koleksi duit dan syilling lama/Money And Coins from the Past

sephia_liza

During the Civil War, each of the Confederate states produced its own currency. Each state designed, printed and licensed banks to print money. Most of the banks in the South did not have the funds necessary to back the paper money with actual gold or silver. At the conclusion of the Civil War, the money produced in the Confederacy was worthless.







[ Last edited by  sephia_liza at 14-5-2006 03:10 PM ]

sephia_liza

The chaotic rule of Darius II and Artaxerxes II saw a sudden calmness throughout the empire.  Various rebellions started by Satraps, mostly those of Asia Minor, and the eminent danger of an Egyptian attack were suddenly appeased by a series of fortunate incidents.  The reign of Artaxerxes II Ochus brought further organisation to the declining empire.  For a while, it seemed as if the empire was going to return to its glory.  However, as we will see, these promising events were only a temporary break in the process of the Persian Empire抯 demise.

sephia_liza

India's maritime history predates the birth of western civilisation. The world's first tidal dock is believed to have been built at Lothal around 2300 BC during the Harappan Civilisation, near the present day Mangrol harbour on the Gujarat coast.

Kingdom of Mercia c.600


By 600, about half of Britain was ruled by Anglo-Saxon kings. Most of those in the south accepted Ethelbert, King of Kent, as their overlord. During the 7th century, the rulers of the Kingdom of Mercia (the borders of which reached from the Welsh border across the Midlands to the North Sea), grew in power. Authority was won over most of the kingdoms of central and south England, including Essex and the London area.

They also claimed to be overlords of the Kings of Wessex and Northumbria, during the reign of Ethelbald, (716 - 757), and Offa, (757 - 796). Offa's reign was exemplified by a rampart-barrier or dyke, which ran along 70 miles of his western border to assist its defence against Welsh in-roads. He also set up mint that issued the first coinage, including the gold 'dinar', the first coin to be commonly used throughout southern Britain since Roman times.

sephia_liza

Cilicia: ancient name of southern Turkey. The Persian king Cyrus the Great conquered this country, and after the fall of the Achaemenid empire, Cilicia belonged to the Seleucid kingdom and the Roman empire. It was well-known for its iron and silver ores.



Australian Currency


The $100 note features Dame Nellie Melba (1861-1931), world-renowned soprano, and General Sir John Monash (1865-1931), civil engineer and distinguished soldier.
The $50 note features David Unaipon (1872-1967), Aboriginal writer and inventor, and Edith Cowan (1861-1932) first female Australian politician.
The $20 note features the Reverend John Flynn (1880-1951), founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, and Mary Reibey (1777-1855) former convict, pioneer businesswoman.
The $10 note features A.B. ('Banjo') Paterson (1864-1941) poet, author of Waltzing Matilda and Man from Snowy River, and Dame Mary Gilmore (1865-1962) poet and social reformer.
The old $5 note features Queen Elizabeth II, and Parliament House.
The new $5 note features Sir Henry Parkes (1815-1896, politician and architect of Australian Federation, and Catherine Spence (1825-1910) writer and feminist.



All Australian coins have the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II on the front. The reverse side of $2, $1 and 50c coins frequently feature commemorative designs.

The $2 coin was introduced in 1988 to replace the $2 note. It features an Aboriginal tribal elder, the Southern Cross and native grass trees.

The $1 coin was introduced in 1984 to replace the $1 note. It features kangaroos on the reverse side.

The reverse of the:
50c coin features Australia's Coat of Arms.
20c coin features the platypus (soon to be replaced with an image of Sir Donald Bradman).
10c coin features a male lyrebird dancing.
  5c coin features an echidna.
(2c and 1c coins were phased out in 1990)

sephia_liza

Greco-Roman


Silver Stater 525 BCE. The Greek city of Caulonia in Italy, where this was minted, honours the Delphic god Apollo for his role in the city's foundation.
Source Ashmolean Museum Oxford.
Bottom:
Silver Tetradrachm 460 BCE. Minted at Naxos in Sicily, a Centre of viticulture, this coin celebrates the wine god Dionysus with a figure of Silenus drinking.
Source Ashmolean Museum Oxford.


