A Roman denarius from the newly-founded colony of Narbo

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by red_spork, Oct 8, 2015.

  1. red_spork

    red_spork Triumvir monetalis

    Praefectuspic.jpg

    In 121 BC, the Roman consul Quintus Fabus Maximus, with the help of Cnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus, defeated the powerful Gallic tribe known as the Allobroges in the province of Gallia Transalpina(Gaul on the other side of the Alps). This victory was important because it helped secure a key land route linking Italy and Hispania(Spain). Not ones to let a good thing go to waste, the Romans quickly began building a road through the province, the "Via Domitia", leading to Spain and founded Colonia Narbo Martius(modern-day Narbonne, France) along this road. Cnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus(son of the previously mentioned man of the same name) and L. Licinius Crassus were named magistrates of this new colony, along with junior magistrates M. Aurelius Scaurus, L. Cosconius, C. Malleolus, L. Pomponius, L. Porcius Licinus, and were apparently given the authority to mint denarii. Crawford lists 5 different varietes of this denarius, all serrate, and all with the same devices, differing only in that each one lists a different junior magistrate on the obverse. This one is variety 4, the most common, bearing the name of L. Pomponius on the obverse, however this is a slightly rarer subvariety in which the "D" in the reverse legend is reverse.

    Now that I've bored you a bit with the history, take a look at the devices on this denarius. At first glance, it might look like your standard "Roma/Victory in biga" type, but upon closer inspection you'll see that it isn't victory at all in the biga. In place of victory is a bearded warrior holding a gallic-style shield and a carnyx, a traditional Celtic war horn, and hurling a spear. Some authors have tried to say that this is mars depicted in the biga, but as Crawford points out, there really can be no mistake, this is a Gallic warrior depicted on a Roman denarius, which makes this issue all the more fascinating. This, coupled with the fact that the issue is serrated and that there are multiple dies with reversed letters(which is almost unheard of with issues from the Rome mint) suggests that this is not a Roman issue but an issue of the mint at Narbo.

    Aside from the interesting-ness of this issue in general, a big factor in me choosing this coin was that the reverse is about as perfect as I could find that I could afford. Many of these come off struck or with bad metal, so to find one after months of looking whose reverse was nearly perfectly centered and with minimal wear, on top of beautiful toning, meant that the decision to purchase was made almost as soon as I saw the coin. I was lucky enough to talk the dealer into a very good deal as well, which made it even sweeter.

    AR denarius(21mm, 3.7g). L. Licinius Crassus, Cn. Domitius Ahenobarbus and associates, 118 BC. Narbo, Gaul mint. L·POM – P – ONI – C NF Helmeted head of Roma right / Bearded warrior in fast biga r., holding shield, carnyx and reins and hurling spear; in exergue, L·LIC·CN·D(reverted)OM. Crawford 282/4. Sydenham 522a. BMCRR 1193.
     
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  3. TIF

    TIF Always learning.

    Well, I'll be darned. At a casual glance I assumed the reverse figure was Jupiter but that is indeed a spear rather than thunderbolt.

    Great coin! The reverse is especially nice :)

    Minor point about the attribution: Isn't the coin typically catalogued under moneyer L. Pomponius?
     
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  4. David Atherton

    David Atherton Flavian Fanatic

    Beautiful coin and excellent write-up!
     
  5. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    I almost bought a coin like this a couple of days ago. It certainly is an interesting reverse and one I would eventually want to get. Love the carnyx. Very nice Red. I just need to buy more coins! That's all there is to it.
     
  6. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    ra1630bb0291.jpg
    I once had one of these but gave it to a student I hoped would appreciate the added interest of serrate fourrees.
     
  7. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

    Superb example, Spork, particularly the reverse.

    Are these all from Narbo? I see some attributed as Rome issues and some Narbo; I can't tell the difference. I also commonly see the Gallic warrior attributed as Bituitus, the Arverni king who was captured and paraded in the triumph at Rome.

    Coincidentally, my C. Malleolus just arrived today :).

    upload_2015-10-8_20-54-55.png
     
  8. ancientcoinguru

    ancientcoinguru Well-Known Member

    Love the history! A beautiful coin.
     
  9. John Anthony

    John Anthony Ultracrepidarian

    Great read and great coin. The Gallic warrior is superb!
     
