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SCYTHIA S.C. -- This legend appears on
first and second brass of Antoninus Pius, with
the figure of a woman (personifying the country)
standing with a crown in her right hand, and a
staff in the left.
This coin is classed by Eckhel, under the
head of those numi geographici, on which, as
in the money of Hadrian, so in that of his
adopted son and successor Antoninus, are
exhibited images of various provinces and peoples.
In doing so the author above-named has thrown
a clearer light on the subject of the types,
which present themselves in this batch (so
to speak) of medals struck, by a decree of
the senate (S.C.), in the first year of the reign,
or in the second consulate, of Antoninus
Pius. For this purpose he has entered into a
most learned dissertation on the subject of presenting crowns of gold (coronae aureae) to princes and other great men -- a custom, originating with the Greeks, but afterwards readily sanctioned
by the Romans, and not a little abused by them
as well in the time of the republic as in the
subsequent period of the empire, for it led at
last to the gift called aurum coronarium, that
is to say of gold itself. -- Referring to those
erudite and luminous observations as much too
diffuse to quote at length, it must here suffice to
note the confidence and respect in which (by the
concurrent testimony of historians) Antoninus
was held by the neighbours and by the subjects
of his vast empire ; a fact which Eckhel considers
to have caused not only all the Roman
dominions, whether more or less distant from
the capital, (such as Africa, Alexandria, Asia,
Britannia, Cappadocia, Italia, Dacia, Hispania,
Mauretania, Sicilia, Syria,) but also certain
foreign regions and independent kingdoms and
states bordering on some of the remoter
provinces, to be brought within the scope of
commemoration by the senatorial mint, as evidencing at once the flourishing state of all the
provinces, during this happy reign, and the amicable terms on which the prince's conciliatory yet
firm policy enabled him to continue even with
the hitherto hostile and aggresive powers of
PARTHIA and SCYTHIA. -- It is related of Antoninus,
by Capitolinus, that of that expensive,
and to the donors frequently over burthensome,
present -- the aurum coronarium -- offered to
him on the occasion of his adoption, he restored
the whole to the Italians, and half of it to the
provinces. The manifestation of grateful feelings
which this considerate remission of a quasi
tax naturally produced towards him throughout
the empire at large, serves strongly to countenance
the opinion, that the type of the coins
above alluded to, bearing the names of so many
provinces, directly points to this liberal conduct
of the emperor. On most of them we see
standing the Genius of the province, who holds
out, with extended arm, what she carries in her
hand, in an attitude which indicates the offering
of something. This is on some of the medals
in question either a crown, or a little chest
(canistrum vel capsa), which might be supposed
to contain either the aurea corona, or a quantity
of gold itself, instead of the coronal ornament.
To this view of the subject, Eckhel anticipates
the objection, that besides the provinces of the
Roman empire, commemoration is also made of
Parthia and Scythia, from which, being foreign
states, such a gift could not be exacted. For
indeed the provinces from custom which becomes
law, were wont to pay it, and foreign nations
spontaneously to offer it ; whether because they
were allies and friends, or because from hope
or fear they curried favour. If that be true,
which Photius relates from Memnon, author of
the Heraclean history of Pontus, the Romans
sent to Alexander the Great, at that time
preparing for war with the Persians, a golden
crown of high price, as a gift for the sake of
esteem. Dion affirms that Julius Caesar received
many crowns from kings and princes after his
achievement of so many victories. And Josephus
states what particularly belongs to this point,
that Vologeses, king of Parthia, sent a gold
crown to Titus, on account of his conquest of
Judea ; nor was this custom extinct at a later
age, as is attested by Eusebius, who narrates
that aureas coronae were presented to Constantine
by distant nations, whereby they signified,
as he proceeds to add, the offer on their part of
obedience and alliance to the emperor, if he
was willing to accept it. When Julianus,
having engaged in war with the Persians,
had crossed the Euphratus, the petty kings of
the Saracens (according to Ammianus) genibus
supllices nixi oblata ex auro corona tanquam
mundi nationumque suarum dominum
adorarunt. L. xxiii. c. iii. -- Influenced by the
same notions, therefore, the Parthians and
the Scythians, that they might ingratiate
themselves with the recently adopted Antoninus
immediately on his entrance upon imperial
dignities, sent to the destined successor those
accustomed gifts which render both men and
gods propitious. Nor was this done without
hope by the Parthians, for it appears from
Spartianus, that Hadrian had promised that
nation that he would restore to them the chair
of their kings (sella regia) which Trajan had
taken away ; but that he did not make good his
promise, we learn from Capitolanus, who states
Antoninus to have stoutly refused the same
chair to the renewed entreaty of the Parthian
monarch. Concerning the Scythians nothing
certain appears, except, perhaps, that they
endeavoured to win the favour of Antonine, lest
he should assist certain bordering states, with
whom they were at war. Indeed it is affirmed
by Capitolinus that the Tauroscythæ of Olbiopolis
were molested by an army from Pontus (on the
shore of the Euxine), but that an auxiliary force
having been sent by Antoninus to that city,
the invaders were expelled, and had to give
hostages for maintenance of peace." -- See Aurum
coronarium.
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