My latest denarius completes a 2-rat set. Jugurtha in chains, public domain image by M. S. Maélla, from La conjuracion de Catilina y la Guerra de Jugurta por Cayo Salustio Crispo, Madrid, published by Joachin Ibarra, 1772, p. 97. Jugurtha, co-ruler of Numidia, killed his cousin and brother by adoption, Hiempsal. A Roman senate corrupted by bribes, led by Lucius Opimius, looked past Jugurtha's crime and split the Kingdom of Numidia between Jugurtha and Adherbal. This was 116 BC, in the Roman republic. It would not be long before Jugurtha killed his other brother to gain control of Numidia. The Jugurthine War (112-106 BC) between Rome and Numidia resulted in a triumph for Marius, the rise of Sulla, the capture and eventual death of Jugurtha. His capture is commemorated on a coin (Crawford 426) issued by Sulla's son, Faustus Sulla, in 56 BC, a type which has so far eluded me (CNG image - not my coin). This coin is my latest addition from this time period 112-111 BC. Note the rat facing left on the coin above and right on the coin below. Roman republic, Ti. Quinctius, 112-111 BC, AR denarius, Rome mint Obv: Laureate bust of Hercules left, seen from behind, wearing lion's skin, with club over shoulder Rev: Two horses galloping left, a desultor riding the nearest one; control letter above O• or B (• above); TI Q below horses divided by rat to facing (left or right) ; D • S • S incuse on tablet in exergue Ref: Crawford 297/1a (rat left) and 297/1b (rat right); I've added a longer write-up for these coins to my "Notes" : Rats in Rome, with additional coins, context and some speculation on the subject of the reverse. @zumbly has a great coin of this type which surfaced in @DonnaML's "Denarius 46: Desultor" - a thread to visit for more information on desultor. Livy describes the utility in the 2nd Punic War of the acrobatic skill of a desultor (on the reverse): “And not all of his Numidians were placed on the right wing, but only those who, taking two horses apiece after the manner of performers, had the custom of leaping armed from the tired horse to the fresh, often in the very heat of battle; such was the agility of the men, and so well-trained their breed of horses." -Livy, The History of Rome, xxiii.29.5 As always: coins, comments, corrections and contributions are all appreciated. Post your coins of Numidia, RR denarii from this period, or anything else you find interesting or entertaining.
Ti. Quinctius. (112 - 111 B.C.) AR Denarius O: Laureate bust of Hercules left, seen from behind, with club over shoulder. R: Two horses galloping left, with a desultor riding the nearest one; •/H above, rat below, •D•S•S on tablet in exergue. Rome Mint 3.68g 20mm Crawford 297/1b; Sydenham 563; Quinctia 6
This is an interesting question from your blog... Could the desultors be well closely associated with Numidians in the minds of Romans? Could the rat have some meaning related to Numidian betrayal in jumping sides during the War with Carthage or Romans jumping sides between Jugurtha and Adherbal? Could substituting desultor for dioscuri on the reverse be a comment about the political circus of the times? It's easy to imagine a desultor symbolizing vacillation, but did rats carry the same connotation to ancient Romans that they do today? In some cultures, rats have symbolized wealth and surplus. If you're born in the Year of the Rat (Chinese Zodiac) you may be smart, nimble, full of vitality and enterprising spirit, etc. Here are the legendary second and fourth kings of Rome on a denarius of C. Censorinus. “Numa Pompilius (753–673 BC; reigned 715–673 BC) was the legendary second king of Rome, succeeding Romulus after a one-year interregnum. He was of Sabine origin, and many of Rome's most important religious and political institutions are attributed to him, such as the Roman Calendar, Vestal Virgins, the cult of Mars, the cult of Jupiter, the cult of Romulus, and the office of Pontifex Maximus.” [wiki] Ancus Marcius (c. 677–617 BC; reigned 642–617 BC) was the legendary fourth king of Rome. Upon the death of the previous king, Tullus Hostilius, the Roman Senate appointed an interrex, who in turn called a session of the assembly of the people who elected the new king. Ancus is said to have ruled by waging war as Romulus did, while also promoting peace and religion as Numa did. [wiki] The reverse features a desultor. IF YOU LIKE THIS COIN CLICK HERE. ROMAN REPUBLIC. C. Censorinus, moneyer. AR Denarius, 19mm, 3.4g, 10h; Rome, 88 BC. Obv.: Jugate heads of Numa Pompilius and Ancus Marcius right. Reverse: Desultor riding one of two horses galloping right; spear below. Reference: Crawford 346/1d. ex Sulla Collection
