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Tacitus –
Roman Emperor: 275-276 A.D. –
Bronze Antoninianus 22mm (3.73 grams) Ticinum mint: 275-276 A.D.
Reference: RIC 155c
IMPCMCLATACITVSAVG – Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
PROVIDENTIADEORVM Exe: S – Providentia standing left, holding wand over
globe
and cornucopia.
In Roman mythology, Providentia was the goddess of
forethought.
Royal/Imperial symbols of power
Ruling dynasties often exploit pomp and ceremony with the use of
regalia
:
crowns
,
robes,
orb (globe) and sceptres
, some of which are
reflections of formerly practical objects. The use of language mechanisms also
support this differentiation with subjects talking of “the crown” and/or of “the
throne
” rather than referring directly to
personal names and items.
You are bidding on the exact
item pictured, provided with a Certificate of Authenticity and Lifetime
Guarantee of 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.
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Base of a statue of
Louis XV of France
In
Roman mythology
, Providentia was the
goddess
of forethought. Providentia.
(Providence).—-With all their vices, follies, and gross superstitions (indeed,
in spite of them), the Romans still appear to have cherished a belief in the
perpetual and direct interposition of the gods with respect to human
affairs.—-Among the various monuments which attest this religious feeling, or
at leas this profession of religion, on the part of both princes and people,
none are more conspicuous than those to be found on their imperial coins,
for it is to be observed that previous to the substitution of the monarchical
for the republican form of government, that allegorical divinity whose name is
derived from providere (to foresee) is not seen either on metal or on
marble.In
ancient Roman religion
, Providentia is a
divine personification of the ability to foresee and make provision. She was
among the embodiments of
virtues
that were part of the
Imperial cult of ancient Rome
.Providentia thus
figures in art
, cult, and
literature
, but has little or no
mythology
as such.
Providentia was an important moral and philosophical abstraction in
Roman discourse. Cicero
says it is one of the three main
components of prudentia, “the knowledge of things that are good or bad or
neither,” along with memoria, “memory,” and intellegentia,
“understanding.” The Latin word is the origin of the Christian concept of
divine providence
.
Imperial cult
Upon the death of
Augustus
, the emperor
Tiberius
established an
altar
to Providentia Augusta in recognition of
“the godhead manifested in his father’s provisions for the
Roman state
.” The cult title
Augusta
was attached also to such goddesses as
Pax
,
Justitia
, and
Concordia
during the
Imperial era
. Traditional epithets invoked a
deity within a specific functional sphere by declaring their power. The title
Augusta thus fixed the divinity’s force within the sphere of the emperor as
Augustus.
In 28 AD, after Tiberius arrested and executed
Sejanus
for conspiracy, the Cult of Virtues
played a role in the propaganda that presented the restoration of Imperial order
as a return to constitutional government. Sacrifices were offered to Providentia
along with Salus (“Security”),
Libertas
(“Liberty”), and the
Genius
. Providentia at this time also received
a permanent full-time priest (sacerdos)
devoted to her. In the wake of the
Pisonian conspiracy
against
Nero, religious observances in 59 AD to repair the state included
sacrifices by the
Arval Brethren
to various deities, among them
Providentia.
Providentia appeared on
Roman coins
issued under
Vespasian
,
Trajan
,
Hadrian
,
Antoninus Pius
,
Septimius Severus
,
Commodus
and
Diocletian
. A coin issued by
Titus
depicted his deified father Vespasian
handing a globe to his son as his successor, with the legend Providentia
Augusta. Coins issued by
Nerva
depicted the Genius of the
Senate
handing the globe to the new emperor,
with the legend Providentia Senatus, “the Providence of the Senate.”
Providentia in
numismatics
The figure of Providentia from a sculpture group in Vienna, as
depicted on an Austrian 100-euro gold coin
Providentia has been the main motif for many collector coins and medals, the
most recent one is the famous
100 euro Sculpture Gold coin
issued on November
13, 2002. The reverse features the Providentia Fountain (“Provendentia Brunnen”)
in central Vienna, work of one of the greatest baroque sculptor
Georg Rafael Donner
. In the centre of the coin,
the allegorical figure of Providentia with a medallion of the Roman god,
Janus
, who had two faces, is displayed.
Surrounding the fountain there are other symbolic figures representing tributary
rivers of the Danube
. Providentia is enthroned high above the
figure of an old man representing the
Enns River
.
Marcus Claudius Tacitus (ca. 200 – June 276) was a
Roman Emperor
from September 25 275, to June 276.
Biography
He was born in Interamna
(Terni), in
Italia
. He circulated copies of the historian
Gaius Cornelius Tacitus
‘ work, which was barely read at the time, and so we
perhaps have him to thank for the partial survival of Tacitus’ work; however,
modern historiography
rejects his claimed descent from the historian as forgery. In the course of his
long life he discharged the duties of various civil offices, including that of
consul
in 273,
with universal respect.
After the assassination of
Aurelian
,
he was chosen by the
Senate
to succeed him, and the choice was cordially ratified by the army. His first
action was to move against the barbarian tribes that had been gathered by
Aurelian for his Eastern campaign, and which had plundered the Eastern Roman
provinces after Aurelian had been murdered and the campaign cancelled. His
half-brother, the Praetorian Prefect
Florianus
,
and Tacitus himself won a victory against these tribes, among which
Heruli
, which
granted the emperor the title Gothicus Maximus.
Tacitus probably died of fever (according to
Aurelius Victor
,
Eutropius
and the
Historia Augusta
) – though
Zosimus
claims he was assassinated – at
Tyana
in
Cappadocia
in June 276.
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