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Crawford 124/1, ROMAN REPUBLIC, Meta Series, AR Victoriatus
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Rome, The Republic.
Meta Series, 206-195 BCE.
AR Victoriatus (3.02g; 19mm; 5h).
Rome Mint.
Obverse: Laureate head of Jupiter, facing right.
Reverse: Victory standing toward right, crowing trophy with wreath; meta in field between; ROMA in exergue.
References: Crawford 124/1; Sydenham 259 (R5); BMCRR 494-5; RBW 569 (this coin).
Provenance: Ex RBW Collection [NAC 61 (2011) Lot 563]; bought from Charles Hersh in March 1998; Lawrence Collection [Glendining (7 Dec 1950) Lot 37]; Haeberlin Collection [Cahn/Hess (17 Jul 1933) Lot 310 (part)].
Shortly after the introduction of the denarius coinage, the Romans began adding symbols and letters to their coins. This Victoriatus contains a meta symbol on the reverse. A meta was a tall, conical, turning post. There was a meta at either end of the central divider of the Circus Maximus, denoting the turning point for chariot races. These turning posts probably served a critical function as the dirt and dust clouds from the chariots and their teams likely obscured participants’ visibility. During the Flavian period (nearly 300 years after this coin was struck) the Meta Sudans, so named because of its water feature, was erected in Rome as a turning point for triumphal processions.
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![Crawford 124/1, ROMAN REPUBLIC, Meta Series, AR Victoriatus
Rome, The Republic.
Meta Series, 206-195 BCE.
AR Victoriatus (3.02g; 19mm; 5h).
Rome Mint.
Obverse: Laureate head of Jupiter, facing right.
Reverse: Victory standing toward right, crowing trophy with wreath; meta in field between; ROMA in exergue.
References: Crawford 124/1; Sydenham 259 (R5); BMCRR 494-5; RBW 569 (this coin).
Provenance: Ex RBW Collection [NAC 61 (2011) Lot 563]; bought from Charles Hersh in March 1998; Lawrence Collection [Glendining (7 Dec 1950) Lot 37]; Haeberlin Collection [Cahn/Hess (17 Jul 1933) Lot 310 (part)].
Shortly after the introduction of the denarius coinage, the Romans began adding symbols and letters to their coins. This Victoriatus contains a meta symbol on the reverse. A meta was a tall, conical, turning post. There was a meta at either end of the central divider of the Circus Maximus, denoting the turning point for chariot races. These turning posts probably served a critical function as the dirt and dust clouds from the chariots and their teams likely obscured participants’ visibility. During the Flavian period (nearly 300 years after this coin was struck) the Meta Sudans, so named because of its water feature, was erected in Rome as a turning point for triumphal processions.](albums/userpics/34967/normal_MetaVictoriatus.jpg "Click to view full size image
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Crawford 124/1, ROMAN REPUBLIC, Meta Series, AR Victoriatus
Rome, The Republic.
Meta Series, 206-195 BCE.
AR Victoriatus (3.02g; 19mm; 5h).
Rome Mint.
Obverse: Laureate head of Jupiter, facing right.
Reverse: Victory standing toward right, crowing trophy with wreath; meta in field between; ROMA in exergue.
References: Crawford 124/1; Sydenham 259 (R5); BMCRR 494-5; RBW 569 (this coin).
Provenance: Ex RBW Collection [NAC 61 (2011) Lot 563]; bought from Charles Hersh in March 1998; Lawrence Collection [Glendining (7 Dec 1950) Lot 37]; Haeberlin Collection [Cahn/Hess (17 Jul 1933) Lot 310 (part)].
Shortly after the introduction of the denarius coinage, the Romans began adding symbols and letters to their coins. This Victoriatus contains a meta symbol on the reverse. A meta was a tall, conical, turning post. There was a meta at either end of the central divider of the Circus Maximus, denoting the turning point for chariot races. These turning posts probably served a critical function as the dirt and dust clouds from the chariots and their teams likely obscured participants’ visibility. During the Flavian period (nearly 300 years after this coin was struck) the Meta Sudans, so named because of its water feature, was erected in Rome as a turning point for triumphal processions.")