Silver Decadrachm, 390 BCE. This coin was minted in Syracuse in Sicily, and depicts a charioteer crowned by Victory, illustrating the cultural importance of games.
Source Ashmolean Museum Oxford.
Middle:
Silver Tetradrachm, minted at Alexandria, Egypt, during the reign of Ptolemy I, 310-305 BCE. The Macedonian dynasty of the Ptolemies ruled Egypt from the death of Alexander to that of Cleopatra in 30 BCE. Source
Ashmolean Museum Oxford.
Bottom:
Silver Tetradrachm, minted for Lysimachus, 280 BCE. The Macedonian Athena is shown here, in the ideological service of another of Alexander's successors, Lysimach.
Source Ashmolean Museum Oxford.


Maues, Silver Tetradrachm, minted at Taxila (what is now northern Pakistan). Maues was an Indo-Scythian king in the early 1st century BCE. Zeus holds a sceptre on the obverse, with Greek legends declaring Maues King of Kings.


Azilises, Silver Tetradrachm, minted at Taxila. Azilises was king of the Indo-Scythians in the mid 1st century BCE. An Indian goddess is flanked by two elephants, surrounded by Kharoshthi legend declaring Azilises king of kings.


Azes, Silver Tetradrachm, This coin of the Indo-Scythian king Azes second half of the 1st century BCE.
Depicts Zeus wielding a thunderbolt surrounded by Kharoshthi.


Top:
Julius Caesar, Silver Denarius, minted at Rome, 44 BCE. Portrait of Julius Caesar dating to the year of his assassination. Source Ashmolean Museum Oxford.

Middle:
Octavian, Silver Denarius, minted in Italy. Portrait of Octavian at the time of his victory over Antony and Cleopatra in 31 BCE. Source Ashmolean Museum Oxford.

Bottom:
Nero Brass Sestertius, minted at Rome. The coin depicts the arch erected at Rome under Nero between AD 58 and AD 62, to celebrate victories against the Parthians, a warlike people from a region southeast of the Caspian Sea. Source Ashmolean Museum Oxford


Trajan, Brass Sestertius, minted at Rome, 106 AD.
Trajan riding down an enemy, celebrating his conquest of Dacia in AD 106. The subjection to Rome gave the country its modern name (Romania). Source Ashmolean Museum Oxford.


Commodus, Brass Sestertius, minted at Rome, 172-3 AD. The bountiful emperor to be Commodus as Caesar, making handouts of cash to his people.


Left:
Alfred (Reigned 871-899 AD.). Courtesy of British Museum, London.
Middle:
Offa (Reigned 757-796 AD.). Courtesy Of British Museum, London.

Right:
Edgar reigned between 959 and 975 AD. Courtesy of British Museum



Top:
King Charles I ? Coin, Oxford mint, 1642-6 AD.
This coin was struck during the Civil War, when Charles I made Oxford his headquarters, as London and the Mint there were held by Parliament.

Bottom:
Oxford Crown of King Charles I, 1644 AD.
The obverse, seen here, shows the city of Oxford depicted beneath the king's horse; the legend on the reverse summarizes Charles l's war aims as support for the Protestant religion, the laws of England and a free Parliament.


Henry VIII Gold Medal, I545 AD. As a consequence of Henry VIII's break with Rome, he claimed to be the 'Supreme Head of the Church in England'. This medal by Henry Basse records the King's full titles, in Latin on the obverse, surrounding his portrait (left), and Greek and Hebrew on the reverse (right).


Canute (Reigned 1016-1035 AD). Courtesy of British Museum, London.

[ Last edited by sephia_liza at 2-4-2006 04:33 PM ]

