Denarius: October 2018

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

One Ounce Bronze Commercial Barrel Weight, γA

Late Roman or early Byzantine bronze commercial weight –This weight is probably from the east and after weights with Roman numbers (I for a one ounce) and before only Greek numbers / letters were used. The seller proposed 500 - 650 AD. The weight has a Greek number and Roman letter to mark its weight. I can not tell from the picture if any of the original silvering is still on the weight. Simon Bendall in Byzantine Weights, pg 8, splits scale weights into commercial and coin weights. He then shows symbols for Roman and Byzantine weights. The γA on this weight is for one ounce = 27.2 grams in theory = one VNCIA (ounce) = 1/12 of an As (Roman pound). One As = 327.45 grams.

Uniface barrel- shaped 1 uncia weight. Cylindrical with a slightly bulging center and with a flat top and bottom. The top bears a center punch flanked by the engraved letters γA = 1 uncia.

nVF, toned with some crust

Diameter = 15- 17mm

Weight = 26.18 g

Bendall numbers 33 & 34

purchased from numismatiklanz, 10/31/2018

Monday, October 29, 2018

Byzantine bronze commercial weight – semuncia

Byzantine bronze commercial weight (from Artemide eLive 5 - Antiquities) – This one is similar to my Roman weights, but it has Greek letters to mark its weight. Simon Bendall in Byzantine Weights, pg 8, splits scale weights into commercial and coin weights. He then shows symbols for Roman and Byzantine weights. The BI on this weight is for one semuncia = 13.6 grams in theory = half an uncia (ounce) = 1/24 of an As (Roman pound). One As = 327.45 grams.

This piece is 15 mm in diameter and 14 g.

I have one other semuncia weight (14.3 grams), but it has no marks. See below.

The weights clockwise from upper left:

6 uncia commercial weight = 154.4 grams

two steelyard weights, left one bronze, right one lead = 24.5 & 27.2 grams

three coin weights, 1 Solidi, symbol N or four dots - 3.9, 4.0 & 4.3 grams

three commercial weights

3 uncia = 67.8 grams

1 uncia = 27.1 grams

semuncia = 14.3 grams

Thursday, October 11, 2018

L. Roscius Fabatus Girl feeding snake - Crawford 412/1

I bought this coin because I liked the symbol pair. I have not seen an ancient scale or balance on a coin or from other sources with these features:

· Two horizontal beams.
· An arch below the beams.
· A base with legs to hold the vertical post that holds the beam. Most coins are held from above the beam by hand.
· The pan on the right is larger than the pan (weight?) on the left.

It looks a bit like the Nuremberg ducat scale pictured below from Scales and Weights by Bruno Kisch, pg 40. When a gold ducat of low weight was placed in the right pan, the arch showed how many grains the coin was below standard. I have not seen any ancient scale pictures with the arch.

If someone knows of a reference with a scale like the one below, let me know.

L. Roscius Fabatus Girl feeding snake

Scale and Scale Weight Box Control Symbols

64 BC, Cr412/1

AR Denarius (Serratus); L. Roscius Fabatus; 64 BC Chr., Rome,

Obv - Head of Juno Sospita r. in the goatskin cap that is tied in front, behind balance / scale, below: L.ROSCI; border of dots

Rev - Girl stands r. feeding snake that is raised in front of her, behind box for weights, In Ex: FABATI; border dots

3.94 g

Crawf. 412/1, o/r dies = 240/241

BMC 3474 – this control symbol pair

Syd. 915

RSC / Bab. 1; Note: both books show the scale / box symbol pair.

gVF, well centered and struck, nicely toned, some scratches

On the occasion of the annual festival of Juno Sospita in Lanuvium, a virgin had to feed the snake living in the basement of the temple. If the girl was chaste, she left the cave to much celebrating from her family, otherwise she was killed by the snake.

Crawford notes the die symbols were pairs of related every-day objects. There was no more than one die for each symbol. Bab lists 155 pairs. Grueber lists 108 pairs. Crawford lists 242 pairs.

3.94 g.