Zeus : a study in ancient religion - Warburg Institute

Romulus and Remus 443
Leake, a propos of a unique specimen in his collection (fig. 346),
shrewdly remarks :
' Epiphanes and Callinicus, sons of Antiochus,
as Dioscuri^' Assimilation to the Dioskouroi is yet more marked
on gold, silver, and copper (fig. 347) coins of Faustina the younger^,
Fig- 347- Fig- 348-
which show L. Aurelius Commodus and Antoninus, the twins born
of the empress in i6i A.D.', sitting on one and the same throne-like
couch encircled by the legend SAECVLI FELICIT(as), ' the Luck of
the Age.' The design is obviously intended to recall the Theoxenia*
Fig- 349- Fi 350- Fig. 351-
or lectisternium'" of the heavenly Twins— -witness the two stars,
which on many examples (fig. 348) are seen glittering above the
infants' heads. Finally, coppers of the post-Constantinian period
often portray Romulus and Remus, the prototypes of all these
^ W. M. Leake A Supplement to Ntiviismata Helleitica London 1859 P- ^- Fig. 346
is from the coin, now in the Fitzwilliam Museum at Cambridge. The rev. is inscribed
[BjAIIAEni ANTIOXOY.
^ Rasche Lex. Ahim. vii. 1515 f., Stevenson—Smith— Madden Diet. R0711. Coins
P- 5°7 fig-) P- 708 {^Commodus and Antoninus, whom Faustina brought forth at one birth,
are here dedicated in worship to the Dioscuri (Castor and Pollux)'), Cohen Monn. emp.
romr\\\. 152 no. 189 gold, nos. 190— 192 silver, no. 193
f. copper, R. Ratto Catalogo di
ntonete greeke e iinperiali romane Milano 191 1 p. 93 nos. 1039 f. copper. Figs. 347 and
348 are from two specimens in my collection.
* For ste/nma see supra p. 442 n. i.
* Infra Append. H med.
» Infra Append. N.