Denarius: August 2013

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

C. VIBIUS C. F. CN. PANSA CAETRONIANUS; Cr. 449/4; 48 B.C.

Pecunem Auction 6 Lot 329, my coin, see description below

BM449.4.1

BM449.4.2

BM449.4.3

BM449.4.4

BM449.4.5

BM449.4.6

Cr449.4.6 NAC A63 L351

C. VIBIUS C. F. CN. PANSA CAETRONIANUS. Denarius (48 BC). Rome. Obv: LIBERTATIS. Laureate head of Libertas right. Rev: C PANSA C F C N. Roma seated right on pile of arms, her left foot on globe, holding sceptre and sword; in upper right field, Victory flying left to crown her. Note the Macedonian helmet beneath the shields. I found only one other coin picture with the helmet, BM online 449.4.5, and it looks to me to be the same die. Does make coin a rare type?

Crawford 449/4 (Crawford estimates 33 obverse dies for this issue.); Grueber 3983; Sear 423; RSC Vibia 20; Sydenham 949; CRI 23

Condition: Near extremely fine; Weight: 4.0 g.; Pecunem Auction 6 Lot 329 Aug 4, 2013

The coin was minted in Rome by C. Vibius C.f. C.n. Pansa Caetronianus , adoptive son of C. Vibius Pansa , a monetary triumvir who worked during the years of the social war. He was elected tribune of the plebs in 51 B.C. and supported Julius Caesar who sent him as a legate (general officer) to the Gallia Cisalpina between 44 and 45 B.C. After his return and after Caesar’s death, he was elected consul together with A. Hirtius (another legate loyal to Caesar). In 43 B.C. helped Decimio Bruto in the campaign in Modena against Marco Antonio. He died together with A. Hirtius during the battle.
This coin was minted between 49 and 48 B.C., during the civil war between Caesar and Pompeo which ended with the battle of Farsalo and the defeat of Pompeo in Egypt. The virtus is represented here by Libertas – identified by the key LIBERTATIS- and by the figure of Rome on the other side of the coin. This is a clear reference to the propaganda of respect for the republican legality of Caesar.

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Aes Grave, cast Roman Republican As, Semis, Triens, Quadrans, Sextans and Uncia; Cr-35.1, 2, 3a, 4, 5 & 6; Prow Series; 225 BC

Top Photo left to right; Crawford Roman Republican Coinage 35.1 - 6; T&V Italian Aes Grave 51 - 56; Sydenham Aes Grave 1 - 6

As, Cr 35.1; cast bronze; 225 - 217 BC; obv - head of Janus; rev - prow right
Semis, Cr 35.2; cast bronze; 225 - 217 BC; obv - head of Saturn left; rev - prow right
Triens, Cr 35.3; cast bronze; 225 - 217 BC; obv - head of Minerva left; rev - prow right
Quadrans, Cr 35.4; cast bronze; 225 - 217 BC; obv - head of Hercules; rev - prow right
Sextans, Cr 35.5; cast bronze; 225 - 217 BC; obv - head of Mercury; rev - prow right
Uncia, Cr 35.6; cast bronze; 225 - 217 BC; obv - head of Roma; rev - prow right

the bottom two photos have an additional Sextans with the heads of the Dioscuri

Sextans, Cr 18.5; cast bronze; 275 BC; obv - head of Dioscuri; rev - head of Dioscuri

Small Cast Coins, Pieces of a Cast Bar and Cast Knuckle-Bones

Items from Left to right, top to bottom -

bronze conch shell (Siglos?)- Central Italy, VI - IV century BC, 5.1 grams, cast bronze, 18.6 X 18.8 X13.5 mm
Aes Grave Sextans - Umbria, 225 BC, 17.4 grams, cast bronze, 24.4 X 19.1 X 10.2 mm; T&V 172; Sydenham, Aes Grave 249; CRR 143d; HNI 54; Haberline plate 81, 39; obverse - club, reverse - two dots, this is the lightest example of 29 I found on the internet and in books. This type is listed as two weight ranges in Thurow & Vecci, Aes Grave. This piece belongs to T&Vs second and lighter weight group.
Aes Grave Quincunex - Apulia, Luceria, 220 BC, cast bronze, 32 grams, 33 mm, T&V 281; BMCRR Italy 35; Sydenham, Aes Grave 138; CRR ; HNI 677a; Hab p 187 - 191. Obverse - X; Reverse - X, 5 dots above, L below
Aes Grave Uncia - Apulia, Luceria, 225 BC, cast bronze, 12 grams, 22 mm, T&V 285; Sydenham, Aes Grave 142; HNI 677e; Hab p . Obverse - frog; Reverse - corn ear, 1 dot above, L below
Piece of aes grave plate with star - Repubblica Romana. III. a.C. Aes Signatum. Frammento con simbolo stella o fiore. Peso 16,48 gr. RR.
Bonze knucklebone gaming piece; Roman, Balkan region, 1st-3rd century AD; Solid cast bronze; 2.3 cm length; Intact, oxidize. This piece is similar to ones from RR times.

The game of knucklebones had been played since ancient times. Sophocles in a fragment, ascribed the invention of knucklebones to Palamedes, during the Trojan War. It was played with a set of four astragaloi or knucklebones, originally made of real knuckle-bones or tali of sheep and goat, then of ivory or bronze. Each knucklebone had two broad and two narrow sides, upon which it could stand, representing different values (1, 3, 4 and 6). 35 different scores were possible at a single throw, the lowest throw, both in Greece and Rome, was the Dog, the highest in Rome was Venus.
Apulia, Luceria. Anonymous, c. 217-212 BC. Æ Aes Grave Biunx. Reduced weight, Luceria. Scallop shell. R/ Astragalus; two pellets above. Thurlow & Vecchi 284; Haeberlin pl. 71, 24-5; HN Italy 677d.
Apulia, Luceria. Anonymous, c. 217-212 BC. Æ Aes Grave Biunx (27mm, 17.72g, 3h). Reduced weight, Luceria. Scallop shell. R/ Astragalus; two pellets above. Thurlow & Vecchi 284; Haeberlin pl. 71, 24-5; HN Italy 677d. Near VF
Roman Republican. Aes formatum. AE/AG knucklebone. Etruria or Latium, 6th-9th century BC. AE/AG?. g. 59.80 RRR. About EF. Silver alloy? Silvered? Partial green patina. Apparently unpublished.

Saturday, August 17, 2013

A Small Collection of Cast Roman Republican Bronze

Aes Rude, Aes Formatum and Aes Signatum
Central Italy, VI - IV century BC

From top center:

Aes Formatum - bronze bar with no markings or features; 746 grams; VI - IV century BC; Central Italy; this piece is equivalent to about 3 Asses of the
Aes Rude - piece of bronze plate of bar; 375 grams; VI - IV century BC; Central Italy; about one ass
Aes Rude - pieces of irregularly formed bronze; 8 - 36 grams; Central Italy; the pieces are both pieces broken from a larger flat plate or bar and irregularly shaped pieces
Aes Rude (Aes Signatum?) - piece of larger bar with shapes on surface; 105 grams; Central Italy
Aes Rude - piece of bronze bar, some surface features, 41 grams;
Aes Signatum Stirate - piece of bronze bar with parallel lines on top; 37 grams,
Aes Signatum - small edge piece of bronze bar; features off piece, 47 grams
Aes Rude - irregular lump of bronze, 33 grams

These pieces are attributed to Central Italy in the 6th to 4th centuries BC. Romans may not have produced these pieces, but by the end of the time period they were used for trade in areas allied with, influenced by or conquered by Rome.