CONTORNIA´TI
CONTORNIA´TI This Italian word (French and English
contorniates) has been usually employed by
numismatists to denote a particular class of circular metallic objects
bearing various devices and legends, which were issued, though not for
circulation as currency, under the Roman empire. The ancient appellation of
these objects is not known: their modern name has been derived from the
circle (in Italian
contorno) which marks both of
their sides, in incuse. They are to be distinguished not only from the
current coins of Rome, but also from the metallic specimens commonly
designated Roman “medallions,” which were destined to serve a
different purpose, and which are of more finished workmanship. The metal of
which contorniates are composed is copper, with a certain amount of alloy:
in size, they are, as a rule, somewhat larger than the “first
brass” coins (
sestertii) of the early
empire, but they are of a much thinner fabric and are characterised by the
circular depression already referred to. The greater number of them present
on both sides a device in relief, which is generally obtained not by
striking from a die (as in the case of the medallions), but by process of
casting from a mould.
The first issue of the contorniates, which are all of Western origin, was
assigned by Eckhel to the time of Constantine (A.D. 306-337), and this date
has been practically accepted by the most recent authorities on the subject,
such as M. Francois Lenormant and M. Charles Robert (
La Monnaie dans
l'Ant., t. i. p. 51;
Médaillons
contorn. in
Revue Num., t. xiii., N. S., p. 249):
their fabrication, according to Sabatier, ceased under Anthemius (A.D.
464-472).
The types or devices of the contorniates, though offering considerable
varieties, may be considered--perhaps almost without exception--to have
reference to the public games and spectacles in the Circus, the Odeum, the
Stadium, and the Amphitheatre, which formed, at the period when the
contorniates were issued, so prominent a feature in the life of the Imperial
[p. 1.539]city (cf. L. Friedlaender,
Sittengeschichte Röms, pt. ii., p. 263 ff.). The
type on one side of the piece is as a rule a head or bust; on the other, a
subject: as the latter side is the more important, it may conveniently be
considered as the obverse. The obverse types are either of a mythological,
heroic, or historic character, or have reference to scenes in the Circus and
other places of public amusement. In the opinion of M. Robert, even the
mythological and heroic types relate to the public spectacles; the gods and
heroes represented being merely human actors who assumed divine and heroic
parts in the theatrical representations. (C. Robert,
Les
Méd. contorn. p. 6 f.: a different opinion has been
maintained by Sabatier and Eckhel; cf. Lenormant,
La Monnaie,
t. i. p. 56 f.) The types of this class are derived chiefly from the
adventures of Ulysses, Hercules, Theseus, Achilles, &c.: Apollo
Citharoedus, the Sun-god in his chariot, Hecate, Endymion, Hero and Leander,
and other personages also occur. Types of a quasi-historical character are
less numerous: amongst them are the Foundation of Rome and the Rape of the
Sabines. A certain number of subjects are copied from the Roman coin-types
of an earlier period, such as the
carpentum of
Agrippina and the
decursio type. But the types
of the most frequent occurrence are those which relate to the games of the
Circus. Sometimes the chariot-race and the Circus itself is portrayed, but
more frequently we find a single chariot and its
auriga. Representations of victorious charioteers, standing
without horses or chariots, as well as of winning horses, are also very
common. The men are generally represented with palms in their hands, and the
horses' heads are bedecked with the same emblems of victory. Besides the
sports in the Circus, the beast-hunts (
venationes) of the Amphitheatre are introduced, though less
frequently. The athletic contests of the Stadium are still rarer, though the
contorniates sometimes represent foot-races and other exercises of strength
and skill. In another remarkable series of scenes are depicted musicians
engaged in playing an organ, and persons assembled probably to take part in
competitions in singing and recitation. As reverse types of the
contorniates, we find the heads and busts of various personages:--(1)
Emperors, &c., among whom are J. Caesar, Augustus, Caligula, Nero,
Galba, Vespasian, Trajan, Ant. Pius, Marcus Aurelius, Verus, Commodus,
Caracalla, and one or two of the earlier empresses. Nero and Trajan are
frequently selected, probably on account of their being regarded as patrons
of the Circus. No emperors between Caracalla and Constantine are selected;
the last represented is Anthemius: (2) the head of Alexander the Great; (3)
busts of philosophers, writers, &c., such as Pythagoras, Apollonius
of Tyana, Homer, Horace, Virgil, Sallust; (4) heads of Roma and Serapis; (5)
an
auriga. In addition to the types, various
accessory devices appear in the field of either side of the contorniates.
They are sometimes cast in relief (like the type itself), but more
frequently are produced by engraving or by inlaying in silver. The following
are among the principal devices which occur:--Palms, wreaths, leaves of
heart-shaped form, cups, helmets, horses, chariots, spears, swords, bows,
lions, panthers, bears, &c., and a symbol variously represented
thus,
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ZZZ
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,
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ZZZ
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,
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ZZZ
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, or
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ZZZ
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.
