Review of Wolfgang Fischer-Bossert, Coins, Artists, and Tyrants. Syracuse in the Time of the Peloponnesian War, Numismatic Studies 33, The American Numismatic Society, New York 2017, 371 pages, 27 plates; ISBN 978-0-89722-341-6

Review of Wolfgang Fischer-Bossert's book Coins, Artists, and Tyrants. Syracuse in the Time of the Peloponnesian War, New York 2017

CEREREM and IVNONEM. Why the Accusative Case? Two Rare Reverse Legends on Coins of Julia Domna (RIC IV Caracalla 378, 585, 596 and 599)

Among the new coin legends that have appeared on Julia Domna’s bronze and (very rare) silver coins throughout the reign of her son Caracalla (211–217) the most interesting seem to be two rare accusatives: CEREREM (dupondius and As RIC IV Caracalla 596) and IVNONEM (quinarius RIC IV Caracalla 378; sestertius RIC IV Caracalla 585; dupondius and As RIC IV Caracalla 599). This paper aims to place such accusatives in a literary and epigraphical context and argues that the accusatives on the reverses of Julia Domna’s coins should depend on the verb form consecravit or dedicavit being understood, and the legends of the entire coins are to be read as IVLIA PIA FELIX AVG(usta) / CEREREM (or IVNONEM) [consecravit/dedicavit]. In the second part of the article, I discuss iconographic variants of types RIC IV Caracalla 596; BMCRE V Caracalla 220–222 and RIC IV Caracalla 585 and 599; BMCRE V Caracalla 208 and 224.

Farmers, the Police Force, and the Authorities: The “Calvatone (1911) Hoard” as Seen Through Archival Records (Cremona – Italy)

This paper presents a new set of archival records from Rome on the discovery of a Roman Republican denarii hoard, found by the brothers Birsilio and Luigi Simonazzi on their lands at Calvatone (Cremona, Italy, 1911). Local police forces seized the hoard and alerted the Coin Cabinet of Brera in Milan, where the numismatist Serafino Ricci (1867–1943) evaluated and finally acquired selected coins to increase the museum collections. The “Calvatone (1911) hoard” is an essential case study in the history of Italian numismatic collections, museum studies, and archaeology. These records are particularly worth studying for two main reasons. They show how local and regional authorities dealt with casual archaeological discoveries in northern Italy during the post-Unification period (1861–1918). They also help us to better understand how the Italian government acted to safeguard antiquities according to contemporary law, and how the state collections could be increased by judicial seizures and fresh acquisitions.

Review of Frédérique Duyrat, Wealth and Warfare. The Archaeology of Money in Ancient Syria, Numismatic Studies 34, The American Numismatic Society, New York 2016, 619 pages, 73 figures, 37 maps; ISSN 0517–4048, ISBN 978-0-89732-346-1

Review of Frédérique Duyrat's book Wealth and Warfare. The Archaeology of Money in Ancient Syria, New York 2016.

Review of Stefan Krmnicek and Henner Hardt, A Collection in Context. Kommentierte Edition der Briefe und Dokumente Sammlung Dr. Karl von Schäffer, Tübinger Numismatische Studien 1, Tübingen 2017, 199 pages, 56 illustrations; ISBN 978-3-947 251-00-1; DOI: 10.15 496/ publikation-19 401

Review of Stefan Krmnicek and Henner Hardt, A Collection in Context. Kommentierte Edition der Briefe und Dokumente Sammlung Dr. Karl von Schäffer, Tübinger Numismatische Studien 1, Tübingen 2017.

Pairing Antagonists: Pisanello’s Medals of Niccolò Piccinino and Francesco Sforza

Among the early medals made by Pisanello (Antonio Pisano, c. 1395–c. 1455), considered as the “inventor of the modern medal”, there are two of mercenary captains, Niccolò Piccinino and Francesco Sforza (the future duke of Milan). At the alleged moment of the medals’ execution both condottieri were in the service of Filippo Maria Visconti, Duke of Milan, who appears to have been the most probable commissioner. The pairing of these two captains was not coincidental – they were successors to the leaders of the two greatest Italian military companies, the bracceschi (led by Braccio da Montone) and the sforzeschi (of Muzio Attendolo Sforza), whose juxtaposition soon became a topos among contemporary chroniclers and biographers. The article outlines the political background of the commission and discusses the content and iconography of the two medals.

