Roman coin depicting Vespasian and Mars

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Image courtesy of the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College. Photo by John Be…
Roman coin depicting Vespasian and Mars
Image courtesy of the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College. Photo by John Bentham.
Date69 C.E. - 79 C.E.
MediumBronze
DimensionsDiameter: 1 5/16 in. (3.4 cm)
Credit LineTransfer from Hamilton College Archives, Burke Library. Gift of Nathaniel Emmons Paine, Class of 1874
Object numberS2018.1.30
On view
DescriptionThis bronze coin of Vespasian, a Roman emperor, depicts the laureate head of Vespasian on its obverse with the inscription IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M TR P P P COS III. On its reverse stands Mars, naked, holding a spear and a trophy in his hands. The reverse is inscribed MARS VICTOR S C. This coin is a part of the Paine Coin Collection. This teaching collection of 32 Greek and Roman coins was formed by John Alsop Paine (1840 – 1912), Class of 1859, who was an archaeologist with the Palestine Exploration Society and a Curator in the Department of Casts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art from 1889 until 1906. The collection came to the college through John Alsop Paine’s grandson, Nathaniel Emmons Paine (1853 – 1948), Class of 1874.

Additional Details

Provenance 2018: Hamilton College (Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art), by transfer from College Archives, Burke Library;
?: Hamilton College, by gift of Nathaniel Emmons Paine (1853-1948);
?: Nathaniel Emmons Paine (1853-1948), presumably by inheritance or gift from his grandfather, John Alsop Paine (1840-1912);
?: John Alsop Paine (1840-1912), by excavation.
Inscribed "IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M TR P P P COS III" on obverse; "MARS VICTOR S C" on reverse
Image courtesy of the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College. Photo by John Be…
Unknown artist, Roman (Ancient)
Date: 98 C.E. - 117 C.E.
Medium: Silver
Object number: S2018.1.27
Image courtesy of the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College. Photo by John Be…
Unknown artist, Roman (Ancient)
Date: 117 C.E. - 138 C.E.
Medium: Silver
Object number: S2018.1.28
Image courtesy of the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College. Photo by John Be…
Unknown artist, Roman (Ancient)
Date: 310 C.E. - 313 C.E.
Medium: Bronze
Object number: S2018.1.31
Image courtesy of the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College. Photo by John Be…
Unknown artist, Roman (Ancient)
Date: c. 15 C.E.
Medium: Bronze
Object number: S2018.1.29
Image courtesy of the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College. Photo by John Be…
Unknown artist, Roman (Ancient)
Date: 306 C.E. - 337 C.E.
Medium: Bronze
Object number: S2018.1.32
Image courtesy of the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College. Photo by John Be…
Unknown artist, Roman (Ancient)
Date: 55 B.C.E.
Medium: Silver
Object number: S2018.1.23
Image courtesy of the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College. Photo by John Be…
Unknown artist, Roman (Ancient)
Date: 3rd century B.C.E.
Medium: Bronze
Object number: S2018.1.17
Image courtesy of the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College. Photo by John Be…
Unknown artist, Roman (Ancient)
Date: 58 B.C.E
Medium: Silver
Object number: S2018.1.20
Image courtesy of the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College. Photo by John Be…
Unknown artist, Greek (Ancient)
Date: 400 B.C.E. - 304 B.C.E.
Medium: Silver
Object number: S2018.1.8
Image courtesy of the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College. Photo by John Be…
Unknown artist, Roman (Ancient)
Date: 137 B.C.E. - 127 B.C.E.
Medium: Silver
Object number: S2018.1.22
Image courtesy of the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College. Photo by John Be…
Unknown artist, Roman (Ancient)
Date: 14 B.C.E. - 37 C.E.
Medium: Silver
Object number: S2018.1.25
Image courtesy of the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College. Photo by John Be…
Unknown artist, Roman (Ancient)
Date: 400 B.C.E. - 300 B.C.E.
Medium: Bronze
Object number: S2018.1.18