Zodiac

Please |help| us convert the |Dictionary of Roman Coins| from scans to text by typing the original text here. Please add updates or make corrections to the NumisWiki text version as appropriate.

Zodiac. "The Ecliptic (or great circle which the sun describes in virtue of his proper motion) has been divided by astronomers from time immemorial into twelve equal parts called Signs. The names are Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricornus, Aquarius, and Pisces. In each of these signs the ancients formed groups of stars, which they denominated Zodiacal constellations (zwdia, animals), not confined to the ecliptic, but included within an imaginary belt, extending 9° on each side of it, to which they gave the name of Zodiac (zwdiakdz kukloz, circle or zone of the animals.) (Encyc. Brit.., 9th ed. art., Astronomy, vol. ii., p. 771.)" The Roman inferiority to the Greeks in the science of Astronomy is fully recognised by the Latin writers (Virg. Aen. vi. 848; Seneca, Nat. Quaest. vii., 25), and while the astronomical science of the Greeks was in its infancy, that of the Romans had no existence (Sir G. C. Lewis, An historical survey of the Astronomy of the Ancients, 1862.)

The Zodiac is represented on several Greek Imperial coins (Alexander Severus - Perinthus; Julia Maesa-Amastris; Valerian-AEgae; Eckhel, Doct. Num. Vet., vol. ii., pp. 40, 386, vol. iii., p. 37); and on Alexandrian coins of Antoninus Pius (Eckhel, op. cit., vol. iv., p. 70; Head, Hist. Num., p. 721.) It may also be found on the following Roman coins:--

HADRIAN.

Obv. IMP. CAESAR TRAIAN. HADRIANUS AVG. Bust of Hadrian to r., laureated. Rev. SAEC. AVR. (Saeculum aureum in the exergue) P. M. TR. P. COS. III. (around.) Male figure (? Trajan deified or Hadrian with the attributes of Eternity) half naked, standing to r., within a circular or oval band or zone, on the outer side of which are the signs of the Zodiac; his r. hand rests on the zone and his l. holds a globe, on which is a phoenix. AV. (100 frcs.)

Cohen (Méd. Imp. 1st ed., vol. ii., p. 157; 2nd ed., vol. ii., p. 216) describes the zone as "une auréole ovale," but this piece is described in the "Pembroke Sale Catalogue," p. 135, as bearing the signs of the Zodiac, and traces of it can be seen on the specimen in the British Museum (Madden, Num. Chron., N.S., 1862, vol. ii., p. 49.)

ANTONINUS PIUS.

1. Obv. ANTONINVS AVG. PIVS. P. P. Head of Antoninus Pius to r. or to l. laureated. Rev. ITALIA (in the exergue) TR. POT. COS. III. [or IIII.] S. C. Italy, laureated, seated to l., on a globe, around which is the Zodiac. AE. I. (12 frcs.)

2. Obv. ANTONINVS AVG. PIVS P. P. TR. P. COS. IIII. Bust of Antoninus Pius to r., laureated. Rev. No legend. The earth (Tellus) seated to r., leaning against a bull lying down, and holding a cornu-copiae. Four infants (the Seasons) are grouped around her, one is seated on her knees, another (Summer) holds a sickle; behind her a plough; above, a half circle of the Zodiac. AE. Med. (500 frcs.)

View whole page from the |Dictionary Of Roman Coins|