sephia_liza

Japan's money economy began earlier than textbooks have described, archaeologists said Tuesday in unveiling 33 bronze coins from the late seventh century recently unearthed in the village of Asuka, Nara Prefecture.
According to the Nara National Research Institute of Cultural Properties, the coins, discovered last August at the Asukaike Ruins in Asuka, are older than the Wado Kaichin coins first minted in 708, thus bumping them from the archaeological record books as the nation's first circulated money.
The bronze coins, whose existence has been known for some time, are called Fuhonsen, the name of a charm believed used during the Nara Period (710-784).
The time at which Fuhonsen coins were minted falls into the Fujiwarakyo Period (694-710), which is based in modern-day Kashihara, Nara Prefecture, where three sovereigns -- Empress Jito Emperor Monmu and Empress Genmei -- once held court.
The research institute said the latest findings prove that Fujiwarakyo was aimed at creating a polity with solid political and economical structures based on the Taiho Code (Taiho Ritsuryo) of 701.
The code consisted of six volumes of penal law (ritsu) and 11 volumes of administrative law (ryo), modeled after the legal code of China's Tang Dynasty (618-907).
The researchers said the coins may have been cast under the order of Emperor Tenmu, husband of Empress Jito.
"The coins perhaps did not function well as a monetary unit because the distribution system (in Fujiwarakyo) had not been developed," said Jun Ishikawa, chief researcher at the Toyo Research Institute of Mint Coins.
According to the Nara institute, six of the 33 coins were unearthed intact, while others were found in pieces. The six intact coins were attached to a bronze lattice, showing that they were minted at the site and had not yet been circulated, it said.
Each coin is round and measures about 2.5 cm in diameter, with a 6-7 mm square hole in the center - about the same size as a Wado Kaichin.
The front carries two vertically aligned kanji characters - "fu" for "wealth" and "hon" for "basis" - flanked by a group of seven dots on each side.
The national institute's Hiroyuki Kaneko said the design is similar to China's Yosho coins, which were also used as charms.
He said those who were involved in minting the coins may have modeled them after Chinese coins that were available from Silla, one of the three ancient Korean kingdoms.
Prior to the discovery at the Asukaike Ruins, five Fuhonsen coins were found in 1985 at a dig on the former site of Heijokyo in today's Nara city, which served as the nation's capital during the Nara Period.
Since these were found to be from the Nara Period, archaeologists had believed they were cast in the same period as Wado Kaichin coins and used as offerings in religious rites and decorations for burials
The Nihon Shoki, the oldest official history of Japan, printed in 720, states that "bronze coins were issued for the first time" in 708. But the Japanese chronicle also suggested that bronze coins existed in the late seventh century, and this had left archaeologists perplexed.
During the Edo Period (1603-1867), Fuhonsen coins were considered play money, and similar coins were made for charms, experts said.
Before the origin of the country's monetary system is rewritten in the history texts, pundits said certain facts must be clarified, including the specific time when Fuhonsen coins were minted and whether they were circulated as money.
The Asukaike Ruins are believed to be a former site for "a national production center" where products related to the Fujiwarakyo court were manufactured under the latest technologies between the late seventh century and the early eighth century.
The ruins are located near Asuka Temple, Japan's first large-scale Buddhist structure, which belonged to the Soga family, a powerful clan in the region until the mid-seventh century.



THESE FUHONSEN bronze coins, attached to a lattice, date back to the seventh century, making them the oldest-known examples of money in Japan. Researchers unearthed 33 of the coins recently in the village of Asuka, Nara Prefecture, with six found intact

sephia_liza

Seven gold 16th century coins found in the grounds of a former priory in Spitalfields, London



A rare hoard of golden "angel" coins treasured by Tudors for their ability to ward off evil has been unearthed in the grounds of a medieval hospital and priory.

The seven coins, which were buried shortly before Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries, have triggered a 500-year-old mystery over why they were abandoned at the priory and hospital of St Mary Spital in London, in modern day Spitalfields.

Hazel Forsyth, a post-medieval expert at the Museum of London, where the coins will go on display today, said: "It could have been that they were used for clinical purposes in the hospital. Gold was used in the preparation of some treatments.

"It is also possible that the coins were someone's life savings and that they were temporarily stored in the floor for safety. The owner may have died before retrieving them."

Angels were first issued in the 1460s by Edward IV as a replacement for the noble. Originally they were worth around 33p and took their name from the design on the head, which featured the Archangel St Michael trampling on the devil in the form of a dragon.

The coins came to be regarded as powerful charms against bad luck and evil spirits.

Hazel Forsyth added: "These were extraordinarily rare. Only one gold angel has been found before by archaeologists in London, so to find seven is extraordinary."

sephia_liza

Ancicnt cash is thccurrency using in all dynasty if China. Its history shorld bc find out as lcast from from and 3 dynasty.

