Crawford 409/1, ROMAN REPUBLIC, M. Plaetorius Cestianus, AR Denarius

Rome, The Republic.
M. Plaetorius M.F. Cestianus, 67 BCE.
AR Denarius (4.03g; 18mm; 5h).
Rome Mint.

Obverse: CESTIANVS – SC; Draped bust of winged goddess (Vacuna? Isis? Fortuna?) wearing plumed helmet with corn-ear wreath and quiver, facing right, with cornucopia before; all within bead and reel border.

Reverse: M·PLAETORIVS·M F AED CVR; Eagle on thunderbolt with spread wings and head facing left; all within bead and reel border.

References: Crawford 409/1; Sydenham 809; BMCRR 3596; Plaetoria 4.

Provenance: Ex CNG Auction 55 (13 May 2000) Lot 1058; Munzen und Medaillen 53 (29 Nov 1977) Lot 198.

The moneyer is Marcus Plaetorius Cestianus, who was Curule Aedile in 67 BCE and Praetor in 64 BCE. Cestianus issued coins in two different years – once as Curule Aedile (those coins with AED CVR also in their inscriptions) and a second time in a non-aedile capacity, but in both cases by order of the Senate as both series contain “SC” in their inscriptions. The presence of AED CVR in the reverse inscription of this coin identifies it as part of his earlier, Curule Aedile issue of 67 BCE. In their analysis of the Messagne hoard, Hersh and Walker redated the non-aedile coins to 57 BCE. They note that Cestianus’ non-aedile issues do not appear in hoards until long after his Curule Aedile issues of 67 BCE, and they postulate that he issued the non-aedile coins in 57 BCE as pro-praetor (having been praetor in 64 BCE).

The identity of the goddess depicted on the obverse of this coin has long been debated by scholars. The bust mixes attributes of multiple deities, including Minerva (helmet), Diana (quiver), Victory (wings), Ceres (grain wreath, cornucopia), Apollo (curls). These mixed characteristics led some to identify the bust as the Sabine goddess Vacuna, who was often conflated with other deities, though Crawford thought that attribution was incorrect. Others think the obverse may be Isis because of the wreath (which may appear to include lotus and poppy on some specimens) and note the similarity of the reverse to a Ptolemaic eagle. Harlan 2012, agrees with Meyboom 1995 that Fortuna is the only goddess that combines cornucopia, armor and wings, and Harlan suggests this is the likely attribution of the bust. He also notes that the Plaetorii were from Tusculum where an inscription records the care of the temple of Fortuna by an aedile of the Plaetoria gens (Marcus, son of Lucius – not our moneyer). Note that a later coin of Cestianus (which can be found in my Forum gallery here https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-166944 ) refers to the worship/oracle of Fortuna at Praeneste. This moneyer was descended from a Cestia gens member who had been adopted into the Plaetoria gens, and the Cestia had ties to Praeneste. So, indeed, Fortuna seems a reasonable candidate for the bust attribution.