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SALVS

Salus is the personnification of health and safety. Her attributes are a serpent held in arms or coiled on the ground, raising its head while she feeds it from a Patera. The motif of a woman feeding a snake is probably based on the ancient Latin custom of having a young virgin offer sacrifice to the gods. Salus is a fairly popular theme for the reverses of Roman coins. Other examples may be seen by viewing a Radiate of Postumus and an Antoninianus of Probus in the author's collection.


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