Post your latest ancient!

[DonnaML]

I bought this tiny coin for what seemed to be a very low price, circa $50, because I liked the triskeles on the reverse. Hopefully I didn't overpay too much. The lion's scalp obverse is both mediocre and seemingly impossible for me to photograph decently. The only identification that came with the coin was on the old ANACS slab (from which it's been removed) -- I didn't even know that ANACS does ancient coins -- and given that I know very little about Greek coins, I'd appreciate someone letting me know if my description, with the two references I found, appears to be correct. 

Dynasts of Lycia under Persian rule, Mithrapata as Dynast [last to issue coins], AR Diobol 390-370 BCE. 13.03 mm., 1.35 g. Obv. Lion’s scalp facing / Rev. Triskeles left; in third angle, astragalos [knucklebone]; clockwise around,  

[“Mithrapata” in Lycian alphabet]; all within incuse square. BMC 19 Lycia 136 [Hill, G.F. A Catalogue of Greek Coins in the British Museum, Lycia, Pamphylia, and Pisidia (London, 1897) at p. 32 (ill. Pl. VIII No. 4)]; Seaby Vol. II 5228 [Sear, David, Greek Coins and their Values, Vol. II, Asia & Africa (Seaby 1979)], “Asia Minor: Lycia” at p. 476. Purchased from Dan Hammer, Aurora, IL, 17 Oct 2023; formerly in ANACS slab, No. 6194711 (see https://portal.anacs.com/Verify/CertVerification.aspx?cert=6194711 ).

 

The seller's photos, which he told me he took through a microscope:

 

The ANACS photos. (There's no way I can see of telling from the website how long ago the coin was "certified.")

Edited October 21, 2023 by DonnaML

[Prieure de Sion]

LYDIA. Thyateira. Commodus (177-192 AD). Struck under Marcus Aurelius, by the strategos L. Aurelius Demostratos, circa 178-179. AE Medallion (44mm 31.1g). Obv: ΑVΤΟ ΚΑΙ Λ ΑVΡΗ ΚΟΜΟΔΟC Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Commodus to right. Rev: ΕΠΙ CΤΡΑ Λ ΑYΡΗ ΔΗΜΟ-CΤΡΑΤΟY / ΘYΑΤΕΙΡΗ/ΝΩΝ Marcus Aurelius on horseback to right; to left, Nike advancing right to crown the emperor; to right, trophy with bound captive at its feet.

 
I got today this (broken) Commodus Medaillon. Although not "complete" - still an impressive 44mm diameter and almost 31g weight. I found three examples.

One at RPC Online: https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/4/11379

One (the best condition) at Nomos Auction 23 in 2021 sold for around 5.000 CHF / 5.500 USD (with fees).

And the third one - my coin. 

 

[Phil Anthos]

It is lovely, with the important elements spared. Nice catch!

~ Peter 

[DonnaML]

2 hours ago, DonnaML said:

I bought this tiny coin for what seemed to be a very low price, circa $50, because I liked the triskeles on the reverse. Hopefully I didn't overpay too much. The lion's scalp obverse is both mediocre and seemingly impossible for me to photograph decently. The only identification that came with the coin was on the old ANACS slab (from which it's been removed) -- I didn't even know that ANACS does ancient coins -- and given that I know very little about Greek coins, I'd appreciate someone letting me know if my description, with the two references I found, appears to be correct. 

Dynasts of Lycia under Persian rule, Mithrapata as Dynast [last to issue coins], AR Diobol 390-370 BCE. 13.03 mm., 1.35 g. Obv. Lion’s scalp facing / Rev. Triskeles left; in third angle, astragalos [knucklebone]; clockwise around,  

[“Mithrapata” in Lycian alphabet]; all within incuse square. BMC 19 Lycia 136 [Hill, G.F. A Catalogue of Greek Coins in the British Museum, Lycia, Pamphylia, and Pisidia (London, 1897) at p. 32 (ill. Pl. VIII No. 4)]; Seaby Vol. II 5228 [Sear, David, Greek Coins and their Values, Vol. II, Asia & Africa (Seaby 1979)], “Asia Minor: Lycia” at p. 476. Purchased from Dan Hammer, Aurora, IL, 17 Oct 2023; formerly in ANACS slab, No. 6194711 (see https://portal.anacs.com/Verify/CertVerification.aspx?cert=6194711 ).

