Not too often I get to add a Roman Republic. Here is a popular type I have wanted for awhile. M. Sergius Silus. (116-115 B.C.) AR Denarius O: Helmeted head of Roma right; mark of value behind. R: Soldier on horseback rearing left, holding sword and severed head of barbarian; Q below. Rome Mint 21mm 3.74g Crawford 286/1; Sydenham 534; Sergia 1.
Nice JOB @Mat !!! As you have said before, the Republicans are getting too expensive and harder to get. Yours looks great. All details are there, and well centered. Cool. I think mine is playing "Horseback-Basketball", with no real detail of the head he is carrying... RR Sergius Silas Quaestor 116-115 BCE Roma Severed Gaul Head Sear 163 Craw 298-1
Did someone say severed heads? Helmeted head of Roma right EX SC before, ROMA and XVI in monogram gehind Helmeted horseman galloping left, holding sword and severed Gallic head in left hand M SERGI below, SILVS in ex, Q below horses's forelegs Rome 116-115 BC 3.91g Sear 163, RRC 286/1 This issuer strikes as a quaestor and by special decree of the Senate (EX Senatus Consulto). Quaestors were the immediate superiors of the moneyers and under unusual circumstances occasionally utilized their authority to produce coins. Ex-Lucernae
Love this type and the history behind the the star of the reverse! ROMAN REPUBLIC. M. Sergius Silus AR Denarius, 19mm, 3.9g, 9h; Rome, 116-115 BC. Obv.: Helmeted head of Roma right; ROMA and XVI monogram behind, EX•S•C before. Rev.: Soldier on horseback rearing left, holding sword and severed Gallic head in left hand; Q M SERGI below, SILVS in exergue. The above coin celebrates the military exploits of Marcus Sergius, who John Anthony rightfully described as the Roman Republican Rambo. I'm going to let Pliny explain this one: Nobody - at least in my opinion - can rightly rank any man above Marcus Sergius, although his great-grandson Catiline shames his name. In his second campaign Sergius lost his right hand. In two campaigns he was wounded twenty-three times, with the result that he had no use in either hand or either foot: only his spirit remained intact. Although disabled, Sergius served in many subsequent campaigns. He was twice captured by Hannibal - no ordinary foe- from whom twice he escaped, although kept in chains and shackles every day for twenty months. He fought four times with only his left hand, while two horses he was riding were stabbed beneath him. He had a right hand made of iron for him and, going into battle with this bound to his arm, raised the siege of Cremona, saved Placentia and captured twelve enemy camps in Gaul - all of which exploits were confirmed by the speech he made as praetor when his colleagues tried to debar him as infirm from the sacrifices. What piles of wreaths he would have amassed in the face of a different enemy! Natural History, Book 7 Chapter 28
Bing, I was noticing the detail on some of these heads. It's pretty tiny too. The one thing that I have always enjoyed seeing is finely done drapery were it looks translucent.
