New RR denarius by C Renius. Juno Caprotina, Goddess of fertility

[expat]

Caprotina is an epithet of Juno in Her aspect as a fertility Goddess. As Juno Caprotina She is associated with goats (Latin capra, "she-goat", caper, "he-goat")

and with figs, both of which are symbolic of fertility: the fig fruit bears many seeds, and goats are well-known for their randiness.

Her festival was called the Nonae Caprotina, or the "Nones of Caprotina", held on the nones or 7th day of July, and it was exclusively celebrated by women, especially slave-women.
The Roman explanation of the Nonae Caprotina is thus: after Rome had survived a siege by the Gauls (historically in the 4th century BCE), some of the less-friendly neighboring Latin tribes decided to take advantage of Rome's weakened position and demanded Roman women in marriage, under the threat of destroying the city. While the Senate debated what to do, a slave-woman named Tutela took the matter into her own hands: with a group of other slave-women dressed as free women, she went to the amassed enemy army, and under the guise of celebrating a wedding feast, got the Latins quite drunk. After they had fallen asleep the slave-girls took their weapons, and Tutela climbed a nearby wild fig tree (caproficus in the Latin) and waved a torch as signal for the Romans to attack. This they did, and as a reward for the resulting victory, the Senate gave each slave-woman who participated her freedom, as well as a generous dowry. After that, in remembrance of the victory, the Nonae Caprotina were celebrated. Fig-branches and the milky sap of the fig-tree were offered to Juno, and festivities, feasts and rites were held in the fig-grove of the Campus Martius (the Plain of Mars).
Juno Caprotina was usually depicted with goats, naturally enough: on one coin She rides a biga, a two "horse" chariot in this case drawn by a pair of goats; Her dress flows in the wind of Her speed and She holds what looks like a riding crop. On another coin, on which Her portrait is stamped, She wears a head-dress made of goat-hide, with the goat's head over Her own so that the horns are preserved in the back, and the lower jawline of the goat runs along Her own.

AR denarius (3,87 g. 17 mm.). Rome, 138 B.C. C Renius
Head of Roma right, wearing winged helmet and 5 drop earring; behind, X designating value/
C•RENI below, ROMA in exergue, Juno Caprotina, holding crook, reins and scepter, driving biga of goats right.
Crawford 231/1; Sydenham 432; Renia 1.

 

Please post your Juno Caprotinas or anything related to goats.

 

Edited October 19, 2023 by expat

[Curtisimo]

Nice coin and fun write up @expat. I had not heard that story before.

I was rather surprised that I don’t have any goat coins so I’ll just have to be a spectator for this one! 

[Roman Collector]

Fantastic acquisition for your numophylacium, @expat! Coingratulations!!

Here's my C. Renius. I once did a similar write-up about Juno Caprotina elsewhere.

C. Renius, 138 BCE.
Roman AR denarius, 3.84 g, 16.3 mm, 1 h.
Rome, 138 BCE.
Obv: Helmeted head of Roma, right; X behind.
Rev: Juno in a biga of goats, right, wearing diadem and holding scepter and reins in left hand and whip in right hand; C·RENI below; ROMA in exergue.
Refs: Crawford (RRC) 231/1; RSC Renia 1; Sydenham (CRR) 432; Sear (RCV) 108.

And here's a not-so-gratuitous photo of Michelle Pfeiffer from the movie Stardust:

[DonnaML]

Excellent coin and write-up! Here's my example of the C. Renius,  the same type as @Roman Collector's. Note the footnote reference to a possible identification as Juno Caprotina.

Roman Republic, C. Renius, AR Denarius 138 BCE. Obv. Helmeted head of Roma right, X behind / Rev. Juno* in biga of goats right, holding scepter and reins in left hand and whip in right hand, C • RENI below goats, ROMA in exergue. RSC I Renia 1, Crawford 231/1, Sydenham 432, Sear RCV I 108 (ill.), BMCRR Rome 885. 17 mm., 3.8 g. 

* RSC identifies her as Juno Caprotina. Crawford disagrees; Sear does not mention the theory. Here is the relevant portion of the Crawford discussion at p. 264:

One more goat for good measure, a nice shaggy one from Gallienus. (See my Gallienus post in the "Favorite Reverses" thread for details.)

 

[ambr0zie]

I don't have this type but I have a little herd of goats myself. 

20,6 mm, 3,72 g.
Mn. Fonteius C.f. AR denarius. Rome. 85 BC.
MN·FONTEI – C·F Laureate head of Apollo Veiovis r.; below, thunderbolt and below chin, RA ligate / Cupid on goat r.; above, pileii. In exergue, thyrsus. All within laurel wreath.
Babelon Fonteia 9; Sydenham 724; RBW 1350; Crawford 353/1a.

13 mm, 1,58 g.
Aeolis, Aigai circa 200-27 BC. Ӕ.
Head of Hermes right, wearing petasos / Forepart of goat right; monograms above and to right.
SNG München -; SNG Copenhagen 14; SNG von Aulock -.

9 mm, 0,55 g.
Cilicia, Kelenderis. AR obol. Circa 425-400 BC. Horse prancing right within beaded circle / ΚΕ, Goat kneeling right, head turned to look back.
Göktürk 9; Cf. SNG BN 116-7 (obol, goat left); Cf. SNG Levante 29 (obol, goat left).

[Alegandron]

RR C Renius AR Denarius 18mm 3.8g Roma 138 BC Helmeted hd Roma r X - C RENI ROMA Juno driving biga goats r whip reins scepter Cr 231-1

[Alegandron]

GOATS

THRACO-MAKEDON TRIBES- MYGDONES or KRESTONES 480-470 BCE AR Obol 0.79g 11mm Goat Quadripartite incuse square AMNG III 14

 

RR AR Denarius 3.88g L Pomponius Molo 97 BCE Rome Apollo Numa Pompilius stdng Lituus alter sacrifice goat Cr 334-1 Syd 607 NUMA

[mcwyler]

Got a goat:-

 

Divus Vespasian, AR Denarius, 80-81, Rome. DIVVS AVGVSTVS VESPASIANVS, Laureate head right / S C, Legend on shield supported by two capricorns, globe below. 17. 66mm, 3.35g RIC II, 63 (Titus)
 

[MrMonkeySwag96]

The Juno Goat Squad:

 

Edited May 19 by MrMonkeySwag96