  10. Alegandron

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

    Excellent write up! Well done @red_spork ! Very nice specimen. I captured the same in a lot a while ago, albeit NOT in the quality example that you have! Mine is off-struck and misses the Gallic Warrior detail that you acquired. Obv encircled with moneyer name C MALLE C F with X value for the *. But...I got it!
    upload_2015-10-8_9-15-8.png upload_2015-10-8_9-16-33.png

    My book: Roman Coins and Their Values Vol 1 by David R Sear pub Spink & Son reprinted 2006 lists this as Sear 158 - L. Licinius Crassus and Cn Domitius Ahenobarbus with L. Cosconius, C. Malleolus, L. Pomponius, or L. Porcius Licinius, 118 BCE. Extraordinary issue...
    Also, @TIF you HAVE to read the Roman names in your head in the PROPER Latin pronunciation... none of that modern era soft pronunciation of the consanents and you must use the oo sound for u, etc... :D
     
    Last edited: Oct 8, 2015
  11. John Anthony

    John Anthony Ultracrepidarian

    Agreed. On that note, let's all learn to say Traheeahnoos rather than Trayjuhn. However, this can backfire. My very sophomoric teenagers think it's a hoot that there was an emperor named Poopy-anus.
     
  12. Alegandron

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

    LOL, yes...
     
  13. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    Great writeup but really beautiful coin!
     
  14. red_spork

    red_spork Triumvir monetalis

    As Alegandron pointed out, you see it both ways in major references and I've seen it both ways in auctions as well. I think it could be catalogued under L. Pomponius just as well though.

    Very nice example. Yours is the rarest of the major varieties of this issue. Some older references do list Rome but I have to agree with Crawford that it almost has to be Narbo based on there being multiple dies with reverted letters as well as the fact that the style of Roma seems to be noticeably different than Rome's other issues of this period. As far as Bituitus, it is definitely possible, that's what Sear lists and you see arguments for both. We may never know exactly what the Romans were trying to show on this issue.
     
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  15. John Anthony

    John Anthony Ultracrepidarian

    Is it possible that Maximus and/or Ahenobarbus were of Gallic ancestry, and that we are seeing one of them (as Victory) in the chariot?
     
  16. Mikey Zee

    Mikey Zee Delenda Est Carthago

    'Red', BEAUTIFUL COIN!!!! And your history narrative, or those of others, NEVER bores me.


    I have also...and bid on one recently but lost. It seems e-Bay and the seller ACM are always just beyond my grasp....here's the coin I ALMOST had:
    acm obverse.jpg acm denarius.jpg
     
  17. red_spork

    red_spork Triumvir monetalis

    That's a beauty. Shame you lost it. I've had no luck with eBay recently at all. One seller disliked my "best offer" price so much he raised the buy it now price and I bid on three Furia(full name of moneyer escapes me) denarii with Janus obverse in the past month and lost every single one of them. Luckily I managed to win everything I bid on in Tuesday's Agora auction so I should have some more really cool Republican coins(some of which are ex RBW) to show next week.
     
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  18. Alegandron

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

    WOW, My camera did it again... it picks up a LOT of detail, including the scratches that my eyes just do not pick up... Some bored ancient must have known that I would capture this into my collection, as he or she monogrammed an 'A' on the reverse for me! How considerate! :D
     
  19. Alegandron

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

    LOL, you must have beat me out across the board: I had about 15 that I shot-gun bid (fair but low). I did finally snag the 260 BCE Roman Litra. :)
     
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  20. red_spork

    red_spork Triumvir monetalis

    One historical note I somehow forgot to mention is that this city was actually connected to a second important road shortly after its founding. The "Via Aquitana", built during this same period but slightly after the "Via Domitia", ran west from Narbo approximately 400km to the Atlantic. Being at the intersection of these two very important roads made Narbo an extremely important city for trade in the region.
     
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  21. red_spork

    red_spork Triumvir monetalis

    I won the Cr. 42/4 "grain/corn ear" uncia (struck in Sicily during the siege of Syracuse), the Cr. 85/1a Anonymous quinarius(ex RBW), the Cr. 232/4 Cn Gellius quadrans(Ex. Goodman, EX RBW) and the Cr. 383 denarius, though the name of the moneyer escapes me at the moment. All except the uncia went close to my max bids, but I liked the coins so much that I bid basically low retail prices for everything.
     
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