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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;cmezner, post: 3173266, member: 87809&quot;]I have just one Janus L. Plautius Hypsaeus bronze:</p><p><br /></p><p>Obverse: L PL H LUCIVS PLAVTIVS bearded head of the two-faced god, Janus; I above</p><p>Reverse: prow of a war gallery, facing right. Monogram LPHL above, I (mark of value) to right.</p><p>33 x 34 mm, 28.97 g</p><p>Rome, 194 - 190 BC</p><p>Crawford 134.2; Sydenham 333;</p><p>Despite its huge size, these coins were used for everyday transactions and would have had enough buying power to purchase a large bottle of wine or a few nights accommodation for a weary traveler.</p><p>Representations of Janus occur, as well on the early Roman As as on those of a much later date, marked by the names of families. All these coins present a double head, which procured for Janus, among the ancients, the appellation of Bifrons. Both faces exhibit a long beard, while the head itself is variously ornamented.</p><p>The head of Janus on one side, and the prow of a ship on the other, is an almost perpetual type on the Roman As. Several ancient writers have alluded to this fact, and the reason for it. Macrobius says &quot;This Janus having hospitably received Saturnus, who had come with a fleet to Italy, and after been instructed by him in agriculture, has improved the rude and savage mode of living which had prevailed before fruits were known, he bestowed upon him (Saturnus) a share in the kingdom. He was the first also who stamped brass; and in this too, he displayed his respect for Saturnus; for, as he had arrived in a ship, on one side was expressed a likeness of his own head, and on the other a ship, to perpetuate the memory of Saturnus. That the money was so stamped, may be gathered from the present-day game &#039;pitch and toss’, in which boys, throwing up their denarii, cry out &#039;heads or ships?’</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]816064[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]816065[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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