When I say 'rare' novels, I mean a combination of first edition/limited edition, signed, dated, dedicated by the author (to you), numbered, stamped etc.

Sounds good? If so, I plan to post any Roman themed auctions on this thread, so you guys have the option to bid if you wish (or just follow the bidding action!)

And this week, it just so happens that we have a 𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐍𝐄𝐃 paperback of 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐔𝐍𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐍 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 by the brilliant 𝐋.𝐌. 𝐀𝐅𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐒𝐌𝐀𝐍!

Fancy bidding to make this signed volume yours? Simply lodge your bid as a comment on the main auction thread (hosted on my Facebook page):

https://www.facebook.com/GordonDohertyAuthor/posts/pfbid0J2VKKMgLUVCj9Y5Qo1uXCTzwYNahddinfgkS7UUFsC1HDZU4xkb9DmS8J8Jt4fdtl

You'll also see the auction rules and terms on there too.

Good luck! 😊

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The central character of this book has no name. Almost forgotten by history she might have passed into obscurity, just another slave at the court of Herod the Great. But Loshema (no name) has a talent for storytelling. Hidden in the shadows she charts Herod’s rise from man to king, and from king to monster.

But Loshema is far from the usual kind of narrator. At times she talks directly to the reader, drawing them into the fascinating and dangerous world of Jerusalem over two millennia ago, a world populated with the great names of the time, Mark Antony, Cleopatra, Julius Caesar, Octavian …

As she reaches maturity, Loshema can no longer be a passive observer, but finds herself entangled with the highest levels of intrigue. And as paranoia begins to destroy Herod’s kingdom, she suddenly finds herself wielding power over who will live and who will die.

(This book is based on the accounts in Josephus, not the gospel of Matthew.)

“Many innocents will die before this story is over. Just not the ones you were expecting. And the son of God has less to fear in this world than the sons of man. But why waste time? We both know why you are here. You want to see the monster.”

 

 

A stolen early Roman bust was purchased for $34.99 at an Austin Goodwill thrift shop. It is suspected to be the image of either Drusus Germanicus or Sextus Pompey, son of Pompey the Great.

Bust on its way home after purchase at the Goodwill store, price tag on its cheek.

Bust taking necessary COVID precautions while its origin was being investigated.

The bust is on temporary loan at the San Antonio museum and will be returned to Germany next year.

https://www.local10.com/news/weird-news/2022/05/06/goodwill-find-in-texas-turns-out-to-be-ancient-roman-bust/?outputType=amp

The famous EID MAR aureus, which was on loan to the British museum for more than a decade, has come up for auction. (We had a thread on this coin from 2010. See below.) It is estimated to fetch more than US$2 million dollars:

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One side of the coin shows an inscription that reads “EID MAR” short for Eidibus Martiis, the Ides of March, along with two daggers and a liberty cap symbolizing the fight for freedom. The other side of the coin features a portrait of Brutus with the inscription “BRVT IMP” or Brutus, Imperator.

The coin has a tiny hole in it just above the head of Brutus. It is believed that it could have been worn by a high-ranking supporter and perhaps even one of the conspirators of Caesar’s murder.

https://www.barrons.com/amp/articles/ancient-gold-coin-marking-julius-caesars-assassination-expected-to-fetch-2m-at-zurich-auction-01647368399

Here is an excellent thread on the EID MAR aureus:

http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/59762

The bust will go up for auction at Reeman Dansie Auctioneers in their Spring Fine Art auction on the 26th and 27th April.

Browse Lot using link below

https://linkin.bio/ig-reemandansie

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“A Roman Empire Julia Domna, AD 193-217 Gold Aureus graded NGC Ancients MS★, 5/5 Strike and 5/5 Surface with Fine Style (lot 64) realized CHF 204,000 (about $223,800). The coin features a portrait of Julia Domna, who was Roman empress as the wife of Emperor Septimus Severus. The result far exceeded the pre-auction estimate of CHF 120,000 (about $131,600).”