 

The seller's photos, which he told me he took through a microscope:

 

The ANACS photos. (There's no way I can see of telling from the website how long ago the coin was "certified.")

I found an old post on Coin Talk, by Parthicus, discussing a coin that appears to be the same type as mine, citing the same Seaby/Sear Greek Coins number and one additional reference. See  https://www.cointalk.com/threads/lycian-dynasts-coin-in-extinct-script.387836/ . So it appears that I got it right.

Edited October 22, 2023 by DonnaML

[Kamnaskires]

Cypriot Bowl
Iron Age, Cypro-Geometric, c. 1050 – 750 BC
20.3 cm (w) x 58.4 mm (h)
(8” x 2.3”)

Description:
Shallow, flaring body with flattened base; interior decorated with concentric dark-pigmented circles over a red slip surface; two opposing pierced lugs (one clogged); body repaired.

Ex- P. A. Collection, London, 1990’s.

[robinjojo]

Here's a somewhat scarce tetradrachm of Demetrios III Eukairos, issued in Damascus in the first century BC.  I generally don't purchase Seleucid coins, mostly because of the extensiveness of the issues, so I focus on interesting types instead.

This coin features the cult statue of Atargatis, the Syrian mother goddess of fertility.  On the reverse she is standing, with a fish-shaped body, holding in the left hand a flower.  Barley stalks are rising from both shoulders.

The reverse is also unusual, based on my online research, because instead of solid lines descending from either side of the statue, there are dots that terminate with two in diagonal positions, suggesting, at least to me, some kind of ornamentation.

The obverse is in low relief and slightly off center.  However, the portrait style is quite sensitively rendered and different from the more cartoonish bulging eye portraits on some other coins for this king.

This coin retains much of the find patina in addition to other deposits.  

Seleucid Empire, Demetrios III Eukairos, AR tetradrachm, Damascus, SE 218 (95/94 BC).

SC 2450.7

15.68 grams

  

Edited October 23, 2023 by robinjojo

[Prieure de Sion]

I am a little bit surprised today - I get an information, that I won the following Denarius at the cgb.fr Auction. Last weeks I set a pre-bid at the lot - but I forgot this auction. And now today I get a reminder won this. Ups 🙂 

Anyway... like the details at booth sides - especially the fine and full details at the reverse. The description ( information text is directly from the auction house - I didn't check this.

 

 

 
MARCUS NONIUS SUFENAS
Type : Denier 
Date : 59 AC. 
Mint name / Town : Rome 
Metal : silver 
Millesimal fineness : 950  ‰
Diameter : 17,5  mm
Orientation dies : 1  h.
Weight : 3,93  g.
Rarity : R1 
Obverse legend : S. C - SVFENAS 
Obverse description : Tête barbue de Saturne à droite ; derrière, tête de harpon et pierre conique 
Obverse translation : “Senatus Consulto/ Sufenas”, (avec l’accord du Sénat/ Sufenas) 
Reverse legend : SEX. NONI à l'exergue ; PR. L. - .V. P. F 
Reverse description : Rome assise à gauche sur un monceau d'armes, tenant une haste de la main droite, couronnée par la Victoire debout derrière elle, tenant une couronne de la main droite et une palme de la main gauche 
Reverse translation : “Sextus Nonius prætor ludos Victoriæ primus fecit”, (Sextus Nonius a institué les premiers jeux de la Victoire) 
Commentary : Pour ce type, M. Crawford a relevé une estimation de 56 coins de droit et de 62 coins de revers 
Catalogue references : B.1 (Nonia)  -  BMC/RR.52   -  CRR.885 (3)  -  RRC.421 /1  -  RSC.1   -  RCV.377 (320$)  -  RRM.13   -  CMDRR.941   -  MRR.1342  
Grade : AU.

[DonnaML]

4 hours ago, Prieure de Sion said:

I am a little bit surprised today - I get an information, that I won the following Denarius at the cgb.fr Auction. Last weeks I set a pre-bid at the lot - but I forgot this auction. And now today I get a reminder won this. Ups 🙂 

Anyway... like the details at booth sides - especially the fine and full details at the reverse. The description ( information text is directly from the auction house - I didn't check this.

