SHRINE, L.Mussidius Longus

AR denarius. 42 BC. 4,02 grs. Diademed and veiled bust of Concordia right. CONCORDIA behind. / Platform inscribed CLOACIN on which there are two statues of Venus Cloacina. L. MVSSIDIVS LONGVS above.
Crawford 494/42a. RSC Mussidia 6b.
The shrine of Venus Cloacina,goddess of purity,filth,sexual intercourse and the divinity of the Cloaca Maxima,was a small sanctuary near the Tabernae Novae (prope cloacinae ad tabernas quibus nunc novis est nomen, Livy III.48) on the Roman Forum,in front of the Basilica Aemilia.
The origins of the cult possibly ,dates back to the founding of Rome and the rape of the Sabine women ( traditur myrtea verbena Romanos Sabinosque,cum propter raptas virgines dimicare voluissent,depositis armis purgatos in eo loco qui nunc signa Veneris Cloacinae habet, Pliny NH XV.119.)
The erection of the first shrine belongs probably to the first period in the history of the Cloaca Maxima.
The existing remains,discovered at the turn of the XIXth century (1899-1901),consist of a round marble base ( 2.40 mtrs.diameter) with a rectangular projection over a slab of travertine and eight courses of different types of stone. Nothing remains of the small round structure with a metal balustrade and the two female statues,one holding a flower ? and representing Venus Cloacina,that can be seen on the reverse of the coin.