Salonina – Roman Empress: 253-268 A.D. – Wife of Gallienus
–
Billon Silver Antoninianus 21mm (2.33 grams) Siscia or Milan mint.
Sole Reign of Gallienus
Reference: RIC V-1 71 Siscia var (no mintmark); Cunetio hoard 1812, Appleshaw
hoard 134,
Göbl 1455mm, (Milan).
SALONINA AVG, diademed, draped bust right
CONCOR AVG, Concordia seated left, holding patera and double cornucopiae.
You are bidding on the exact item pictured,
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Authenticity.
The cornucopia (from Latin cornu copiae) or horn of plenty
is a symbol of abundance and nourishment, commonly a large horn-shaped container
overflowing with produce, flowers, nuts, other edibles, or wealth in some form.
Originating in
classical antiquity
, it has continued as a
symbol in
Western art
, and it is particularly associated
with the
Thanksgiving
holiday in
North America
.
Allegorical
depiction of the Roman
goddess
Abundantia
with a cornucopia, by
Rubens
(ca. 1630)
In Mythology
Mythology
offers multiple
explanations of the origin
of the cornucopia.
One of the best-known involves the birth and nurturance of the infant
Zeus, who had to be hidden from his devouring father
Cronus
. In a cave on
Mount Ida
on the island of
Crete
, baby Zeus was cared for and protected by
a number of divine attendants, including the goat
Amalthea
(“Nourishing Goddess”), who fed him
with her milk. The suckling future king of the gods had unusual abilities and
strength, and in playing with his nursemaid accidentally broke off one of her
horns
, which then had the divine power to
provide unending nourishment, as the foster mother had to the god.
In another myth, the cornucopia was created when
Heracles
(Roman
Hercules
) wrestled with the river god
Achelous
and wrenched off one of his horns;
river gods were sometimes depicted as horned. This version is represented in the
Achelous and Hercules
mural painting
by the
American Regionalist
artist
Thomas Hart Benton
.
The cornucopia became the attribute of several
Greek
and
Roman deities
, particularly those associated
with the harvest, prosperity, or spiritual abundance, such as personifications
of Earth (Gaia
or
Terra
); the child
Plutus
, god of riches and son of the grain
goddess Demeter
; the
nymph
Maia
; and
Fortuna
, the goddess of luck, who had the power
to grant prosperity. In
Roman Imperial cult
, abstract Roman deities who
fostered peace (pax
Romana) and prosperity were also depicted with a cornucopia,
including Abundantia
, “Abundance” personified, and
Annona
, goddess of the
grain supply to the city of Rome
.
Pluto
, the classical ruler of the underworld in
the
mystery religions
, was a giver of agricultural,
mineral and spiritual wealth, and in art often holds a cornucopia to distinguish
him from the gloomier Hades
, who holds a
drinking horn
instead.
Modern depictions
In modern depictions, the cornucopia is typically a hollow, horn-shaped
wicker basket filled with various kinds of festive
fruit
and
vegetables
. In North America, the cornucopia
has come to be associated with
Thanksgiving
and the harvest. Cornucopia is
also the name of the annual November Wine and Food celebration in
Whistler
, British Columbia, Canada. Two
cornucopias are seen in the
flag
and
state seal
of
Idaho
. The Great
Seal
of
North Carolina
depicts Liberty standing and
Plenty holding a cornucopia. The coat of arms of
Colombia
,
Panama
,
Peru and
Venezuela
, and the Coat of Arms of the State of
Victoria, Australia
, also feature the
cornucopia, symbolising prosperity.
The horn of plenty is used on body art and at Halloween, as it is a symbol of
fertility, fortune and abundance.
-
Base of a statue of
Louis XV of France
In
Roman religion
, Concord (Latin:
Concordia, “harmony”) was the
goddess of agreement, understanding, and marital harmony. Her Greek version is
Harmonia
, and the Harmonians and some
Discordians
equate her with
Aneris
. Her opposite is Discordia (or the Greek
Eris
).The
cult of Concordia
Augusta
(“Majestic Harmony”) was of special importance to the
imperial household
. Dedicatory inscriptions to her, on behalf of emperors
and members of the imperial family, were common. The oldest
Temple of Concord
, built in
367 BC
by
Marcus Furius Camillus
, stood on the
Roman
Forum
. Other temples and shrines in Rome dedicated to Concordia were largely
geographically related to the main temple.
Julia
Cornelia Salonina (d. 268,
Mediolanum
)
was an
Augusta
, wife of
Roman
Emperor
Gallienus
and mother of
Valerian
II
, Saloninus
, and
Marinianus
.
Julia Cornelia Salonina’s origin is unknown. According to a modern theory,
she was born of Greek
origin
in Bithynia
,
then part of the province of
Bithynia et
Pontus
,
Asia Minor
. However, there exists some scepticism on that.
She was married to Gallienus about ten years before his accession to the throne.
When her husband became joint-emperor with his father
Valerian
in 253, Cornelia Salonina was named Augusta.
Cornelia was the mother of three princes,
Valerian
II
, Saloninus
and
Marinianus
.
Her fate, after the murder of Gallienus, during the siege of
Mediolanum
in 268, is unknown. It is likely that either her life was spared
or the she was executed together with other members of her family, at the orders
of the Senate of Rome.
Her name is reported on coins with Latin legend as Cornelia Salonina;
however, from the Greek coinage come the names Iulia Cornelia Salonina,
Publia Licinia Cornelia Salonina, and Salonina Chrysogona
(attribute that means “begotten of gold”).
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