Caligula "Damnatio Memoriae" Divo Aug Sestertius- Joe Geranio

[Joe Geranio]

This coin is defaced and is evidence of the unpopularity of Gaius Caligula. On some vesta aes' you will find the "C" in CAESAR obliterated. On this coin the face has been obliterated and it was not mentioned in the catalog. Joe Geranio

Gaius (Caligula). AD 37-41. Æ “Medallic” Sestertius (30.30 g, 7h). Rome mint. Struck AD 37-38. Pietas seated left, holding patera and resting arm on small draped figure standing facing on basis / Gaius standing left, holding patera over garlanded altar; victimarius holding bull for sacrifice and attendant holding a patera standing on either side; garlanded hexastyle temple of Divus Augustus in background; pediment decorated with sacrificial scene; quadriga and Victories as acroteria; statues of Romulus and Aeneas along roof line. RIC I 36.

[curtislclay]

I think we'd need a SERIES of such coins with obliterated face of Caligula to prove that it's not just accidental damage in this one case.

[Joe Geranio]

Photo attached.

Joe Geranio

[Joe Geranio]

Small bronze portrait of Caligula found in the Tiber. Mutilated face.

For more on this: D. Boschung, Die Bildnisse des Caligula Gebr. Mann 1989.

[Joe Geranio]

Pollini states in his article. 1 that " In Roman art, surviving examples showing an abandoned attempt to decapitate a sculpture are rare." "One such is the Statue of Caligula from Richmond. A roughly horizontal chiseled line in the neck suggests that, in the wake of Caligula's assassination, a sculptor had been planning to remove the head so that the statue body could be reused. However, before the job was completed, the statue probably toppled forward, causing the head to break off along the pre-chiseled line in the neck." States Pollini.

1. Pollini, John- "A new Portrait of Octavia and the Iconography of Octavia Minor and Julia Maior"-- RM 109 (2002) 11-42. Page 38.

[curtislclay]

Sculptures and other coin types prove nothing, in my opinion.

We need, to repeat, other DIVO AVG sestertii of Caligula with eradication of the emperor's face to prove that the damage is not just accidental in this one case.

[Joe Geranio]

Curtis,

I am just showing some examples. I disagree that the first photo is just damaged. There are many forms of obliteration of coins and sculpture. The important thing is to show a pattern with sculpture and coinage which would agree nicely.

Thanks for your thoughts,

Joe

[Georgios]

Dear Joe Geranio,

I was reading through your posts and agree this topic is very interesting. I also believe that a lot has been learnt from coins and more is to come. I have created a small shop which I will hopefully update with more coins regularly along with pages relating to hisotry. I was wondering if you could help me out with references to the pictures you have posted so I could create a page on this topic? Thanks in advance.

Best wishes,

Georgious

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Malvin-Numi...3aFQ3aSTQQtZkm

[Joe Geranio]

Caligula in the VMFA. Note break at neck in attempted Damnatio. The head and body do go together in this rare statue of Caligula. (Photo courtesy John Pollini).