coin

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Object Type: coin
Museum number: R.12837
Denomination: denarius
Description: Silver coin. (whole); Head of Pescennius Niger, laureate, right. (obverse); Two capricorns back to back over round shield, supporting a globe on which are seven stars. (reverse)
State: Associated with: Roman Empire Ancient Greece and Rome: Roman Empire
Authority: Ruler: Pescennius Niger
Cultures/periods: Roman Imperial
Production date: 193-194
Production place: Minted in: Antiochia ad Orontem (historic)
Materials: silver
Dimensions: Die-axis: 6 o'clock; Weight: 2.864 grammes
$Inscriptions
Curator's comments: This coin does not feature in the De Salis registers but is documented as forming part of his collection.; 'Justitia' in the reverse inscription echoes the epithet 'iustus' which Niger added to his titulature. The capricorn recalls the first princeps (Augustus) whose natal sign this was.
Bibliographic references: PCR / Principal coins of the Romans: Volume I: The Republic c. 290 - 31 BC; Volume II: The Principate 31 BC - AD 296; Volume III: The Dominate AD 294 - 498. (676); RE5 / Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, vol.V: Pertinax to Elagabalus (304, p.78); RIC4 / The Roman imperial coinage, vol. 4: Pertinax - Uranius Antonius (44b, p.30) (type)
Location: Not on display
Subjects: emperor/empress; zodiac; planet/constellation
Associated names: Named in inscription & portrayed: Pescennius Niger; Representation of: Capricorn
Acquisition name: Donated by: Count John Francis William de Salis
Acquisition date: 1860
Acquisition notes: The coin is associated with a ticket marked De Salis VIII 25 (the numbers later crossed out) and recorded in BMC as being donated by De Salis in 1867.
Department: Money and Medals
Registration number: R.12837
C&M catalogue number: RE5 (78) (304)

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