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Gothicus, to Claudius II.

Medicus, to M. Aurelius.

Parthicus, to Trajanus, Hadrianus, M. Aurelius, L. Verus, Seve rus, Caracalla and Carus.

Persicus, to Carus.

Sarmaticus, to M. Aurelius and Commodus.

CHAPTER XXXIII

LEGIONARY COINS

287. With the view of flattering the self-esteem of his troops Marcus Antonius inaugurated the system of issuing a special coinage bearing as type the legionary eagle between two military ensigns, and as legend the number of the legion.

His example was followed by Clodius Macer, Sept. Severus, Gallienus, Victorinus, and Carausius; some of these added to the number the titles and symbol of the respective legions, as for example a pegasus, a capricorn, a bull, an eagle, a lioness, Neptune and so forth. Legionary coins were all issued in either gold or silver.

288. A list is here given of the legions with their surnames, and the names of the Emperors who recorded them on their coins. LEG. I. Macriana, Adjutrix, Augustus, Italica, Minervia : M. Antonius, Clod. Macer, Sept. Severus, Gallienus, Victorinus, Carausius.

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LEG. II. Adjutrix, Italica, Parthica, Trajana, Augusta :
M. Antonius, Sept. Severus, Victorinus, Carausius.

LINTARS

Fig. 77. Legionary Denarius of M. Antonius.

LEG. III. Libera, Augusta, Italica, Gallica, Parthica :

M. Antonius, Clod. Macer, Sept. Severus, Gallienus, Carausius.

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M. Antonius, Sept. Severus, Gallienus, Victorinus, Carausius.

LEG. V. Macedonica:

M. Antonius, Sept. Severus, Gallienus, Victorinus.

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M. Antonius, Sept. Severus, Gallienus, Carausius. LEG. VIII. Augusta :

M. Antonius, Pinarius Scarpus, Sept. Severus, Gallienus, Carausius.

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LEG. XIV. - Gemina, Victrix:

M. Antonius, Sept. Severus, Gallienus, Victorinus.

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LEG. XIX.

M. Antonius.

LEG. XX. Valeria, Victrix.

M. Antonius, Gallienus, Victorinus, Carausius.

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Primigenia:

M. Antonius, Sept. Severus, Gallienus, Victorinus.

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Ulpia, Victrix:

M. Antonius, Sept. Severus, Gallienus, Victorinus, Carausius.

To the above-mentioned surnames of the legions the titles PIA, FIDELIS are nearly always added, generally expressed by the letters P.F.

289. Legionary coins in gold are always rare (from € 20 or more).

On the other hand those in silver are generally common, but among them there are some very rare, as for example the first among the legionary coins of M. Antonius, and those higher in number than the twenty-fourth.

290. The Cohorts also are sometimes recorded on the coins; we may note the Cohors speculatorum (M. Antonius) and the Cohors prætorianorum (Gallienus and Carausius).

CHAPTER XXXIV

THE PUBLIC VOWS (VOTA) MENTIONED ON THE COINS

291. During the Republican period the Public Vows appeared for the first and only time on a denarius of the Nonia gens, but during the Empire they were very frequently commemorated on

the coins.

In the Imperial period it was the custom at Rome to offer the Public Vows for the prosperity of the Empire on the kalends of January when the consuls were elected, and other vows were offered two days before the nones of the same month for the health of the Emperor. Besides these, on special occasions other vows. were frequently made.

292. The decennial vows date from the reign of Augustus who assumed command of the provinces in the year of Rome 727 (27 B.C.) and promised that in ten years all the world would be at peace.

When those ten years were ended another five years' government was given and then another like period, in B. C. 8 another ten years, and in A.D. 4 another ten. His successors, without receiving any such authority from the people or from the Senate kept up the custom of celebrating the decennial public vows, then the vows for five years (quinquennali) and afterwards celebrated special vows for twenty and thirty years, &c. for the past and also for the future, hence the distinction expressed by the words VOTA SOLVTA (vows accomplished) and VOTA SVSCEPTA (vows promised).

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Fig. 79. Bronze Votive Medallion of Commodus.

293. In the earlier period and up to the reign of Commodus the type representing the vows on the coins was a representation

of the Emperor sacrificing, sometimes alone, at other times accompanied by priests and assistants, musicians and others: afterwards they were accustomed merely to write the legend in a crown, or above a shield borne by a figure of Victory, or in the later days by two female figures representing Rome and Constantinople.

The legends most generally used are:

VOTA PVBLICA, VOTA SVSCEPTA, VOTA SOLVTA.
VOTA V [vota quinquennalis].

VOTA X vota decennalis].

VOT.X ET.XX [votis decennalis (solutis) et vicennalibus (susceptis)].

VOT XV MVLT XXX [votis quindecennalibus (solutis) multis tricesimalibus (susceptis)].

VOT XX sic XXX [votis vicennalibus (feliciter solutis) sic tricesimalia (solventur)].

VOTIS MVLTÍS. [votis multis (susceptis solutisque)].

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294. If the memorials of the votes n.ay present a certain basis for determining the dates of the coins recording them during the earlier period of the Empire, such a basis is altogether wanting in the later period, during which, in order to give occasion for a greater number of festivals, the stated periods were abbreviated, and the vows celebrated were greatly in excess of the number of years in the reign.

CHAPTER XXXV

THE IMPERIAL MINTS

295. In the latter days of the Republic, coins (nummi castrenses) were issued in all the three metals, gold, silver and bronze, struck in mints far from Rome, by the commanders of the army. As soon

Roman Coins.

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