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Crawford 336/1, ROMAN REPUBLIC, C. Allius Bala, AR Denarius
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Rome, The Republic.
C. Allius Bala, 92 BCE.
AR Denarius (3.85g; 18mm).
Rome mint.
Obverse: Diademed head of Diana wearing necklace, facing right; N below chin.
Reverse: Diana Lucifera driving biga of stags to right, holding scepter and reins in left hand and torch in right hand; grasshopper below; C·ALLI in exergue.
References: Crawford 336/1b; Sydenham 595; BMCRR 1744; Aelia 4.
Provenance: Ex CB Collection; privately purchased from CNG (Inventory #940265); The Aurelia Collection [Owl Ltd and Thomas P. McKenna (Oct 1980) Lot 120].
The moneyer is only known from his coins. This type was struck with a series of control letters and symbols. There are multiple dies bearing the same letters and symbols. The grasshopper is the most common of the reverse die symbols, having been paired with most of the obverse letters.
Among other things, the goddess Diana was a hunting goddess equated with Artemis and a moon goddess equated with Luna. As moon goddess, she is often portrayed driving a biga with a crescent above her head or a torch in hand. In the case of this coin and others of the Republican series, her chariot is drawn by stags which also allude to her hunting connection.
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![Crawford 336/1, ROMAN REPUBLIC, C. Allius Bala, AR Denarius
Rome, The Republic.
C. Allius Bala, 92 BCE.
AR Denarius (3.85g; 18mm).
Rome mint.
Obverse: Diademed head of Diana wearing necklace, facing right; N below chin.
Reverse: Diana Lucifera driving biga of stags to right, holding scepter and reins in left hand and torch in right hand; grasshopper below; C·ALLI in exergue.
References: Crawford 336/1b; Sydenham 595; BMCRR 1744; Aelia 4.
Provenance: Ex CB Collection; privately purchased from CNG (Inventory #940265); The Aurelia Collection [Owl Ltd and Thomas P. McKenna (Oct 1980) Lot 120].
The moneyer is only known from his coins. This type was struck with a series of control letters and symbols. There are multiple dies bearing the same letters and symbols. The grasshopper is the most common of the reverse die symbols, having been paired with most of the obverse letters.
Among other things, the goddess Diana was a hunting goddess equated with Artemis and a moon goddess equated with Luna. As moon goddess, she is often portrayed driving a biga with a crescent above her head or a torch in hand. In the case of this coin and others of the Republican series, her chariot is drawn by stags which also allude to her hunting connection.](albums/userpics/34967/BalaCombined.jpg "Crawford 336/1, ROMAN REPUBLIC, C. Allius Bala, AR Denarius
Rome, The Republic.
C. Allius Bala, 92 BCE.
AR Denarius (3.85g; 18mm).
Rome mint.
Obverse: Diademed head of Diana wearing necklace, facing right; N below chin.
Reverse: Diana Lucifera driving biga of stags to right, holding scepter and reins in left hand and torch in right hand; grasshopper below; C·ALLI in exergue.
References: Crawford 336/1b; Sydenham 595; BMCRR 1744; Aelia 4.
Provenance: Ex CB Collection; privately purchased from CNG (Inventory #940265); The Aurelia Collection [Owl Ltd and Thomas P. McKenna (Oct 1980) Lot 120].
The moneyer is only known from his coins. This type was struck with a series of control letters and symbols. There are multiple dies bearing the same letters and symbols. The grasshopper is the most common of the reverse die symbols, having been paired with most of the obverse letters.
Among other things, the goddess Diana was a hunting goddess equated with Artemis and a moon goddess equated with Luna. As moon goddess, she is often portrayed driving a biga with a crescent above her head or a torch in hand. In the case of this coin and others of the Republican series, her chariot is drawn by stags which also allude to her hunting connection.")