Kronika Gabinetu Numizmatycznego Muzeum Narodowego w Krakowie (2019) / The Chronicle of the Numismatic Cabinet of the National Museum in Krakow (2019)

The text presents activity of the staff of the Numismatic Cabinet of the National Museum in Kraków in 2019. The information about scientific, editorial, popularizing and exhibition activities is included. There is also presented data about newest acquisitions. The chronicle is bilingual – Polish and English.

The Temple on the Coins of Bar Kokhba – a Manifestation of Longing or a Political Programme? A Few Remarks

The article is an attempt to answer the question of whether the building on coins issued during the Bar Kokhba revolt, usually interpreted as the Temple in Jerusalem, was a testimony of the control of Jerusalem by the rebels or a manifestation of the political programme of the revolt. This meant that perhaps also worship on the Temple Mount was resumed. The image of the building itself is analysed against a comparative background composed of other sacred buildings shown on earlier Jewish coins, in particular those coming from the period of the First Jewish War with Rome. Coins from other areas where similar buildings are represented were also used as comparative material. Consequently, the answer to the basic question of whether the possible Temple on Bar Kokhba coins was a confirmation of the historical fact of taking power over the Jewish capital or was it only a manifestation of longing – firstly after the loss of the Temple in 70, and secondly after the restoration of Jerusalem as the spiritual and political centre of the Chosen Nation – clearly leads to the second conclusion.

Mints Locations and Chronology of Gnaeus and Sextus Pompey’s Bronze Coinage (RRC 471, 478 and 479): A Die Axes Study

The coinage of Pompey the Great’s sons has long attracted the attention of numismatists and historians trying to reconstruct a detailed chronology of their activities. One of the problems examined was the location of the places they minted coins. This article tries to indicate the possible locations of mints producing Gnaeus’ and Sextus’ bronze coinage (RRC 471, RRC 478, RRC 479) based on the analysis of the die axes of 794 coins and attempts to interpret the results based on local traditions regarding this aspect of coin morphology. The results show that RRC 471 was most likely minted in Corduba. The unusual die alignment of the RRC 478 indicates that it may have been minted not in Spain or Sicily, but in Achaia or Bithynia. It is, however, difficult to reconcile this with the geographical distribution of the finds that points to Sicily. Nonetheless we should probably move dating of this type until after the signing of the Treaty of Misenum in 39 BC. The die axes of the RRC 479 is consistent with traditions of most Sicilian mints. The exception to this is one of the series whose different rotation pattern indicates production in one of only two Sicilian mints (Panormos or Centuripae) or one of the several South Italian cities (most probably Rhegion).

Coins from the Streets of Racibórz

The aim of the article is to present numismatic collections from the Museum in Racibórz which have been found at municipal sites during supervision and regular archaeological excavations. This will allow us to observe which coins have come to Racibórz (germ. Ratibor) and (Upper) Silesia over the centuries. The analysed coins will be compared with finds obtained during excavations in other cities in Upper Silesia – Gliwice (germ. Gleiwitz) (the market square and St. George’s Church in Czechowice (germ. Schechowitz)) and Bytom (germ. Beuthen) (St. Margaret’s Hill) – and in the main centre in Lower Silesia, Wrocław (germ. Breslau) (Nowy Targ Square and St. Elizabeth’s Church). The study includes 76 coins acquired in the years 1979–2015 on 12 sites located within the borders of the city of Racibórz. This number includes the hoard of 17 Prague groschen of Wenceslas II, 56 single finds and three coin-like objects. In addition, two metal objects were included in the study which were discovered near the castle in the district of Racibórz – Ostróg. Both objects are difficult to identify, initially defined as a ring eye and a weight (monetary or merchant). The entire collection is dominated by Bohemian coins, including Prague groschen, parvus and white pennies. Silesian coins are the second largest group – three wide bracteates (unfortunately without provenance), a very rare Opava heller of Přemek I (1377–1433) and two groeschels of Ferdinand II (1617–1637). Moreover, two rare pennies of Sigismund III (1587–1632) struck in Poznań mint were found, which usually give way to pennies and ternarius struck in Łobżenica mint, which were not recorded in the collection from Racibórz. Considering all the coins in chronological terms, the dominant coins are late medieval ones – from the second half of the 13th century to the first half of the 15th century. The second concentration of Racibórz finds is from the 18th–20th century. A comparative analysis of coins discovered in Racibórz, Gliwice and Bytom and the hoard of Prague groschen from Błażejowice (germ. Blaschowitz) confirms the hypothesis of Borys Paszkiewicz that it was through Upper Silesia that Bohemian coins reached the territory of present day Poland. As a result, there is a significant number of small Bohemian coins in this area, with a smaller number to be found deeper within Poland.