 

 

 
MARCUS NONIUS SUFENAS
Type : Denier 
Date : 59 AC. 
Mint name / Town : Rome 
Metal : silver 
Millesimal fineness : 950  ‰
Diameter : 17,5  mm
Orientation dies : 1  h.
Weight : 3,93  g.
Rarity : R1 
Obverse legend : S. C - SVFENAS 
Obverse description : Tête barbue de Saturne à droite ; derrière, tête de harpon et pierre conique 
Obverse translation : “Senatus Consulto/ Sufenas”, (avec l’accord du Sénat/ Sufenas) 
Reverse legend : SEX. NONI à l'exergue ; PR. L. - .V. P. F 
Reverse description : Rome assise à gauche sur un monceau d'armes, tenant une haste de la main droite, couronnée par la Victoire debout derrière elle, tenant une couronne de la main droite et une palme de la main gauche 
Reverse translation : “Sextus Nonius prætor ludos Victoriæ primus fecit”, (Sextus Nonius a institué les premiers jeux de la Victoire) 
Commentary : Pour ce type, M. Crawford a relevé une estimation de 56 coins de droit et de 62 coins de revers 
Catalogue references : B.1 (Nonia)  -  BMC/RR.52   -  CRR.885 (3)  -  RRC.421 /1  -  RSC.1   -  RCV.377 (320$)  -  RRM.13   -  CMDRR.941   -  MRR.1342  
Grade : AU.

Beautiful! For whatever use the information may be to you, here's my own example with my write-up:

Roman Republic, M. Nonius Sufenas*, AR Denarius, 59 BCE (or 57 BCE according to Hersh & Walker and Harlan), Rome Mint. Obv. Bearded head of Saturn right, with long hair; behind head, harpa with conical stone (baetyl)** beneath it* and S•C upwards above it; before, SVFENAS downwards / Rev. Roma seated left on pile of shields, holding scepter in right hand and sword in left hand; behind, Victory left, crowning Roma with wreath and holding palm-branch extending behind her over right shoulder; around to left from 4:00, PR•L• - V• - P•F; in exergue, SEX•NONI [The two parts of the reverse legend, together, stand for Sex. Noni[us] pr[aetor] L[udi] V[ictoriae] p[rimus] f[ecit, meaning Sex. Nonius, praetor, first held the games of Victory.].*** Crawford 421/1, RSC Nonia1(ill.), BMCRR 3820, Sear RCV I 377 (ill.), Sydenham 885, Harlan, RRM II Ch. 13 at pp. 104-111[Harlan, Michael, Roman Republican Moneyers and their Coins 63 BCE - 49 BCE (2d ed. 2015)], RBW Collection 1517. 19 mm., 3.95 g.

*”The moneyer is doubtless M. Nonius Sufenas, Pr. 55.” Crawford Vol. I p. 445. But see Liv Mariah Yarrow, The Roman Republic to 49 BCE: Using Coins as Sources (2021), Fig. 3.53 at p. 158, suggesting that in the alternative, the moneyer was “perhaps his son.” M. Nonius Sufenas’s “father, Sextus Nonius Sufenas, was Sulla’s nephew, making the moneyer Faustus’ first cousin once removed.” Id. (Faustus was Sulla’s son.) See also Harlan RRM II at pp. 109-110.

After his term as moneyer, Nonius Sufenas is mentioned in one of Cicero’s letters to Atticus in July 54 BCE: “Now for the news at Rome. On the fourth of July, Sufenas and Cato were acquitted, Procilius condemned. Clearly our stern judges care not one whit about bribery, the elections, the interregnum, treason, or the whole Republic. Cicero, Ad Atticum, 4.15.4; see Harlan RRM II at pp. 104-106 for a proposed identification of the election which was the subject of the prosecution, namely the consular election of 56 BCE.

** See Harlan RRM II at p. 107: "The head of Saturn clearly identified by the harpa and the conical stone beside his head is on the obverse of the coin. The harpa recalls the castration of his father Uranus that resulted in the birth of Venus and the conical stone recalls that Saturn swallowed a stone thinking it was his infant son Jupiter whom he was trying to keep from growing up to replace him. Saturn, always identified by the harpa, appeared five times on Republican denarii." Harlan suggests (id. pp. 107-108) that, as on other coins on which Saturn appears, his image was intended to signal the moneyer’s past or present position holding office as urban quaestor, and, as such, “responsible for the treasury located in Saturn’s temple.”

