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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Bing, post: 2624209, member: 44132&quot;]As the title reflects, this is my first coin for the year 2017.&nbsp; It&#039;s an interesting Republican coin in it&#039;s own right, but first some background (probably more than you ever wanted to know)</p><p><br /></p><p>The gens Minucia was a Roman family, which thrived from the earliest days of the Republic until imperial times. The gens was of patrician origin, but better known by its plebeian branches.&nbsp; The Minucii gave their name to the street known as the Via Minucia, the Pons Minucius, a bridge on the Via Flaminia, and a columned hall on the Campus Martius. The gate known as the Porticus Minucia was named after the consul of 110 BC.</p><p><br /></p><p>Minucius Augurinus was the first of his gens to become a Roman consul in 497 BC.&nbsp; He again served as consul for a second time in 491 BC. During his first consulship, he was charged with the consecration of the newly constructed Temple of Saturn in the Roman forum. It was during this time that the festivities surrounding Saturnalia first began. Thank you Minucius from all of us on CT Ancients.</p><p><br /></p><p>He was again elected consul for 491 BC which is important to my new coin. There had been a famine in Rome in the previous year, and in 491 BC a significant quantity of corn was imported from Sicily at the behest of Minucius.&nbsp; He was credited for his distribution of corn to the common people at a low price.</p><p><br /></p><p>The reverse of my coin refers to a bronze monument erected outside of Portia Trigemina (at Rome) to L. Minucius Augurinus for his distribution of corn at a good price for the Roman people. The column and statue (a modius with corn ears) was erected at public expense some time after. Undoubtedly there are subtle issues to this reference that did not survive the passage of time.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]576186[/ATTACH]</p><p>I. MINUCIUS C.F. AUGURINUS</p><p>AR DENARIUS</p><p>OBVERSE: Head of Roma right, star behind</p><p>REVERSE:&nbsp; TI MINVCI C F on left, RO-MA above, AVGVRINI on right; 2 togate figures, one holding a simpulum, the other a lituus, standing by statue on column, grain ears on either side of the column</p><p>Rome, 134 BC</p><p>3.86g, 17mm</p><p>Cr243/1, Syd 494, Minucia 9[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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