Here’s another catch-up, this time for the Lithuanian Mint, who’ve been quite prolific of late with a wide variety of styles and formats. We’re sticking to familiar, and popular, territory here, with a selection of three, 2oz high-relief silver coins, all firmly rooted in ancient history, for a change, rather than the usual mythology that’s often chosen.

The first of the three is called ‘The Sack of Rome’ and depicts the 410 CE sacking of the heart of the Western Empire by Alaric I, the king of the Visigoths. By this time, the Eastern Empire, based in Constantinople, was more important, but it was nevertheless a traumatic event, and the first time the city had been seized in almost eight centuries. It also made it clear Rome was vulnerable, and it was sacked for a second time just 45 years later, this time by the Vandals.

Alaric can be seen on the reverse of the coin, mounted on horseback, and in front of his horde, mowing down Roman legionaries as they go. The lower half depicts Rome aflame. The three-day rampage was considerably more restrained than the later one in 455 CE, contained to looting and some localised destruction. Extensively coloured, it’s a neat encapsulation of the event.

The obverse is excellent, with that classic quote by Saint Jerome inscribed upon it, under which is a terrific Centurion’s helmet, surrounded by a shattered laurel wreath, a clever touch. This looks to be a fine coin, even with the large amount of colouration, and artist Valeriia Lutfullina has done a great job, in my opinion.

We’re in Greece for the second coin, and on this one, it’s the legendary Battle of Marathon, that ended the first Persian invasion of Greece in 490 BCE by Darius I, a decade before the pyrrhic Spartan defence of Thermopylae during the second invasion, under Xerxes I. Marathon was a pivotal battle, often said to have been the last bastion against a Persian invasion of wider Europe, and despite being outnumbered almost 3-to-1, the Greeks soundly routed the Persians, killing over 6,000 of them, for around 200 lost.

The most famous story of the battle actually came in the aftermath. After their victory, the messenger Pheidippides (a long distance runner called a hemerodromos), ran with the news some 42 km back to Athens, and after exclaiming “Νενικήκαμεν!” (“We have won!”), collapsed and died from the exertion. His legend inspired the modern Olympic marathon, which is also around 42 km in length, cementing his place in history.

The coin, designed by Evangelos Kitsatis, is a clever take on the tale. On the reverse, Pheidippides, with a gilded leaf in his hand, sets off, cheered by the victorious Greek soldiers. On the obverse, we can see him approaching Athens, with the Parthenon prominent in the background, and watched by the civilians in passing. It’s a clever way to depict the journey, and the design exhibits a mastery of anatomy and perspective. We’re fans of this one, even though most of what we have at present are renders.

Finally, and the latest of the three issues, is ‘Roman Legion’, a dynamic look at the power that forged the Roman Empire through the centuries. In this case, it’s a more focused look at the 12th Legion, more accurately designated Legio XII Fulminata, or the “Thundering Legion”. It was created by Julius Caesar in 58 BCE, and fought with him through the Gallic Wars, ending up in Anatolia in the early 5th century CE, having remained an operating unit for almost 500 years.

They got their nickname from an event during the Marcomannic Wars, fought against the Germanic tribes in the late second century. As the mint describes, “Trapped and parched while battling the Quadi in Central Europe, the
legion was suddenly saved by a violent thunderstorm. Refreshing rain
revitalized the Roman troops, while lightning and hail struck down the
enemy, sowing panic and defeat. This dramatic moment is immortalized on
the Column of Marcus Aurelius in Rome—still standing for all to see
today.”

The coin reverse is a dramatic, heroic portrayal, exemplifying the power and majesty of Rome, and the sense of duty imbued into the legions. A legionary, armed with a gladus, the short sword, and the scutum, the rectangular shield, looks out in defiance, with the city of Rome behind him, along with a line of soldiers behind him, all armed with the pilum, the devastating throwing spear that served the army so well. Behind them is a superb, gilded Roman eagle, and to the left, and also gilded, a lightning bolt – a nod to their name. Valeriia Lutfullina has done fine work again.

The obverse is less interesting, however, with just a simple laurel wreath, and the inscribed issue details, and title. Unlike the previous pair, this has a mintage of just 300 pieces.