Janus Denarius M. Furius moneyer 119 BC Rome Mint

[thenickelguy]

Roman Republic AR Denarius (19 -19.5 mm). Marcus Furius Lucii filius Philus, moneyer, 119 BC, Rome mint.

Obverse: Laureate head of Janus counterclockwise around, M·FOVRI·L·F, Border of dots.

Reverse: Roma (wearing Corinthian helmet) standing left, holding sceptre in left hand and crowning trophy with right hand; above, star; behind, ROMA upwards; the trophy is surmounted by a helmet in the form of a boar's head and flanked by a carnyx and shield on each side; in exergue, (PHI)LI.

Crawford 281/1, Sydenham 529; RSC Furia 18; BMCRR (Italy) 555; Russo RBW 1105.

So I learned what a carnyx was by buying this coin while hopefully writing the description correctly.

Janus the Roman god with two heads, god of war and peace, beginnings and endings, entrances, exits, and passageways. could see forwards and backwards and inside and outside simultaneously without turning around. Janus held a staff in his right hand, in order to guide travellers along the correct route, and a key in his left to open gates.
The month of January is named after Janus.

[red_spork]

Great writeup. This type has always been one of my favorites over the years. After going through a few upgrades I've finally found one that I think is a keeper

[Limes]

Nice catch! I can image that the sound of dozens of those carnyces in the dark woods of Dacia would have been very impressive (and scary)! 

I don't have a specimen of your coin, but here's a coin with the carnyx on the reverse:

[Al Kowsky]

2 hours ago, Limes said:

Nice catch! I can image that the sound of dozens of those carnyces in the dark woods of Dacia would have been very impressive (and scary)! 

I don't have a specimen of your coin, but here's a coin with the carnyx on the reverse:

Great composition on the reverse 😊.

[Al Kowsky]

I believe the Trajan Decius double denarii also depict Dacia on the reverse holding a carnyx. I won the coin pictured below from a John Anthony auction. Trajan Decius, AD249-251. AR Double Denarius: 4.2 gm, 22 mm, 12 h. RIC IVc 12b, p. 121. 

 

[Limes]

56 minutes ago, Al Kowsky said:

I believe the Trajan Decius double denarii also depict Dacia on the reverse holding a carnyx. I won the coin pictured below from a John Anthony auction. Trajan Decius, AD249-251. AR Double Denarius: 4.2 gm, 22 mm, 12 h. RIC IVc 12b, p. 121. 

 

I think the reverse is described as: DACIA, Dacia standing left, holding draco standard or vertical staff surmounted by ass's head. I don't have RIC, so basing it on online resources. 

[Ursus]

58 minutes ago, Al Kowsky said:

I believe the Trajan Decius double denarii also depict Dacia on the reverse holding a carnyx

I would tend to interpret this object as a Dacian draco (a type of battle standard, see here) rather than a  carnyx.

 

Also, here is my example of the Furius denarius:

Roman Republic, moneyer: M. Furius L. f. Philus, AR denarius, 119 BC, Rome mint. Obv: M. FOVRI. L. F; head of Janus. Rev: ROMA; Roma standing l., holding sceptre, crowns trophy with carnyx and two shields; in exergue, PHL I. 19mm, 3.81g. Ref: RRC 281/1.

[Al Kowsky]

4 hours ago, Limes said:

I think the reverse is described as: DACIA, Dacia standing left, holding draco standard or vertical staff surmounted by ass's head. I don't have RIC, so basing it on online resources. 

Thanks for the correction, I couldn't find the old description of the coin, & it sure looks like a carnyx 😊. I have seen other objects that Dacia holds that look like a staff too, like the coin pictured below.

 

[Alegandron]

RR 
M Furius LF Philus 
AR Denarius 
119 BCE 
Janus 
Trophy Carnyx 
Cr 281-1 Sear 156


The Republic’s boo-boo’s...


RR
M Furius 
ERROR DOUBLE-STRIKE 
AR Denarius
119 BCE 
Janus x 2
Trophy Carnyx 
S 156 Cr 281-

[ambr0zie]

On the Decius Dacia coins, the object is a draco. 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dacian_Draco

You can find a reference about this coin in the article.

Many sellers and houses still describe it incorrectly as an ass's head. Here is a correct description specifying the confusion 

https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=9759390

The similar type posted by Al, the Dacia Felix coins, have a war standard - not sure if it is a carnyx or not. 

Here is my favorite Janus coin, a Geta Roman imperial. 

Edited December 4, 2022 by ambr0zie

[Qcumbor]

I just happened to add recently a worn example of the OP. It's far from well preserved but the half Janus facing left has an "interesting" red eye...

