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Crawford 340/1, ROMAN REPUBLIC - L. Piso Frugi - AR Denarius
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Rome, The Republic
L. Calpurnius Piso Frugi, 90 BCE.
AR Denarius (4.01g; 18mm)
Rome mint.
Obv: Laureate head of Apollo facing right; VII (control mark) behind.
Rev: Rider with palm on horse galloping right; VII (control mark) above; L PISO FRVG below; Roma monogram in exergue.
References: Crawford 340/1; Sydenham 661; Banti 44/1 (this coin illustrated); BMCRR 1900; Calpurnia 11.
Provenance: Ex Stoeklin Collection [Nomos 14 (17 May 2017) Lot 236; ex Haeberlin Collection [Cahn-Hess (17 Jul 1933) Lot 1184].
L. Calpurnius Piso Frugi was moneyer in 90 BCE, during the time of the Social War. He later attained the office of Praetor in 74 BCE, but did not appear to distinguish himself further.
The Social War was a civil war between Rome and her Italian allies who had broken-away in a demand for citizenship rights. It was a time of massive coinage output by the Rome mints, likely to pay the costs associated with the conflict. As a result, Frugi’s coins are among the most common in the entire Roman Republican series. Crawford estimates 864 obverse and 1080 reverse dies were used to produce Frugi’s denarii. Both obverse and reverse dies bear control marks of varying complexity, and no control mark has more than one die.
This type alludes to the annual celebration of the Ludi Apollinares instituted by Frugi’s ancestor during the Second Punic War. These games were held at the Circus Maximus in July of each year and lasted 8 or 9 days, consisting of horse racing and performances.
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