Roman Republic

The Roman Republican Denarius

With a primary focus of this collection on the 1st century BC Roman Republic, and the lifetime of Lucius Cornelius Sulla, the Republican denarius is the most common coin discussed in these pages. This 3g-4g silver (AR) coin was introduced in the late 3rd century BC and became a key Roman denomination for the next 400 years. Coins played a role not unlike modern media advertising that is used by political campaigns today. Reference numbers cited for individual coins include a reference to Michael Crawford's "Roman Republican Coinage" in two volumes.

Roman Forum in Rome, Italy, It is one of

Denarii began with anonymous issues, and soon became a way for moneyers to promote their families, their accomplishments and advance their political careers as they moved up the cursus honorem (which defined roles on the political ladder of the Roman republic). The head of Roma with dioscuri on the reverse was the common form for many years.

Useful references for more information:

Roman Republic see: Numiswiki Roman Republic
Denarius see: Numiswiki Denarius
Roman Republican Coinage Online Catalog see: CRRO
The LIBRARY page on this BLOG

Anonymous, Quadrigatus, 225-214 BC, Cr. 28/3

AR Didrachm (Quadrigatus), Rome
Obv: Laureate head of Janus
Rev: Jupiter, holding sceptre and brandishing thunderbolt, in quadriga driven to right by Victory; ROMA incuse on linear frame below
Ref: Crawford 28/3; BMCRR Romano-Campanian 78-99; RSC 23

Anonymous Trident, 206-195 BC, Cr. 115/1

AR Denarius, Rome mint
Obv: Head of Roma
Rev: Dioscuri on horseback Ref: Crawford 115/1

P. Cornelius Sulla, circa 151 BC , Cr. 205/1

AR denarius (3.89g, 17-18mm, 12h), Rome
Obv: Head of Roma to right, wearing winged helmet ornamented with griffin's head; X behind
Rev: Victory, naked to the hips, driving galloping biga to right, holding reins in left hand and whip in right; P•SVLA below, ROMA in exergue
Ref: Crawford 205/1

Decimius Flavus, 150 BC, Cr. 207/1

AR Denarius, Rome mint
Obv: Helmeted head of Roma right; X (mark of value) to left
Rev: Diana Lucifera driving galloping biga right, holding reins and whip
Ref: Crawford 207/1; Sydenham 391; Decimia 1; RBW 890

P. Maenius Antiaticus M.f., 132 BC, Cr. 249/1

AR Denarius, Rome mint
Obv: Helmeted head of Roma right; mark of value to left
Rev: Victory driving quadriga right, holding goad, reins, and wreath; P • (MAE) (ANT) below horses
Ref: Crawford 249/1

Mn Acilius Balbus, 125 BC, Cr. 271/1

AR Denarius
Obv: Helmeted head of Roma right; behind, BALBVS, below, ROMA and before, *, all within laurel wreath
Rev: Jupiter, holding spear and thunderbolt, in prancing quadriga driven right by Victory; below horses, shield and in exergue, MN·ACILI
Ref: Babelon Acilia 1. Sydenham 498, Crawford 271/1

M. Sergius Silus. 116-115 BC, Cr. 286/1

AR Denarius, Rome mint
Obv: Helmeted head of Roma right; mark of value behind
Rev: Soldier on horseback rearing left, holding sword and severed head of barbarian; Q below
Ref: Crawford 286/1; Sydenham 544

Anonymous, 115-114 BC, Cr. 287/1

AR Denarius, Rome mint
Obv: Helmeted head of Roma
Rev: Roma, wearing Corinthian helmet
Size: 3.8g, 18.5 mm
Ref: Crawford 287/1

Cn. Blasio Cn.f, 112-111 BC, Cr. 296/1d

AR Denarius, Rome
Obv: CN BLASIO CN F, helmeted head of Mars to right; behind head, unknown control; above, star.
Rev: ROMA, Jupiter standing facing, holding scepter in his right hand and thunderbolt in his left; to left, Juno standing front, holding scepter in her right hand and looking toward Jupiter; to right, Minerva standing front, head to left, crowning Jupiter with a wreath and holding spear in her left hand; in inner right field, Θ
Ref: Babelon (Cornelia) 19; Crawford 296/1d;

M. Herennius, 108-107 BC, Cr. 308/1a

AR Denarius, Rome mint, 108-107 BC
Obv: PIETAS, Diademed head of Pietas
Rev: Amphinomus running right, carrying his father on his shoulder
Ref: Crawford 308/1a

L. Memmius Galeria, 106 BC, Cr. 313/1b

AR Serrate Denarius, Rome mint
Obv: ROMA, laureate head of Saturn left; •P (or •Π) below chin, harpa to right
Rev: Venus driving biga right, holding scepter and reins; above, Cupid flying left, holding wreath; L • (ME)MMI/(GAL) in exergue.
Ref: Crawford 313/1b; Sydenham 574; Memmia 2;

Lucius Aurelius Cotta, 105 BC, Cr. 314/1c

AR serrate denarius, Rome mint
Obv: Draped bust of Vulcan right, wearing laureate pileus; tongs behind; all within wreath
Rev: Eagle standing on thunderbolt, head left; R to right; all within laurel wreath
Ref: Crawford 314/1c; Sydenham 577a; Aurelia 21b