 

 

I would love to have one as nice as @red_spork's though

Q

Edited December 4, 2022 by Qcumbor

[kevikens]

I had posted this image a few months ago on ancient musical instruments and on three of them , the denarius on the left and the center  and quinarius  on the right are examples of the carnyx.

Edited December 4, 2022 by kevikens
Found another coin.

[DonnaML]

My example of @thenickelguy's coin:

Roman Republic, M Fovri L.f. Philus, AR Denarius 119 BCE. Obv. Laureate head of Janus, M•FOVRI•L•F around / Rev. Roma with Corinthian helmet standing left holding scepter, crowning trophy surmounted by helmet and flanked by carnyx and shield on each side, Gallic arms around; star above, ROMA to right, PHLI in exergue.  RSC I Furia 18 (ill.), Crawford 281/1, Sydenham 529, Sear RCV I 156 (ill.), BMCRR Italy 555. 20.13 mm., 3.66 g. [According to Crawford (Vol. I p. 297), this reverse probably refers to "the defeat of the Allobroges and Arverni and the triumphs of 120."]

Another carnyx:

Roman Republic, L. Porcius Licinius, L. Licinius Crassus and Cn. Domitius Ahenobarbus, AR Serrate Denarius, Narbo Mint [Narbo Martius colony (Narbonne), Province of Gaul], 118 BCE [year of Narbo’s founding].* Obv. Head of Roma right wearing winged helmet, necklace, and drop earring, with hair in two curling locks extending down from helmet; L•PORCI upwards in front; LICI downwards behind followed by mark of value * [= XVI asses] behind neck / Rev. Naked, bearded Gallic warrior [possibly Bituitus, king of Arverni; see 2nd fn.] driving galloping biga right, holding shield with criss-cross pattern, dragon-head carnyx, and reins in left hand, and hurling spear with right hand; in exergue, L•LIC•CN•DOM. Crawford 282/5; BMCRR I Rome 1187; RSC I Porcia 8 (ill. p. 81) [this type is also RSC I Licinia 15 and Domitia 19]; Sear RCV I 158; see also Yarrow p. 110 & Fig. 2.68 at p. 113 [Liv Mariah Yarrow, The Roman Republic to 49 BCE: Using Coins as Sources (2021)]; RBW Collection 1110 (ill. p. 229); Foss p. 2 (The Republic No. 2a) [Clive Foss, Roman Historical Coins (Seaby, London, 1990)].  20 mm., 3.39 g., 8 h. Purchased from Roma Numismatics Ltd., E-Auction 96, 5 May 2022, Lot 893 (from “Vitangelo” Collection).** [Footnotes omitted.]

My Trajan Decius depicting "Dacia" carrying a Draco:

Trajan Decius, AR Antoninianus, 249-250 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Radiate and cuirassed bust right, IMP C MA Q TRAIANVS DECIVS AVG / Rev. Dacia standing left, wearing cloak over left shoulder and, with right hand, holding Dacian battle-standard surmounted by a wolf's head (known as a Draco), D-A-CIA. RIC IV 12(b), RSC IV 16, Sear RCV III 9368. 22.28 mm., 4.09 g.

Edited December 5, 2022 by DonnaML

[Marsyas Mike]

Interesting coins in this thread.  I thought I might have a carnyx in my collection, and found three.

Here's a quinarius - the same type as @kevikens posted, I think: 

Roman Rep. Quinarius C. Egnatuleius C.f.  (97 B.C.) - Rome mint C·EGNATVLEI·C·F·Q, laureate head of Apollo right / Victory standing left inscribing shield set on trophy, in left field, carnyx, Q, ROMV in exergue, Egnatuleia 1; Crawford 333/1.  (1.59 grams / 17 X 15 mm) eBay Dec. 2017 Lot @ $2.13 

There's a carnyx behind the head of Gallia (or Pallor) - not very clear on this worn example:

Roman Republic       Denarius L. Hostilius Saserna (48 B.C.) Rome Mint Head of Gallia (or Pallor) right, Gallic trumpet (carnyx) behind. / [L HOSTILIVS] SASERNA, Diana of Ephesus facing with stag and spear. Crawford 448/3; Hostilia 4; Sydenham 953. (3.60 grams / 18 mm) eBay Mar. 2017  

Here's a grossly off-center Republican denarius, with part of the carnyx still present on the reverse, under the horse:

Roman Republic  Denarius D. Junius L. f. Silanus  (90 B.C.) Rome Mint Mask of bearded Silenus right, plough right, all within torque / Victory in biga right, with whip and palm, carnyx beneath, [D SILANVS L F] in exergue. Crawford 337/1a; Junia 19. (3.63 grams / 18 mm) eBay June 2017 $16.50 

 

Edited December 5, 2022 by Marsyas Mike