***This reverse legend, as illustrated by the reverse image, “records the first celebration by an ancestor of the moneyer of the Ludi Victoriae of Sulla.” Crawford Vol. I pp. 445-446.  (That ancestor was the aforementioned Sextus Nonius Sufenas, Pr. 81 BCE, the moneyer’s father [or grandfather] and Sulla’s nephew.)

[Prieure de Sion]

1 hour ago, DonnaML said:

Beautiful! For whatever use the information may be to you, here's my own example with my write-up:

Thank you Donna - very informative! Thank you for your time and effort.

If I should take the coin into the shop (I actually don't know yet) - may I use your text information? And the second question - I don't like to adorn myself with other feathers - may I use your forum name as a source?

[DonnaML]

37 minutes ago, Prieure de Sion said:

Thank you Donna - very informative! Thank you for your time and effort.

If I should take the coin into the shop (I actually don't know yet) - may I use your text information? And the second question - I don't like to adorn myself with other feathers - may I use your forum name as a source?

Of course you may use it. But there's no need to credit me. After all, there was nothing original about what I wrote; I was simply summarizing what the various authorities have to say about the type.

[filolif]

Here is a new addition to my collection:

The gif compares the coin to it's auction plate photo from the 1907 Hirsch auction. Very excited to have it!

Sicily, Messana, tetradrachm, c. 420-413 BC, ΜΕΣΣΑΝ, nymph Messana in long chiton driving mule biga walking left; in ex., two dolphins nose-to-nose, rev., ΜΕΣ-Σ-ΑΝ-ΙΟ-Ν, hare springing right; below, dolphin right, 17.23g, die axis 8.00 (Caltabiano 514; SNG ANS 366, same dies; SNG Fitzwilliam 1076, same dies), a few marks in the fields, toned, about extremely fine. 

Provenance: 
Jacob Hirsch November 11, 1907 Lot 201
Jacques Schulman June 5, 1930 Lot 31
ex European Connoisseur collection
 

[Prieure de Sion]

Today is "win lots by pre-bidding" week for me. Today I received another email that I had won a lot on which I had only placed a pre-bid. A beautifully detailed gold solidus of Leo I. It's my birthday tomorrow, so maybe I'll get an email that a 50 Euro pre-bid on a Marc Antony / Cleopatra denarius has won 🙂

 

Leo I (Flavius Valerius Leo); Reign: Leo I; Mint: Constantinopolis; Date: 462/466 AD; Nominal: Solidus; Material: Gold; Diameter: 21mm; Weight: 4.47g; Rare: R2; Reference: RIC X Leo I (East) 605; Obverse: Bust of Leo I, helmeted, pearl-diademed, cuirassed, facing front, holding spear in right hand behind head and shield decorated with horseman on left arm; Inscription: D N LEO PERPET AVG; Translation: Dominus Noster Leo Perpetuus Augustus; Translation: Our Lord Leo, Perpetual Augustus; Reverse: Winged Victory standing left, holding with left hand a long jewelled cross; in right field, a star. Officina mark ending the lettering (S) and CONOB in exergue; Inscription: VICTORIA AVGGG E CONOB; Translation: Victoria Augustorum, Constantinopolis; Translation: Victory of the Augusts, Mintmark E = 5th officina, Konstantinopel.

[Phil Anthos]

Very nice, and Happy Birthday! 🥳🥳

~ Peter 

[DonnaML]

The surface of this new arrival isn't great, but out of all 35 or so of my Roman Alexandrian tetradrachms (from a current total of 47 Roman Alexandrian coins), it unquestionably looks and "feels" the most silvery in hand.  Not coincidentally, it's now my earliest Roman Alexandrian coin; previously, my earliest were a couple of coins minted under Claudius I. Even though the type is only 31.5% silver according to RPC (which cites no source for that figure, at least in the online version), that's obviously a much higher percentage than the norm by the time of Trajan and Hadrian, etc. a century later. 

