Roman Coins in Reverse - a Chronological Gallery

[CPK]

I'm seeing some beautiful coins! 👍

Now I can finally play! Unfortunately, I only have one coin from this period and the reverse is pretty vanilla, but so be it.🙂

I bought it mostly because I wanted a nice representation of the period; it's in decent shape and some nice toning, for a bit over $100.

[akeady]

While it didn't affect the reverses, during this period, in around 141BC, the denarius was re-tariffed to 16 asses.   For a year or two, denarii carried the legend XVI for 16 instead of the customary X.   They later reverted to X, sometimes with a bar.   The as had become much smaller between the introduction of the denarius coinage and the 140s BC, so a reduced relative value for the bronze coins made sense.

Cr. 227/1c (140 BC) - Jupiter in quadriga:

Cr. 226/1a (141 BC) - Victory in biga:

Cr. 224/1 (141 BC) - Dioscuri:

I bought these three little coins in a Spanish auction last year - Jesús Vico.   They were sold as "Lote de 3 denarios recortados para circular como fracciones".
When I got them, I realised that they'd been cut from the same coin and I had an uncut example of it, which is from this period.

They're quite toned in reality - overexposed here.

These are the auction photos, which give a better idea of the toning - the cuts look old to me, but I wonder why the three resulting fractions stayed together - maybe hidden or lost shortly after being cut?

They're part of a denarius by the moneyer Q. Marcius Libo of 148 BC (Cr. 215/1):

ATB,
Aidan.

[CPK]

1 hour ago, akeady said:

They're part of a denarius by the moneyer Q. Marcius Libo of 148 BC (Cr. 215/1):

ATB,
Aidan.

Interesting! I like Roma's artfully engraved hair on the CR 215/1.

[Severus Alexander]

My two most interesting reverses from this period are both bronzes.  I'll start with the potty humour:

^ C. Papirius Turdus. AE As, c. 169-158 BC. Obv. Laureate head of Janus; above, mark of value I. Rev. Prow right; above, TVRD (VR ligate) and before, mark of value I. Below, ROMA. Cr. 193/1; B. 1. AE. 28.40 g. 33.50 mm.

Definitely the most attractive turd in my collection! 🤓

Next, here is a semis of C. Curiatius f. Trigeminus, whom Cicero described as "the meanest and vilest of mankind"(!!), dated to either 135 or 142 BCE.  The reverse has my favourite Republican prow... I think the waves and especially the eye are great.

 

I'm not sure the next one is worthy of inclusion, but just to have some (sorta) silver, here's a fourrée of L. Sempronius Pitio; the official version dates to 148 BCE. Much of the bronze core has corroded away, leaving a very light coin (2.52g) that's partially just a shell, creating some interest on the reverse where you can see through the coin in several places!  The small dot in front of Roma’s nose on the obverse may have been placed there by the counterfeiter so that he wouldn’t get fooled by his own (very convincing) work.

[lrbguy]

Some great pieces out there, and now gathered into this thread.  I especially like the silver pieces which introduce a design motif.  A few of you have been showing those.  My own contributions are going to be quite modest by comparison.

 

 

In the chronology of Crawford, the earliest use of a biga in the denarius or quinarius reverse type takes place in 194 BCE (179 for the quinarius). Until then the Dioscuri reverse types are exclusive. However, for their first half century the bigati remain exceptional.  The chronology proposed by Michael Crawford will be followed here.

156   BCE

Cr. 197  Anonymous
Subtype 1a - goad
The alternative style (1b) has a whip in R hand

Helmeted head of Roma, r; behind X

Victory in biga r., holding goad in L hand and reigns in R.
in Exergue:  ROMA

 

150   BCE

Cr. 206  SAFRA

Helmeted head of Roma, r; behind X

Victory in biga r. holding whip in L hand and reigns in R.
Below SAFRA     In exergua: ROMA

 

146   BCE

Cr. 219  C. ANTESTI
Subtype 1e (the fifth of an interlinked group of five)

Helmeted head of Roma, r; behind C . ANTE(ligature) STI;  X below (only upper left bar visible here)
Dioscuri to r.; below, puppy with both forelegs raised.

