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Home > Members' Coin Collection Galleries > Carausius > Imperatorial (49-27 BCE)
Crawford 464/2, ROMAN IMPERATORIAL, T. Carisius, AR Denarius
Rome, Moneyer Issues of the Imperatorial Period.
T. Carisius, 46 BCE.
AR Denarius (3.91g; 18mm).
Rome Mint.

Obverse: Head of Juno Moneta facing right; MONETA behind.

Reverse: Anvil with garlanded Vulcan cap (die?) above; tongs to left; hammer to right; T. CARISIVS above; surrounded by wreath.

References: Crawford 464/2; Sydenham 982; BMCRR 4056; Carisia 1.

Provenance: Ex Heritage Auction #231946 (14 Nov 2019) Lot 62150; Nomisma 59 (14 May 2019), Lot 92.

Little is known about T. Carisius beyond his coins and some ambiguous prosopographical evidence.  He may be the Carisius that commanded the left wing of Octavian’s fleet during a naval battle with Sextus Pompey at Tauromenium, as reported in Appian.  He may be the T. Carisius identified as praetor of the Volcae in Narbonese Gaul on inscriptions found in Avignon, France in 1841 and in Beaueaire, France in 2001. He may also be the father or brother of P. Carisius, who served as legatus pro praetor in Spain, ca. 25-23 BCE, and issued a large coinage for Augustus.

Caesar celebrated multiple triumphs in 46 BCE, and the massive output by the moneyers T. Carisius and M. Cordius Rufus may have been to pay the largesse owed to Caesar's legionaries.  Carisius issued a large series of silver coins, including various designs of denarii, quinarii and sestertii.  His fractional silver are notoriously scarce. 

This reverse design of this coin is often debated, with scholars falling into two camps: those who think that coin-striking implements, including a garlanded reverse punch die, are depicted; and those who think general metal smithing implements and a garlanded cap of Vulcan (pileus) are depicted.  Crawford (1974) called the disputed device a punch die. Sydenham (1952) called the device "cap of Vulcan, laureate" (See Syd. #982). In BMCRR (1910), Grueber called the device "cap of Vulcan (pileus), laureate" (See BMCRR vol 1, 4056). Barfeldt (1896), correcting Babelon, believed it was a cap of Vulcan.  Babelon (1883) identifies it as a die.   I believe the upper device is a garlanded cap of Vulcan, not a punch die.  It matches similar depictions of garlanded caps of Vulcan on other Roman Republican coins (see, e.g. my Crawford 266/2 here: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-166897 ).  Some have noted a pellet, resembling a coin, on some dies between the anvil and “punch die”.  I believe these pellets are merely central compass points used by the die engravers which are exposed on some dies.

Crawford 464/2, ROMAN IMPERATORIAL, T. Carisius, AR Denarius

Rome, Moneyer Issues of the Imperatorial Period.
T. Carisius, 46 BCE.
AR Denarius (3.91g; 18mm).
Rome Mint.

Obverse: Head of Juno Moneta facing right; MONETA behind.

Reverse: Anvil with garlanded Vulcan cap (die?) above; tongs to left; hammer to right; T. CARISIVS above; surrounded by wreath.

References: Crawford 464/2; Sydenham 982; BMCRR 4056; Carisia 1.

Provenance: Ex Heritage Auction #231946 (14 Nov 2019) Lot 62150; Nomisma 59 (14 May 2019), Lot 92.

Little is known about T. Carisius beyond his coins and some ambiguous prosopographical evidence. He may be the Carisius that commanded the left wing of Octavian’s fleet during a naval battle with Sextus Pompey at Tauromenium, as reported in Appian. He may be the T. Carisius identified as praetor of the Volcae in Narbonese Gaul on inscriptions found in Avignon, France in 1841 and in Beaueaire, France in 2001. He may also be the father or brother of P. Carisius, who served as legatus pro praetor in Spain, ca. 25-23 BCE, and issued a large coinage for Augustus.

Caesar celebrated multiple triumphs in 46 BCE, and the massive output by the moneyers T. Carisius and M. Cordius Rufus may have been to pay the largesse owed to Caesar's legionaries. Carisius issued a large series of silver coins, including various designs of denarii, quinarii and sestertii. His fractional silver are notoriously scarce.

This reverse design of this coin is often debated, with scholars falling into two camps: those who think that coin-striking implements, including a garlanded reverse punch die, are depicted; and those who think general metal smithing implements and a garlanded cap of Vulcan (pileus) are depicted. Crawford (1974) called the disputed device a punch die. Sydenham (1952) called the device "cap of Vulcan, laureate" (See Syd. #982). In BMCRR (1910), Grueber called the device "cap of Vulcan (pileus), laureate" (See BMCRR vol 1, 4056). Barfeldt (1896), correcting Babelon, believed it was a cap of Vulcan. Babelon (1883) identifies it as a die. I believe the upper device is a garlanded cap of Vulcan, not a punch die. It matches similar depictions of garlanded caps of Vulcan on other Roman Republican coins (see, e.g. my Crawford 266/2 here: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-166897 ). Some have noted a pellet, resembling a coin, on some dies between the anvil and “punch die”. I believe these pellets are merely central compass points used by the die engravers which are exposed on some dies.

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Album name:Carausius / Imperatorial (49-27 BCE)
Filesize:189 KiB
Date added:Dec 18, 2020
Dimensions:1500 x 766 pixels
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URL:https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=167045
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Jay GT4   [Dec 18, 2020 at 02:01 AM]
Iconic!
Nemonater   [Jan 01, 2021 at 01:22 PM]
Very nice! I’ve wanted one of these for a long time!

Comment 1 to 2 of 2
Page: 1

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