Tiberius and Divus Augustus, Billon Tetradrachm [RPC: 31.5% silver], Year 7 (AD 20/21), Alexandria, Egypt Mint. Obv. Laureate head of Tiberius right, ΤΙΒΕΡΙΟΣ ΚΑΙΣΑΡ ΣΕΒΑΣΤΟΣ around beginning at 7 o’clock, LZ [Year 7] under chin in lower right field / Rev. Radiate head of Augustus right, ΘΕΟΣ ΣΕΒΑΣΤΟΣ around beginning at 7 o’clock. RPC [Roman Provincial Coinage] Vol. I  5089 (1992); RPC I Online at  https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/1/5089 ; Emmett 60.7 (obv. ill p. 8 ) [Emmett, Keith, Alexandrian Coins (Lodi, WI, 2001)]; BMC 16 Alexandria 36 at p. 6 [Poole, Reginald Stuart, A Catalog of the Greek Coins in the British Museum, Vol. 16, Alexandria (London, 1892)]; K & G 5.10 (ill. p. 47) [Kampmann, Ursula & Ganschow, Thomas, Die Münzen der römischen Münzstätte Alexandria  (2008)]; Milne 38 [Milne, J.G., Catalogue of Alexandrian Coins (Oxford 1933, reprint with supplement by Colin M. Kraay, 1971)]; Dattari (Savio) 78 [Savio, A. ed., Catalogo completo della collezione Dattari Numi Augg. Alexandrini (Trieste, 2007)]; SNG France 4, Alexandrie I 03-105 (ill. Pl. 7) [Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, France Vol. 4, Alexandrie I, Auguste-Trajan (Zurich 1998)]; Curtis 1 at p. 1 [James W. Curtis, The Tetradrachms of Roman Egypt (1969)]; Sear RCV I 1774 (ill. p. 349). 25 mm., 12.96 g. Purchased from Kölner Münzkabinett, Tyll Kroha Nachfolger GmbH, Köln, Germany, Auction 119, 6 Oct. 2023, Lot 97.

The portraits don't look terribly much like either Tiberius or Augustus, but at least Augustus looks more like himself than he does on the reverse of my tetradrachm of Nero and Divus Augustus:

Finally, I have to commend Kölner Münzkabinett (from which I've previously purchased mostly at retail rather than at auctions): at my request, they shipped my package to me by DHL Express for no extra charge whatsoever -- compare that to Leu's recent 80 CHF charge for shipping by Federal Express! -- and although it took them a while to send it out, once they did so it took only 24 hours for the package to arrive at my front door.

Edited October 25, 2023 by DonnaML

[filolif]

1 hour ago, DonnaML said:

Finally, I have to commend Kölner Münzkabinett (from which I've previously purchased mostly at retail rather than at auctions): at my request, they shipped my package to me by DHL Express for no extra charge whatsoever -- compare that to Leu's recent 80 CHF charge for shipping by Federal Express! -- and although it took them a while to send it out, once they did so it took only 24 hours for the package to arrive at my front door.

Congrats on the new addition and I have to agree about Kölner Münzkabinett. They do a great job and are very responsive to customer requests.

[Furryfrog02]

Two came in today including a bucket list coin. I will let you guess which one it is 🙂

Augustus
AE20
Akmoneia, Phrygia
Obverse: ΣEBAΣTOΣ, laureate head right, lituus before
Reverse: AKMONEΩN KΡATHΣ MHNOKΡITOY, Nike walking left holding wreath & palm
SGI 80, BMC 33

 

Amisos, Pontos
AE30
Civic issue
85-65 BC
Obverse: Helmeted head of Athena right
Reverse:  AMI-ΣOY across fields, Perseus standing facing, holding harpa and head of Medusa; Medusa's body at his feet right, ΩΠA monogram to left 

[CPK]

17 minutes ago, Furryfrog02 said:

Two came in today including a bucket list coin. I will let you guess which one it is 🙂

Augustus
AE20
Akmoneia, Phrygia
Obverse: ΣEBAΣTOΣ, laureate head right, lituus before
Reverse: AKMONEΩN KΡATHΣ MHNOKΡITOY, Nike walking left holding wreath & palm
SGI 80, BMC 33

 

Amisos, Pontos
AE30
Civic issue
85-65 BC
Obverse: Helmeted head of Athena right
Reverse:  AMI-ΣOY across fields, Perseus standing facing, holding harpa and head of Medusa; Medusa's body at his feet right, ΩΠA monogram to left 