C. Fabius C. f. Hadrianus, 102 BC, Cr. 322/1b

Rome, Denarius AR, 18mm, 3.96g.
Obv: Turreted and veiled head of Cybele right, wearing single-drop earring and pearl necklace, EX•A•PV upwards to left
Rev: Victory driving galloping biga right, holding reins in left hand and goad in right, E below horses, and stork standing right, C•FABI•C•F in exergue
Ref: Crawford 322/1b

P. Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus, 100 BC, Cr. 329/1a

AR Denarius, 17.5mm, 3.08 g, 11h, Rome mint
Obv: Bareheaded bust of young Hercules right, seen from behind, wearing lion skin and holding club; to left, shield and •/R
Rev: Roma standing facing, holding spear, being crowned by Genius of the Roman People, holding wreath and cornucopia; •/R between them; all within laurel wreath
Ref: Crawford 329/1a, from the Benito Collection

L. Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus and Q. Servilius Caepio, 100 BC, Cr. 330/1b

AR denarius, Rome mint
Obv: PISO · CAEPIO · Q, laureate head of Saturn right; harpa to left, bow below
Rev: Two quaestors seated left between two stalks of grain, AD·FRV·EMV / EX·S·C

Ref: Crawford 330/1b (control above off flan); Sydenham 603; Calpurnia 5
An obverse die match confirms the control on this coin is a crescent.

C. Publicius Malleolus, 96 BC, Cr. 335/1a

C. Malleolus, A. Albinus Sp.f., and L. Caecilius Metellus. 96 BC, AR denarius, Rome mint.
Obv: Laureate head of Apollo right
Rev: Roma seated left on pile of shields, holding spear and parazonium, being crowned by Victory standing behind.
Ref: Crawford 335/1a; Sydenham 611; Caecilia 46a

C. Allius Bala, 92 BC, Cr. 336/1b

AR Denarius, Rome mint
Obv: Diademed female head (Diana?) right; A below chin
Rev: Diana driving biga of stags right, holding spear, reins, and torch; grasshopper below; all within laurel-wreath
Ref: Crawford 336/1b; Sydenham 595; Aelia 4

L. Calpurnius Piso Frugi, 90 BC, Cr. 340/1

AR Denarius
Obv: Laureate head of Apollo right; star behind; P below chin
Rev: Naked horseman galloping right, holding long palm, above, D with dot below
Ref: Crawford 340/1; Sydenham 664; Calpurnia 11

Q. Titius, 90 BC, AR Denarius, Cr. 341/1

Q. Titius, 90 BC, AR Denarius (18mm, 4.00g, 10h). Rome mint. Bearded head of Mutinus Titinus right, wearing winged diadem, lock of hair falling down neck
Rev: Pegasus springing right on tablet inscribed Q • TITI
Ref: Crawford 341/1; Sydenham 691; Titia 1

M. Cato, 89 BC, Cr. 343/1c

Roman Republican, M. Cato, AR denarius, 89 BC
Obv: Diademed and draped female bust r., behind, ROMA and below neck truncation, M CATO
Rev: Victory seated right, holding patera in right hand and palm branch in left; below seat, ST and in exergue, VICTRIX
Ref: Crawford 343/1c (ST below seat)

Cn Cornelius Lentulus Clodianus, 88 BC, Cr. 345/1

AR Denarius, Rome mint
Obv: Helmeted bust of Mars
Rev: Victory in biga
Size: 4.03g 18mm
Ref: Crawford 345/1

Mn. Fonteius C.f., 85 BC, Cr. 353/1a

AR Denarius, Rome mint Obv: Laureate head of Vejovis (or Apollo) right; monogram below chin, thunderbolt below head
Rev: Infant winged Genius (or Cupid) seated on goat, standing right; pilei of the Dioscuri above, thyrsus with fillet in exergue; all within laurel wreath
Ref: Crawford 353/1a; Sydenham 724; Fonteia 9

L. Sulla, 84-83 BC, Cr. 359/2

AR Denarius, Military mint moving with Sulla
Obv: L·SVLLA, diademed head of Venus right; before, Cupid standing left, holding palm
Rev: IMPER / ITERVM, capis and lituus between two trophies
Ref: Crawford 359/2; Sydenham 761; Cornelia 29
Note: Sulla's first issue, struck from a mobile mint as he marched against Marius in Rome. He is the first to issue coins without the authority of the Senate.

C. Mamilius Limetanus, 82 BC, Cr. 362/1

AR Serrate Denarius
Obv: Bust of Mercury right
Rev: Ulysses right, greeted by his dog.
Ref: Crawford 362/1

L. Manlius Torquatus, 82 BC, Cr. 367/5

AR Denarius
Obv: Helmeted head of Roma right, L. MANLI before, PRO.Q behind
Rev: Sulla, being crowned by Victory, in quadriga right; L. SVLLA. IM[P] in exergue
Ref: Crawford 367/5

Roman Republic

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