Featured Roman Republic denarii with reverses showing animals (other than horses)

Glad your coin made it through to you, Donna! It sure is a nice one.

Here’s a modern lyre with key. It’s not an instrument that has developed significantly in design since ancient times, so it looks like you and Crawford have it right:

 

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The KEY reminded me of this song...

 

I'm SO glad DonnaML over ruled your penalty! I was just in my car ready to go to the post office to mail these two coins to you as punishment!


By the way, your aes grave are beautiful as well.

 

And one more new member of my Republican zoo, joining the other animals today.

Roman Republic, P. Satrienus, AR Denarius, 77 BCE. Obv. Helmeted head of Mars right, control-numeral [[upside-down T]XXXVIIII = 89] behind/ Rev. She-wolf standing left with right front paw raised, ROMA above, P. SATRIE-NVS in two lines below. RSC I Satriena 1, Crawford 388/1b, Sear RCV I 319 (ill.). 18 mm., 3.87 g., 3 hr.


Some notes:

1. I was a bit confused at first by the upside-down capital T at the beginning of the control-number on the obverse, until I realized that it was one of the original forms of "L," meaning 50. See John Melville Jones, A Dictionary of Ancient Roman Coins (Seaby 1990) at p. 212 (listing the seven signs used in the Roman system of numerals, including "L (originally [upside-down T] or [down-arrow]) = 50."

2. According to Crawford (see Vol. I, No. 388, at pp. 403-404), "the she-wolf of the Capitol, apparently portrayed here, . . . . has no original connection with the wolf that nursed Romulus and Remus . . . , but was perhaps adopted as a symbol of Rome after the defeat of those rebel Italians who likened Rome to a predatory wolf . . . ; if this is right, the type is perhaps anti-Italian in intention." (Citations omitted.) Contra RSC I at p. 86, stating that this type does, in fact, "refer[] to the founding of Rome. Mars was the father of Romulus and Remus."

3. It's getting crowded in my apartment with all these animals now that I never go out -- after all, my Republican zoo includes a bull, a snake, a lion, a griffin, a dolphin, a hound, a wounded boar, another snake, a Cretan goat, a domestic pig, and a she-wolf, plus a Pegasos, a race horse, and a war horse. Considering that I own only 17 Republican coins in total, that's a sizeable menagerie! Not to mention all the Philip I & family and other animals in my Imperial zoo, including a couple of lions, a stag, an antelope, a hippo, a moose, a goat, and a panther. (Not even counting a stable-full of horses.) And even though I have only six ancient Greek coins, they collectively include an owl, two dolphins, two eagles, a Pegasos, and a regular horse. And then there are all the antiquities I have depicting animals! But they do keep me company, and they don't seem to bother my cat.

4. For those considering having coins sent from overseas via DHL, it certainly seems to work well from the UK, without any customs delays. I purchased this coin from London Ancient Coins over the weekend, and they sent it off with DHL at 5:53 am London time on Monday morning (i.e., 11:53 pm Sunday night, New York time.) It arrived at the door of my apartment in New York City at 5:08 pm today, Tuesday -- i.e., 41 hours and 15 minutes later.

 

Another new animal has joined the crowd:

Roman Republic, Mn. Fonteius C.f., AR Denarius, Rome Mint 85 BC. Obverse: Laureate head of Apollo* right, MN. FONTEI behind (MN and NT in monograms), C.F below chin, thunderbolt below neck / Rev. Cupid or winged Infant Genius** seated on goat standing right, caps (pilei) of the Dioscuri above, thyrsus (staff surmounted by pine cone) of Bacchus below; all within laurel-wreath. RSC I Fonteia 10 (ill.), Crawford 353/1c, Sydenham 724a, Sear RCV I 271 (ill.). Size: 20mm, 3.93g.





* RSC I (at p. 49) identifies the obverse head as Vejovis, a little-known Italian deity whose temple contained a statue depicting him holding arrows and standing next to a goat. See J.M. Jones, A Dictionary of Ancient Roman Coins (Seaby, 1990) at p. 315 (entry for Vejovis). Crawford and RCV I disagree and identify the head as Apollo. Given that David Sear was credited, along with Robert Loosley, with the revisions for the 1978 Third edition of RSC I (which continued to identify the obverse as Vejovis, four years after Crawford was published), I think it's safe to assume that Sear had changed his mind about this identification by the time RCV I was published in 2000. (In the 1981 edition of RCV at p. 67, Sear identifies the head on this coin as "Apollo Vejovis" -- a halfway position, I suppose!)

