XV Quindecennalibus. VOT X ET XV P, VOT X MVLT XV, VOT XV FEL XX [or MVLT], VOT XV MVLT XXXX, etc.
XV - P XV, in the exergue of certain billon coins of Gallienus. "All these coins are of the same fabric and same locality; they were struck at Antioch, where, probably at this time, was in operation, as in all the mints in Asia, that monetary revolution, which swept away from everyone their ancient customs of striking coins 'a leurs types avec dex inscriptions grecques. L'atelier d'Antioch employait ce moven tres simple de dater ses nouvelles monnaies." Coins of Galiennus with the Xv tibunitian power and the letters VIIC, and with P XV and VIIC on varieties of the same type show that all these pieces are contemporary, and that they were issued in AD 267.
XV Quindecim. M LEPIDVS AN XV PR H O C S Marcus Lepidus Annis quindecim Progressus [not Praetextatus, cf Val. Max. III, |i| 1]. Hostem Occidit Civem Servavit, on denarii of M. Aemilius Lepidus, monetary magistrate about 60 BC, and afterwards (43-60 BC) Imperator and Triumvir Reipublicae Constituendae (Aemilia gens).
XVviri sacris faciundis. This body had especial charge of the Sybylline books, and in public danger or calamity were ordered by the senate to insoect them. Under Tarquinius Superbus the number of these priests were two (Duumviri), men of illustious birth. In 367 BC, ten men (Decemviri), five patrician and five plebian were appointed; and later, possibly in the same time of Sulla, their number was further increased to fifteen (Quindecimviri). Julius Caesar added one more, but fifteen was afterwards the usual number. The Quindecimviri were priests of Apollo, and each of them had in his house a brazen tripod (cortina or tipus) sacred to this god.
The title is found on the following coins:
1. Denarii.
Obverse: CAESAR AVGVSTVS TR POT, laureate head of Augustus to right. Reverse: L MESCINIVS RVFVS IIIVIR (triumvir). Cippus, on which is engraved IMP CAES AVG LVD SAEC (Imperator Caesar Augustus ludos saeculares [fecit]). In the field, XV S P (Quindecimviri sacris faciundis); silver. L Mescinius Rufus was triumvir in 16 BC.
2. Aureii and denarii.
Obverse: A VITELLIVS GERM IMP AVG TR P [or IMP GERMAN TR P or GERMANICVS IMP or IMP GERMAN]. Laureate head of Vitellius to right. Reverse: XVVIR SAC FAC (Quindecimviri sacris faciundis). Tripod; above, a dolphin; within the tripod, a crow [CORVVS].