The legends which appear upon the contorniates are nearly always descriptive
of the types. Thus obverse types relating to Aeneas, Hypsipyle and
Archemoros, the Rape of the Sabine women are accompanied by the words
ΑΕΝΕΑΣ, ϜΨΙΠΥΛΗ,
ΣΑΒΙΝΑΕ: the names of charioteers and even of horses are
often given, and sometimes the particular “faction” of the
“blues,”
“greens,”
“reds,” and “whites” is indicated in the exergue,
e. g. IN PRASINO, IN VENETO. As reverse legends we
find the names of emperors surrounding their effigies: Alexander the Great
is named “Macedonicus,” and the names of the philosophers and
writers are also given.
The precise destination and significance of the contorniates is a difficult
problem, which has given rise to much controversy, and we have not even any
information as to whether these pieces were fabricated and issued by
authority, or merely by private enterprise. We may, however, safely set
aside the explanation that the contorniates were tickets of admission to the
Circus; nor, again, do they seem of sufficient importance to induce us to
adopt the view of M. Longpérier, that they were given as prizes
to the victors in the games. (
Rev. Num., N. S., 1865, t. x.
p. 414.) The theory suggested by Cavedoni and De Rossi (
Bull.
d'Archéol. chrétienne, 1869, p. 60), which
has been ingeniously worked out by M. Lenormant (
La Monnaie,
t. i. p. 56 f.), that the contorniates were employed by the competitors in
the games. and by their supporters as talismans or amulets, is far more
worthy of consideration. That effigies like those of Alexander, Apollonius,
Virgil, and others would be regarded at that epoch as being of
wonder-working efficacy, is extremely probable; and contorniate legends,
such as “Margarita vincas,”
“Petroni placeas” (ejaculations for the good success of a
competitor), would also seem to indicate the talismanic character of these
pieces. This theory, however, does not sufficiently take into account the
numerous accessory devices which appear upon the contorniates, and
especially the symbol
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ZZZ.
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, &c., which occurs with extreme frequency upon specimens
of every variety of type. Of this symbol and its varieties numerous
interpretations have been offered. (Longpérier,
Rev.
Num. 2e série, t. x., pp. 415, 416;
Cannegieter,
Miscell. Observ. Crit., p. 133;
Miscell.
Nov., 1740, p. 7; Bruzza,
Ann. dell' Inst. di Corrisp.
Arch., 1877, p. 58; Friedlaender,
Zeitschrift f.
Numismatik, vol. vi., p. 268; Archangeli,
Gli Studj in
Italia, 1879, p. 42; Robert,
Les Médaill.
cont. p. 29 ff.) Several writers have seen in it a monogram
composed of the letters E P or P E, and P has been supposed to stand for the
word “palma.” It has, however, been well shown by M. Robert,
that the only constant element in the varieties of this symbol is the letter
P, which he translates “praemia,” or “prizes in
money” : the horizontal strokes, which vary in number, indicate,
according to his suggestion, the actual sum of money won by the victor in
the Hippic and other contests. If we adopt this interpretation, we may
suggest as a
[p. 1.540]probable, though not absolutely
certain explanation of the purpose of the contorniates, a theory which is
substantially that of M. Robert. (Cf.
Les Méd.
contorn. p. 23 foll.) The contorniates, after being cast with
designs in relief, were distributed to the competitors, and perhaps to their
friends, before the games, &c., took place. During the contests they
were doubtless considered to confer good luck upon their possessors, and to
bring confusion upon the adversary. After the games and other competitions
were decided, the contorniates held by the winners were stamped (generally
by means of engraving) with various additional devices, indicative of the
special prizes awarded to victors, and thus became a sort of metallic
certificate of their owner's achievements. We know from other sources the
nature of many of the prizes distributed, especially to the
aurigae: they consisted not only of such simple
recompenses as palms and wreaths, but also of more substantial rewards, such
as golden helmets and very large sums of money. (Cf. Wilmanns,
Exempl. Inscript., Nos. 2600, 2601.) It is the
non-pecuniary prizes which are indicated by some, at any rate, of the
accessory devices of the contorniates (palms, wreaths, helmets,
&c.), while the prizes in money, often referred to in Inscriptions
as “praemia,” are alluded to in the
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ZZZ.
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, &c.
[
Authorities:--P. Charles Robert,
Étude sur
les Médaillons contorniates, Bruxelles, 1882
(reprinted from the
Revue belge de Numismatique for 1882);
Catalogue des Médaillons contorniates
réunis par P. Charles Robert, Paris, 1879 (extrait de
l'Annuaire de la Soc. franç. de Numismatique,
1878); Robert in
Revue Numismatique, t. xiii. N. S.; F.
Lenormant,
La Monnaie dans l'Antiquité, i. pp.
49-61; Cohen,
Description hist. des Monnaies frapp. sous l'Empire
romain, 1862, vol. vi. pp. 547-590 (a new edition is in
progress); Sabatier,
Description générale des
Médaillons contorniates, 1860 (with numerous
engravings); Cavedoni,
Osservazioni in
Bullet.
archeol. ital. 1862, pp. 33-38 and 49-56; cf. P. Bortolotti,
Notizie intorno alla vita ed alle opere di M. C.
Cavedoni, Modena, 1866, pp. 557-580; Eckhel,
Doctrina numor.
vet., vol. viii. pp. 277-314; Lenormant, in Saglio,
Dict.
des Ant., s. v. “Contorniati” : see also other
articles cited in the text.
[W--K W--H.]