** RSC I (at p. 49) identifies the winged figure on the reverse as an "infant Genius," whereas both Crawford and RCV I identify the figure on the reverse as Cupid. See Crawford Vol. I at p. 369, RCV I at p. 123. Crawford also characterizes the reverse as Dionysiac, presumably given, among other things, the association of the thyrsus with Bacchus. See Crawford Vol. I at pp. 369-370; see also RCV I at p. 123 and Jones at p. 128, mentioning this coin and calling it "likely . . . Dionysiac" in the entry for "Goat."

_____

I looked at several examples of this coin at the NYINC in January and was very tempted to buy one, but didn't because I thought that on all of them, the reverse figures looked disproportionately tiny compared to the size of the coin. I'm glad I waited; the Cupid and goat seem much more proportionate to me on this example.

 

I don't recall seeing a pig above...

Denarius of C. Sulpius C.f. Galba
Obv. D.P.P. - Jugate, laureate heads of the Dei Penates left
Rev. P - Two soldiers standing facing each other, holding spears and pointing at sow which lies between them
Exergue: C. SVLPICI C.F.
Mint: Rome (106 BC)
Wt./Size/Axis: 3.86g / 19mm / 0h

• Crawford 312/1

Stags?
Anonymous denarius
Obv. X - Helmeted head of Roma right
Rev. Diana in prancing biga of stags right, holding torch and reins; below, crescent
Exergue: ROMA
Mint: Rome (ca. 143 BC)
Wt./Size/Axis: 3.82g / 18.7mm / -

• Crawford 222/1

Pegasus is no ordinary horse.

Denarius of L. Cossutius C.f. Sabula
Obv. SABVLA - Head of Medusa left, winged and entwined with serpents
Rev. L. COSSVTI. C.F / XXXVI - Bellerophon, hurling spear, on Pegasus
Mint: Rome (74 BC)
Wt./Size/Axis: 3.88g / 18mm / 6h

• Crawford 395/1

Can't forget an anguiped giant

Denarius of Cn. Cornelius L.f. Sisenna
Obv. SISENA / X ROMA - Helmeted head of Roma right
Rev. Jupiter in quadriga r., holding sceptre, reins and thunderbolt; on either side, star; in upper field, head of Sol and crescent; below horses, anguipede giant with thunderbolt
Exergue: CN CORNELI L F.
Mint: Rome (Ca. 118-107 BC)
Wt./Size/Axis: 3.80g / 21mm / -

• Crawford 310/1
• RBW 1153

Scylla - whose body is comprised of the upper part of a maiden and a lower part made from fish tails and the foreparts of three dogs. Why not, I suppose?

Denarius of Sextus Pompey
Obv. MA(G. PIVS) IMP. ITER - Lighthouse of Messana, surmounted by a statue of Neptune; galley moving left in foreground
Rev. PRAEF C(LAS. ET ORAE MARIT. EX S. C.) - Scylla wielding rudder with both hands raised over her head.
Mint: Sicilian (42-40 BC)
Wt./Size/Axis: 3.32g / - / 0h

• Crawford 511/4a

And an eagle...

Denarius of L. Aurelius Cotta
Obv. X - Draped bust of Vulcan right, wearing laureate pileus, tongs and * behind; within myrtle-wreath
Rev. L.COT - Eagle on thunderbolt right; in laurel-wreath
Mint: Rome (105 BC)
Wt./Size/Axis: 3.57g / 18.8mm / 9h

• Crawford 314/1b

ATB,
Aidan.

 

Great coins. That's some snout on that pig in the first one!

 

GOAT BIGA


RR C Renius AR Denarius 18mm 3.8g Roma 138 BC Helmeted hd Roma r X - C RENI ROMA Juno driving biga goats r whip reins scepter Cr 231-1


GOAT SACRIFICE (after the Biga Race)


RR AR Denarius 3.88g L Pomponius Molo 97 BCE Rome Apollo Numa Pompilius stdng Lituus alter sacrifice goat Cr 334-1 Syd 607


PEGASUS


RR AE Double Litra 235 BCE 19.5mm 6.54g Rome mint Hercules r club - Pegasus r club ROMA Cr 27-3 HN Italy 316 S 591

 

GIRAFFE? DRAGON?