 

143   BCE

Cr. 222   Anonymous

Helmeted head of Roma, r; behind X

Diana with quiver on shoulder, in biga of stags r., holding reins in L hand, torch in R.
Below: Crescent (horns up)    In Exergue: ROMA

 

142   BCE

Cr. 223  C.CVR TRIGE (C Curiatus)

Helmeted head of Roma, r; behind TRIGE; below X

Juno in quadriga r.; crowned by Victory from behind; holds scepter in L hand, and reins in R.  [The use of a quadriga first appears on the denarius two years earlier.  This is the second appearance]
Below: C CVR (ligate)

 

141   BCE

Cr.224  L.IVLI

Heleted head of Roma, r; behind XVI
[This is the first listing in Crawford for the use of the Roman numeral XVI to indicate the new tariff rate of 16 asses to the denarius.]

The reverse features the Dioscuri with the name of the moneyer L . I VL(ligatured) I
In exergue: ROMA

 

138   BCE

Cr. 231  C RENI  

Heleted head of Roma, r; X behind

Juno in biga of goats; diademed holding scepter & reins in l hand, and whip in r.
Below C . RENI    In exergue: ROMA

 

136    BCE

Cr. 238   L ANTES GRAGV
Helmeted head of Roma r. behind GRAG downwards  Before X-bar

Jupiter in Quadriga r.; scepter & reins in L, holds thunderbolt above in r.
Below L . ANTE(ligatured) S    In exergue: ROMA

Edited July 7, 2023 by lrbguy
Add name, delete spaces

[kapphnwn]

AR Denarius of M. Iunius Obv Helmeted head of Roma right  behind head of donkey. Rv on horseback right charging with leveled lances. RIC 220/1 4.13 grms 17 mm Photo by W. Hansen

The head of a donkey.... is Iunius making a political statement? 

[Octavius]

 RR denarius of Serveilius, c. 136 BC. Reverse has two horsemen riding past each other, but appear to be talking to each other... maybe asking for directions?

 

[ambr0zie]

9 hours ago, Octavius said:

but appear to be talking to each other... maybe asking for directions?

Probably the ancestors of 

[lrbguy]

On 7/5/2023 at 2:52 PM, ambr0zie said:

I have one coin from the current period. It is one of my favorite RR denarii, one of the reasons being that the reverse is quite unique (I tend to avoid coins with "common" reverses). 

This coin has an important distinction which for some reason you do not mention. It is the first example of a Republican denarius which does NOT feature the head of Roma.  That fact and the significance of the reverse as a conflict scene (oath taking by soldiers), suggested to Crawford that from this point on the moneyers would gradually begin to use the coin imagery for political capital in their favor.  This is a significant development.

Crawford devotes an entire paragraph to this piece.

That is quite a coin you have there, even if the obverse is missing an element.  Congratulations!

Edited July 7, 2023 by lrbguy
added a few missing details

[Al Kowsky]

July 7 time frame, 129-105 BC.

The reverse of this coin depicts Bituitus, king of the Averni, standing nude on a Celtic cart being pulled by two horses. He is holding the reins, shield, & is about to hurl a spear; attached to the cart is a carnyx. In the autumn of 121 BC, the forces of the Averni tribe led by Bituitus lost an epic battle in southern Gaul to the Roman forces led by Fabius Maximus. Bituitus was captured & taken to Rome, where he was paraded about the city in a victory celebration. He was later exiled to Alba Fucens, a mountainous outpost about 60 miles east of Rome. Crawford 282/2; Sydenham 521.

Most numismatists concur that the serrated denarii were an anti-counterfeiting measure showing the planchets were not plated, however, ancient coin forgers quickly found a way to make plated denarius serrati, as the coin pictured below proves 🤣.

                                                                    Photo courtesy of Andrew McCade

[Qcumbor]

I like the way the celator gave an impression of speed to the biga on that reverse. Plus the coin is from the famous E.E. Clain-Stefanelli collection !