Bronze Cowirc of Chu 278 B.C. Was usod as currcncy for a vcry fong period. During the goodscxchange pcriods, the diflcrent valuse between two exehangod goods was discovered so that the minor eurrency (deeorations) was used for adjrstment. So Bronze Cowine was treatcd as the goods-cxchange modia for its was one of the common dccorations, It had been chculated for a ling time before Chou dvnasty (1122-225B.C)

From Chou dynasty, the farm tools Hollow handlc Spadc Moncy and Knife Money were used as eurrency, With the inore peopular of Knife Money, words were addcd onthem so various kind of knife Money were come out.

The First Emperor shih Huang ti of Chin. (221-209B.C.) issued the copper cornage Panhang Haif and ounce that was the befining of round money with square hole at center which that shapc of money had been cireulatod about two, thousand year It also affeet Japan. Coren and Annam countnes to use China curreney as their money.


The Ancient Cash can be said fiom the period of Bronze Cowire of Chu278B.C. to the round money with square hole of the later Ching dynasty.

Ancient Empires - Rome



The ancient Roman empire spanned the time period from about 145 B.C. to 476 A.D. At its peak, centered on Rome, and connected by a vast system of Roman Roads, it was one of the most extensive and powerful in all human history. Roman Legions conquered and ruled a vast region throughout northern Africa, the Middle East, and Europe.

Jesus Christ lived His entire human life under the Roman empire, the first half under Caesar Augustus (Luke 2:1), who reigned when He was born in Bethlehem, the second half under Tiberius (Luke 3:1) (a statue of Tiberius is seen in the photograph below), when He still lived at Nazareth in Galilee, before moving to Capernaum on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, until His Crucifixion at Calvary in Jerusalem.



It was the ancient Greeks who came up with one of the most successful inventions in man's history: the use of money in the form of coins. They were first struck in the regions of Lydia and Ionia (modern western Turkey) in the late 7th Century B.C., more than 2,600 years ago, and thereafter spread throughout the Greek world. The designs show the badges of city-states, the portraits of rulers, as well as ancient Greek gods, mythical beings and images, and even ordinary objects of daily life. The designs were carved by Greek craftsmen and appeared as miniature works of sculptured art. These highly portable commercial tokens were used for trade, as gifts and dedications, payment for military service, and burial offerings. Coins that survive, many found in long lost hoards, link our world with the culture and lifestyle of the ancient Greeks. 12gexw.



[ Last edited by sephia_liza at 2-4-2006 04:08 PM ]

sephia_liza

A series of ancient coins. Notice how the primitive crudeness gradually disappears and how the coins become rounder. From left to right : almond-shaped gold ingot weighing 8.5g; gilt coin of Augustus Caesar, Emperor of Rome; silver coin of Ramon Borrell II; 8-crown coin of Philip V of Spain, minted in Mexico; peseta of 1869.



Five-peso note, issued in Cuba in 1896. Many years had passed since first primitive paper money. This one already looks quite like a present-day bank note.



The island, whose ancient name was Corcyra, appears to have been inhabited since the Paleolithic period. In 734 B.C. it was colonized by the Corinthians who built the present day Analipsi, the ancient town and its acropolis.
Corfu developed into an important commercial center, acquired a powerful fleet, its own colonies and did not hesitate within several years from its foundation to revolt against Corinth itself and to acquire autonomy.
In 432 B.C. Corfu became the cause of the outbreak of the Peloponnesian War and passed under the authority of the Spartans.   
This was followed by the Syracusian occupation, King Pyrrhus of Epirus and the Illyrians, ending with Roman rule.

During the Byzantine period the fortifications of the new town began with the walls of the Old Fortress (8th century) in an endeavor to confront the attacks of the island's enemies, particularly the Normans. During this period the name Coryfo prevailed.
In 1204 it was occupied by the Genoans and continually changed masters until 1356 when the Venetians took command and stayed until 1797.
In the meantime Turks made their appearance starting in 1537. After the attacks by the Turks, Corfu experienced a flowering in the arts and letters which continued until the 19th century.
In 1797 it was occupied by the French and ten years later by the Russo- Turkish fleet. This was followed by the Anglo- French struggle for the domination of the island.
The union of Corfu and the other Ionian Islands with Greece finally took place in 1864.


Coins were first made in the seventh century BC, in the Greek world. At first, there was a design on only one side, usually showing an animal. The other side had a punch mark from the production of the coin. The development of coinage allowed people to know that they were receiving a standard amount of metal in exchange for their goods. As with all coins made during the next 2300 years or so, each coin was produced by hand. In ancient times, this was usually done by placing a piece of metal between two dies, and striking with a hammer.


