an interesting Cassius snack

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

I use the term snack because of the low price and issues going on with it.

I've been cutting back on coin buys generally.  I kind of want to save for a nice item.  However, when I scoped the lovely artistry and fantastic toning on this piece, I just had to have it. We all know what's going on with the reverse, probably plough damage, and there's some less severe obverse scratches.

This type was lacking from my collection and would probably be pricey in this condition (minus the damage).  It will be a placeholder until then.  With new car shopping (I heard Toyotas are reliable) and replacing ancient plumbing, I'm not splurging too much.  If the gouge had been on the obverse I wouldn't have purchased it.

 

 

Q. Cassius Longinus, Rome, 55 BC. AR Denarius (17mm, 3.60g). Head of Bonus Eventus (or Genius Populi Romani?) r.; sceptre behind. R/ Eagle standing r. on thunderbolt; lituus to l., capis to r. Crawford 428/3; RBW 1535; RSC Cassia 7.

Feel free to post this type or later republican types.

The second was purchased for the heck of it.  It's my second example of this bust type. I quite enjoy the more ornate bust styles.

Maximianus (286-305). Radiate (22mm, 4.00g, 6h). Lugdunum, 290-1. Radiate and mantled bust l., holding eagle-tipped sceptre. R/ Salus standing r., feeding serpent; C. RIC V 422

 

 

[ambr0zie]

Your Q. Cassius Longinus is a very good coin! OK, the damage is there, but I think it's in the "best possible" place. It would have damaged the portrait on the obverse. Or the eagle's head or especially the capis. The details are solid - so congratulations, especially if the price was good!

I only have one Q. Cassius Longinus coin, but on mine the issues are weak strike + wear. Still a good budget coin. 

21 mm, 4,05 g.
Q. Cassius Longinus. AR denarius. Rome. 55 BC.
Q CASSIVS VEST, veiled head of Vesta right / Curule chair within circular temple of Vesta between urn and vota tablet inscribed AC.
RSC Cassia 9; BMC 3871; Syd. 917; Craw. 428/1.

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

Agreed, those are very close to my sentiments about the one I bought.  The price was 55 pounds sterling (do they still say sterling?).  My keyboard lacks the symbol for GBP.

You also have a cool coin.  I don't have that type.

[AETHER]

Great coin, despite the damage, or the coin was struck in winter, which is evident by the eagle skiing.

 

Edited November 13, 2023 by AETHER

[akeady]

This is the remaining Cr 428 coin - Cr. 428/2

ATB,
Aidan.

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

There aren't very many coins I 'have' to have, but when I saw the portrait and toning, this was one.  About how much would I expect to pay for an undamaged equivalent?

I wonder how the Roman populace were expected to know who was represented on the obverse?  I wonder if it was modeled after a public statue?

[Prieure de Sion]

I don't have a Quintus Cassius Longinus - but I have another favorite of my coins from the time of the Roman Republic - a Gaius Cassius Longinus from the same clan...

The Cassian family, with its main branch the Longini, was a very old plebeian family that provided numerous consuls and other officials, including several mint masters. Gaius Cassius Longinus was perhaps the son of the consul of the same name from the year 73 BC. Cassius was married to Iunia Tertia, a half-sister of M. Iunius Brutus. He was therefore related to Brutus by marriage and is considered one of the leaders of the conspiracy against Caesar. Cassius was initially a supporter of Pompey. After Pharsalus, however, he was pardoned by Caesar, who even made Cassius one of his legates. In 44 BC, Cassius received the praetorship and was then appointed governor of Syria. After the assassination of the dictator, Cassius and Brutus left the capital Rome and expanded their positions in the east of the empire. A meeting between the two in Smyrna at the beginning of 42 BC was followed by military activities in Asia Minor: Brutus invaded Lycia and Cassius subjugated the rich island of Rhodes. Both were probably primarily measures to acquire funds for further armament. In the summer of the same year, the two armies united in the Lydian Sardeis before both crossed over to Europe and faced their fateful battle at Philippi.

The legate responsible for this coin issue, Publius Cornelius Lentulus Spinther, came from one of the largest and oldest patrician families in Rome. With their numerous branches of the family, such as the Scipiones and the Lentuli, the Cornelians probably provided more important politicians and office-holders than any other family, including a number of mint masters. The father of P. Lentulus Spinther of the same name was master of the mint in 74 BC and attained the consulship in 57 BC. As governor of Asia Minor he had cistophores minted, later he was killed in the civil war on the side of Pompey. However, the still young son was not prosecuted by Caesar and was able to obtain the quaestorship in 44 BC. Nevertheless, Spinther joined the conspirators after Caesar's assassination and was then responsible for a large part of Cassius' coinage. The obverse shows the head of Libertas with the archaising spelling LEIBERTAS, both emblematic of the aims of Caesar's murderers: the restoration of freedom on the basis of ancient Roman values. The reverse with the priestly devices refers to the augurate that Spinther attained in his father's year of consulship.

 

 

Roman Imperatorial; C. Cassius Longinus AR Denarius. Military mint travelling with Brutus and Cassius, probably at Smyrna, 42 BC. P. Cornelius Lentulus Spinther, legate. Diademed and draped head of Libertas right; LEIBERTAS upwards before, C•CASSI•IMP upwards behind / Capis and lituus; LENTVLVS SPINT in two lines below. Crawford 500/3; CRI 221; RSC 4. 3.93g, 21mm