L. Flaminius Chilo, Denarius - Rome mint, 109 or 108 BCE
Helmeted head of Roma right, ROMA behind head and X below chin
L·FLAMINI/CILO in two lines at exergue. Victory in prancing biga right
19 mm, 3,83 gr
Ref : RCV # 179, RSC Flaminia # 1, Sydenham #540, RBW # 1144, Crawford # 302/1.
From the E.E. Clain-Stefanelli collection

Q

[DonnaML]

As compared to the 6 denarii I have from the prior period, I have 22 from this one. Here's a virtual tray showing the reverses of all 22; it's going to be very difficult to pick a handful of favorites to post with all the details!  But I'll try to do that later today or tomorrow. Suggestions are welcome, of course.

Edited July 7, 2023 by DonnaML

[lrbguy]

Here is my small handful for the day.

 

129    BCE

Cr. 259  Q.PILIPVS  (incomplete strike)      3.93g

Helmeted (star on flap) head of Roma r.; behind X-bar (for tariff 16)

Horseman w. crested helmet gallops to r, reins in L and spear in R hand
Behind: helmet with goat's horns (incomplete);
Below: Q . PILI(PVS)    In exergue: ROMA

Crawford considers the figure on reverse of the goat horn helmet (incomplete and here unclear) to be emblematic of a distinctive Macedonian helmet and hence an oblique reference to the most notable Macedonian monarch, Philip V with whom the moneyer has a name similarity in the cognomen,Philippus. In all likelihood it is a punning allusion associating the lineage of the moneyer with a heroic past and hinting at a notability to the work in the present.  The treatment of the horseman does not continue that connection but reverts to a variation on the treatment of the Dioscuri which are the usual emblem on these coins.  In the end it is intended to foster the nobility, and hence worthiness of the moneyer.

 

125    BCE

 

CR. 269  C. METELLVS          3.93g

Roma wearing Phrygian helmet with star on flap (low) to r;  
Behind: ROMA    Below chin to r: X-bar (tariff rate)

Jupiter driving biga of elephants to left, reigns in R and thunderbolt in L, being crowned by Victory flying above     In exergue: C.METELLVS

 

120    BCE

Cr. 280   M.TVLLI           3.74g

Helmeted head of Roma r., curl on shoulder;  behind: ROMA downwards

Victory in quadriga r.; palm branch in L hand, reins in both hands;
wreath above; X below    In exergue:  M.TVLLI

 

The siglum of value is not found on the obverse, but the X so prominantly featured on the reverse cannot be that since the retariffing of the denarius to 16 asses. Crawford is silent on the significance of this mark.

 

 

115    BCE

Cr. 286   M.SERGI SILVS Q        3.94g

Helmeted head of Roma r.;    Before: EX  S.C
behind: ROMA downwards, followed by X-bar

Horseman to l, holds sword and severed head in L hand,
before to left: Q    
Below: M.SERGI   in exergue: SILVS  

The trappings of the horse here are not an outline of a second head.  Crawford associates the reverse image with the grandfather of the moneyer who in his youth had fought left-handed after losing his right hand in battle.

 

 

110    BCE

CR.299  T.MANL,  Q.VR          3.87g
Type 1b

Helmeted head of Roma r.;   Behind: open quadrangle

Victory in triga, holding reigns in both hands
In exergue:  T.MA[ligatured].AR.CL.Q.VR [ligatured-final letter off flan]

The final letters were interrupted by a border of beading.   The reverse legend varies between two types, and Crawford notes that in both cases it is "sometimes" rather poorly executed.  Crawford observes that the final set of letters appear to refer to a specific name and that the issue was most probably the output of three moneyers.

 

Edited July 7, 2023 by lrbguy
added intro thought

[lrbguy]

47 minutes ago, DonnaML said:

Suggestions are welcome, of course.

Row 4, number 3 caught my attention; as did row 2 number 3 with the lituus on obverse and a mass of activity on the reverse.

But your first coin would give a much better view of what I tried to show with my first coin.

Edited July 7, 2023 by lrbguy
corrected number

[akeady]

Here are some that I don't see already listed.

