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ROMAN REPUBLIC
1152
C. Fabius C.F Hadrianus. Silver Denarius (3.85 g), 102 BC. Rome. ex A PV behind, veiled, turreted and
draped bust of Cybele right. Rev. C FABI C F in exergue, Victory, holding whip and reins, driving galloping
biga right; below, pellet above A; to lower right, stork standing right. (Crawford 322/1b; Sydenham 590;
Fabia 14). Attractive old cabinet toning. Extremely fine.
$ 450
1153
Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius. Silver Denarius (3.81 g), 81 BC. Military mint with Sulla’s army in northern Italy.
Diademed head of Pietas right; to right, stork standing right. Rev. IMPER in exergue, jug and lituus; all
within laurel wreath. (Crawford 374/2; Sydenham 750; Caecilia 44.) Beautiful iridescent old cabinet toned.
Extremely fine.
$ 800
ex Poindessault (27 March 1990), lot 90.
Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius came from one of the most important and wealthiest families of Rome. Beginning in the 3
rd
century
BC, his family held numerous consulships, tribunates, censorships and military commands. His father, Q. Caecilius Metellus
Numidicus, was the chief commander in the Jugurthine War in Numidia until Marius displaced him, and was later censor until
driven into exile by Marius. The obverse of this coin portrays the goddess Pietas and alludes to the moneyer’s
cognomen
, Pius. The
moneyer acquired the honorable title from the people of Rome, whom he had beseeched in order to secure the restoration from exile
of his father. The reverse probably refers to an unattested augurate of the moneyer’s father, but may also allude to Sulla’s holding of
the augurate in ca. 82 BC (cf. Crawford p. 374).
1154
L. Cassius Q.F. Longinus. Silver Denarius (3.75 g), 75 BC. Rome. Head of Liber (or Bacchus) right, wreathed
with ivy, thyrsus at shoulder. Rev. L CASSI Q F, head of Libera left, wreathed with a vine. (Crawford 386/1;
Sydenham 779; Cassia 6). Well struck and well centered for this issue, with complete types, iridescent cabinet
toning. Extremely fine.
$ 900
This denarius is believed to have been struck by the same L. Cassius Longinus who went on to serve as praetor in 66 BC. The
depiction of Father Liber on the obverse and Libera on the reverse may advertise the foundation of a temple of Ceres, Liber and
Libera by the moneyer’s ancestor, Sp. Cassius in 493 BC. The similarity of the head of Liber to that found on the bronze aes of the
moneyer C. Cassius (Crawford 266/3) has also suggested to Crawford a possible allusion to the
lex Cassia tabellaria
introduced by
L. Cassius Longinus Ravilla in 137 BC, but this seems a somewhat difficult and improbable connection for the average Roman
coin-user to have made.