Editing Guide for Ancient Rome Catalog.

Hello everybody. Here is the guide to edit the Rome antique catalogue, established by Pejounet and I two or three years ago.


I - Title of the file:

1. The title of a file in English follows the pattern:
Denomination – Name of the emperor (Obverse specificity / REVERSE LETTERING; characteristics; mint)
2. “Obverse specificity” and “characteristics” are given only when they allow differentiation between similar coins. Details and examples follow.
3. The “Denomination” and the “Name of the emperor” are separated by a space then a “-” and another space.
4. The “Name of the emperor” is followed by a space then a parenthesis containing all other components of the title of the file.
5. Each word within the title starts with an uppercase except conjunctions. The semicolon is the only punctuation allowed within title in English; it is directly preceded by the word (i.e. no space) and followed by a space.


II - Denomination of the coin:

1. By denomination, we refer to the name associated with the face value of the coin. When the unit value is 1, there is no need to specify this number before the denomination within the title; hence a file referring to a Sestertius will show “Sestertius” and not “1 Sestertius”.
2. The denomination for English is given in Latin form.
3. The metal composing the coin is not considered a part of the denomination unless if allows a differentiation between two identical denomination as in the “Quinarius” case.
4. To facilitate catalog management and ensure some consistency, the “Follis” will be used to refer to bronze coins of the late part of the Empire. This term will then replace the terms “Nummus”, “Centenionalis”, “Maiorina”.
Most common denominations are: “As”, “Aureus”, “Antoninianus”, “Denarius”, “Dupondius”, “Quadrans”, “Silver Quinarius”, “Gold Quinarius”, “Sestertius”.


III - Name of the emperor:

1. The name of the emperor within the title is given in Latin form and not English form; only the first letter of the name is capitalized.
2. The regnal numbers (= monarchical ordinals) are shown following the name using Latin figures (= Roman numerals); regnal numbers are written with the number only (II, III, IV, V, etc.) without any ordinal indicator (-st, -nd, -rd and -th).
3. From the Republic to the Imperatorial period, only republican nicknames allowing differentiation are shown within title, as for Cato the Younger and Cato the Elder.
4. From the Twelve Caesars to the end of the Empire, nicknames associated with emperors are not considered being part of the name and are not shown within title.

Right way // Wrong way:
Constantinus // Constantine (use the Latin form)
Constantius I // Constantius Ist (there should not be an ordinal indicator)
Julianus II // Julianus IInd the Apostate (no ordinal indicator, no nickname)


IV - Letterings:

1. Letterings are always written with uppercases within the title and within the section “Lettering” of the file. The two letters U and J are not allowed within them: they have to be replaced respectively by the letters V and I.
2. Only the reverse lettering is given within the title of the file, except for “obverse specificity” case.
3. Letters referring to emperor’s titles such as “D N “, “P M” or “TR P” are written in cursive way within the title of the file but are separated by a space within the sections “Lettering” of the file.
4. Letters referring to marks such as “S C”, “T F” or “S F” are written in cursive form within the title of the file but are separated by the sign “/” within the section “Lettering” of the file.
5. Lettering caesura is not shown within the title of the file, neither is it indicated within the section “Lettering” of the file. When lettering caesura allows to differentiate similar coins, the said caesura is shown within the section “Comments” of the file using capitalized letters and spaces to separate letters according to caesura.

Within title: Right way // Wrong way:
PM TRP IMP COS DES IT SC // P M T R P IMP COS DES IT S/C

Within “Lettering” section of the file: Right way // Wrong way:
P M TR P IMP COS DES IT S/C // PM TRP IMP COS DES IT S C


V - Obverse specificity:

1. When two coins have identical reverse letterings and designs but can be differentiated by some specificity of the obverse lettering, the latter is shown within the title of the file.
2. The “obverse specificity” is anteposé to the reverse lettering of which it is separated by a space then the sign “/” then another space.
3. The “obverse specificity” is shown with capitalized letters and only the part allowing differentiation is given within the title of the file.

