| Roman Republic 150 - 100 B.C. |  |
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| Roman Republic, L. Thorius Balbus, 105 B.C. |   | The obverse refers to the cult of Juno Sospita at Lanuvium, the moneyer's place of origin. The reverse is likely a play on the moneyer's name, Taurus sounds like Thorius. Cicero described L. Thorius Balbus as a man who lived in such a manner that there was not a single pleasure, however refined or rare, that he did not enjoy. -- Roman Silver Coins edited by David Sear and Robert Loosley |
| SH64087. Silver denarius, SRCV I 192, Sydenham 598, Crawford 316/1, RSC I Thoria 1, gVF, weight 3.966 g, maximum diameter 19.9 mm, die axis 225o, Rome mint, 105 B.C.; obverse head of Juno Sospita right, wearing horned goat skin headdress, I·S·M·R downward behind; reverse bull charging right, O (control letter) above, L·THORIVS below, BALBVS in exergue; ex CNG Auction 128 (7 Dec 2005) lot 188; ex Harry Strickhausen Collection; ex. Freeman and Sear Mail Bid 4, (14 Jan 1988 ), lot 237; $395.00 (€304.15) |
| Roman Macedonia, "Thasian" Type, c. 148 - 80 B.C. |  | This monogram variation, similar to Prokopov's monogram 24, is apparently unrecognized. Perhaps it is an engraving error for that monogram. All four specimens known to Forum are from both the same obverse and reverse dies.
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| SH63496. Silver tetradrachm, Lukanc p. 79 & pl. 18, 128 (same dies); CNG eAuction 224, lot 64 (same dies); Prokopov Thasos -; SNG Cop -; BMC Thrace -, VF, some dings and scratches, toned, weight 16.533 g, maximum diameter 33.9 mm, die axis 0o, Roman provincial or military mint, c. 148 - 80 B.C.; obverse head of Dionysos right, wearing taenia and wreathed in ivy and grapes; reverse ΗΡΑΚΛΕΟΥΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ ΘΑΣΙΩΝ, Herakles standing half left, nude but for Nemean lion's skin on left arm, resting right hand on grounded club before him, left on hip, monogram inner left; very rare monogram; $350.00 (€269.50) |
| Roman Republic, C. Cassius, 126 B.C. |  | In 126 B.C., Seleucus V Philometor succeeded his father Demetrius II as king of the Seleucid Empire. Due to his youth, his stepmother Cleopatra Thea acted as regent. Tyre successfully revolted from the Seleucid Empire. |
SH64091. Silver denarius, Crawford 266/1, Sydenham 502, RSC I Cassia 1, SRCV I 142, VF, rose toning, weight 3.902 g, maximum diameter 19.3 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, 126 B.C.; obverse helmeted head of Roma right; X over urn behind; reverse Libertas in quadriga right; pileus in right, scepter and reigns in left, C. CASSI below, ROMA in exergue; ex CNG auction 273, part of lot 620; scarce; $350.00 (€269.50) |
| Amphipolis, Macedonia, c. 168 - 31 B.C. |  | On 22 June 168 B.C., Lucius Aemilius Paullus Macedonicus won the decisive Battle of Pydna. Perseus of Macedonia was made prisoner and the Third Macedonian War ended. Paullus executed 500 Macedonians, exiled many more to Italy and confiscated their belongings in the name of Rome but according to Plutarch, keeping too much to himself. On the return to Rome in 167 BC, his legions were displeased with their share of the plunder. To keep them happy, Paullus stopped in Epirus, a kingdom suspected of sympathizing with Macedonia; 70 towns were sacked, 150,000 people enslaved and the region was left to bankruptcy. Paullus' return to Rome was glorious. With the immense plunder collected in Macedonia and Epirus, he celebrated a spectacular triumph, featuring the captured king of Macedonia himself. The senate awarded him the cognomen Macedonicus. |
| SH62318. Bronze AE 22, BMC Macedonia 21, SNG Cop 58 var (monograms above and below inscription on rev), SNG ANS 104 var (same), VF, weight 7.633 g, maximum diameter 22.1 mm, die axis 270o, Amphipolis mint, c. 168 - 31 B.C.; obverse helmeted head of Roma right, winged helmet terminating at the top with the head of a griffin; reverse ΑΜΦΙΠΟ/ΛΙΤΩΝ within oak-wreath; rare; $245.00 (€188.65) |
| Roman Republic, P. Porcius Laeca, 110 - 109 B.C. |  | This moneyer was a descendant of P. Porcius Laeca, praetor in 195 B.C., who proposed and carried the Lex Porcia de Provocatione. This granted Roman citizens residing outside the city the right to appeal rulings of military magistrates. |
| SH59043. Silver denarius, SRCV I 178, Sydenham 571a, Crawford 301/1, RSC I Porcia 4, VF, weight 3.851 g, maximum diameter 18.2 mm, die axis 225o, Rome mint, 110 - 109 B.C.; obverse head of Roma right in winged helmet X below chin, ROML above, P LÆCA behind; reverse magistrate standing left in military dress with hand raised, citizen in toga before him, attendant behind magistrate with rod in right and two rods in left, PROVOCO in ex; $240.00 (€184.80) |
| Roman Macedonia, "Thasian" Type, c. 148 - 80 B.C. |  | This Dionysos / Herakles type was first struck by Thasos itself on the island and in its continental territories in the South of the Balkans, c. 168 - 148 B.C. After Rome took control of the area, "Thasian" types were struck by Roman authorities, c. 148 - 80 B.C., mainly in Macedonia but also, perhaps, by mobile military mints on campaigns. Imitatives were also struck by at least several tribal groups (mainly Celtic or mixed enclaves) from as early as 120 - 100 B.C. to about 20 - 10 B.C.
