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Cr 463/3 AR Denarius Mn. Cordius Rufus
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46 BCE
o: Head of Venus right, RVFVS SC behind
r: Cupid on dolphin right; below, MN [ligate] CORDIVS
Crawford 463/3; Cordia 3
3.70g. (2h)
Although this coin is a nice specimen, and the type is very popular, I find it hard to get excited about this issue.
Cordius was presumably a Caesarian minting between the battles of Pharsalus and Munda. The times were rather grim, both for the huge armies and the populace on which they were billeted. Cordius does not seem to be a significant personage.
The coin seems remarkably light-hearted and that seemingly drives its popularity in modern collecting -- "hey, it's a kid on a dolphin, what's not to like?"
It may reflect payment to troops crossing to (or leaving) Africa under the benevolent gaze of Caesar's ancestor Venus and her son Cupid (whose father is Mars). Given that the first part of the Caesarian army was scattered by storms, perhaps these coins were intended to reassure the follow-up troops that they would not end up scattered to the winds and eaten by lions, tigers and bears. Venus also looks vaguely like some of the later coin portraits of Caesar (or Eleanor Roosevelt).
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![Cr 463/3 AR Denarius Mn. Cordius Rufus
46 BCE
o: Head of Venus right, RVFVS SC behind
r: Cupid on dolphin right; below, MN [ligate] CORDIVS
Crawford 463/3; Cordia 3
3.70g. (2h)
Although this coin is a nice specimen, and the type is very popular, I find it hard to get excited about this issue.
Cordius was presumably a Caesarian minting between the battles of Pharsalus and Munda. The times were rather grim, both for the huge armies and the populace on which they were billeted. Cordius does not seem to be a significant personage.
The coin seems remarkably light-hearted and that seemingly drives its popularity in modern collecting -- "hey, it's a kid on a dolphin, what's not to like?"
It may reflect payment to troops crossing to (or leaving) Africa under the benevolent gaze of Caesar's ancestor Venus and her son Cupid (whose father is Mars). Given that the first part of the Caesarian army was scattered by storms, perhaps these coins were intended to reassure the follow-up troops that they would not end up scattered to the winds and eaten by lions, tigers and bears. Venus also looks vaguely like some of the later coin portraits of Caesar (or Eleanor Roosevelt).](albums/userpics/31877/433G429Cordia.png "Cr 463/3 AR Denarius Mn. Cordius Rufus
46 BCE
o: Head of Venus right, RVFVS SC behind
r: Cupid on dolphin right; below, MN [ligate] CORDIVS
Crawford 463/3; Cordia 3
3.70g. (2h)
Although this coin is a nice specimen, and the type is very popular, I find it hard to get excited about this issue.
Cordius was presumably a Caesarian minting between the battles of Pharsalus and Munda. The times were rather grim, both for the huge armies and the populace on which they were billeted. Cordius does not seem to be a significant personage.
The coin seems remarkably light-hearted and that seemingly drives its popularity in modern collecting -- \"hey, it's a kid on a dolphin, what's not to like?\"
It may reflect payment to troops crossing to (or leaving) Africa under the benevolent gaze of Caesar's ancestor Venus and her son Cupid (whose father is Mars). Given that the first part of the Caesarian army was scattered by storms, perhaps these coins were intended to reassure the follow-up troops that they would not end up scattered to the winds and eaten by lions, tigers and bears. Venus also looks vaguely like some of the later coin portraits of Caesar (or Eleanor Roosevelt).")
