13) and since that time our understanding of why they were made has advanced little. Besombes argued that the mirrors, at least those of his Type I with an outer rim, were distributed at events such as games or concerts and were part of a larger Neronian religious policy. The mirrors, he posits, evoke the celestial sphere with the concentric circles mirroring the way the ancients divided the sky. Of course, at the center of the mirror/celestial sphere we find the image of the emperor, who we can associate with Sol/Helios, the center of the universe. While touching on very interesting ideas, such a theory is very speculative. Nero no doubt made efforts to associate himself with Sol/Helios (of course, Nero's Colossus of the deity at Rome carried the features of the emperor [see following lot]), but the author's arguments are note entirely convincing in their attempts to apply Nero's religious policy to such mirrors. Perhaps the reason we have not yet made sense of these objects is simple – fashion trends do not always make sense.
Ex Classical Numismatic Group 54 (14 June 2000), lot 2212.
Such Neronian mirrors, either styled after sestertii or made from actual coins, were first studied by W. Froehner in 1889 ("Grands–Bronzes de Néron transformés en miroir," ASFN 13) and since that time our understanding of why they were made has advanced little. Besombes argued that the mirrors, at least those of his Type I with an outer rim, were distributed at events such as games or concerts and were part of a larger Neronian religious policy. The mirrors, he posits, evoke the celestial sphere with the concentric circles mirroring the way the ancients divided the sky. Of course, at the center of the mirror/celestial sphere we find the image of the emperor, who we can associate with Sol/Helios, the center of the universe. While touching on very interesting ideas, such a theory is very speculative. Nero no doubt made efforts to associate himself with Sol/Helios (of course, Nero's Colossus of the deity at Rome carried the features of the emperor [see following lot]), but the author's arguments are note entirely convincing in their attempts to apply Nero's religious policy to such mirrors. Perhaps the reason we have not yet made sense of these objects is simple – fashion trends do not always make sense.