Right way // Wrong way:
COS III / PAX AVG // PAX AVG, COS III (specificity is after and separated by “,” instead of “/”)
VESP / IVD CAP // IMP T CAES VESP / IVD CAP (only “VESP” allows the differentiation)


VI - Characteristics:

1. When two coins have identical letterings, but can be differentiated through different designs or figures, this characteristic is shown within title of the file after the reverse lettering.
2. When a file refers to a coin issued by an emperor to honour another emperor or another specific person, the name of the honoured person is shown within title of the file after the denomination (i.e. “name of the emperor” part). The title will also include a reference to the issuing authority as a characteristic under the form “Honour strike under XXX”, where XXX is the name of the issuing authority.
3. In the same way, when a coin is issued as Caesar and not August, the name of the emperor following the denomination is the name of the said Caesar. The title will also include a reference to the issuing authority as a characteristic under the form “Strike as Caesar under XXX”, where XXX is the name of the issuing authority (i.e. the August).


VII - Mint:

1. The mint and officina marks (“SMAQ”, “SIS”, “RP”, etc.) are not considered part of the lettering and are not shown within the title of the file.
2. The mint name is indicated within the title of the file as the last part of it and is not followed by the word “mint” nor is it preceded by the words “mint of”; officina is not indicated within the title of the file.
a. Note: « Denarius » and « Aureus » of the Early Empire having all been struck in Rome, the mint name is not shown within the title of files referring to these coins; the mint name remains indicated within the “Mintage” section of the file.
3. The mint name is shown in Latin form both within title and within the file.
4. Within the section “Mintage” of the file, the mint name is shown as a comment and followed by the officina when information is available and verified. Officina is indicated by its number followed by the word “officina”. The number is always followed by the declination (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.). Mint and officina are separated by a coma then a space.

Within title: Right way / Wrong way:
Aquileia // Aquileia mint (no mention of the word "mint")
Lugdunum // Lyons (use the Latin form)
Rome // Rome, 3rd officina (no officina)

Comment of the section “Mintage” within file: Right way // Wrong way:
Rome, 1st officina // Rome, Officina 1
Sirmium // Sirmium 5 (declination and word “officina” missing)
Siscia, 2bd officina // BSIS (this is the mark but not the name)
Rome // Mint of Rome (no mention of “mint of”)


VIII - Letterings translations:

1. Letterings translations are indicated within the file only and are formed of two parts, be it the Latin translation and the English translation.
2. The letter “V” is used as uppercase both for the letter “V” and the letter “U” within letterings. The letter “I” is used as uppercase letter both for the letter “I” and the letter “J” within letterings.
3. Lowercases letters “v”, “u”, “I” and “j” are used within Latin translations given their modern. Then, “FLAVIVS” and “IVLIANVS” will be translated as “Flavius” and “Julianus” but not as “Flauius” and “Iulianus”.
4. Latin translation includes words that are referred to within the lettering on the coin.
a. Each Latin word starts with uppercase; no word is entirely written using uppercases, not even the name of the emperor.
b. When a word is referred to by only part of its letters within the lettering on the coin, the missing letters are indicated, following the first letters, between parenthesis after a dash. Parenthesis is itself separated from the beginning of the word by a space.
c. When a word is referred to by a combination of letters not being the real spelling of the word, the Latin translation will show the first letter as uppercase and the following as lowercase then between parenthesis the full word with lowercases preceded by the sign “=” itself followed by a space. Parenthesis is itself preceded by a space.
d. No punctuation separate words within Latin translation.
5. English translation is shown between parenthesis below the Latin translation.
a. Only the first word of the English translation and the names start with uppercase.
b. Titles/positions are separated by semicolons.

Right way // Wrong way:
P (-ius) F (-elix): "Pious [and] Blessed" // Pivs FELIX « Pious blessed ».
Co (-n-) s (-ul): Consul. // Cos (= consul): CONSUL.


IX - Edge:

Given roman coinage specifications, nothing is to be put within the section “Edge” of the file.


X - Some Key Words with Translations:

1. Emperors’ titles
AVG = Augustus: August (when AVG is part of a lettering not related to emperor’s titles, AVG = Augusti: "of the August")
CAES = Caesar: Caesar
COS III = Consul III: Consul for the Third Time
D N = Dominus Noster: Our Lord
IMP = Imperator: Emperor
IMP IV = Imperator IV: [invested with the] Fourth Imperial Acclaim
NOB = Nobilis: Noble
P F = Pius Felix: Pious [and] Blessed
P M = Pontifex Maximus: Greatest Pontiff
P P = Pater Patriae: Father of the Nation
TR P V = Tribunicia Potestate V [indutus]: [invested] with the Fifth Tribunician Power

