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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Roman Coins| ▸ |The Imperators| ▸ |Sulla||View Options:   | | | This page includes the coins of Lucius Cornelius Sulla, his followers and his enemies. |
On 1 March 86 B.C., after a 5 month siege, Sulla began his midnight sack of Athens. The city had been occupied by the forces of Mithridates VI of Pontus under the command of Archelaus. Blood was said to have literally flowed in the streets, it was only after the entreaties of a couple of his Greek friends (Midias and Calliphon) and the pleas of the Roman Senators in his camp that Sulla decided enough was enough. This issue was struck for Sulla, either at Athens or outside Athens during the siege, to pay his legions and expenses during the war against Mithradates. The silver was collected from Greeks who supported the Romans against Mithradates and requisitioned from the sacred temple treasuries at Epidaurus, Olympia and Delphi. The ancients admired these Roman-Athenian coins and called them "flats of Lucullan." The MARKOY monogram may refer to Marcus the brother of the Roman general and politician Lucullus.SH70948. Silver tetradrachm, cf. Thompson Athens 1293; Svoronos Athens pl. 78, 11; Dewing 1653; Boehringer AMUGS V, pp. 28-31 and pl. 9, 10; Kraay-Hirmer pl. 120, 366, gVF, attractive style, well struck, nicely toned, centered on a crowded slightly irregular shape flan, weight 16.581 g, maximum diameter 29.5 mm, die axis 0o, Athens mint, c. 86 - 84 B.C.; obverse helmeted head of Athena Parthenos right, triple-crested helmet decorated with a griffin right above the raised earpiece, and protomes of horses above visor; reverse owl standing right on amphora on its side right, head facing, MARKOY monogram left, TAMIOY monogram right, A on amphora, all within olive wreath; ex John Jencek; rare; SOLD
Roman Republic, Dictatorship of Julius Caesar, L. Aemilius Buca, January 44 B.C.
"Sulla's Dream." The reverse of this rare type refers to the famous dream Sulla (an ancestor of the moneyer) experienced in 88 B.C. Sulla dreamed Luna came to him and put a thunder-bolt in his hand, and naming his enemies one by one, bade him smite them with it; and they were all smitten, and fell, and vanished away. Encouraged by the vision, at break of day he marched his legions towards Rome to attack Marius.SH57752. Silver denarius, Crawford 480/1, Sydenham 1064, RSC I Aemilia 12, BMCRR 4160, Sear CRI 164, SRCV I 476, F, rough, weight 3.699 g, maximum diameter 19.1 mm, die axis 270o, Rome mint, obverse L BVCA, diademed head of Venus right; reverse Sulla reclining against rocks; Luna on right descending from mountain holding a torch; Victory standing facing behind, wings spread, palm frond in raised right; very rare; SOLD
Roman Republic, L. Sulla and L. Manlius Torquatus, 82 B.C.
L. Manlius Torquatus was proquaestor to Sulla during the Mithridatic war (he was later Consul - 65 B.C.); this issue was struck for the civil war in Italy 82 B.C.RR89777. Silver denarius, RSC I Manlia 4; BMCRR II p. 461, 5; Russo RBW 1386; Crawford 367/5; Sydenham 757; SRCV I 286, VF, well centered, light toning, light marks, small edge cracks, weight 3.898 g, maximum diameter 17.5 mm, die axis 270o, military mint, 82 B.C.; obverse head of Roma right, PRO Q (proquaestor) downward behind, L MANLI upward before; reverse Sulla walking in a quadriga right, reins in right hand, caduceus in left hand, crowned by Victory flying left above, L SVLLA IM (imperator) in exergue; SOLD
Roman Republic, L. Sulla and L. Manlius Torquatus, 82 B.C.
L. Manlius Torquatus was proquaestor to Sulla during the Mithridatic war (he was later Consul - 65 B.C.); this issue was struck for the civil war in Italy 82 B.C.SH27207. Silver denarius, RSC I Manlia 4; BMCRR II p. 461, 5; Russo RBW 1386; Crawford 367/5; Sydenham 757; SRCV I 286, VF, toned, weight 3.860 g, maximum diameter 16.6 mm, die axis 180o, military mint, 82 B.C.; obverse head of Roma right, PRO Q (proquaestor) downward behind, L MANLI upward before; reverse Sulla walking in a quadriga right, holding reins in right hand and caduceus in left, crowned by Victory flying above, L SVLLA IM (imperator) in exergue; SOLD
Roman Republic, L. Sulla and L. Manlius Torquatus, 82 B.C.
