"Manlian Orders"

[Sulla80]

The story of Titus Manlius Imperiosus Torquatus and his decision to execute his son became a legendary example in Roman history, illustrating the values of duty, discipline, and the severe nature of Roman military leadership.

"When the Romans were engaged in war against the Samnites, they appointed Manlius, called Imperiosus, general. As he was journeying to Rome for the consular elections, he ordered his son not to engage the enemy. But the Samnites learned of this and insultingly called the youth a nobody. He was provoked and defeated them, but Manlius cut off his head. This Aristeides the Milesian relates."

-Plutarch, Moralia

"Who will wonder that on this occasion the enemy yielded, when one of the consuls put his own son to death, though he had been victorious, because he had fought against his order (thus showing that to enforce obedience was more important than victory)"

-Florus, Epitome

It was this harsh strictness that gained him the name Imperiosus.  He gained his name "Torquatus" for the chain that he claimed in victory as a young man fighting the Gauls in 360 BC. 

Manlian Orders: The term has come to symbolize strict military discipline, inflexible command, and the importance of obeying orders without question, even in the face of personal bravery or merit.

This denarius was issued by a descendant of Titus Manlius Torquatus, and the father of the consul of 65 whose consulship triggered the "First Catalinian Conspiracy".  The son of this moneyer issued coins with Sulla and served as a lieutenant under the command of the Roman general Lucius Cornelius Sulla during the battle fought at  the Colline Gate. This battle of the Roman civil war was Lucius Cornelius Sulla's decisive victory over the Marian forces led by Gaius Marius the Younger and Gnaeus Papirius Carbo.

L. Torquatus, 113-112 BC, AR denarius (18mm, 3.85g, 6h), Rome

Obv: Head of Roma to right, wearing crested and winged helmet; behind, ROMA; to right, X (mark of value); all within torque.

Rev: L•TORQVA / EX•S•C Horseman galloping to left, holding spear in his right hand and shield in his left; to upper right, Q.

Ref: Babelon (Manlia) 2; Crawford 295/1; RBW 1135; Sydenham 545;

My notes on this coin are here: https://www.sullacoins.com/post/the-torquatii.

Highlights of my RR denarius collection can be found here: https://www.sullacoins.com/roman-republic.

 

Post you coins of the Manlii, L. Torquatus, coins with rearing horsemen, or anything else you find interesting or entertaining.

Edited August 25 by Sulla80

[JayAg47]

That's an interesting coin and an interesting story to maintain the obedience in army. 

It reminds me of a similar tale from the Chola Empire, where a king named Manuneethi Cholan, also known as Ellalan, became famous for his commitment to justice. He earned the title "Manu Needhi Cholan" (the Chola who follows justice) because he went to the extreme of executing his own son to deliver justice to a cow. According to the legend, the king had a giant bell placed in front of his palace, which anyone could ring if they sought justice. One day, a cow rang the bell, and when the king investigated, he found out that his son's chariot had accidentally killed the cow's calf. To ensure justice, the king chose to punish his own son by killing him under the same chariot, making him suffer the same fate as the calf. (although I doubt whether such a severe punishment was warranted, given that it was likely an accident.) Nevertheless, the story goes that Lord Shiva, moved by the king's fairness, blessed him by bringing both the calf and his son back to life. This legend is celebrated in Tamil literature and is mentioned in works like the Silappatikaram and Periya Puranam, with Ellalan's name becoming synonymous with fairness and justice. There's even a statue of him at the High Court of Tamil Nadu.

While I don't have any coins of Torquatus, I do have one from the early Chola period, around the time this story is said to have taken place.

Sangam Cholas
Obverse features a standing tiger raising its tail, and the reverse has an elephant with religious symbols above, with a horse following behind.
0.86 g
Circa 1st century AD

Edited August 25 by JayAg47

[TIF]

Love the coin, love the torque encircling the obverse, love the overall look of your coin... hate the father in this horrible story! 

 

1 hour ago, Sulla80 said:

Post you coins of the Manlii, L. Torquatus, coins with rearing horsemen, or anything else you find interesting or entertaining.

I have no examples no Torquatus denarii but here's a coin with a torque and a coin with rearing horse.


 CELTIC, Central Europe (Rhineland). "Dancing Mannikin" type
65 BCE - CE 1
AR Quinarius, 13 mm, 1.62 gm
Obv: dancing mannikin right, head turned left, holding snake in right hand, torque in left hand.
Rev: horse standing right, head turned left; around, zig zag border.
Ref: SLM 1118. Dembski 73, 396 (references unverified)
 

The next one was in a large mixed lot.  I'd love to get a better example. Better photos might help this one a little bit, or it might just make the horrible cleaning scratches more visible.