2. Letterings
AVGG = Augustorum Duorum: of the Two Augusts
AVGGG = Augustorum Trium: of the Three Augusts
AVGGGG = Augustorum Quatuor: of the Four Augusts
CAESS = Caesarum Duorum: of the Two Caesars
CONCORDIA MILITVM = Concordia Militum: Harmony of the Soldiers
FEL TEMP REPARATIO = Felicitas Temporum Reparatio: Happy Times Restored
GENIO POPVLI ROMANI = Genio Populi Romani: To the Genius of the Roman People
GLORIA EXERCITVS = Gloria Exercitus: Glory of the Army
GLORIA ROMANORVM = Gloria Romanorum: Glory of the Romans
IOVI CONSERVATORI = Jovi Conservatori: To Jupiter the Protector
MARTI CONSERVATORI = Marti Conservatori: To Mars the Protector
SECVRITAS REIPVBLICAE = Securitas Reipublicae: Safety of the State
SOLI INVICTO COMITI = Soli Invicto Comiti: To his Companion the Invincible Sol
VIRTVS AVG = Virtus Augusti: Bravery of the August
VOT V MVLT X = Votis Quinquennalibus Multis Decennalibus: Vows for the Fifth Anniversary and more for the Tenth Anniversary
VOT X MVLT XX = Votis Decennalibus Multis Vicennalibus: Vows for the Tenth Anniversary and more for the Twentieth Anniversary

3. Field marks
B T = Beata Tranquilitas: Happiness of Constancy
C R = Claritas Reipublicae: Splendor of the State
C S = Claritas Saeculi: Splendor of the Age
T F = Temporum Felicitas: Happy Times
S C = Senatus Consulto: [struck] by Decree of the Senate

Hello,

Nice and thorough! I commend the endeavour.

I do have a few comments:

<< III. 2. The numbers associated with emperors are shown following the name using Latin figures; only the first number is followed by a declination (Ist), others are written with the number only (II, III, IV, etc.). >>

- "The numbers associated with emperors" are called "regnal numbers" or "monarchical ordinals" in English
- "Latin figures" are more commonly referred to as "Roman numerals"
- by "declination", I suppose you are referring to "declension"? But you probably mean "ordinal indicator"

Throughout the text, there are several issues like these, but I specifically picked this particular paragraph because I do not agree that we should use the ordinal indicator for Ist. This may be common in French, but I've never seen this in English in any manual of style. Here is the specific section from the Chicago Manual of Style:


Best

Cita: "stratocaster"​​

​Hi Strato,
I thank you very much for your precise and precious comments. I am going to take them into account and to consequently modify the guide.
Best regards.

Hello,
I am new here and I appreciate Roman coins.
I'm a little confused with the instructions about "Mint" and I don't know if the fields have changed since that post.
There are:
- "Mints", with "Mintmark", "Mint" (predefined list) and "Picture" (I don't have idea)
- "Mintage", with "Year", "Mint letter" (I think it's Mintmark+officina letter), "Mintage" (Is it about quantity?) and "Comment" (explained).
Isn't it?

Cita: "aquista"​Hello,
​I am new here and I appreciate Roman coins.
​I'm a little confused with the instructions about "Mint" and I don't know if the fields have changed since that post.
​There are:
​- "Mints", with "Mintmark", "Mint" (predefined list) and "Picture" (I don't have idea)
​- "Mintage", with "Year", "Mint letter" (I think it's Mintmark+officina letter), "Mintage" (Is it about quantity?) and "Comment" (explained).
​Isn't it?

​Hello aquista, welcome to Numista!

Have you checked the general guidelines:
https://en.numista.com/numisdoc/articles/catalogue_guidelines.php

This is quite a newer version and it should be clearer how the mints work.

The "Mint" section is where you specify the mint. The mints are listed in this database:
https://en.numista.com/numisdoc/articles/mints.php
The picture is more for modern mints that actually have a drawing as a mint mark (example).

"Mintage" indeed refers to the number of coins produced, and it is a bit irrelevant for ancient coins.

For the Officina: we can list now more explicitly the letter and its position in the comments of each dateline, see here an example. This is because the same Officina may have different marks on the same coin type (e.g. IIII, IV, Q for 4th Officina). Even the same letter can appear in the right or in the left field, see the example.

Hope this helps

Is this saved also elsewhere or just as a forum ticket?