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| SH63704. Silver tetradrachm, Prokopov Thasos, Group XX, monogram 6, cf. 1825 (V GB4 / -); SNG Cop 1040 ff., VF, weight 16.622 g, maximum diameter 31.0 mm, die axis 0o, Roman provincial or military mint, c. 148 - 80 B.C.; obverse head of Dionysos right, wearing taenia and wreathed in ivy and grapes; reverse ΗΡΑΚΛΕΟΥΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ ΘΑΣΙΩΝ, Herakles standing half left, nude but for Nemean lion's skin on left arm, resting right hand on grounded club before him, left on hip, MH monogram inner left; $240.00 (€184.80) |
| Roman Macedonia, "Thasian" Type, c. 148 - 80 B.C. |  | This Dionysos / Herakles type was first struck by Thasos itself on the island and in its continental territories in the South of the Balkans, c. 168 - 148 B.C. After Rome took control of the area, "Thasian" types were struck by Roman authorities, c. 148 - 80 B.C., mainly in Macedonia but also, perhaps, by mobile military mints on campaigns. Imitatives were also struck by at least several tribal groups (mainly Celtic or mixed enclaves) from as early as 120 - 100 B.C. to about 20 - 10 B.C.
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| SH64012. Silver tetradrachm, Prokopov Thasos, Group XIV, monogram 24, cf. 1090 - 1096 (V CD1 / -); SNG Cop 1046, VF, weight 16.471 g, maximum diameter 30.9 mm, die axis 0o, Roman provincial or military mint, c. 148 - 80 B.C.; obverse head of Dionysos right, wearing taenia and wreathed in ivy and grapes; reverse ΗΡΑΚΛΕΟΥΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ ΘΑΣΙΩΝ, Herakles standing half left, nude but for Nemean lion's skin on left arm, resting right hand on grounded club before him, left on hip, monogram inner left; $240.00 (€184.80) |
| Roman Republic, Q. Fabius Labeo, 124 B.C. |  | After 124 B.C., the mark of value is represented either by X (XVI in monogram) or X. The Rostrum on the reverse probably refers to the moneyer's grandfather and namesake and his naval victories in 189-188 B.C. -- Roman Republican Coinage by Michael H. Crawford
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| RR64478. Silver denarius, SRCV I 148, Crawford 273/1, Sydenham 532, RSC I Fabia 1, VF, weight 3.973 g, maximum diameter 18.9 mm, die axis 45o, Rome mint, 124 B.C.; obverse head of Roma right in winged helmet, X below chin, LABEO before, ROMA behind; reverse Jupiter in a quadriga right brandishing thunderbolt, rostrum below, Q·FABI in exergue; $225.00 (€173.25) |
| Roman Republic, C. Coelius Caldus, 104 B.C. |  | In 104 B.C., the Republic was in a state of emergency. The Cimbri had just dealt Rome its most severe defeat since Cannae; two armies were destroyed. Italy was nearly defenseless. The consul Gaius Marius asked King Nicomedes III of Bithynia to provide troops. Nicomedes III turned down the request declaring, "All those eligible for military service in my kingdom have been robbed by the Roman tax-farmers and sold into slavery." In response, about 800 Italian slaves in Sicily were freed. Non-Italians slaves incorrectly believed they had also been freed. When ordered back to servitude, these slaves amassed an army 2,000 cavalry and 20,000 infantry. The revolt, the Second Servile War, lasted until 100 B.C., caused famine in Rome, and was defeated only after great effort. It was the second of a series of three slave revolts in the Roman Republic.
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| RR64476. Silver denarius, SRCV I 196, Crawford 318/1a, Sydenham 582, RSC I Coelia 2, VF, nice toning, weight 3.710 g, maximum diameter 17.5 mm, die axis 90o, Rome mint, 104 B.C.; obverse head of Roma left in winged helmet; reverse Victory in a biga left, reins in both hands, X with pellet in 3 angles (above, below and right), C•COIL below, CALD in ex; $185.00 (€142.45) |
| Roman Republic, L. Memmius, 109 - 108 B.C. |  | Crawford notes that this moneyer may have traveled to Egypt and the unusual depiction of the Dioscuri may have been based on Egyptian artwork. -- Roman Republican Coinage by Michael H. Crawford |
RR54748. Silver denarius, SRCV I 181, Crawford 304/1, Sydenham 558, RSC I Memmia 1, VF, weight 3.882 g, maximum diameter 19.8 mm, die axis 90o, Rome mint, 109 - 108 B.C.; obverse young male head right wreathed with oak, X (XVI ligature) below chin; reverse Dioscuri standing facing between their horses, each holding spear, L MEMMI in exergue; $160.00 (€123.20) |
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