AFRICA. DACIA. SCYTHIA. SICILIA. RC.) On all coins of this description, the genius of a pro vince is exhibited in the act of presenting a crown, or a small chest. Among the ancient Greeks, it was cus tomary to present to princes and great men golden crowns, with a view to secure their friendship, or to avert their anger. This practice founcl a favourable re ception among the Romans. Historians make frequent mention of golden crowns, presented by towns and coun tries to Roman generals, when they entered their terri tory. These gifts, on the part of the provinces, became very frequent under the emperors. Although at first voluntary, they afterwards became compulsory, and dif ferecl front real trilmte only in the name. The g•st of not always consist of a real crown, but often of golu or bullion, from %%Melt circumstance it was called aurum eoronarium, or crown-gold.
\Vhen Antoninus assumed the government, the depu ties from the provinces immediately appeared with their golden crowns. The names of the various provinces ap
pear on the above coins, and they are usually represent ed by female figures, in the act of presenting either a real crw‘ni or a vessel containing the crown-gold. His tory informs us, that this philanthropic emperor remitted the gill enurely as to lialy, and reduced it to one half as to the provinces.
With respect to the attributes of the provinces, Asia has a ship and an anchor, because the Romans could only get to it by sea. Cappadocia has the mountain Argmus, which was worshipped by the inhabitants as a god. Parthia has the bow ancl quiver, because the Par thians were esteemed the best archers. Phenicia has a palm-tree, from which that country derived its name.
Rzx. ARMENIIS. DATUS. Antoninus dreesed in the toga, Idacing the crown on the head of the Armenian king. Piate CCCCXXII. Fig. 19.