Cr. 263/1b of 127 BC (ROMA downwards on the obverse) - Macedonian shield reverse, decorated with elephant's head, within laurel wreath:

Cr. 266/2 & 266/3 of 126 BC - Dodrans and Bes - unusual denominations which didn't last long - dodrans was worth 9 unciae (S plus 3 pellets on obverse) and featured Vulcan on the obverse, the bes was worth 8 unciae (S plus 2 pellets) and featured Liber's head.   The reverses had the customary prow with moneyer's name:

A fourrée denarius of Numerius Fabius Pictor of 126 BC (Cr. 268/1b).   Portrays the moneyer's grandfather on the reverse - Quintus Fabius Pictor, Praetor 189 BC and Flamen Quirinalis.   I think this is the first issue with control marks on both sides - letters I & C here - though this example is presumably not from the official mint in any case.

Two soldiers fighting (or gladiators) - Cr. 294/1 denarius of T. Didius of 113 BC.   I need to take new photos of these - can't decide which I like better - the second does not look porous in hand, the lighting is awful here:

Quite an interesting issue of Ti. Quinctius with Hercules on the obverse and a desultor on the reverse - Cr. 297/1a of 112 or 111 BC.   Cr. 297/1b has the rat facing the other way, I'll throw in the reverse.   Also, note that the word ROMA doesn't feature on the obverse or reverse legend - it's not the first issue lacking ROMA, but from here on ROMA tends to be dropped - there was no need to proclaim the city of origin of the coins any more.

I liked this denarius of Lucius Caesius (Cr. 298/1 of 112 BC) with the Lares and a dog on the reverse - the bust of Vulcan and tongs on the reverse is off-flan here:

Here's a denarius of 110/109 BC of P. Porcius Laeca - Cr. 301/1:

Here's Sol on the obverse and Luna in a biga on the reverse, riding through the stars, on a denarius of Mn. Aquilius of 109/108 BC (Cr. 303/1):

A denarius of A. Manlius Cr. 309/1 of somewhere between 118 and 107 BC, with Sol in a quadriga rising from the waves on the reverse:

And finally a rather crowded reverse of Cr. 310/1, again of sometime between 118 and 107 BC.   Jupiter in a quadriga right, hurling thunderbolt, with head of Sol, stars and crescent; below, anguipede giant with thunderbolt.   Anguipede meaning having snakes for legs (of course!).

ATB,
Aidan.

Edited July 7, 2023 by akeady
Fixed a couple of typos.

[Octavius]

 Titus Deidius with two fighters on reverse   probably archaic type of gladiators.

c. 113 BCE

[kapphnwn]

Ar Denarius of L. Memmius Galeria 106 BC Obv Head of Saturn left laureate Rv Venus driving biga right being crowned by Victory, Crawford 313  3.97 grms 19 mm Photo by W. Hansen 

 

[expat]

Some incredible issues posted by you folks. Here is my only example from this date period.

 

[ambr0zie]

We can already see an improvement in artistry/symbolistics in this time frame compared to the older coins. 

Just 2 examples for me 

M. Herennius. 108-107 BC. Rome. Denarius AR. 18 mm, 3,77 g
PIETAS, head of Pietas r., wearing diadem; hair twisted around lower part of diadem; single drop earring; beaded necklace; tendrils falling down the back of her neck / M·HERENNI, nude male figure bearing a man on his shoulder, r. (one of the Catanaean brothers, Amphinomus, carrying his father Nisos on his shoulder); M.HERENNI downwards l.; control mark on r.; dotted border
RRC 308/1b; Herennia 1a; B.M.C, 1258-85; Syd. 567a

There are two possible interpretations of this reverse design, each with merit. The first is that the moneyer M. Herennius, who perhaps had a connection with Sicily, chose to illustrate a local example of Piety: the brothers Amphinomus and Anapias, who are supposed to have saved their parents from an eruption of Mt Etna by carrying them from danger on their shoulders. The second interpretation reaches back to the mythological founding of Rome; Aeneas, during the fall of Troy, carried his father Anchises from the burning ruins of the city. Romulus and Remus, the founders of the city of Rome, through their descendence from him, made Aeneas progenitor of the Roman people. Long before Virgil makes reference to ‘pious Aeneas’ in his Aeneid, the Roman concept of piety was threefold; duty to the gods, to one’s homeland and to one’s family, which neatly links the reverse type with the obverse on this coin.