Hmm...I know you like collecting coins with Victory/Nike...but I'm going to guess that big Perseus/Medusa bronze is the bucket list coin. 😉

Are those actually reddish encrustations on the reverse? Couldn't have been better placed! 😮😄

[Furryfrog02]

1 hour ago, CPK said:

Hmm...I know you like collecting coins with Victory/Nike...but I'm going to guess that big Perseus/Medusa bronze is the bucket list coin. 😉

Are those actually reddish encrustations on the reverse? Couldn't have been better placed! 😮😄

You are correct! I've been wanting an example for several years after seeing someone share theirs on CT. They've always out of my price range until this one came along. About half what most I've seen go for. I was a bit bummed about the body not being there but you make a good point about the red encrustations. They actually work out quite well 🙂

Edited October 26, 2023 by Furryfrog02
Spelling is hard...

[CPK]

2 hours ago, Furryfrog02 said:

You are correct! I've been wanting an example for several years after seeing someone share theirs on CT. They've always out of my price range until this one came along. About half what most I've seen go for. I was a bit bummed about the body not being there but you make a good point about the red encrustations. They actually work out quite well 🙂

Great coin! It's a type I also would like to add to my collection some day.

I do wonder though, why it is that nearly every single example of this type I've ever seen has very strong scratch patterns on it. I always thought it was just aggressive cleaning but being so common I'm wondering now if it was part of the coin production? Like maybe to adjust the weight or something. Although not being a precious metal you wonder why they would have been so particular about it. 🤔

[happy_collector]

I recently picked up a second Alexandrian tetradrachm. My first was a Nero/Poppaea, so this one with Agrippina Junior is a good "companion coin" to add.  🙂

Egypt, Alexandria. 58-59 AD. 
Obv: Laureate Head of Nero.
Rev: Draped bust of Agrippina Junior.
24.2mm. 12.19g.
 

 

Edited October 26, 2023 by happy_collector

[Furryfrog02]

5 hours ago, CPK said:

Great coin! It's a type I also would like to add to my collection some day.

I do wonder though, why it is that nearly every single example of this type I've ever seen has very strong scratch patterns on it. I always thought it was just aggressive cleaning but being so common I'm wondering now if it was part of the coin production? Like maybe to adjust the weight or something. Although not being a precious metal you wonder why they would have been so particular about it. 🤔

I've noticed this as well. I think it has to have been due to the production. They are almost always in the same direction which leads me to rule out heavy cleaning. Perhaps it was the way the flans were made? I don't know for certain and it is way beyond my knowledge set. 

[Prieure de Sion]

A new republic silver denarius arrived today - think, with a nice good condition…

 

Marcus Aburius M.f. Geminus; Reign: Roman Republic; Mint: Rome; Date: 132 BC; Nominal: Denarius; Material: Silver; Diameter: 18mm; Weight: 4.02g; Reference: Sydenham 487; Reference: Babelon Aburia 6; Reference: Crawford RRC 250/1; Obverse: Helmeted head of Roma, right. Border of dots; Inscription: GEM; Translation: Geminus; Reverse: Sol in quadriga, right, holding reins in left hand and whip in right hand. Border of dots; Inscription: M ABVRI ROMA; Translation: Marcus Aburius, Roma. 
 

[Victrix]

Regini and Atrebates / Tincomarus, 25 BC-AD 10, 5.10 g

 

[Prieure de Sion]

Battle of Thapsus / Utica / North Africa

Today I got two (for me) historically interesting denarii of the time of the Civil War from the Roman Republic. The "last battle" between the Pompaians under Cato and Julius Caesar. Once a denarius of the famous Marcus Porcius Cato Uticensis and once of Julius Caesar after the victory in Thapsus. 

 

Marcus Porcius Cato Uticensis, issued by Mn. Cordius Rufus; Reign: Roman Republic, Civil War; Mint: Military mint in North Africa, probably Utica; Date: 47/46 BC; Nominal: Denarius; Material: Silver; Diameter: 19mm; Weight: 3.78g; Reference: Sydenham 1053; Reference: Babelon Porcia 10a; Reference: Crawford RRC 462/1b; Obverse: Female bust (possibly Roma), right, hair tied with band. Border of dots; Inscription: ROMA M CATO PRO PR; Translation: Roma Marcus Cato Pro Praetore; Translation: Roma, Marcus [Porcius] Cato, Army Commander; Reverse: Victory seated right, holding wreath in right hand and palm-branch in left hand, over left shoulder. Border of dots; Inscription: VICTRIX; Translation: Victrix; Translation: Victorious. 