Coins also began to be used outside the Greek domain, in Persia, for example, and bronze (or similar copper alloys) coins appeared in addition to the silver and rarer gold coins. Coins also began to include inscriptions, usually indicating the city the coin was minted in.

As the Romans became the dominant force in the Mediterranean, their coins were produced in greater numbers and with a wide variety of designs. When the Roman Republic evolved into the Roman Empire in the late first century BC, their coins began depicting the Emperor on the obverse, and including their name and copious titles in the inscription. The reverses often show gods or personifications of colonies that had been captured.

As the Roman Empire declined, so did the quality of the artwork on their coins. By the fall of Rome in the late fifth century AD, it had become almost cartoonish, and this is normally thought of as the endpoint for ancient coins.

[ Last edited by sephia_liza at 2-4-2006 04:18 PM ]

sephia_liza

Turtles, the archaic currency of Aegina, are among the most sought after of all ancient coins. Their early history is a somewhat of a mystery. At one time historians debated whether they or the issuances of Lydia were the world's earliest coins. The source of this idea comes indirectly from the writings of Heracleides of Pontus, a fourth century BC Greek scholar. In the treatise Etymologicum, Orion quotes Heracleides as claiming that King Pheidon of Argos, who died no later than 650 BC, was the first to strike coins at Aegina. However, archeological investigations date the earliest turtles to about 550 BC, and historians now believe that this is when the first of these intriguing coins were stamped.

Aegina is a small, mountainous island in the Saronikon Gulf, about midway between Attica and the Peloponnese. In the sixth century BC it was perhaps the foremost of the Greek maritime powers, with trade routes throughout the eastern half of the Mediterranean. It is through contacts with Greeks in Asia Minor that the idea of coinage was probably introduced to Aegina. Either the Lydians or Greeks along the coast of present day Turkey were most likely the first to produce coins, back in the late seventh century. These consisted of lumps of a metal called electrum (a mixture of gold and silver) stamped with an official impression to guarantee the coin was of a certain weight. Aegina picked up on this idea and improved upon it by stamping coins of (relatively) pure silver instead electrum, which contained varying proportions of gold and silver. The image stamped on the coin of the mighty sea power was that of a sea turtle, an animal that was plentiful in the Aegean Sea. While rival cities of Athens and Corinth would soon begin limited manufacture of coins, it is the turtle that became the dominant currency of southern Greece. The reason for this is the shear number of coins produced, estimated to be ten thousand yearly for nearly seventy years. The source for the metal came from the rich silver mines of Siphnos, an island in the Aegean. Although Aegina was a formidable trading nation, the coins seemed to have meant for local use, as few have been found outside the Cyclades and Crete. So powerful was their lure, however, that an old proverb states, "Courage and wisdom are overcome by Turtles."

The Aeginean turtle bore a close likeness to that of its live counterpart, with a series of dots running down the center of its shell. The reverse of the coin bore the imprint of the punch used to force the face of the coin into the obverse turtle die. Originally this consisted of an eight-pronged punch that produced a pattern of eight triangles. Later, other variations on this were tried. In 480 BC, the coin received its first major redesign. Two extra pellets were added to the shell near the head of the turtle, a design not seen in nature. Also, the reverse punch mark was given a lopsided design.

Although turtles were produced in great quantities from 550 - 480 BC, after this time production dramatically declines. This may be due to the exhaustion of the silver mines on Siphnos, or it may be related to another historical event. In 480 BC, Aegina's archrival Athens defeated Xerxes and his Persian armies at Marathon. After this, it was Athens that became the predominant power in the region. Aegina and Athens fought a series of wars until 457 BC, when Aegina was conquered by its foe and stripped of its maritime rights. At this time the coin of Aegina changed its image from that of the sea turtle to that of the land tortoise, symbolizing its change in fortunes.

The Turtle was an object of desire in ancient times and has become so once again. It was the first coin produced in Europe, and was produced in such great quantities that thousands of Turtles still exist today. Their historical importance and ready availability make them one of the most desirable items in any ancient coin enthusiast's collection.

sephia_liza

The coinage of Rome can be broken roughly into four periods: early and late Republican, and early and late Imperial. Again, mostly due to cost, I concentrate on coins of the Empire, which began with Octavian being proclaimed Augustus in 27 BC.

