M·VOLTEI·M·F
Marcus Volteius M.f.
AR Denarius. Rome, 75
BC. Crawford 385/4
M. Volteius M.f. AR Denarius. Rome, 75 BC.
Obverse - Laureate, helmeted, and draped bust of Attis
right; thunderbolt behind, control symbol
Reverse - Cybele driving biga of lions right; ΞΒ above - control
number (in Greek letters); in ex - M·VOLTEI·M·F
Crawford 385/4; Sydenham 777; Volteia 4. 3.87g, 18mm, 8h.
Good Very Fine. Scarce.
There is some disagreement on the identity of the person on
the obverse.
Grueber in BMCRR – Mommsen said, Attis, the beautiful
Phrygian shepherd who was beloved by Cybele and had a cult following in Asia
Minor. Cavedoni said, it is Corybas, son of Cybele.
Sydenham and Seaby quote Grueber.
Crawford and Sear say bust right. Crawford gives at least 3
probabilities.
RBW Collection – this attribution says female head, R.
Volteius minted five types. The theme of the five types relate to the five major celebrations in Rome. This issue has control symbols on the obverse and numbers (Greek letters) on the reverse. Crawford states that the obverse control symbol is always paired with the same reverse control number. He gives a table of 85 symbol / number combinations. He has symbols for all but 13 numbers. The British museum web site has 42 different symbols. I found examples of all but 28 symbols on line plus one not listed in Crawford. I found two examples of die number symbol combinations where the pairing was different than Crawford. A table of my findings is below.
#
|
Greek Number
|
Obverse Control Mark
|
BMC web site #, acsearch.info (ACS), deamoneta.com (DEA), CNG, EEM,
OS - other source
|
||
1
|
Α
|
0
|
|||
2
|
Β
|
Winged caduceus
|
385.4.1, .2, ACS,
|
3
|
|
3
|
Γ
|
Crescent
|
385.4.3, 30, OT,
|
||
4
|
Δ
|
||||
5
|
Ε
|
||||
6
|
Ϛ
|
Butterfly
|
385.4.4, .5, ACS,
|
3
|
|
7
|
Ζ
|
||||
8
|
Η
|
Wreath
|
385.4.6, 31, ACS,
|
3
|
|
9
|
Θ
|
Thyrsus
|
385.4.7, ACS, ACS,
|
3
|
|
10
|
Ι
|
Strigil
|
385.4.8,
|
1`
|
|
11
|
ΙΑ
|
Tongs
|
385.4.9, CNG, WW
|
3
|
|
12
|
ΙΒ
|
Axe
|
385.4.32, ACS,
|
2
|
|
13
|
ΙΓ
|
Tortoise
|
0
|
||
14
|
ΙΔ
|
0
|
|||
15
|
ΙΕ
|
0
|
|||
16
|
ΙϚ
|
0
|
|||
17
|
ΙΖ
|
Frog
|
385.4.37, CNG,
|
2
|
|
18
|
ΙΗ
|
Heron walking
|
0
|
||
19
|
ΙΘ
|
0
|
|||
20
|
Κ
|
?
|
0
|
||
21
|
ΚΑ
|
Owl
|
0
|
||
22
|
ΚΒ
|
Peacock r
|
385.4.36
|
1
|
|
23
|
ΚΓ
|
Amphora
|
CNG (top of Γ off flan),
|
1
|
|
24
|
ΚΔ
|
Anchor
|
ACS,
|
1
|
|
25
|
ΚΕ
|
Club
|
ACS, OT,
|
2
|
|
26
|
ΚϚ
|
Lecythus, round squat vase
|
385.4.35, ACS, OT,
|
Jug – 3
|
|
27
|
ΚΖ
|
0
|
|||
28
|
ΚΗ
|
Candelabrum
|
0
|
||
29
|
ΚΘ
|
Cock
|
385.4.11, 34, ACS, DEA, CNG, CNG,
|
6
|
34
|
30
|
Λ
|
Palm branch
|
385.4.12, 13, CNG,
|
3
|
39
|
31
|
ΛΑ
|
Piercer
|
385.4.14, ACS,
|
Spear? – 2
|
41
|
32
|
ΛΒ
|
Simpulum
|
385.4.15, 33, ACS, CNG,
|
4
|
45
|
33
|
ΛΓ
|
?