Macedon, Amphipolis
AE Semis, 21mm, 9.0g, 12h; 187-31BC
Obv.: Laureate head of Zeus right.
Rev.: AMΦIΠO / ΛITΩN; prow right, S to left, monograms to right.
Reference: cf. SNG Cop 69 / Rare
Ex: @John Anthony
COMMENT: This is minted by locals in Amphipolis during the Roman Republic control of Macedonia. Clearly inspired by RR bronze types, with the local variations of a very long-necked figurehead.


WOLF's HEAD - JUST the Head...


RR Egnatius Maxsumus 76 BCE Bust Libertas pileus behind- Roma Venus stndg cupid on shoulder, Roma's foot on Wolf Head S 326 Cr 391-3

 

So, here is my (admittedly small, but my funds aren't unlimited!) collection of 18 Roman Republican denarii all together in their tray, in chronological order. You can see them all pretty well if you click on the photo.



Of the 18, 13 qualify for the theme of this thread: a pig, a bull, a Pegasus, a goat, a snake, a lion, a gryphon, a wolf, a dolphin, a hound, a wild boar with a hound, another snake, and a Cretan goat. Plus the last coin really qualifies too, because of the snakes on the side of Medusa's head on the obverse. Plus two with horses makes 16. The only ones without any animals at all are the Janus coin (with Roma crowning a trophy of Gallic arms on the reverse), and the Q. Thermus coin with soldiers fighting on the reverse and Mars on the obverse. They do both have non-humans, though!

It's not as if I plan to stop at 18 forever. There are plenty of other animals out there in the wild.

 

@DonnaML, I really like your collection. I always have liked the Viturius, your first coin in your tray. The oath scene was very solemn and impactful in Central Italia. Although, I do not have that coin (yeah, I plan to get one), I have a similar Oath Scene. This one is from Italia, and the 8 members within the scene has been purported that it represents the 8 original Tribes that banded together to fight the Romans during the Social War... very solemn.

The irony of the Social War is that although the Italian Allies were defeated militarily (Sulla eventually waged extermination war on the Samnites), the Romans actually lost this war politically. The Italian Allies eventually received Roman Citizenship that they originally demanded.


Marsic Confederation / Italian Allies
Social War 90-88 BCE
AR Denarius
19x17.9mm, 3.7g
Anonymous Issue, Corfinium Mint
Obv: Italia head, l, ITALIA behind
Rev: Oath-taking scene with eight warriors, four on each side, pointing their swords towards a sacrificial pig, which is held by an attendant kneeling at the foot of a standard.
Comment: The reverse is based on the gold Stater and Half-Stater from the Second Punic War, and the Ti Viturius denarius...
Ref: Sear 227; SYD 621

 

That was the first Roman Republican coin (and one of the first Roman coins) I ever bought, more than 30 years ago. Which is why it's in the most worn condition of all of them; I care more about that kind of thing now! Of course, it's also the oldest of them all, and it isn't so easy to find an example in great condition.

 

This latest addition to my Roman Republic zoo is the now the oldest resident, and in lesser condition than many of the others. On the other hand, it was about half the price of some other examples I saw, and both stags' antlers are visible. So as far as I'm concerned, it qualified for admission!

Roman Republic, C. Renius, AR Denarius 138 BCE. Obv. Helmeted head of Roma right, X behind / Rev. Juno* in biga of goats right, holding scepter and reins in left hand and whip in right hand, C • RENI below goats, ROMA in exergue. RSC I Renia 1, Crawford 231/1, Sydenham 432, Sear RCV I 108 (ill.). 17 mm., 3.8 g.

* RSC identifies her as Juno Caprotina. Crawford disagrees; Sear does not mention the theory.

 

RR denarii are my favorite category - and although I am clearly very late to this party - there is still at least one denarius with an animal reverse that hasn't shown up yet.

M. Plaetorius M.f. Cestianus, 67 BC, AR Denarius, Rome mint
Obv: CESTIANVS - S.C, bust of female deity to right, draped and wearing the helmet of Minerva, the laurel wreath of Apollo, the crown of Isis, the wings of Victory and with the bow and quiver of Diana on her back and with a cornucopia before
Rev: M PLAET-ORIVS M F - AED - CVR, eagle standing right on thunderbolt, head left, wings spread
Ref: Crawford 409/1; Sydenham 809; Plaetoria 4

The obverse deity is interesting on this coin with Isis, Minerva, Apollo, Diana, Victory, Sabine, Vacuna, Tanit, Fortuna on the obverse. There is debate as well about the date between 67 and 57 BC.