Anonymous. 115-114 BC. AR Denarius. 19,7 mm, 3,79 g.
ROMA, head of Roma, right, wearing winged Corinthian helmet with curl on left shoulder. Border of dots; X (mark of value) behind / Roma, wearing Corinthian helmet, seated right on pile of shields, holding spear in left hand; at feet, helmet; before, she-wolf, right, suckling twins Romulus and Remus; on either side, birds flying. Border of dots.
Crawford 287/1; Sydenham 530; RSC 176; RBW 1117.

[Roman Collector]

We're on 129-105 BCE?? Here's my favorite reverse on a coin in my collection from that time. It's the same as @Al Kowsky posted above, though -- sorry. What's not to like about a naked Gaulish warrior with a carnyx?

L. Licinius Crassus and Cn. Domitius Ahenobarbus with L Pomponius, 118 BCE.
Roman AR denarius serratus, 3.91 g, 19.6 mm, 1 h.
Narbo, 118 BCE.
Obv: L POMPONI CNF, head of Roma, right, wearing Attic helmet; X behind.
Rev: Naked Gaulish warrior in biga, right, holding shield, carnyx and reins in left hand and hurling spear with right hand; L·LIC·CN·DOM in exergue.
Refs: Crawford RRC 282/4; BMCRR 1191-93; Sydenham CRR 522a; RSC Pomponia 7a; RCV 158.

 

Edited July 8, 2023 by Roman Collector

[Qcumbor]

4 hours ago, ambr0zie said:

 

That's a coin type I'm really looking for (love it) : just in need of the right one et the right price !

Q

[John Conduitt]

My only coin for a while. At least it has an, erm, interesting reverse. Or no reverse at all. Can I post a coin with no reverse in a thread about interesting reverses?

See @DonnaML's coin (3 across, 4 down) for what it should look like.

Brockage of a Licinia 7 Denarius, 113-112BC

Rome. Silver, 3.25g. Publius Licinius Nerva. Helmeted bust of Roma left, holding shield in left hand and spear over shoulder in right; * in left field, crescent above helmet, ROMA in right field. Original reverse: Voting scene: three citizens in the comitium; one of them placing ballot in cista. In middle field above, a tabella inscribed P; below, P·NERVA (Babelon Licinia 7). Found near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire.

[Octavius]

 Denarius of Manlius Aquillius with Sol on obverse and Luna driving biga on reverse with a crescent moon and constellation of stars... c. 109 BCE.

 

[DonnaML]

2 hours ago, Octavius said:

 Denarius of Manlius Aquillius with Sol on obverse and Luna driving biga on reverse with a crescent moon and constellation of stars... c. 109 BCE.

 

One of my "most wanted" Republican types. It's the type I bought from a Spanish auction a year or so ago that never arrived. I got a refund, but, damn!

[DonnaML]

Here are my write-ups of 5  of my coins from this period, with 4 or 5 more to come if I can get to them before 3 pm tomorrow.

1. The first one is at the request of @Irbguy: 

Roman Republic, Q. Marcius Philippus, AR denarius Rome 129 BC. Obv. Head of Roma right with winged helmet; behind, * [X with bar through it = XVI monogram] / Rev. Horseman galloping right, wearing Greek armor and high-crested helmet, holding reins in left hand and lance in right; behind, Macedonian helmet with goat horns; below, Q • PILIPVS; in exergue, ROMA. Crawford 259/1; RSC I [Babelon] Marcia 11; BMCRR Vol. I 1143; Sydenham 477. 17 x 19 mm., 3.86 g. Purchased from Künker Auction 377, 20 Oct. 2022, Lot 5524, ex The Mark & Lottie Salton Collection (with old collector’s envelope).*

 

*“The moneyer is doubtless the grandson of Q. Marcius Philippus, Cos. 186 and 169.” See Crawford Vol. I at p. 285. See also BMCRR Vol. I at p. 175 fn. 1, pointing out that Q. Marcius Philippus was sent as an ambassador to the Macedonian king Philip V in 183 BCE, and campaigned in Macedonia against Philip’s son Perseus in 169 BCE.

