2024 has had ups and downs - it seems that every year I start with same thought. This has been an unusual year with and earth quake,...

Augustus' refusal to celebrate personal triumphs after his triple triumph in 29 BCE cultivated imperial image and shifted power dynamics.

The life of Valeria Messalina, the third wife of Emperor Claudius, has inspired numerous books, plays, operas, and films due to ...

Late Roman, AD 330 - 335, marble sarcophagus depicting the four seasons at Dumbarton Oaks . I was pleased to add an unusual quadrans to...

The Saturnalia was perhaps the most popular of Roman holidays. Catullus wrote to his friend Calvus circa 57-54 BCE that is was "optimus dierum", the first of festivals. His note was in response to a Saturnalia gift that turned out the be a bit of a practical joke - Catullus was expecting quality poetry from his friend Calvus but was disappointed to find the book filled with the poor work of poetasters, meaning mediocre or untalented poets. (See: Commentary on Catullus ) "Gr

This set of notes started from a discussion of "syncretism" and when or how Zeus and Serapis started to blend across Greco-Roman-Egyptian religion with Zeus. When is it appropriate to identify Serapis vs. Zeus-Serapis on a coin of Roman Egypt? Serapis has interesting roots in the wake of the death of Alexander the Great and the formative years of Ptolemaic Egypt. Egypt, Alexandria. Nero . AD 54-68. BI Tetradrachm, Dated RY 10 (AD 63/64). Obv: NEPΩ KΛAV KAIΣ ΣEB ΓEP, radia

Paul the Apostle (2BC–64/65) stayed in Ephesus for about two and a half years from 53-56 BCE. In Acts 19.24-28 there is a story of Paul...

The coins that are the subject of these Notes are often thousands of years old, so it is perhaps not surprising that much is unchanged in...

The two sons left by Septimius Severus, Geta and Caracalla, both received the surname Antoninus, one from the army, the other from...

Nerva was named by the Senate as emperor on the same day that Domitian which certainly opens suspicion that there was no shortage of plan...

Ulpia Severina Augusta, wife of Emperor Aurelian is not named in ancient literature, however the Historia Augusta mentions her: Clothing...

"It so happened that the two men were not in complete accord: so great is the desire for sole rule and so contrary to the usual practice...

"I compelled the Parthians to restore to me the spoils and standards of three Roman armies and to ask as suppliants for the friendship of...

The Capitolia were games (held every 4 years) established by Domitian in 86 AD in Rome. "In 86 AD, emperor Domitian organized the first...

Today's coin of interest comes from the reign of Hadrian (CE 117 to 138). This coin is issued in the name of his wife Sabina, from...

The ancient Romans, celebrated a feast on March 31st, in the Temple of Luna on the Aventine Hill to honor the Moon Goddess, a cult...

Perfectly centered and well preserved coins, are certainly worthy of admiration. However, as a collector of ancients, I find beauty...

The Emperor Commodus was murdered on December 31, 192, and the Empire faced another period of a civil war. His murderers put foward...

Amasia (variants: Amasea, Amasya, Amaseia) sits on a narrow pass or gorge between two large hills. Cut into the rock faces above the river..

Veterans Day honors active and former US service members and is celebrated, in the US, today, November 11th. My coin today comes from a...