By the time of Augustus, the silver denarius has been in use for about 180 years. To this, Augustus added a large bronze coin, the sestertius, which was one-quarter of a denarius in value, and other lesser coins. The reverse of a poor example of a sestertius can be seen to the right. This coin is from Severus Alexander, who was Emperor from 222 to 235 AD. As has always been the case, coins received considerable wear from circulation, and today, a very worn coin is worth much less than a "mint state" coin.

These larger coins allowed Emperors such as Augustus to put more titles for themselves on the inscriptions of the coins. For example, one read CAESAR AVGVSTVS DIVI F PATER PATRIAE !



Emperors also put their wives and other family members on their coins. Shown at left is a denarius of Faustina Senior, the wife of the Emperor Antoninus Pius, who ruled from 138 to 161. After her death early in his reign, Pius had many different coins struck in her honor, including this one. The inscription reads DIVA FAVSTINA ("diva" translates to "divine" or "deified") which indicates that she had died before this coin was struck. Coins of the various empresses are one of my interests, as they are more varied, showing in elaborate detail, the hair styles of the different eras. Some things never change!

In the early Imperial period, coins were either minted in Rome, and had Latin inscriptions, or minted in Greek provincial cities, with inscriptions in Greek. The later Imperial period begins with the Emperor Diocletian's reforms of the coinage soon after he became the sole Emperor in 285 AD. In this period, inscriptions are always in Latin, and coins often have a mint mark indicating where they were produced.

By the third century, Rome was starting a long decline that would culminate with the fall of Rome in the late fifth century. This decline can be seen in its coins, as less and less silver was used, and inflation increased in the empire. The denarius began to be replaced in the middle of the third century by a double-denarius. Today, this is often referred to by the difficult name antoninianus, after the family name of the emperor Caracalla, who first issued it. While it was set or "tariffed" at two denarii, it did not have the equivalent of two denarii in silver. As time went on, new antoninianii had less and less silver until by the late third century, it was a bronze coin with a wash of silver over the two sides. Most of the coins found from the Late Roman Empire are bronze, but a number of emperors tried to make reforms in the coinage, most of which had little success, at least in the long run.

As the Empire declined, so did the size of its coins, and eventually, the quality of the artwork became quite poor. As these changes occurred, many new denominations were created, and we do not have names for some of these, so we just refer to them by their metal type,

sephia_liza

Philip I was born Marcus Julius Verus Philippus in Trachonitis, Arabia around 204 AD. His father was Marinus, an Arab chief of Roman Knightly rank. Due to his place of birth, he became known as Philip the Arab.

Philip was married to Otacilia Severa and together they had a son (Philip II or Junior) and possibly a daughter. The daughter's name is unknown. The existence of the daughter is uncertain and considering Philip's apparent devotion to his family it is unlikely that she would have completely escaped the notice of history. So her presence must be treated with some scepticism.

In 243 AD, as deputy praetorian prefect, he accompanied the young emperor Gordian III on his Persian campaign to conquer Shapur I and relieve the captured provincial capital of Antioch. After a series of battles, Antioch was relieved and the Persian army in full retreat. However the fast pace of battle and a failure of the grain supply ships meant that the army ill-supplied and therefore in an increasingly foul mood.

During the winter of 243, either through luck or treachery, the praefect Timesitheus died and Philip succeded him. He was now in a position to influence an already disgruntled army and proceded to turn them against Gordian. (One report states that Gordian offered to resign as emperor and take a subordinate position under Philip. It was said that Philip left the decision up to the soldiers, with predictable results.)

On February 25, 244 the 19 year old emperor was murdered by his soldiers and Philip proclaimed emperor. Philip immediately declared his young son (age 7) Caesar, Otacilia Severa as Augusta, deified his father Marinus and placed his brother, Priscus, in charge of the eastern portion of the empire. It is clear that he was intent on founding a dynastic line. He also moved quickly to conclude the campaign in Persia in order to get back to Rome since a delay could mean the Senate would appoint another as emperor. A hasty treaty with the Persians was signed with some concessions and a payment of 20,000 aurei to Shapur. By July of 244 he was back in Rome and reported to the Senate that Gordian died of 'natural causes' (at least as natural as any Roman emperor could expect). In turn he was confirmed as the emperor.

