Crown of the Emperors and armor (examples from coinage)

[Antonius Congianocus]

Hello,

Starting sometime after 238AD, many Emperors are portrayed on their coinage wearing, what appears to be, a type of crown. Unlike oak leaves on earlier coinage, these crowns are far more distant, much more “crown likeâ€Â

[Quintilianus]

I believe it has something to do with Diocletian's reforms. He gave the the emperor a more distant, godlike status (the 'crown' depicts the sun).

I actually own two coins of the reign of Diocletianus which depict him on the oldest coin (pre reform radiate) with the leaf crown and on the second later coin with the sun crown (post reform radiate).

Quintilianus/Jurgen Schultz

[Theodosius the Great]

I believe it has something to do with Diocletian's reforms. He gave the the emperor a more distant, godlike status (the 'crown' depicts the sun).

Actually, I can trace it back to a coin of Nerva. Then it shows up again with Lucius Verus (Marcus Aurelius' co-emperor). I have a numismatic atlas of all the Roman coinage starting with Caesar.

Now this coin isn't common place yet, but that's the oldest coin I can find that has it. And it looks like the "sun crown" starts to really become more mainstream around the time of Phillip the Arab. As you suggested, Quintilianus, it probably has to do with the rising popularity of the "Sol Invictus" cult.

Here's an illustration of Constantine wearing it in battle

[tlclark]

Antonius,

Basically we have foliate and heliate crowns here. Foliate crowns are composed of leaves.

Just off the top of my head here, but foliate laurels/corona that are commemorative and more or less temporary and not necessarily associated with just emperors. The earlier crowns are awards or commemorations and they came in all forms, bay leaves, laurel, olive, oak, etc. Each with a different meaning or religious significance. They were not worn on a daily basis but usually commemorate a specific event.

There are lots of people here on the forum that can give you a better history on these than I can.

The later crowns are known by two terms, diadema or corona and are usualy heliate, radiate or sun ray shaped. During the late period the emperors begin to wear a crown all the time, and not just on special occassions. The spiky crown you are lookin at is the later heliate, radiate, or helios-like corona, representing the rays of the sun.

Sun crowns are a long standing tradition in near eastern sources and the Romans probably get them from there. There is some evidence that Alexander wore a heliate crown, but I can't find an image.

Sozomen records that Constantine wore a radiate corona, which is associated with sol invictus.

He is seen in many depictions wearing what we would call a diadema or crown which is more like the original foliate crown and often has leaves but often does not. It is moving towards the more elaborate jeweled crowns we are used to.

Here's a solidus of Constantine wearing the diadema.

http://masca.museum.upenn.edu/roman_gla ... antine.jpg

and a bronze

http://mishami.image.pbase.com/u15/vmar ... antinr.JPG

There's also a large variety of others included the corona muralis, or wall shaped crown, usually associated with tyche or allegorical figures.

Now as far as re-enacting, in theory, any person doing an impression of a tribune or a general could wear a foliate crown. But I think that only a person doing an impression of an emperor could pull off the radiate crown.

Travis

[tlclark]

Also, many latter Emperors are portrayed wearing, what appears to be either chainmail with shoulder doublers or perhaps a Plumatta, such as Probus 276-282 here:

http://www.congiano.com/MyCoins/Ancient ... anding.jpg

It's definitely not chain mail, and it's not exactly plumata either. The Musculata takes on scales in the later period, as in this image of balbinus, from the balbinus sarcophagus.

http://astro.temple.edu/~tlclark/lorica ... binusa.jpg

You can also see this in the Ludovisis sarcophagus detail here.

http://astro.temple.edu/~tlclark/lorica ... sdet3a.jpg

[FAVENTIANVS]

See our Augusta Aelia Galla Placidia: http://www.fectio.org.uk/shows/2005archeonandreas20.jpg
We kinda did it here... but need to improve :wink:

[Gaivs Antonivs Satvrninvs]

Avete.

Wasn't the foliate crown awarded in
Ancient Greece to heros of Olympic and
other games?
Didn't I read Heracles was wearing
a laurel wreath and drinking wine
on a visit to a neighboring king
just before he throws the kings son
off a cliff?

[Theodosius the Great]

He is seen in many depictions wearing what we would call a diadema or crown which is more like the original foliate crown and often has leaves but often does not. It is moving towards the more elaborate jeweled crowns we are used to.

There's a color plate of Constantius II wearing one in Roman Military Clothing (2) by Graham Sumner.

[Antonius Congianocus]

Hi,

Thanks for all the responses.

I honestly hadn’t heard many speak of the Emperor’s crown before so, RAT appears to be a dynamite recourse for research.

I’d still like to either purchase or make an oak leaf style crown… I would presume making one will be the way to go.

I am working on a Roman Officer impression not an Emperor’s impression so, I would think the oak leaves would be a better way to go.

Thanks again,
Antonius

[Theodosius the Great]

I’d still like to either purchase or make an oak leaf style crown… I would presume making one will be the way to go.

I am working on a Roman Officer impression not an Emperor’s impression so, I would think the oak leaves would be a better way to go.

Looks like we're in the same boat, Antonius roll: )

I'm going to attach it to my attic helmet for my tribune impression.

[Antonius Congianocus]

Hello,

Do please feel free to shoot me a link to where you picked up the brass oak leaf crown.

Thanks,
Antonius

[Matt Lukes]

I have a friend who's an ancient coin dealer and he told me that the spiked crown was actually an indicator of the coin's denomination; it differentiated the higher-value Dupondius from the lower-value As- the spiked crown being on the Dupondius only. The coins were made of different metals (brass and copper, respectively), however over time, because they were quite similar in size and weight, they oxidize to look much the same (the postulated reason for the need of a differentiating factor). I don't immediately recall for sure, but it might have been Nero's coinage that first showed this feature.

Matt

[tlclark]

See our Augusta Aelia Galla Placidia: http://www.fectio.org.uk/shows/2005archeonandreas20.jpg
We kinda did it here... but need to improve :wink:

Nice diadema with pearl pendants! Who made it? What's it based on?

It looks like a smaller version of Theodora's at Ravenna.

Travis

[tlclark]

Hi,

Thanks for all the responses.

I honestly hadn’t heard many speak of the Emperor’s crown before so, RAT appears to be a dynamite recourse for research.

I’d still like to either purchase or make an oak leaf style crown… I would presume making one will be the way to go.

I am working on a Roman Officer impression not an Emperor’s impression so, I would think the oak leaves would be a better way to go.

Thanks again,
Antonius

A good place to look is the hellenistic graves of Vergina. A lot of these finds have foliate crowns in gold and silver. They are probably going to be your best models for a 'gold' crown.

If you make a corona triumphalis, and celebrate the triumph, let us know! Send pics.

[tlclark]

I don't immediately recall for sure, but it might have been Nero's coinage that first showed this feature.

Matt

Knowing Nero that makes sense. The "Colossus" that gives the colosseum it's name was originally a statue of Helios with Nero's features.

Travis