Owner Comments:
Julia Cornelia Salonina reigned as Rome’s Augusta alongside her husband Augustus Gallienus from 254-268 AD. Her reign was relatively long, especially considering the chaotic nature of the period. Even so, we don’t know very much about her beyond what can be surmised from her coinage.
One such example is this double-denarius struck in Rome around 255-257 AD. On this particular coin, the Empress' austere, right-facing bust balances atop a crescent representing the moon. This motif of Salonina’s coins complements the sun crown worn by her husband on his coins, an example of which can be seen in the previous Gallery page of this collection.
The coin’s reverse features the prominent figure of Venus, the Roman adaptation of Aphrodite, the goddess full of persuasive female charm. Venus represented a plethora of related concepts: love, sex, beauty, enticement, and seduction, to name a few. Venus could bring prosperity, good fortune, sexual prowess, and even military victory. This latter aspect, known as Venus Victrix, is the version of Venus depicted on this coin, wherein she stands facing left with a shield at her feet, holding a scepter in one hand and a helmet in the other. On some other coins, Venus Victrix bears non-military accouterments, such as an apple and an olive branch. As a multi-faceted goddess, the sultry Venus simultaneously represents the beauty and status of the Augusta and her support and harmony with the military.
Support and harmony with the military was a priority for Salonina’s husband Gallienus. In the end, however, the imagery here of victorious Venus turned out to be ironic. During a siege of Mediolanum against the usurper Aureolus, Gallienus was murdered by some of his own troops. Salonina’s reign as Augusta came to an end, and her fate afterwards remains uncertain.
Coin Details: ROMAN EMPIRE, Salonina, AD 254-268, BI Double-Denarius (22mm, 3.49 g, 6h), Rome mint, 2nd-4th emission of Valerian I and Gallienus, AD 255-257, NGC Grade: MS★, Surface: 5/5, Strike: 5/5, Obverse: Draped bust right, wearing stephane, set on crescent, SALONINA AVG, Reverse: Venus standing left, holding helmet and scepter; shield at side, VENVS VICTRIX, References: RIC V 37 corr. (Venus described as seated); MIR 36; RSC 129.
Image: Sony ɑ 7R Ⅴ camera / Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS lens.