Roman Republican Silver Denarius, C. Augurinus, 135 BCE
Silver
4 Grams
C.5368
Further images
Obverse: Helmeted head of Roma right, X beneath chin, ROMA behind Reverse: C. AVG above Ionic column, surmounted by statue, flanked by two togate figure The bust of the goddess...
Obverse: Helmeted head of Roma right, X beneath chin, ROMA behind
Reverse: C. AVG above Ionic column, surmounted by statue, flanked by two togate figure
The bust of the goddess Roma, with its winged helmet, is a popular obverse type during the Republican period. The helmet itself is reminiscent of Hellenistic and Roman helmets of the time period, categorized by scholars as the Italo-Attic type. Officers and deities are often depicted as wearing this helmet long after such a design had gone into general disuse by the military. As such, it continued to be employed as a symbol connected with deities and heroic figures of the past. The reverse bears a representation of the monument erected to L. Minucius Augurinus at Rome to commemorate his success in reducing the price of corn.
Crawford 242/1. RSC Minucia 3.
Reverse: C. AVG above Ionic column, surmounted by statue, flanked by two togate figure
The bust of the goddess Roma, with its winged helmet, is a popular obverse type during the Republican period. The helmet itself is reminiscent of Hellenistic and Roman helmets of the time period, categorized by scholars as the Italo-Attic type. Officers and deities are often depicted as wearing this helmet long after such a design had gone into general disuse by the military. As such, it continued to be employed as a symbol connected with deities and heroic figures of the past. The reverse bears a representation of the monument erected to L. Minucius Augurinus at Rome to commemorate his success in reducing the price of corn.
Crawford 242/1. RSC Minucia 3.