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Cr 340/1 AR Denarius L. Calpurnius Piso Frugi
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c. 90 BCE, Rome, 19mm, 3.87gm.
o: Laureate head of Apollo r.; behind, control numeral X(?)
r: Horseman galloping r., w/palm branch; below, L PISO FRVGI / ROMA [mono]; above, XVII
Calpurnia 12. Sydenham 661.
This type, presumably struck at the height of the Social War, is overall common, with nearly 1000 dies each side, and seemingly one control number per die. It is an odd type, if the dating is right, as it speaks neither to the Social War, nor much to the loyalty of the legions. The war was quite intense, and it hardly seems that the legions would be distracted by the Games of Apollo ("home before the leaves fall" as they said in 1914) , or that the Italians would be bought off by a nostalgic sense that they would be cut off from the really cool games in Rome. Perhaps it reflects the blindness/stupidity/narcissism of the Roman Senatorial class that fostered the resentment among the Socii.
As a collecting type, I had not been enthusiastic about it until I learned of some rare variations and also came to appreciate the simplicity of the design. This one, among several I now have, has nice toning and strike. I will not seek all of the variants suggested by Crawford's two pages of control marks...
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![Cr 340/1 AR Denarius L. Calpurnius Piso Frugi
c. 90 BCE, Rome, 19mm, 3.87gm.
o: Laureate head of Apollo r.; behind, control numeral X(?)
r: Horseman galloping r., w/palm branch; below, L PISO FRVGI / ROMA [mono]; above, XVII
Calpurnia 12. Sydenham 661.
This type, presumably struck at the height of the Social War, is overall common, with nearly 1000 dies each side, and seemingly one control number per die. It is an odd type, if the dating is right, as it speaks neither to the Social War, nor much to the loyalty of the legions. The war was quite intense, and it hardly seems that the legions would be distracted by the Games of Apollo ("home before the leaves fall" as they said in 1914) , or that the Italians would be bought off by a nostalgic sense that they would be cut off from the really cool games in Rome. Perhaps it reflects the blindness/stupidity/narcissism of the Roman Senatorial class that fostered the resentment among the Socii.
As a collecting type, I had not been enthusiastic about it until I learned of some rare variations and also came to appreciate the simplicity of the design. This one, among several I now have, has nice toning and strike. I will not seek all of the variants suggested by Crawford's two pages of control marks...](albums/userpics/31877/761NN383.jpg "Cr 340/1 AR Denarius L. Calpurnius Piso Frugi
c. 90 BCE, Rome, 19mm, 3.87gm.
o: Laureate head of Apollo r.; behind, control numeral X(?)
r: Horseman galloping r., w/palm branch; below, L PISO FRVGI / ROMA [mono]; above, XVII
Calpurnia 12. Sydenham 661.
This type, presumably struck at the height of the Social War, is overall common, with nearly 1000 dies each side, and seemingly one control number per die. It is an odd type, if the dating is right, as it speaks neither to the Social War, nor much to the loyalty of the legions. The war was quite intense, and it hardly seems that the legions would be distracted by the Games of Apollo (\"home before the leaves fall\" as they said in 1914) , or that the Italians would be bought off by a nostalgic sense that they would be cut off from the really cool games in Rome. Perhaps it reflects the blindness/stupidity/narcissism of the Roman Senatorial class that fostered the resentment among the Socii.
As a collecting type, I had not been enthusiastic about it until I learned of some rare variations and also came to appreciate the simplicity of the design. This one, among several I now have, has nice toning and strike. I will not seek all of the variants suggested by Crawford's two pages of control marks...")
