The numismatic chronicle and journal of the Royal ... - IndianCoins.org

NOTICES OF RECENT PUBLICATIONS. 231these illustrations fill no less than 162 plates.The medallionsof gold extend from Augustus to Justinian I those of;silver from Doinitian to Arcadius ;and those of bronze fromTrajan to Arcadius, and together they number many hundreds.About this order of classification it is quite possible thatthere may be some difference of opinion. The separation of thevarious pieces according to metals is a somewhat arbitraryone, and seems scarcely to commend itself when dealing withobjects which are of a chronological nature. It is not ascientific classification, and is, so to say, somewhat confusing,though the work is supplied with very full indexes. Forinstance, many of the medallions which are classified as ofmoduli minori are in fact of larger size than those of granmodulo ;so unless in tlie first instance one turns to theindexes it is impossible to be certain of finding the piece ifone looks under the reign when it was issued. We cannottherefore help thinking that if the subject had been treatedmore chronologically, that is, reign by reign, with a divisionof metals, the results would have been more satisfactory. Ina monumental work of this nature the simpler the form thebetter it is. A strictly chronological order under each reignmay not have been possible, for, unlike coins pure and simple,medallions do not lend themselves entirely to such classification.Few bear their date of issue ;and many cannot be identifiedwith the events which they were intended to commemorate.In his Introduction Comin. Gnecchi has given his definition ofa " medallion."" It is," he " says, a genuine piece in any metalissued above or below in weight to the ordinary and simplecurrency." This definition is rather a liberal one, and in ouropinion it has supplied Comm. Gnecchi with the opportunity ofincluding in his descriptions a considerable number of pieceswhich do not in any way partake of the nature of a medallion.For instance, the aureusof EJagabalus figured on PI. 1, No. 8,is described as weighing 6*850 :grams (105'5 grs.) not at allan unusual weight as many gold aurei of that emperor run upto 112-115 grs. ;on PI. 4, No. 11, is figured a similar coinof Diocletian, the weight of which is 5'46 grams (84-2 grs.) :this weight again is not exceptional. Many of the laterpieces in silver of the Constantine period must be consideredin the same light, as a double-siliqua is not a medallion ;andwhen we come to the bronze pieces we meet with many smallones which evidently have been plated denarii or which haveserved as small change in the East, at Antioch, Alexandria,&c. We cannot help thinking, therefore, that Comm. Gnecchihas been somewhat too liberal in his selection. It is unfortunate,as at the present time there is such a strong inclination