|
0
|
||
34
|
ΛΔ
|
0
|
|||
35
|
ΛΕ
|
Stilus
|
385.4.16
|
1
|
|
36
|
ΛϚ
|
Pentagram
|
ACS,
|
Star – 1
|
|
37
|
ΛΖ
|
Pileus
|
385.4.17, 38, ACS,
|
3
|
50
|
38
|
ΛΗ
|
Boot, r
|
385.4.39, ACS,
|
2
|
|
39
|
ΛΘ
|
Wheel
|
385.4.40, ACS, ACS,
|
3
|
55
|
40
|
Μ
|
Perfume jar
|
385.4.41
|
1
|
|
41
|
ΜΑ
|
Staff with double hook
|
385.4.18, CNG,
|
2
|
|
42
|
ΜΒ
|
Pelta, small
crescent-shaped shield of Thrace
|
385.4.19
|
1
|
|
43
|
ΜΓ
|
Macedonian shield
|
385.4.20, ACS, ACS (MZ?), CNG,
|
4
|
62
|
44
|
ΜΔ
|
Pear shaped shield
|
ACS, CNG, CNG,
|
3
|
|
45
|
ΜΕ
|
Oval shield
|
385.4.42, ACS, CNG,
|
3
|
|
46
|
ΜϚ
|
Oblong shield with rounded corners
|
CNG,
|
1
|
|
47
|
ΜΖ
|
Oblong shield with square corners
|
ACS,
|
1
|
70
|
48
|
ΜΗ
|
Small round shield
|
385.4.43, ACS,
|
2
|
|
49
|
ΜΘ
|
Large round shield
|
385.4.21, 44, ACS, OT, CNG,
|
5
|
|
50
|
Ν
|
Ear
|
0
|
||
51
|
ΝΑ
|
Lyre key
|
385.4.22, 45, 56
|
3
|
80
|
52
|
ΝΒ
|
Leaf
|
0
|
||
53
|
ΝΓ
|
Lighted alter
|
0
|
||
54
|
ΝΔ
|
Alter
|
ACS,
|
1
|
|
55
|
ΝΕ
|
Axe
|
OT, CNG, CNG,
|
3
|
|
56
|
ΝϚ
|
Duck’s head
|
385.4.46, CNG, CNG,
|
3
|
|
57
|
ΝΖ
|
Dolphin
|
385.4.23, ACS,
|
2
|
|
58
|
ΝΗ
|
Crab
|
385.4.24, ACS, ACS, CNG, CNG,
|
5
|
94
|
59
|
ΝΘ
|
Scorpion
|
0
|
||
60
|
Ξ
|
Stove
|
385.4.25, ACS,
|
2
|
|
61
|
ΞΑ
|
Oil lamp
|
ACS,
|
1
|
|
62
|
ΞΒ
|
Thunderbolt
|
EEM,
|
1
|
|
63
|
ΞΓ
|
Plumb bob
|
385.4.53 (o delta)
|
1
|
|
64
|
ΞΔ
|
Dagger
|
0
|
||
65
|
ΞΕ
|
Dividers
|
385.4.47, DEA, CNG,
|
3
|
102
|
66
|
ΞϚ
|
Short boot
|
ACS, ACS,
|
2
|
|
67
|
ΞΖ
|
Foot r
|
385.4.26, ACS, ACS,
|
3
|
|
68
|
ΞΗ
|
Knife blade
|
0
|
||
69
|
ΞΘ
|
0
|
|||
70
|
Ο
|
Bow and quiver
|
385.4.27, 51, ACS, DEA,
|
4
|
111
|
71
|
ΟΑ
|
Hoop
|
385.4.50, ACS,
|
2
|
|
72
|
ΟΒ
|
Fish
|
385.4.49, CNG, CNG [OB],
|
||
73
|
ΟΓ
|
?
|
|||
74
|
ΟΔ
|
Plumb Bob
|
385.4.53
|
||
75
|
ΟΕ
|
Bunch grapes
|
385.4.54, ACS,
|
3
|
|
76
|
ΟϚ
|
Pedium, staff with crook
|
CNG,
|
1
|
|
77
|
ΟΖ
|
Ladder
|
385.4.28, ACS,
|
2
|
|
78
|
ΟΗ
|
Poppy head
|
OT, DEA [OH], ACS [OH]
|
3
|
122
|
79
|
ΟΘ
|
Shovel
|
ACS, DEA, WW
|
3
|
|
80
|
Π
|
Comb
|
385.4.29, 48, CNG,
|
3
|
|
81
|
ΠΑ
|
Mask of Pan
|
385.4.52 (pi B), ACS,
|
2
|
130
|
82
|
ΠΒ
|
0
|
|||
83
|
ΠΓ
|
Crested helmet
|
0
|
||
84
|
ΠΔ
|
Cornucopiae
|
0
|
||
85
|
ΠΕ
|
Tripod
|
0
|
||
Winged caduceus
|
A
|
385.4.55
|
1
|
131
|