Crawford continues his discussion of this type at p. 285: “The helmet with goat’s horns on the reverse seems to be the distinctive headdress of a Macedonian king . . . . It doubtless alludes, by way of the Macedonian monarch who made the deepest impression on the Roman mind, Philip V, to the moneyer’s cognomen, Philippus. The origin of this is of course unknown and unconnected with the Macedonian royal house. But this allusion is entirely intelligible . . . ; the moneyer may have thought of it because of his family’s friendship with Philip V. The horseman on the reverse, whose helmet is completely different from the helmet with goat horns, is perhaps more likely to be divine than human; he resembles one of the Dioscuri and it is just worth recalling that this issue is contemporary with the plebiscitum reddendorum equorum, by which Senators were forbidden to retain the equus publicus . . . , and that the Dioscuri were the patrons of the Equites.

2. I like elephants:

Roman Republic, M. Caecilius Q.f. Metelllus, AR Denarius, 127 BC (Crawford, RSC, Sear), ca. 126 BCE (Mattingly, op. cit. at p. 258, Table 3), Rome Mint. Obv. Head of Roma right in winged helmet, star on helmet flap, ROMA upwards behind, * (XVI ligature, mark of value = 16 asses) below chin / Rev. Macedonian shield, decorated with elephant head in center wearing bell, M METELLVS Q F around beginning at 6:00, all within laurel wreath. Crawford 263/1(a), Sydenham 480, RSC I Caecilia 29, Russo RBW 1064, Sear RCV I 139 (ill.). 19.5 mm., 3.80 g., 9 hr.*

 

*The coin is classified as Crawford 263/1a because the obverse "ROMA" legend goes upwards; the ROMA on 263/1b goes downwards. The moneyer was Consul in 115 BCE. The reverse design of a Macedonian shield encircled by a laurel wreath honors the moneyer's father, Q. Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus, who defeated the Macedonian pretender Andriscus in 148 BCE. See Crawford p. 288, Sear p. 99. Sear calls the coin “an early example of a moneyer commemorating his family history” (id.), and Mattingly states that the moneyer “broke new ground by honoring a living father.” (See Harold B. Mattingly, “Roman Republican Coinage ca. 150-90 B.C.,” in From Coins to History (2004), pp. 199-226 at p. 220 [emphasis in original].)

The elephant head in the center of the shield, as with other coins of the Caecilii Metelli, recalls the victory of L. Caecilius Metellus, Cos. 251, over Hasdrubal at the Battle of Panormus in 250 BCE, and the capture of 100 of Hasdrubal’s elephants, which were paraded at Metellus’s triumph. See Crawford p. 288 (referencing the discussion on p. 287 of the symbolism of the elephant head on the reverse of Crawford 262); Mattingly p. 219 & n. 75.

3. Also at Irbguy's request:

Roman Republic, C. Servilius Vatia, AR Denarius, 127 BC. Obv. Head of Roma right wearing winged helmet with star on helmet’s neck-piece, triple-drop earring, and beaded necklace; below, ROMA; behind, lituus; under chin, mark of value (* = XVI ligate = 16 asses) / Rev. Horseman [M. Servilius Pulex Geminus, see fn.] with plumed helmet, cape flowing behind, and shield inscribed M on upper half, charging left and piercing with his spear another horseman fleeing left before him, but turning back towards first horseman with shield in right hand and sword raised in left hand, as his horse (seen from behind) loses footing; in exergue, C•SERVEIL (VE ligate). Crawford 264/1; BMCRR II 1166 (ill. BMCRR III Pl. xxx No. 4); RSC I Servilia 6 (ill. p. 88); Sear RCV I 140 (ill. p. 100); Yarrow pp. 100-101 (ill. Fig. 2.52) [Liv Mariah Yarrow, The Roman Republic to 49 BCE: Using Coins as Sources (2021)]; RBW Collection 1069 (ill. p. 221) (2014). 19 mm., 3.81 g. Purchased from Savoca Coins 133rd Silver Auction, 15 May 2022, Lot 297; ex Savoca Coins 124^th Silver Auction, 23 Jan. 2022, Lot 385.*

