Author Topic: Floral design on VLPP shield  (Read 2621 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Victor

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4080
  • Country: us
  • all my best friends are dead Romans
    • Victor's Imperial Coins
Floral design on VLPP shield
« on: July 28, 2016, 10:53:20 AM »
This Siscia VLPP has an unusual shield decoration. There are perhaps 4-5 different shield designs (horseman, studded, vertical lines, plain (with or without shield boss) and assorted patterns (like this coin) are the main types) with a great variety of differences among each design; but this one is very different. It is also a rarer design...I have had only a few examples over the years and seen a few more. I really don't know what is depicted on the shield--  though I believe it is probably a floral design; but might be an astronomical element or perhaps just a geometric pattern. The crossbar of the helmet also has what looks like a lower case i.

Constantine I
A.D. 319
19x20mm   3.1gm
CONSTANTI-NVS AVG; high crested helmet, cuir., spear across r. shoulder, shield on left arm
VICT • LAETAE PRINC PERP; two Victories stg., facing one another, together holding shield inscribed VOT PR on altar inscribed with the letter I.
In ex. •BSIS• 
RIC VII Siscia 84


I found a picture of an Irish shield (O'Donovan's shield) from around the 15th century with a similar pattern

Offline Victor

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4080
  • Country: us
  • all my best friends are dead Romans
    • Victor's Imperial Coins
Re: Floral design on VLPP shield
« Reply #1 on: August 11, 2016, 09:31:46 AM »
I just saw some very similar examples of this shield design. Below is a Byzantine silver plate from A.D. 629-630 depicting the battle of David and Goliath.

the link to the plate with more info--

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/17.190.396/


and a Probus coin with a similar floral design

Offline Victor

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4080
  • Country: us
  • all my best friends are dead Romans
    • Victor's Imperial Coins
Re: Floral design on VLPP shield
« Reply #2 on: September 29, 2017, 01:21:27 PM »
here's a lead amulet with the same design

Offline Victor

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4080
  • Country: us
  • all my best friends are dead Romans
    • Victor's Imperial Coins
Re: Floral design on VLPP shield
« Reply #3 on: December 18, 2017, 08:44:50 AM »
here's a Crispus from Siscia with a floral design that I was the underbidder on.

RIC VII Siscia 64

Offline Victor

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4080
  • Country: us
  • all my best friends are dead Romans
    • Victor's Imperial Coins
Re: Floral design on VLPP shield
« Reply #4 on: December 28, 2017, 11:00:08 AM »
here's a floral design on a shield that is unusual because of the small size.



Constantine I
A.D. 319
20mm    3.6gm
IMP CONSTAN-TINVS AVG; high crested helmet, cuir., spear across r. shoulder, shield on left arm. 
VICTORIAE LAETAE PRINC PERP; two Victories stg., facing one another, together holding shield inscribed VOT PR on altar.
in ex. ESIS dot   
RIC VII Siscia 61

Offline seuk

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 49
  • Country: dk
Re: Floral design on VLPP shield
« Reply #5 on: December 30, 2018, 01:49:41 PM »
3rd ct. relief of a solider with floral shield found in Serbia.
https://www.facebook.com/archeoserbia/photos/a.1495322884112799/2132353953743019/?type=3&theater&ifg=1

Roman marble relief of a soldier, 3rd century AD, found in Serbia.
Relief is depicting Roman soldier in full armour, with helmet, shield and sword.
Dimensions – 28.5 cm x 17.5 cm.
Petrović-Vesić private collection, kept in Germany

Offline Victor

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4080
  • Country: us
  • all my best friends are dead Romans
    • Victor's Imperial Coins
Re: Floral design on VLPP shield
« Reply #6 on: December 30, 2018, 05:18:15 PM »

awesome...thanks for posting