Roman Republican Denarius # 47: Another elephant (+ # 48!)

I think I'm developing an elephant habit, Roman Republican and otherwise. I couldn't resist this one, which becomes my 6th ancient elephant coin (not counting a couple with elephant-skin headdresses). It may only depict the head, trunk, and one tusk of an elephant, but I still think it's fantastic! (Especially since it cost < $200, which is relatively inexpensive these days.)

Roman Republic, Anonymous [probably Caecilius Metellus Diadematus or Caecilius Metellus Delmaticus], AR Denarius 128 BCE. Obv. Head of Roma right, wearing winged helmet, * [monogram for value: XVI asses] behind; otherwise anepigraphic / Rev. Pax or Juno driving biga galloping right, holding reins and long scepter in left hand and branch (olive or laurel) in right hand; elephant head under horses, facing right with trunk curving down, wearing bell dangling from neck; ROMA in exergue. Crawford 262/1, RSC I Caecilia 38 (ill.), BMCRR 1044, Sear RCV I 138, Sydenham 496. 18.5 mm., 3.89 g., 11 h.*




*One of only four anonymous Roman Republican denarii after ca. 154 BCE (see also Crawford 222/1, 287/1, & 350A/2), and the only one of the four that can be identified with near-certainty. See Crawford Vol. I at p. 287, explaining that the elephant head with dangling bell depicted on the reverse signals that the moneyer belonged to the Caecilii Metelli family, and recalls the victory of L. Caecilius Metellus, Cos. 251, over Hasdrubal at Panormus in 250 BCE, and the capture of Hasdrubal’s elephants. (See also the denarii depicting elephants or elephant heads issued by, e.g., M. Metellus Q.f. [127 BCE, Crawford 263/1a-1b], C. Caecilius Metullus Caprarius [125 BCE, Crawford 269/1]; Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius [81 BCE, Crawford 374/1]; and Q. Caecilius Metullus Pius Scipio [47-46 BCE, Crawford 459/1].) Therefore, it is generally accepted that this denarius was issued by either L. Caecilius Metellus Diadematus (Cos. 117), or L. Caecilius Metellus Delmaticus (Cos. 119), with the authorities seemingly preferring the former, given that his three brothers all held the moneyership. (Id.; see also Sear RCV I at p. 99.)

The uncertainty in identifying the goddess in the biga arises from the inability to identify definitively the branch she holds: an olive branch would mean that the goddess is Pax, and a laurel branch would mean that she is Juno Regina. (See Crawford at p. 287.) Grueber (in BMCRR) and Seaby (in RSC) identify the goddess as Pax; Crawford and Sear note both possible identifications. If there's anyone here who can make a definitive identification, the numismatic world will owe you a debt of gratitude!

***

Of the other Caecilii Metelli elephant denarii I mention above, the only one I own is the Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius [81 BCE, Crawford 374/1] -- note the bell:



Of the three other post-154 BCE anonymous Republican denarii I mention above, the only one I own is Crawford 287/1:



Please show (1) your coins of the Caecilii Metelli, whether or not they depict elephants, (2) any elephant coins you haven't posted recently, regardless of their origin or era, and/or (3) any post-154 BCE anonymous Republican denarii you may have.

 

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That is a really interesting coin! Thanks for sharing!
John

 

Nice pickup, Donna. A great coin. Thanks for sharing.

 

Donna, Those are lovely coins ! If you get any more elephants you'll be known as the Pachyderm Princess .

 

Donna, that's not a problem!

"I'm developing an elephant habitat"...that's a problem...

You always find nice specimens!

 