 

*The authorities agree that “the reverse type of the denarius probably refers to the propensity for single combat of the moneyer’s ancestor, M. Servilius Pulex Geminus, Cos. 202 [citations to Livy and Plutarch omitted.]. . . . The letter M on the shield thus stands for Marcus.” See Crawford Vol. I p. 289. As RSC elaborates at p. 88, based on a footnote in BMCRR I (p. 179 n. 2), “The horseman represented here is M. Servilius Pulex Geminus, who was elected Augur in B.C. 211 and who filled that office for about 40 years and who was consul in B.C. 202. He is said to have received wounds in twenty-three single combats and to have been victorious in all.” See also Yarrow p. 101, emphasizing the importance of the way in which Pulex’s opponent is portrayed: “For Pulex, the raised sword of the fleeing horseman . . . illustrates the ‘frontality’ of his own scars in contrast to those he inflicted (Figure 2.52). The depiction of the horse from behind draws inspiration from Hellenistic battle scenes, such as the Alexander mosaic (House of the Vetii, Pompeii), which places such a horse at the very center of its composition.”

4. I still like elephants. Another coin issued by a member of the Caecilii Metelli:

Roman Republic, C. Caecilius Metellus Caprarius, AR Denarius 125 BCE. Obv. Head of Roma right wearing winged Phrygian helmet with crest in form of head and beak of eagle (i.e, griffin); behind, ROMA downwards; before, mark of value * (= XVI) [off flan] / Rev. Jupiter, crowned with wreath by flying Victory above, in biga of elephants left, holding thunderbolt in left hand and reins in right hand; in exergue, C•METELLVS (ME ligate). 17 mm., 3.90 g. Crawford 269/1, BMCRR I 1180-1182 (& Vol. III Pl. xxx 8), RSC I Caecilia 14, Sear RCV I 145. Purchased from Dix Noonan Webb Auction 253, 13 April 2022, Lot 1247; ex. Spink Numismatic Circular Dec. 1985, No. 8404 at p. 334.*

 

*The moneyer “is presumably C. Caecilius Metellus Caprarius, Cos. 113” (Crawford Vol. I p. 293), who was born ca. 160 BCE, and served under Scipio Aemilianus at the siege of Numantia in 133 BCE in the Third Punic War; he died sometime after 102 BCE. BMCRR I p. 182 n. 1;  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaius_Caecilius_Metellus_Caprarius.

For the biga of elephants on the reverse, Crawford refers (see Vol. I p. 293) to his explanation (id. p. 287) of the elephant head on the reverse of Crawford 262, a coin issued by another moneyer from the Caecilius Metellus family: the reference “recalls the victory of L. Caecilius Metellus, Cos. 251, over Hasdrubal at [the Battle of] Panormus in 250 [BCE], and the capture of Hasdrubal’s elephants.” As Grueber notes in his discussion of the elephant biga design, the captured elephants were afterwards exhibited at Metellus’s triumph at Rome. BMCRR I p. 182 n. 2.  [Sorry for the repetition!]

In addition to C. Caecilius Metellus Caprarius, a number of other moneyers belonging to the Caecilii Metelli issued denarii with elephants or elephant heads to commemorate their ancestor’s famous victory. See Crawford 262/1 (Anonymous, probably Caecilius Metellus Diadematus or Caecilius Metellus Delmaticus, 128 BCE); Crawford 263/1 (M. Caecilius Q.f. Metelllus, 127 BCE [see above]); Crawford 374/1 (Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius, 81 BCE); and Crawford 459/1 (Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius Scipio, 47-46 BCE).

