Numismatica Ars Classica
Auction 132 30-31 May 2022
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Carus, 282 – 283
Double antoninianus, Siscia November 282, billon 3.92 g. DEO ET DOMINO CARO AVG Confronted busts of Sol on l., radiate and draped, and Carus on r., radiate and cuirassed. Rev. FELICITA – S REI – PVBLICAE Felicitas standing l., holding caduceus and sceptre and leaning on column. In exergue, ·X·I·. C 27. RIC 99.
Very rare. An issue of great interest and fascination. Lovely green patina,
minor marks on obverse field, otherwise good very fine
The phenomenon of solar worship in the Roman world, which reached its peak in the late 3rd and early 4th Centuries A.D., served in many ways as a conduit for the rise of Christianity. The universal worship of Sol was encouraged by several emperors, especially from Aurelian onward, and was even promoted by the first Christian emperor, Constantine. Even if we are callous enough to assume their belief in Sol was a mere expedient, we must acknowledge, at least, that it was a wise choice for the times. With conditions on earth so horrendous and uncertain, the desire to focus prayer on a single, universal force with some hint of an afterlife must have been a compelling option to the polytheism that apparently had failed. Furthermore, during this period the station of the emperor in relation to other mortals was on the rise since the princeps was increasingly sheltered, isolated and venerated. As Roman government and society underwent the grand transformation from a principate to a dominate, the idea of worshipping one all-powerful god went hand-in-hand with the idea of loyalty to a single earthly authority. This coin speaks directly to the transformation of the age, showing the all-powerful emperor and the universal sun-god as a unified force to lead and defend Rome. The inscription DEO ET DOMINO CARO INVIC AVG identifies Carus as Deus et Dominus, "god and lord", who assumed the epithet invictus, "unconquerable". The double portrait and the formula XII (X ET I on some examples) indicate this is a double-denomination containing about ten percent silver. The normal aurelianianus of the age, which bore the mark XXI or KA, meaning 20:1, contained only about 5 percent silver. The double-aurelianianus had been introduced by Probus' predecessor, Tacitus, whose issues typically bore the value marks XI or IA, meaning 10:1. In some instances the double-denomination is shown by the emperor wearing a two-layered radiate crown, the equivalent of the two radiate crowns worn here, collectively, by Carus and Sol.
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Double antoninianus, Siscia November 282, billon 3.92 g. DEO ET DOMINO CARO AVG Confronted busts of Sol on l., radiate and draped, and Carus on r., radiate and cuirassed. Rev. FELICITA – S REI – PVBLICAE Felicitas standing l., holding caduceus and sceptre and leaning on column. In exergue, ·X·I·. C 27. RIC 99.
Very rare. An issue of great interest and fascination. Lovely green patina,
minor marks on obverse field, otherwise good very fine
The phenomenon of solar worship in the Roman world, which reached its peak in the late 3rd and early 4th Centuries A.D., served in many ways as a conduit for the rise of Christianity. The universal worship of Sol was encouraged by several emperors, especially from Aurelian onward, and was even promoted by the first Christian emperor, Constantine. Even if we are callous enough to assume their belief in Sol was a mere expedient, we must acknowledge, at least, that it was a wise choice for the times. With conditions on earth so horrendous and uncertain, the desire to focus prayer on a single, universal force with some hint of an afterlife must have been a compelling option to the polytheism that apparently had failed. Furthermore, during this period the station of the emperor in relation to other mortals was on the rise since the princeps was increasingly sheltered, isolated and venerated. As Roman government and society underwent the grand transformation from a principate to a dominate, the idea of worshipping one all-powerful god went hand-in-hand with the idea of loyalty to a single earthly authority. This coin speaks directly to the transformation of the age, showing the all-powerful emperor and the universal sun-god as a unified force to lead and defend Rome. The inscription DEO ET DOMINO CARO INVIC AVG identifies Carus as Deus et Dominus, "god and lord", who assumed the epithet invictus, "unconquerable". The double portrait and the formula XII (X ET I on some examples) indicate this is a double-denomination containing about ten percent silver. The normal aurelianianus of the age, which bore the mark XXI or KA, meaning 20:1, contained only about 5 percent silver. The double-aurelianianus had been introduced by Probus' predecessor, Tacitus, whose issues typically bore the value marks XI or IA, meaning 10:1. In some instances the double-denomination is shown by the emperor wearing a two-layered radiate crown, the equivalent of the two radiate crowns worn here, collectively, by Carus and Sol.
View a video of this lot