Back in 1988 I went to my first major U.S. coin show which was the Long Beach Show in June of that year and bought this coin Unciae of Capua 216-211 B.C. 7.94 grams 20 mm diameter HN 493 HGC 391 I was planning to compare it to a recently purchased Victoriatus Victoriatus LT series Luceria 214-212 B.C. 3.22 grams Crawford 98A/1b. While doing research I noted in the RBW Collection that their Victoriatus from Rome Crawford 44/1 is dated to ...after 218 B.C. ... I am curious about the change in dating as traditionally these coins were dated starting in 214 B.C.
As far as discussion on dating of the victoriatus, I recommend checking out "When quantification makes a difference: a preliminary attempt to arrange early victoriati by extensive die studies" by Pierluigi Debernardi and Roberto Lippi which presents preliminary results of the largest die study ever conducted on the victoriati. There is some discussion in there as to the origin, necessity and purpose of the victoriatus and why it might be earlier even than the start of the denarius. It's a long read, but well worth it. I don't have one of these LT victoriati but I do have a related Luceria victoriatus that I really need to reshoot. Like yours it is fairly bright silver and hard for me to photograph. I really need to try again and reshoot it:
I understand Hannibal occupied Capua starting in 216-212 BCE. These coins were minted during that period under Capuan Magistrates allied with Hannibal. I believe your Uncia is not a Roman coin. Capua - Defected to Hannibal in 216 BCE after the Battle of Cannae. Hannibal had promised that should Rome be destroyed, Capua would become the capital of Italia. Subsequently, when Rome retook Capua in 211 BCE, they punished the Capuans severely, and destroyed much of their coinage to erase any memory of Hannibal. Coins from Capua from this period are difficult to capture: Campania, CAPUA AE Uncia Attribution: SNG ANS 210 Date: 216-211 BC Obverse: Bust of Diana right, with bow and quiver over shoulder Reverse: Boar right, one pellet above, KAPV (retrograde) in exergue Size: 20.72 mm Weight: 6.56 grams 2nd Punic War - Hannibal promises Capua as Capital of Italia after Rome destroyed. Scarce
My Victoriatus was minted by a traveling military mint in southern Italy during the late war against Hannibal in the south. Roman Republic AR Victoriatus, Anonymous, ca. 211-208 B.C. Uncertain mint(traditionally, Vibo Valentia). Laureate head of Jupiter right. Border of dots Victory standing right, crowning trophy with wreath; between, VB; in exergue, ROMA. Line border. Crawford 95/1a Notes: Traveling Roman Military Mint in Southern Italy
does anyone think the victoriatus was intended to resemble the capuan bronze of the period right before rome captured capua?
This paper comes to mind where the author argues for this interpretation. As for me I'm not sure whether the victoriati or the Capuan coins come first. The design was not something brand new and among others was featured on the tetradrachms of Agathokles well before either coin came about. We know both the denarii and victoriati have their origin in a relatively small window during the first half of the Second Punic War: sometime circa 217 to about 211 BC but exactly which year each of them came about and the exact sequence of early issues is quite mysterious and as far as I know no one is any more certain about the exact chronology of this Capuan type so it is hard to be sure one way or another at least for me. Some of the researchers of this era are more certain about the chronology than I am and might give more certain answers but I, personally, am still trying to reconcile everything.