Great coins and write up Sulla! I did love reading about Marius. The "new man" who made it all the way to the top! Here mine before and after removing the plug
It is the question on my mind as well. Romans didn't differentiate mice and rats except by size - both were mus. They did fatten mice in a special jar called a gliarium. There are several recipes reported including "mouse dipped in honey and dusted with poppy seeds" and "mouse stuffed with pork". To add to my risky speculation - perhaps the fat mouse on my coin represents the greedy politician fattening up on the bribes of Jugurtha. A gliarium, Museo archeologico nazionale di Chiusi, photo by Marco Daniele, used under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Shucks, that's awfully nice of you to say, JA. Of course, I'm increasingly less nimble these days. A fun double-rat set comprised of two very nice examples! The Faustus Sulla type is on my perpetual want list. This period has some of my favorite RR coins... ROMAN REPUBLIC. T. Didius AR Denarius. 3.88g, 19.4mm. Rome mint, 113-2 BC. T. Didius, moneyer. Crawford 294/1; Sydenham 550. O: Helmeted head of Roma right; [XVI monogram below], monogram of ROMA behind. R: Two gladiators (paegniarii?) fighting, one attacking with a whip, the other defending with a staff (or sword); T.DEIDI in exergue. Ex Prof Dr Hildebrecht Hommel Collection, acquired from Hirsch, auction 71, 17 March 1971, lot 477 ROMAN REPUBLIC. Ti. Quinctius AR Denarius. 3.83g, 20mm. Rome mint, 112-111 BC. Crawford 297/1b; Sydenham 563; Quinctia 6. O: Laureate bust of Hercules left, seen from behind, wearing lion skin across shoulders, club over right shoulder. R: Two horses galloping left; a desultor riding the nearest one; ./X above, rat below; TI and Q; D.S.S incuse on tablet in exergue. Ex Demetrios Armounta Collection, acquired from Seaby on 12 Sep 1963 ROMAN REPUBLIC. Lucius Caesius AR Denarius. 3.81g, 20mm. Rome mint, 112-111 BC. Lucius Caesius, moneyer. Crawford 298/1; Sydenham 564; Caesia 1. O: Youthful, draped bust of Vejovis left, seen from behind, hurling thunderbolt, ROMA monogram to right. R: Two Lares seated right, each holding a staff; dog standing between them, head of Vulcan and tongs above, LA on left, monogram on right, L.CAESI in exergue. Ex Archer M. Huntington Collection, ANS 1001.1.24953. ROMAN REPUBLIC. Q. Lutatius Cerco AR Denarius. 3.88g, 19.6mm. Rome mint, 109-108 BC. Q. Lutatius Cerco, moneyer. Crawford 305/1; Sydenham 559; Lutatia 2. O: Helmeted head of Roma (or Mars) right; mark of value to left, ROMA above head, CERCO below chin. R: Galley right with head of Roma on prow; Q.[LVTATI]/Q in two lines above; all within oak wreath. Ex Estate of Thomas Bentley Cederlind, purchased from Kirk Davis
and just to muddy the waters - or add another speculative idea to the mix: "The appearance of white mice constitutes a joyful omen. For we have our Records full of instances of the auspices being interrupted by the squeaking of shrews. Nigidius states that shrews themselves also hibernate as do dormice, which sumptuary legislation and Marcus Scaurus the Head of the State during his consulship ruled out from banquets just as they did shell-fish or birds imported from other parts of the world." -Pliny, Natural History, 8.82.1 Legislation banning dormice in 115 BC from banquets - perhaps that is what the coin is referencing. Imagine the dullness of life without an occasional dormouse snack.
John, I'm glad you brought up the meaning of rats in Chinese & East Asian cultures . The Chinese had such high esteem for the rat that they gave it 1st place in their zodiac. The origin of the Asian animal zodiac began when Gautama Buddha was on his deathbed. The first 12 animals to reach the Buddha before he died would be honored in the zodiac. Just before the parade of animals reached the Buddha, the ox was in the lead & the exhausted rat was riding on his back. The sneaky rat jumped off of the ox to great the Buddha first & was honored as the 1st animal on the zodiac . The ox earned 2nd place . I was born in the year of the rat (1948) & take no shame in that designation . Picture below is a Chinese rat carved in dark green jade, 80 mm long, that was given to me by a dear friend.