 

Marcus Porcius Cato (called Cato the Younger to distinguish him from his great-grandfather of the same name, Latin Cato Minor, also Cato Uticensis after the place of his death; born 95 BC; died 12 April 46 BC in Utica in present-day Tunisia) was an influential conservative politician in the final days of the Roman Republic. As a senator, orator and commander of troops, he took part in the political and military conflicts that ended with the fall of the Republic. At first, Cato fought the ambitions of Caesar and Pompey, who also tried to gain a dominant position in the state, by political means. However, when Caesar rebelled militarily against the Senate in 49 BC and began the civil war, the Optimates of necessity allied themselves with Pompey, who as a proven general now became the mainstay of the Republic. After the defeat of Pompey, who defeated Caesar in the decisive battle of Pharsalos, Cato withdrew to North Africa with part of the remaining republican force. There he was instrumental in organising further resistance against Caesar, but refused to take over the supreme command. His position at the time was that of propraetor, i.e. army commander. Although he had always been against army commanders minting in their own name, he now did so too, but used the types of the mintmaster of 89 BC, Marcus Cato. On 6 April 46 BC, the Republican army was crushed in the battle of Thapsus. Shortly afterwards, Cato took his own life to avoid being captured and spared by Caesar, who had no right to decide Cato's fate. Cato was given the epithet Uticensis in memory of his moral greatness and heroic resistance against Caesar.

 

 

 
Gaius Julius Caesar; Reign: Roman Republic, Civil War; Mint: Military mint, uncertain, Utica in North Africa or Sicily; Date: 46 BC; Nominal: Denarius; Material: Silver; Diameter: 19mm; Weight: 3.92g; Reference: Sydenham 1023; Reference: Babelon Julia 16; Reference: Crawford RRC 467/1a; Obverse: Head of Ceres right, wreathed with corn ears; around inscription. Border of dots; Inscription: DICT ITER COS TERT; Translation: Dictator Iterum Consul Tertium; Translation: Dictator for the second time, Consul for the third time; Reverse: Emblems of the augurate and the pontificate: simpulum, aspergillum, jug and lituus; above and below, inscription; on right, letter D or M. Border of dots; Inscription: AVGVR PONT MAX M; Translation: Augurus Pontifex Maximus Munus; Translation: Augur, Greatest Priest, Present issue.

 

For this type, Crawford recorded an estimate of 123 right corners and 137 reverse corners for two varieties (M and D). The type with the M (like the denarius offered here) for munus seems less common than the one with the D for donativum. This type was certainly struck after Caesar's victory over Cato of Utica's Pompeians at Thapsus in 46 BC. On the right, the legend indicates that Caesar is Dictator for the second time. On the other hand, the head of Ceres is often used to symbolize Africa and the grain wealth of the Province. On the reverse, the D in the right field, "donativum" translates to largesse. There is another reverse which differs only by the presence of the letter M, "munus" which means present and indicates the rewards that Caesar paid after his victory in Africa. The reverse also reminds us that Caesar became Pontifex Maximus (Great Pontiff), head of the Roman religion, as early as 63 BC. This office makes its holder sacred like that of tribune of the plebs.

 

[ela126]

I don't post a lot of pick ups because i dont spend the time to write the nice narratives. This one is a bit more special than most though. 

As a Byzantine bronze collector, almost everything i get is pretty crude. This one is the exact opposite, and i think it helps tell the narrative of my collection by contrasting high art, versus what i usually collect.

I got this from Brad Bowlin through a good facebook group. He has amazing coins and with money available, i purchased this within 2 minutes of him offering it as available, knowing any pause from myself would have lost my opportunity to pick it up.

Taking from Brad's writeup: Seleukid Kings of Syria. Antiochos III "the Great". 222-187 BC. AR Tetradrachm (31mm, 17.12g, 11H). Mint associated with Antioch. Diademed head right, filleted border. / Reverse. Apollo seated left on omphalos, testing arrow, resting hand on bow, monogram to outer left. SC 1063; HGC 9, 444v.