The years of 245 - 247 AD saw a series of successful campaigns against the Germans and Dacians. It was also in 247 that Philip elevated his now 10 year old son to the rank of Augustus and co-emperor. The empire now had a double principate and the stage was set for the 1,000th anniversary celebration.


SAECVLARES AVGG. ('The Secular Games of the Augusti') and the coins feature the exotic animals as well as the cippus. The animals in particular are very popular with collectors. Some of the animal reverses, such as the goat and gazelle, could be considered scarce


SAECVLVM NOVVM (roughly translated as 'New Age') and features the 6 column temple which is either the Temple of Jupiter Capitolina or the Temple of Roma Aeterna, depending on which reference work you have. The type is relatively rare.


There is a third reverse that some reference works group with the SAECVLARES types. The AETERNITAS AVGG. antoninianus and sestertius which show an elephant with driver walking left. Vagi in particular mentions the type as associated with the anniversary noting that the elephant was an 'animal noted for its indelible memory and long life-span'


And finally, the Congiarium held by Philip during the celebration may have been commemorated in this coin of his son, Philip II. The reverse reads 'LIBERALITAS AVGG. III' and pictures Philip and Philip II side by side seated on curule chairs.

[ Last edited by sephia_liza at 2-4-2006 04:46 PM ]

sephia_liza

During the days of the Republic, the prolific writer Marcus Terentius Varro (116 BC - 21 BC) calculated that the 1,000th anniversary of Rome's founding would fall on April 21st, 248 AD. What method he used to determined the date has not been recorded, but then again, most Roman emperors needed little excuse to to have a party. After all, games were a way for the populace to forget their troubles and it was a way to generate good will towards the imperator. Most emperors realized that good will equaled a longer life span.....

Philip called for a magnificent celebration and spared no expense. The exact duration of the celebration is not recorded, but certainly a week would have been the minimum and 30 days not unusual. It is possible that the celebration was spread out over a period of time. The celebration started off with a traditional religious ceremony, the Ludi Saeculares (Secular Games). The Ludi Saeculares was one of the most solemn of Roman festivals celebrated only once per century or perhaps once in a given lifetime. (Although this once in a lifetime 'rule' was broken a number of times in the past most notably by the emperors Claudius and Nero.) Ceremonies were held over a period of 3 days in the Campius Martius, Capitol and Palatine Hills.



Games were held in the Circus Maximus and featured thousands of wild and exotic animals brought from all over the empire. The coins of Philip from this period show lions, hippos and other African game. (Ironically, the animals were originally collected by the late emperor Gordian III for his planned Persian Victory Triumph.) Of course the animals were brought to the games not for display, but as active participants either against each other or human opponents. Not only animals fought in the Circus, but Gladiators were brought in by the thousands and fought in mortal combat. This combat occured on land and in mock naval battles.

In addition to the religious ceremonies and games, Philip also distributed gifts to the citzens of Rome most likely in the form of coins. This was known as a Congiarium. It was another was for Philip to ingratiate himself with the populace and ensure the continuation of his dynasty. The congiarium may have been recorded on a coins of Philip and Philip II.

The Death of Philip


Soon after the Secular Games, the situation began to fall apart for Philip. At least 4 usurpers arose in different provinces, all military men being proclaimed emperor by their soldiers. On the German frontier first there was Pacatian, then Silbannacus on the Rhine and finally the little known Sponsianus. In the east, a more serious threat came from the revolt of Jotapian and his troops. The last was the most difficult to put down since Philip was unable to take care of it personally.

The revolts were eventually suppressed, but had the effect of shaking Philip's confidence. So much so that he attempted to resign as emperor. He was talked out of resigning by a senator and prefect of Rome by the name of Trajan Decius. (boo hiss) At this point, Philip made the most devastating mistake of his reign. He appointed Decius as commander to the Danubian frontier to suppress a German uprising and keep control of the rebellious soldiers. By the end of 248, Decius had restored order to the region and so impressed his formerly rebellious troops that in June 249 they hailed him as Imperator. He was eventually convinced to march on Rome.

