Dear Friends! Today I want to share a coin which is connected with one of the most upright but one of the most disputed Roman Republicans too, Cato Uticensis, a Roman who I have admired already during my schooltime, and about whom we have hotly debated. Roman Republic, M. Cato Porcius, gens Porcia AR - quinar, 1.94g, 13.8mm, 180° Utica/North Africa, 47/46 BC obv. M.CATO.PRO.PR Head of youthful Bacchus, wreathed with ivy, r. rev. Victoria Virgo std. r., holding patera in r. hand and palmbranch over l. shoulder in ex. VICTRIX (TR as monogram) ref. Crawford 462/2; Sydenham 1054a; s 1383##; Porcia 11 rare, good VF This coin has been struck in Utica by permission of the Roman Senate. The rev. is a copy of the Denar Crawford 343 of another M. Cato from the year 89 BC. Roman Republic, M. Porcius Cato Salonianus, gens Porcia (Father of Uticensis) AR - denarius, 3.83g, 17.98mm, 180° Rome, 89 BC obv. Female bust, draped, hairs bound together (Roma?) behind ROMA (MA as monogram) below M.CATO rev. Victoria std. r., holding patera in r. hand and palmbranch over l. shoulder in ex. VICTRIX (TR as monogram) ref. Crawford 343/1b; Sydenham 596; Porcia 5 VF The rev, may depict Victoria Virgo, because we know, that Cato the Elder has erected a temple for her in Rome near the temple of Victoria. Marcus Porcius Cato was the great-grandson of Cato the Elder, known by his perpetual 'Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam!'. His very name was Marcus Porcius Priscus and to distinguish him from his great-grandfather he was named Cato Minor, Cato the Younger. The name Cato Uticensis he got not until his death in Utica. During a military stay in Macedonia he travelled to Pergamon to meet the Stoic philosopher Athenodoros Kordylion. The philosopher was so impressed by the young Roman that he followed him to Rome and lived until his end in Cato's house. By him Cato became a convinced Stoic who was living this philosophy as well. Politically he was an exponent of the optimates and therefore an emphatic adversary of the populares like Julius Caesar. He claimed the exact abidence of laws and demanded e.g. 65 BC when he was quaestor the repayment of the head-moneys which Sulla has payed during his proscriptiones. It's clear that this didn't make friends. Together with Cicero he fight against the Catilinarians - for whom Caesar definitely has had sympathies - and cares for their execution. He became opponent of Pompeius when Pompeius wants to get the a posteriori agreement of the Senate for his activities against Mithridates. Cato won and could establish again the Roman constitution. His understanding of duty often was seen as excessive correct. He was a man without compromises. But his dignitas however has been respected by all. When Caesar on Januar 11th 49 BC crossed the Rubicon this was actually the begin of the Civil War. Concerned about the Republic Cato now took the side of Pompeius. Because of the superior forces of Caesar they left Italy and could defeat him at Dyrrhachium. But soon after they were beaten thoroughly by Caesar at Pharsalos and Pompeius killed in Egypt. Cato succeeded in leading his army to North Africa to Metellus Scipio and the Numidian king Juba. They conquered Utica whose razing Cato could prevent. When Caesar in 46 BC crossed over to Africa he could defeat the discordant army leaders definetely at Thapsus. Now there was no hope at all particularly because the inhabitants of Utica were adherents of Caesar. Caesar has offered Cato safe conduct but Cato refused it and committed suicid as provided by the Stoic philosophy in such cases. Cato preferred to die with the Republic rather than outlive it. According to Plutarch he has read Platon's Phaidon before dying. The historical assessment of Cato the Younger is controversial. He is accused of having been legalistic, having set the law over all. He is said to have been pig-headed, someone who today we would eventually call a fundamentalist. Even of hypocrisy he has been charged because of his alliance with Pompeius. But I think - like others do as well - he was the last upright Republican. Ok, you can say that from the beginning he stood for a lost case, that he has fought for a matter which he couldn't win nat all. But I think that just this makes him adorable even if this term cannot match such a correct and obstinate man. In this sense there are some similarities with the much later Don Quichote. He failed because of the viciousness, corruptness and power-madness which characterized his time. Lukan (Pharsalia I, 128) said about Cato: "Victrix causa diis placuit, sed victa Catoni (The victorious matter pleased the gods, the defeated Cato)". What a sentence! Despite all of his contradictions his attitude and particularly his death in Utica have made him a bright example of the libera res publica. Sources: [1] Der kleine Pauly [2] Plutarch, Cato Minor, online (English) under http://www.greektexts.com/library/Plutarch/Cato_The_Younger/eng/index.html [3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cato_the_Younger Best regards
Nice Quinarius @Jochen . That is one that I have wanted to get. I have a relative who was Moneyer in 123 BCE, and became a Consul in 114 BCE: RR Porcius Cato 123 BCE AR Den Roma X Victory Biga Sear 149 Craw 274-1
@Jochen thank you for such an enjoyable writeup and interesting coins. I will share a denarius of Cato the Younger with the same reverse, also from Utica. Roman Republican AR denarius 47-46 B.C. M. Porcius Cato, African mint (Utica) Obv: draped female bust right (possibly roma), with hair tied, M CATO PRO PR before, border of dots Rev: Victory seated right, holding patera in right hand and palm branch in left hand; border of dots, VICTRIX in exergue Ref: Crawford 462/1c; RSC Porcia 9; BMC Africa 15
Great writeup @Jochen Here are 2 coins of Cato the Younger. Both are from the E.E.Clain-Stefanelli collection. M. Porcius Cato. Quinarius Africa 47-46, AR ( 13.5mm., 1.94g). Obv: Ivy-wreathed head of Liber r.; below, [M·CATO·PR]O·PR. Rev. Rev. Victory seated r., holding patera; in exergue, VICTRIX. Babelon Porcia 11. Sydenham 1054. Sear Imperators 47. RBW –. Crawford 462/2.Old cabinet tone, Very Fine.From the E.E. Clain-Stefanelli collection. Naville Numismatics Auction 33 Lot 391 July 16, 2017 M. Porcius Cato.AR Denarius Africa 47-46 BCE (18mm., 3.57g). Obv: M CATO PRO PR Draped female bust r. Rev: Victory seated r., holding patera. Babelon Porcia 9. Sydenham 1052. Sear Imperators 46. RBW –. Crawford 462/1c. SRCV 1 (2000) 1381. From the E.E. Clain Stefanelli collection. Naville Numismatics 29 February 26 2017 Lot # 560
