Roman Republic: ca. 103 BC silver denarius of Q. Minucius Thermus

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by lordmarcovan, Jul 21, 2023.

  1. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan 48-year collector Moderator

    I’ve always liked this type. Pile on with your examples, if you’ve got ‘em.

    6BD2187D-7402-4D32-AB49-897AA462AFE0.png
     
    lordmarcovan, Jul 21, 2023
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  3. Curtis

    Curtis Well-Known Member

    Ooh, that's a great example!
     
    Curtis, Jul 21, 2023
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  4. Ancient Aussie

    Ancient Aussie Well-Known Member

    Very nice indeed, congrats.
     
    Ancient Aussie, Jul 21, 2023
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  5. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    Very nice example. This is my poor cousin to your example
    Minucius Thermus Mf.jpg
     
    Bing, Jul 21, 2023
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  6. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan 48-year collector Moderator

    Still looks plenty cool with some wear on it.
     
    lordmarcovan, Jul 22, 2023
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  7. Curtis

    Curtis Well-Known Member

    Well... I don't have this type, but I've got one with the same obverse (Mars with a flowery helmet looking left).

    It's actually from the immediately following issue (OP coin is Crawford 319/1, mine is 320/1, both traditionally dated to 103 BCE). Maybe they even shared the same engravers (if the CAESAR were off-center, you could be forgiven for thinking it's the obverse of a Thermia denarius).

    It also makes an interesting comparison in the following way...

    From the most hard-core, gritty realistic scene of Roman violence on the rev.: armored warriors in mortal combat (Q Mincius Thermia, Cr. 319/1) ...

    To the weirdest wimpiest Roman fever-dream fantasy: plump little winged baby cupids flying a chariot down the Via Appia for a leisurely Sunday morning passeggiata (L. Julius Caesar, Cr. 320/1)

    Julius Lf Caesar Denarius Ex Leo Benz 2K-1K.jpg
    RRC. L. Julius L.f. Caesar (Moneyer) AR Denarius (3.92g, 17mm, 12h), Rome, 103 BCE.
    Obv: CAESAR. Helmeted head of Mars, left, to left: ·ꓘ.
    Rev: B L·IVLI·L·F. Venus in biga driven by winged Cupids, lyre below; above: ·ꓘ.
    Ref: Crawford 320/1 [ANS CRRO 320.1].
    Pub: ANS RRDP, Schaefer Binder #19 (Processed, 300-399): p. 119 (ꓘ) & p. 121 (·ꓘ).
    Prov: Ex Scipio Collection, Part III [Soler y Llach 1124 (23 Feb 2022), Lot 458]; Leo Benz (1906-1996) Collection [Lanz 88 (23 Nov 1998), Lot 407]; Kricheldorf 29 (3 Mar 1975), Lot 249.

    ​
     
    Curtis, Jul 22, 2023
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  8. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan 48-year collector Moderator

    I think the Cupid chariot is a perfect companion piece!

    PS- one wonders who left their lyre in the road, eh?
     
    lordmarcovan, Jul 22, 2023
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  9. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    [​IMG]
    Roman Republic
    Minicuis Thermus 103 BCE
    AR Denarius
    Mars beardless looking left (maybe looking at @Roman Collector , trying to figure out these Old English words for his name...) :)
    2 Warriors fighting over fallen warrior
    Sear 197 Cr 319-1
     
    Alegandron, Jul 23, 2023
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  10. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    The Anglo-Saxon equivalent of Mars is Tiw. Therefore, Mars' day became Tiwesdæg and is now pronounced as Tuesday.
     
    Roman Collector, Jul 23, 2023
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  11. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan 48-year collector Moderator

    Nice bit o’ trivia
     
    lordmarcovan, Jul 28, 2023
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  12. Original Skin Coins

    Original Skin Coins Max B

    An example I sold years back with some nice toning.

    temp3.png
     
    Original Skin Coins, Jul 28, 2023
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  13. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan 48-year collector Moderator

    Indeed, that has nice toning. Nice strike, too. I used to own another with nice toning, but it was lower grade than the one in the OP above.
     
    lordmarcovan, Jul 28, 2023
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  14. GinoLR

    GinoLR Well-Known Member

    Two warriors fighting over a fallen warrior is a very ancient theme. It existed since the Bronze Age. We find it on a 15th c. BC Mycenian intaglio from Pylos :

    upload_2023-8-1_14-21-25.png

    and two centuries later on a relief of the Abu Simbel Temple under Ramses II :

    upload_2023-8-1_14-24-47.png
     
    GinoLR, Aug 1, 2023
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  15. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan 48-year collector Moderator

    Boy, that Mycenean gem! Wow!!! :greedy:
     
    lordmarcovan, Aug 2, 2023
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