This coin deserves a long write up...
This denarius alludes to the most ancient traditions of Rome and briefly illustrates the symbols of the founding of the city. The birds in flight, in particular, recall the auspices drawn by Romulus. It is significant that it is anonymous (the last authentically anonymous denarius), confirming the celebratory function of the city rather than of a gens. According to McCabe, it may have been issued by the gens Cornelia, due to the fact that it recalls the type of Fostulus (Cr. 235/1).
105 BC (648 BC), the year of the consulate of Gneo Manlio Massimo and Publio Rutilio Rufo, a terrible year for the city. The glorious city-state that federated Greeks and Italics around itself and then expanded its power throughout the western Mediterranean, conquering peoples with weapons and assimilating them with laws and engineering wonders, could disappear forever. The historical moment is already difficult in itself: the maintenance of the subjugated territories costs continuous and exhausting military efforts; the war against the Celtiberians lasted 20 years and ended only in 133, with the conquest of Numantia; the clashes with the Ligurians continued for a century, until the conquest of the Salluvii capital in 123; the revolt of Giugurta led to 7 years of fighting, which just ended with the capture of the king. But in this context there is a much greater danger, a mortal danger: a new invasion of Italy.
In 105 it certainly seemed possible to the Romans that their parable was about to end, that the city of the Tiber could suffer the same treatment it had inflicted on its rival Carthage. It is this sentiment to be kept in mind in order to understand - and appreciate - the work of an unknown, young magistrate who decided to take advantage of his position as triumvir monetalis to sing a solitary ode to the greatness of the city, to its humble but divine origins, to the her unwavering military strength that had always allowed her, like the mythological phoenix, to rise from the ashes. Coin issues have been used for years by moneyers to make their name known; the last anonymous denari appeared in 169/156 (RRC 182/1, 197/1 and 198/1) and in 143 (RRC 222/1), then nothing more. But our man, our Roman, does not want to pass on the memory of himself, although perhaps he belongs to an illustrious and very ancient patrician gens (like the Cornelii). He believes that his coin may be one of the last issued by the city and wants it to pass on its glory. Dust off, after forty years of oblivion, the practice of anonymous emissions; adopts a large flan, almost as if he wanted to produce a commemorative medal; and produces a beautiful coin, stylistically refined. On the obverse it bears the personification and name of Rome. The rear is even more significant. Rome appears again, or - better to say - the goddess Rome. Leaning on a spear, symbol of her warrior prowess, she reviews (I would say, "melancholy") her mythical origins: two twins abandoned to the fury of the river and saved by a she-wolf; a flight of birds, the same as that of Romulus, one of the twins who had become an adult, confirmed the approval of the gods for the foundation of the city. Above all, an important detail, the goddess sits on a heap of shields and helmets. They are the weapons of the vanquished, the many who dared to oppose his mission by finding defeat. from this certainty its citizens must start again, in order not to be overwhelmed by panic after the defeat of Arausio. Rome, which started from very humble origins (= the she-wolf) but blessed by the favor of the gods (= the flight of birds), has become great thanks to the military valor (= the spear) with which it has defeated the armies (= the shields and the helmet) by absorbing the enemies into one's domain (= the act of sitting on the enemy's spoils).

 

Nothing to add. I have avoided the standard chariot types except when they add something 'special' and that certainly includes elephants. Do you believe that is a bell hanging from the elephant's neck?


This Maues, Baktria, 90-57 BC, AE28 certainly is belled. It was struck considerably later than the denarius.

 

Fantastic 'elephant' denarius Donna with an excellent write-up!

 

A nice example of the Metellus, and I like the Bactrian coin, which I've never seen before.

Yes, I do think that's a bell hanging from the elephant head on Crawford 262. It's described that way by every authority I know of, and I don't know what else it would be. It sort of resembles the bell on the second coin I posted above, the Crawford 374.

 

Does anyone have an example of any of the other Metellus elephant coins I mentioned in the OP, such as Crawford 263 (depicting a Macedonian shield with an elephant head in the center), Crawford 269 (Jupiter driving a biga of elephants), or Crawford 459 (archaic Jupiter/elephant standing right)? I've been looking for an example of the Macedonian shield coin for a while, but it seems very difficult to find one on which both the reverse legend and the elephant head can be clearly seen.

 

@DonnaML Perhaps this example for crawford 263 (NOT MY COIN):

NAC Auction 120, Lot 518

 

That one will do just fine! I see that the elephant head on it seems to wear a bell too.

 

I've had this habit for 40 years - probably incurable.

Here is my Crawford 459.1


The style can be described as bold or crude, according to taste

I also have a fouree example of Crawford 262.1. I don't usually
collect fourees, but I found this one rather pleasing :



I agree with you that the elephant is wearing a bell - this seemed
to be quite usual in the ancient world. I think I've shown my
favorite before



Baktria, Greco-Baktrian Kingdom, Demetrios I Antiketos. Circa 200-185 BC. AE Triple Unit 27mm, 12.96gm. Attic standard.

and another with bell



Baktria. Menander ca 160-145 BC. AE Square Chalkos. Pushkalavati Mint.