Macedon Koinon
3rd century AD (in the time of Severus Alexander? Gordian III? Caracalla? This type was minted during several reigns)
AE27, 13.5 gm
Obv: (in theory...) AΛEΞANΔPOC; head of Alexander right (flowing hair? lion skin? helmeted?)
Rev: KOINON MAKEΔONΩN [somethingNEsomething]; Alexander standing right, naked except for chlamys which flies behind him, taming his horse Bucephalus who rears left before him
Ref: SNG Copenhagen 1357?
 

Edited August 25 by TIF

[Sulla80]

1 hour ago, TIF said:

Love the coin, love the torque encircling the obverse, love the overall look of your coin... hate the father in this horrible story! 

Yes - in this case it is particularly hard to understand how you end up killing your heroic son.  The Torquati of later generations also seem to have been a harsh lot with duty to country held above all.

"Titus Manlius Torquatus condemned his son Decimus Silanus (Manlianus) for his conduct in Macedonia, did not attend his funeral, and on that very day gave answers to those who consulted him in his home.
-Livy, Summaries, Book 54

This Manlianus son of T. Manlius Torquatus (the consul of 165 BC) hanged himself in dishonor the day that his father privately found him guilty of accepting bribes.

And, nearly a century later, Lucius Manlius Torquatus (who would become consul of 65 BC), reportedly did not intervene when his own father was proscribed and executed by Sulla's orders.

 

BTW - love the "Dancing Mannikin"!

Edited August 25 by Sulla80

[expat]

Fantastic coin @Sulla80 and an entertaining explanation of its backstory.

A tenuous link with the Marian aspect. This coin was attributed to Titus Cloelius, triumvir monetalis in 128 BC. He spelt his name Cloulius.[28] He was from Tarracina and possibly a popularis. His Son was Titus Cloelius T. f., quaestor in 98 BC, then a Marian legate in 83.[30][31][32][33] At some point, perhaps in the early 90s, Cloelius and his brother were tried and acquitted in the murder of their father, the moneyer of 128. This coin also shows two rearing horses.

T Cloelius AR Denarius. 128 BC.
ROMA, head of Roma right, wearing a winged helmet, laurel wreath behind / Victory in biga right, horses rearing; grain ear below, T CLOVLI in ex.
Cloulia 1, Crawford 260/1; Syd 516. 19 mm, 3,83 g

[Ryro]

Great new coin and sad story. Those romans had issues...

Here's the son you mentioned and Sulla!

Sulla and L. Manlius Torquatus
82 BC. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.8 g). Military mint traveling with Sulla. Helmeted head of Roma right / Sulla driving triumphal quadriga right; above, crowning Victory flying left. 
As consul for the year 88 BC, Sulla was awarded the coveted assignment of suppressing the revolt of Mithradates VI of Pontus, but political maneuvers resulted in this assignment being transferred to Marius. In response, Sulla turned his army on Rome itself and after snuffing it out resistance giving himself a Triumph.

[ominus1]

..neat story and coin Sulla80...i have two of  'run of the mill' denarii of him and your name sake...

[Sulla80]

21 minutes ago, ominus1 said:

..neat story and coin Sulla80...i have two of  'run of the mill' denarii of him and your name sake...

I especially like the one on the right - with victory/nike clearly visible overhead.  not so "run of the mill" in my view...and from the son of the moneyer of the OP coin (same name).

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

That's an interesting history behind the Torquatus coin, one which I was unfamiliar with.  He sounds like Trajan Decius.  Thanks for writing it up!

I only currently have one Roma head denarius in my collection:

 

L. Pomponius Cn. f., L. Licinius and Cn. Domitius 118 BC. AR Serrate Denarius (3.85 gm, 20mm). Narbo mint. Obv.: L· POMPONI· CNF, head of Roma right, wearing winged Attic helmet; 'X' (Mark of value) behind. Rev.: Gallic warrior (Bituitus) standing right, holding shield, carnyx, and reins in biga galloping right; L· LIC· CN DOM in exergue. Crawford 282/4; Sydenham 522.

 

However, I gave a couple as gifts:

L. Antestius Gragulus, 136 BC. Denarius (Silver, 18 mm, 3.89 g, ), Rome. GRAG Helmeted head of Roma to right; below chin, XVI monogram in ligature (mark of value). Rev. L · (ANTE)S / ROMA Jupiter in quadriga galloping to right, hurling thunderbolt with his right hand and holding scepter in his left. Babelon (Antestia) 9. Crawford 238/1. RBW 980. Sydenham 451.

 

I had forgotten that the other w as a non-Roma head, but still fits the reverse type.

Anonymous. Circa. 86 BC. AR Denarius (3.84 gm, 18mm). Rome mint. Obv.: Head of Apollo right, wreathed with oak, thunderbolt under neck truncation. Rev.: Jupiter in quadriga right, hurling thunderbolt. Crawford 350A2; Sydenham 723; RSC Anonymous 226; RCTV 266. Two banker’s marks on obverse.