L. Manlius Torquatus was proquaestor to Sulla during the Mithridatic war (he was later Consul - 65 B.C.); this issue was struck for the civil war in Italy 82 B.C.SH47738. Silver denarius, RSC I Manlia 4; BMCRR II p. 461, 5; Russo RBW 1386; Crawford 367/5; Sydenham 757; SRCV I 286, gVF, toned, weight 3.741 g, maximum diameter 17.6 mm, die axis 225o, military mint, 82 B.C.; obverse head of Roma right, PRO Q (proquaestor) downward behind, L MANLI upward before; reverse Sulla walking in a quadriga right, holding reins in right hand and caduceus in left, crowned by Victory flying above, L SVLLA IM (imperator) in exergue; SOLD
Roman Republic, L. Cornelius Sulla, 84 - 83 B.C.
Struck by a military mint traveling with Sulla in the east after his successful campaign against Mithradates VI. Venus was the patron goddess of Sulla. The two trophies of captured arms on the reverse advertise his two acclamations as imperator by his troops. With this, his first issue, Sulla was the first imperator to issue coinage to pay his legions without the authority of the senate, consequently breaking an important connection between the military and the government. Breaking another taboo, the types were overt propaganda advertising his personal power and accomplishments. Sulla's monetary "innovations" set the example for later imperators and contributed to Rome's transformation from republic to empire.RR71323. Silver denarius, RSC Cornelia 29, Crawford 359/2, Sydenham 761, BMCRR East 3, SRCV I 276, aVF, both sides off-center but nearly all detail on flan, weight 3.682 g, maximum diameter 20.2 mm, die axis 0o, mobile military mint, 84 - 83 B.C.; obverse diademed head of Venus right, Cupid standing left holding long palm frond before, L•SVLLA below; reverse capis and lituus between two trophies of captured arms, IMPER above, ITERVM below; scarce; SOLD
Roman Republic, Quintus Antonius Balbus, 83 B.C.
Q. Antonius Balbus was a member of the Marian party and issued this coinage by special decree of the Senate to prepare for opposition to Sulla's return to Rome. In 82 B.C. he was appointed praetor in Sardinia. He was driven from Sardinia by L. Philippus, the legate of Sulla, and slain. Sulla prevailed and the Victory on the reverse of this type was proven a false hope. -- The Coinage of the Roman Republic by Edward A. SydenhamRR86194. Silver denarius serratus, BMCRR I Rome 2732 (also M obv. control), Crawford 364/1b, Sydenham 742, RSC I Antonia 1a, SRCV I 279, Russo RBW 1373 var. (no control), EF, broad flan, slightly off center, weight 3.468 g, maximum diameter 20.1 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, 83 B.C.; obverse laureate head of Jupiter right, S•C behind, M (control letter) below; reverse Victory in a quadriga right, wreath in right and reins and palm frond in left, Q•ANTO•BALB / PR (ANT and AL in monogram) in exergue; SOLD
Roman Republic, Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius, Imperator, 81 B.C.
This issuer strikes as imperator in Northern Italy where he was campaigning on behalf of Sulla. The following year he was to be the dictators colleague in the consulship. Pietas and her emblem the stork are used to highlight his cognomen, Pius. The elephant is the traditional symbol of the gens Caecilia, recalling the capture of Hasdrubal's elephants by L. Caecilius Metellus in 252 B.C.SH21642. Silver denarius, SRCV I 301, Crawford 374/1, Sydenham 750, RSC I Caecilia 43, VF, weight 3.775 g, maximum diameter 18.4 mm, die axis 180o, Northern Italian mint, 81 B.C.; obverse diademed head of Pietas right, hair tied in a knot, and wearing earring, stork before; reverse elephant walking left, bell hanging from its neck, Q.C.M.P.I in ex; nice style, attractive elephant; SOLD
Roman Republic, First Triumvirate, C. Memmius C.f., 56 B.C.
The reverse refers to the victories in Bithynia and Pontus of the moneyer's uncle, C. Memmius L.f. Gemellus. Gemellus, son in law of Sulla, assumed the title imperator in 57 B.C.RR81744. Silver denarius, SRCV I 387, Sydenham 920, Crawford 427/1, RSC I Memmia 10, gVF, weight 3.523 g, maximum diameter 19.4 mm, die axis 135o, Rome mint, 56 B.C.; obverse head of Ceres right, wreathed in grain; reverse naked captive on one knee with hands bound behind his back, at the foot of a trophy of captured arms, C·MEMMI·C·F downward on right, IMPERATOR downward on left; toned, a little bit grainy; SOLD
Roman Republic, First Triumvirate, C. Memmius C.f., 56 B.C.
The reverse refers to the victories in Bithynia and Pontus of the moneyer's uncle, C. Memmius L.f. Gemellus. Gemellus, son in law of Sulla, assumed the title imperator in 57 B.C.RR58526. Silver denarius, SRCV I 387, Sydenham 920, Crawford 427/1, RSC I Memmia 10, VF, scratches, toned, weight 3.487 g, maximum diameter 19.1 mm, die axis 150o, Rome mint, 56 B.C.; obverse head of Ceres right, wreathed in grain; reverse naked captive at the foot of a trophy of captured arms, on right knee, hands bound behind his back, C·MEMMI·C·F downward on right, IMPERATOR downward on left; SOLD
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