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Antestius Denarius, 146 BCE, Dog Running (Water Spaniel w/ "Lion Cut"?)
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Roman Republic. C. Antestius AR Denarius (3.81g, 19mm). Rome, 146 BCE.
Obv: C•ANTESTI (ANTE ligate) to l. Head of Roma right, X below.
Rev: ROMA in ex. Dioscuri, each holding spear, riding r.; dog running r., both fore-feet raised.
Ref: Antestia 1; Crawford 219/1e; BMCRR Rome 859.
See also: Giulio DeFlorio's page on this type, hosted by FORVM: [LINK].
Prov: Ex-Artemide Aste srl e-Auction 11 (26 Jan 2020), Lot 236
Notes: Although hounds were also popular on Greek coinage, Roman Republican denarii provide more varied depictions of the breeds and contexts of dogs in their society. This issue is notable for illustrating what might be described today as a “lion cut,” popular for poodles and other water dogs.
This dog has been identified as a proto-poodle, or water spaniel of some sort – a working dog. The “lion cut” permits buoyancy and warmth as the dog retrieves fowl from water. A similar breed, similarly groomed, is portrayed by Caesius (Cr. 298/1), but in a distinctly domestic setting, hinting that, already in antiquity, canine coiffure may have been as much about fashion as function.
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