This coin is a wonderful representation of Julia Domna, similar to the ancient statues and the Severan Tondo with her image:

Here’s an old but very entertaining video of the recreation of the Julia Domna hairstyle by historical hairstylist Janet Stephens:

https://www.ngccoin.com/news/article/9849/

St. Barbe Museum in Lymington, England hopes to raise enough money to keep a recent Celtic coin hoard at the local museum.

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The unique, 2,000-year-old cache of 269 Celtic coins contains some that are thought to have never been seen before by historians.

It is considered to be so important that Lymington’s St Barbe Museum has launched a fundraising appeal – dubbed the Celtic Countdown – to ensure it stays close to where it was discovered and available for local people to study.

The three amateur metal detection enthusiasts used Google Earth to focus their searches.

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The three began searching the site after seeing a 25m (82ft) circle in the ground on Google Earth which they suspected was a sign of a Celtic dwelling. Mr Layman, who had only been metal detecting for six months, said: "Persistence is the secret of success - but a hoard is a detectorist's dream.”

“TV historian Dan Snow has now joined the challenge of helping to raise £7,500 towards the cost of securing the treasure trove from the metal detectorists who discovered it and the owner of the land where it was found.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hampshire-59466710

https://www.advertiserandtimes.co.uk/news/appeal-over-2-000-year-old-celtic-coins-found-buried-in-new-9227496/

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“The Hamilton Aphrodite was last spotted at auction seventy years ago. Rendered in either the 1st or 2nd century AD, the Roman Imperial marble sculpture of the famous goddess of love is also thought to be the first piece of ancient sculpture ever to take up residence in Scotland. It was purchased in 1776 by the 8th Duke of Hamilton in Scotland, and the statue sat in Hamilton palace for 144 years. Now, it’s estimated that the sculpture will sell for between £2,000,000 and £3,000,000.”

“Towering at 187 cm [six feet, one inch] from the top of her ancient base, this nude statue of the goddess of love stands as one of the most important antiquities ever shipped from Italy to Britain during the golden age of Grand Tour collecting, on a par with the British Museum’s Townley Venus and the Barberini (aka Jenkins) Venus.”

 

https://observer.com/2021/11/a-scotsmans-beloved-hamilton-aphrodite-is-going-up-for-auction-at-sothebys/amp/

https://www.sothebys.com/en/digital-catalogues/the-hamilton-aphrodite

An Iron Age war trumpet that's the first of its kind to have been found in England is set to fetch £3,000 at auction next month. The boar-headed wind instrument, known as a Carnyx, was once used to strike fear into soldiers in bloody battles almost 2,000 years ago. Picture: SWNS

“Metal detectorist Ivan Bailey, 60, found the object lodged in a lump of clay while scanning a field in Bardwell in 2016.”

https://www.suffolknews.co.uk/bury-st-edmunds/news/ancient-war-trumpet-discovered-in-suffolk-field-to-go-under-9227236/

https://www.eadt.co.uk/lifestyle/heritage/rare-celtic-warhorn-to-be-auctioned-8511634

interesting video of how a carnyx might have sounded:

Roman Empire, Macrinus (A.D. 217-218) Gold Aureus graded NGC Ancients Ch XF, 5/5 Strike and 3/5 Surface. Realized: CHF 114,950 (about $125,000)

https://www.ngccoin.com/news/article/9626/

https://www.biddr.com/auctions/ngsa/browse?a=2047&o=pd

Heritage Auctions description of the gold coin:

Marcus Junius Brutus, Assassin of Caesar and Imperator (44-42 BC), with Pedanius Costa as Legate. AV aureus (19mm, 8.00 gm, 11h). NGC Choice Fine★ 5/5 - 4/5. Military mint traveling with Brutus and Cassius in western Asia Minor or northern Greece, late summer-autumn 42 BC. L•BRVTVS•PRIM•COS, bare head of Lucius Junius Brutus right, all within corona civica / M•BRVTVS IMP COSTA LEG, bare head of Marcus Junius Brutus right, all within corona civica. Extremely rare - less than ten pieces known.