The result was inevitable. From the north came Decius with his army headed towards Rome, from the south Philip marched to meet Decius. The 2 armies met in September or October at Verona and Philip, although said to have the larger army, was defeated. Some references state that he died in battle, others say that he was killed by his own soldiers. Either way, Philip was literally history. We do not know for certainty whether Philip II died with his father at Verona or was killed at a later time at Rome. References vary as to his fate.

History also does not definitively record the fate of Otacilia Severa or her unnamed daughter. One report states that she was murdered in Rome by the Praetorian Guard, while another mentions a rumor that she was allowed to quietly retire. By then, both Philip and her son were dead and with no chance of a revival of the dynasty, there would have been no need for her death. History may not say, but a betting man would have given odds on her demise.



Philip I AR Antoninianus   RSC 17
Radiate, draped bust right
'AETERNITAS AVGG.' - Elephant walking left, carrying driver


Philip I AR Antoninianus   RSC 172
Radiate, draped bust right
'SAECVLARES AVGG.' - Lion walking right


Philip I AR Antoninianus   RSC 193
Radiate, draped bust right
'SAECVLARES AVGG.' - Column inscribed with COS III


Philip I AR Antoninianus   RSC 198
Radiate, draped bust right
'SAECVLVM NOVVM' - Temple with 6 columns, statue standing in center


Otacilia Severa AR Antoninianus     
Diademed bust on crescent right
'SAECVLARES AVGG.' - Hippo advancing right. 'IIII' in exergue.


Philip I AR Antoninianus   Sear 2556  
Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right
'FIDES MILITVM' - Four Legionary standards


Philip II AR Antoninianus  RSC 32
Radiate, draped bust right. 'M. IVL. PHILIPPVS CAES.'
Sprinkler, simpulum, jug, knife and lituus. 'PIETAS AVGVSTOR'


Philip II AR Antoninianus  RSC 17
Radiate, draped bust right
'LIBERALITAS AVGG. III' - Philip I and II seated side by side


Philip II Sestertius  
Bare head, draped bust right
'PRINICIPI IVVENTIS' - Philip II advancing right, holding globe

[ Last edited by sephia_liza at 2-4-2006 04:48 PM ]

sephia_liza

Celtic coinage is the most intriguing and varied of all the British coins as no one knows specifically for whom, when or where they were produced. They were struck by hand in gold, silver and bronze and used for approximately 150 years. The earliest coins to circulate in Britain c150BC were made in Gaul and are known as Gallo-Belgic A-F. The (A) being derived from the Macedonian gold staters of Philip II (359-336B.C.)



Coins were brought to Britain by trade, as pay for returning mercenaries, by raiders and settlers from the Continent, and gifts between tribal leaders. The first British coins to be produced were the cast bronze "Thurrock Potins" c100BC. The production of gold coins started c70BC with the 'Westerham Stater' being the first distinctive British Stater.
From Julius Caesars expeditions to Britain in 55/54BC to the Claudian invasion in 43AD, southern Britain was increasingly influenced by the Romans. Latin legends began to appear for the first time. The first inscribed staters to appear were inscribed 'COMMIOS' possibly issued by Caesar's Commius. Coinage still continued to be produced after the Roman invasion of 43AD. But in 61AD with the death of King Prasutagus and the suppression of the Boudiccan revolt that followed, Celtic coinage came to an end.

Hammered Coin age

The withdrawal of Roman forces from Britain signalled the change to Anglo-Saxon Britain. The collapse of administration resulted in the deterioration of money. Coins were copied from obsolete Roman coinage and later made in Anglo-Saxon style. Gold coinage became increasingly debased and by the mid 650's silver coinage took over.
By the 770's coinage degenerated to base silver and finally to copper or brass, Pennies were then issued by various rulers and remained virtually the sole denomination of English coinage for almost five centuries.
The currency was controlled mainly by the central government and the coinage types were changed at intervals in order to raise revenue from new dies and keep the currency in good state. Full pennies were sheared into 'halfpennies' and 'fourth things' - farthings



Around 1106-7 the standard of coinage deterioriated and many genuine coins were being cut to see if they were plated counterfeits. This continued until the 'Great Re-coinage' of Edward I, 1279. Interestingly, Edward I Pennies were legal tender up until 1698, some 425 years after first being introduced.
Bi-metalic coinage was successfully introduced in about 1351 along with new silver denominations, the Groat and its Halves.

[ Last edited by sephia_liza at 2-4-2006 04:53 PM ]

sephia_liza

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