 5.  A barbarian!

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 2^nd 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).**

 

*On stylistic and other grounds, Mattingly argues for a somewhat later date, ca. 115-114 BCE. See See Harold B. Mattingly, “Roman Republican Coinage ca. 150-90 B.C.,” in From Coins to History (2004), pp. 199-226 at pp. 210-211.

 **See Sear RCV I at p. 106 regarding the five different types of Crawford 282, i.e., this type (Crawford 282/5) and Crawford 282/1-282/4: “This extraordinary issue, distinguished by flans with serrated edges, was minted at the newly-founded city of Narbo, the first Roman colony in Gaul. The two principal magistrates (Licinius Crassus and Domitius Ahenobarbus) produced their coins in association with five junior colleagues” – one subtype for each of them, in this case L. Porcius Licinius. For each subtype, the junior magistrate’s name appears on the obverse and the two principal magistrates’ names appear on the reverse. See also Crawford I p. 298.

For identification of the three moneyers/magistrates named on this type, see Crawford I pp. 298-299:

 “The L. Licinius who is one of the two senior monetary magistrates was surely the L. Licinius Crassus responsible for the [founding of the] colony . . . . [and] was Cos. 95; Cn. Domitius Ahenobarbus seems to have struck coinage as moneyer also (no. 285) and to have been Cos. 96. Their junior associates did not have distinguished careers - . . . . L. Porcius Licinus is presumably the grandson or great-grandson of L. Porcius Licinus, Cos. 184.” See also BMCRR I pp. 184-185 n. 1 (re the two senior magistrates); p. 185 n. 1 (re L. Porcius Licinus).

Regarding the scene on the reverse, Crawford states as follows at Vol. I p. 299: “The accoutrements of the figure in the biga forming the reverse type are purely Gallic (note the carnyx and the criss-cross pattern on the shield, similar to those on [Crawford] no. 281/1[issued by  M Fovri L.f. Philus]. . . . The figure is clearly a Gaul . . . ; that the figure is the Gallic king Bituitus, captured by the father of Cn. Domitius Ahenobarbus according to the probably mendacious account of Valerius Maximus . . . and Eutropius . . ., seems incapable of proof.” Contra BMCRR I pp. 184-185 n. 1: “The reverse type, which is common to the coins of all the moneyers of this issue, records the victory in Gaul of Cnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus, the father of the [magistrate], over the Allobroges and their ally, Bituitus, king of the Arverni, who is represented in his chariot. Bituitus was shortly afterwards taken prisoner by C. Fabius Maximus, and figured in Rome in his own chariot of silver at the triumph of Fabius.” RSC I (3^rd ed. 1978), although published post-Crawford, continues to follow this interpretation. See id. p. 18 (note to Aurelia 20).

Without addressing the specific identity of the Gallic warrior on the reverse of this issue, Yarrow places the scene in context; see Section 2.2.6 at pp. 106-108, 110: 

“The Roman concern to honor both the gods and their ancestors for their military successes and the territorial hegemony those victories had granted to the populus Romanus required the development of a very specific visual language. The desire was not to communicate a general celebration of the divine or of militarism but rather to hold up as exempla specific deeds as proofs of Roman (and familial) exceptionalism. To this end, the Romans chose to appropriate symbols associated with the strength and prowess of their enemies and transform them into an iconography of Roman conquest: falcatas (Iberian-style swords), torques, elephants, camel cavalries, and Macedonian shields all fall into this category. Just as actual torques, carnyces (Gallic dragon-shaped war trumpets), shields, and falcatas were displayed in Rome as the spoils of war – dedicated in temples and hung on the houses of the generals as lasting testimony to the victories – so too the alien symbols on the coinage testify to the defeat of a specific formidable enemy. This desire for iconographic specificity was not, of course, particular to the Romans, and they borrowed heavily from Hellenistic precedents for their choice of symbols. What is unique is the breadth, nuance, and frequency of this symbolic repertoire. While use of these and similar symbols was not originally limited to the coinage, given how few other Republican monuments survive, coins remain our prime means of tracing this development. . . .

 

Edited July 9, 2023 by DonnaML