“One silver and the other gold, the rarities were issued by an assassin of Julius Caesar.

https://www.ngccoin.com/news/article/9368/ngc-certified-brutus-coins-each-realize-312000-dollars/

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“Garum, reaching back to the Roman Empire, is traditionally a fermented sauce of fish, salt, and sometimes herbs. In Noma’s case, according to the Wall Street Journal, these garums will actually be vegetarian and vegan, respectively”

Smoked mushroom garum being prepared for the fermentation process. PHOTO: DITTE ISAGER

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“ To make these non-fish garums, the ingredients — mushrooms and egg whites, in this case — are brewed in a warm solution of koji rice, the grains inoculated with an edible mold. According to the WSJ, Noma Projects will release more garums once the first two are out in the world, including one flavored intensely with roasted chicken wings. “

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.eater.com/platform/amp/2021/6/29/22556329/rene-redzepi-noma-to-release-at-home-garum-fermentation-line

https://robbreport.com/food-drink/dining/noma-copenhagen-garums-sale-1234621959/amp/

An interesting auction is coming:

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Incredible Marcus Aurelius bust is among a treasure trove of 2,000-year-old Roman bronze artefacts dug up by metal detectorists in Yorkshire and tipped to sell for £100,000 at auction

Two metal detectorists found the collection in a field in Ryedale, North Yorkshire

It also includes the handle of a knife and a plumb-bob, used in construction

The well preserved hoard will be sold May 20 with pre-sale estimate of £90,000

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-9495133/Roman-artefacts-dug-detectorists-tipped-sell-100-000.html

Summary: Hopefully, it can be purchased by a museum or foundation that will have the items on display.

guy also known as gaius

An openwork ring of vaguely Roman style, but made the wrong way for the period. Photograph: Jack Ogden

https://amp.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/may/16/all-that-glisters-flood-of-fake-ancient-jewellery-dupes-buyers?__twitter_impression=true

https://www.amazon.com/Fall-Republic-Scott-Savitz-ebook/dp/B08HZBNYS5/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1600453425&sr=8-1

This article examines the background history of tensions and eventual conflict between Macedon and the Roman Republic. Mr. Kane also examines the rivalry between Philip V of Macedon and the vainglorious Roman general Titus Quinctius Flamininus.

Despite the fact that "History Revealed" is not a scholarly publication, many articles are informative and richly illustrated. Mr. Kane's article is no exception.

This article has some enjoyable and succinct insights:  "When the Second Punic War started in 218 BC, the Roman Republic was one of the smallest of the five major powers around the Mediterranean. Half a century later, the situation had changed beyond recognition. Just two factions remained: weak and unstable Ptolemaic Egypt and the ascendant Roman Republic. Remarkably, the three that had fallen -- Carthage, Macedon and the Seleucid Empire -- had all been beaten by Rome in War."

Recommend highly.

guy also known as gaius

Addendum:

As mentioned in the article, Flamininus stuck gold staters with his portrait and his name. He was the first Roman in history to mint coins with his own portrait as "it showed aspirations toward kingship."

T. Quinctius Flamininus, Consul in 198 B.C., 
Gold Stater (8.44 g 12 h), Chalkis (?) mint, c. 196 B.C.

Obverse: Bare head of Titus Quinctius Flamininus right
Reverse: T.QVINCTI (upwards) Nike standing left, holding wreath over name 
 with her right hand and palm branch with her left.

(Source: Imagine from the British Museum, attribution from wildwinds.com.)

here the link: https://ibb.co/nGcuWJ

R/ Mike

I sell it for 500 eur shipping included in UE. For other countries, please contact me.

AVE!