 

Elephant! This one is ex-Houghton:


Laodike IV, wife and sister of both Seleucus IV and Antiochus IV.
Selucia in Pieria, 175-164 BC.
AE 3.33 gm; 15 mm.
Obv: Veiled bust of Laodike IV, r.
Rev: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ, elephant head l.; prow.
Refs: Houghton, CSE 113 (plate coin); Forrer 183.

 

Here are a couple of RR elephant denarii I haven't noticed above.

Cr 269/1 (bad photo'!).



Cr 369/1. Similar reverse to Cr. 263/1, but with Apollo on the obverse.



Of course, there are other denominations with elephants too.

Cr. 262/2 (semis to go with the denarius in original post)


And a quadrans in the same series - Cr. 262/4.




ATB,
Aidan.

 

Thank you, @akeady. Nice! I very much like the elephant biga, and don't think the photo is bad at all. I hardly ever see that type available. Also, I had no idea that the Macedonian shield/elephant head reverse of Crawford 263 was "reissued" years later with Apollo on the obverse, as Crawford 369, by another member of the family -- M. Metellus Q.f. Direct copies of earlier issues weren't that common in the Republic, I think. According to Crawford (pp. 387-388), the evidence indicates that this (and the next two issues [370 & 371], copying Crawford 264 and 265) were Sullan issues. "The purpose of the three 'restored' issues was perhaps to enable Sulla to issue a civil coinage without appointing a new triumvirate of moneyers for 82, perhaps to celebrate the restoration of the Republic in 80, after the abdication of the dictatorship, in any case to honour his most noble and senior supporters" including members of the Caecilii Metelli family. (Citations omitted.)

 

Thank you, @eparch. That's one of the best fourrees I've seen. I assume that you're able to tell because the plating is a bit worn away in a couple of spots? As far as your Crawford 459 is concerned, I'd call it bold, not crude, even if the elephant is a bit strange-looking!

So what was the purpose of putting bells on elephants in the first place? Google doesn't really give a satisfactory answer, although it seems that the practice originated in India and must have been adopted in Greco-Roman portrayals. Was it really because without bells elephants are so likely to sneak up on you without your noticing? I didn't think they were exactly as quiet as cats! Or is it to protect them from tigers by making a noise, as one site suggests? Or is the portrayal of elephants with bells on Roman coins symbolic, as of the defeat of the Carthaginians and the capture and control of their elephants? I'd say it symbolizes man's domination and taming of nature, but that's more of a Judeo-Christian concept!

 

Yes - I've got these types:

Cr 371/1:


vs. the earlier Cr. 265/1:


Cr. 369/1:


vs. Cr. 263/1a



Cr. 370/1b:



and Cr. 264/1




ATB,
Aidan.

 

An intriguing question. There are a number of Bactrian coins portraying
elephants, and I have not yet come across one without a bell. Does
anyone know of such ?
Could they be a sign of ownership by the King and/or army ?
Or just an indication that they were tame, not wild ? Alas, there are
no surviving Bactrian sources to consult.

 

Thank you for yet another superb informational write-up, Donna - and for posting those pics of the great “elephant coins” you recently added to your collection. I am afraid I only have one “elephant coin” in my own collection now and I have posted pics of it so many times that CT’ers must be tired of seeing it. However, in compliance with your request:


Sestertius, RIC, Vol. I, Tiberius, No. 68, AD 36-37 (35mm, 22.6gm)
Cataloged in Wildwinds under Augustus - Sear 1784

Coin obverse depiction: Augustus, radiate, togate, holding laurel branch in r. hand and long sceptre in l. hand, seated on throne, placed on a car, drawn l. by four elephants, each bearing a mahout on its neck. The side of the car is ornamented with shields.
Inscription across top in three lines DIVO AVGVSTO SPQR

Coin reverse depiction: Large, centered S C
Inscription clockwise from top: TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVST PM TR POT XXXIIX

I love “elephant coins” and you have a very nice collection of them now Donna. Please post photos of any new ones you acquire.