Author Topic: Valentinian II portraiture styles  (Read 1677 times)

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Online Victor

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Valentinian II portraiture styles
« on: September 10, 2012, 05:45:15 PM »
I have noticed that on some of Valentinian II's coins, his bust looks more like his father. Valentinian is typically portrayed as older, heavier and thick-necked; while Valentinian II is usually shown as younger, thinner, with a thin neck. Coin A below is the typical style for Valentinian I. Coin B is Valentinian II, but looks more like coin A, rather than coin C, which is typical for Valentinian II.

I am wondering if the engravers of coin B even knew what Valentinian II  looked like. They may not have seen an official imperial bust of him as this coin was from Antioch and Valentinian II was a ruler in the West.