Michael Crawford rejects Vacuna and sees Isis as a possibility and the reverse a Ptolemaic eagle.
M García-Bellido sees Tanit in "PUNIC ICONOGRAPHY ON THE ROMAN DENARII OF M. PLAETORIUS CESTIANUS", American Journal of Numismatics (1989-), 1, 37-49
Michael Harlan sees Fortuna Primigenia

 

And another new addition to my Roman Republic zoo. Oddly enough, it's my first eagle. (The footnote at the end of my description gives the results of a little bit of research I did on the possible symbolic meaning of the eagle and the other objects depicted on the reverse, in the context of the politics of the time.)



Roman Republic, Q. Cassius Longinus, AR Denarius, 55 BCE, Rome Mint. Obv. Young male head of Genius Populi Romani [Crawford & RCV] or Bonus Eventus [RSC] right, with flowing hair, scepter behind, border of dots / Rev. Eagle, with wings spread, standing right on thunderbolt, lituus [curved augural staff used in reading auspices] to left and capis [jug used in same rituals] to right, border of dots; Q • CASSIVS in exergue. Crawford 428/3, RSC I Cassia 7 (ill.), Sydenham 916, Sear RCV I 391 (ill.), BMCRR Rome 3868. 19 mm., 3.77 g., 6 h. Ex. Ancient Resource, Glendale, CA; Ex. Zuzim Inc., Brooklyn, NY.*

* According to Crawford (Vol. I at p. 452), the eagle, lituus, and capis together symbolized imperium. He suggests that they refer to the Lex Cassia of 104 BCE, introduced by L. Cassius Longinus, under which individuals who had been deprived of imperium by popular vote, or had been convicted of a crime in a popular assembly, were excluded from the Senate.

This coin is also discussed in Roberta Stewart, The Jug and Lituus on Roman Republican Coin Types: Ritual Symbols and Political Power, in Phoenix Vol. 51, No. 2 (Summer, 1997), pp. 170-189 at pp. 181-182 (DOI: 10.2307/1088493, https://www.jstor.org/stable/1088493). The author notes that the eagle and thunderbolt were “auspical signs associated with Jupiter, the god of the auspices,” and that both moneyers in 55 BCE were adherents of Pompey, “whose position in 56-55 was problematical.” Thus, the coin’s allusion to these traditional symbols of political power -- reading auspices was a predicate to the conduct of public business -- “identif[ied] Pompey’s desire for political and military prestige with the political and religious values of Rome.”

 

Very nice Longinus, @DonnaML ! I forgot that I had Eagles...



RR Plaetorius Cest 67 BC AR Den Helmeted Diety quivr cornu S-C Eagle tbolt S 349 Cr 409-1


And, well, it isn't a Denarius, but, this is a cool RR Pre-Reform 211 Coin:


Roman Republic
AE Sextans 217-215, Anonymous
Æ 29.5mm., 24.54g.
Obv: She-wolf suckling twins; in exergue, two pellets.
Rev. ROMA Eagle standing r., holding flower in beak; behind, two pellets.
Ref: Sydenham 95. RBW 107. Crawford 39/3.
From the E.E. Clain-Stefanelli collection.
Ex: Naville

 

Does a satyr count as an animal? Since it's my thread and I make the rules for it, I say yes -- just as I would for a centaur, a pegasus, a capricorn, a hippocamp, or a criocamp. (Probably not too many of you know what a criocamp is without looking it up!) After all, the satyr on this coin does have a tail. Anyway:

Roman Republic, Lucius Marcius Censorinus, AR Denarius, Rome Mint 82 BCE. Obv. Laureate head of Apollo right, traces of control mark (unidentifiable) behind / Rev. The satyr Marsyas standing left, gazing upwards, raising right hand and holding wineskin over left shoulder; tall column behind him, surmounted by statue of draped figure (Minerva [RSC] or Victory [Crawford]); L. CENSOR downwards before him. Crawford 363/1d, RSC I Marcia 24d, Sear RCV I 281 (ill.), BMCRR 2657. 18 mm, 3.80 g, 5 h.



A detail of Marsyas:



According to Crawford, the moneyer probably chose the satyr Marsyas as the subject for the reverse of this coin as a play on his own nomen, Marcius, from the gens Marcia. See also http://www.ancientcoingallery.net/categories?Ruler=L. Marcius Censorinus&Category=Roman_Republican: "The symbolism may refer to the moneyer’s family line, the gens Marcia, who claimed legendary descent from Marsyas. It may also be connected to the Social Wars - Marsyas was regarded as a symbol of political freedom, particularly free speech."

To make the connection between Marsyas on the reverse and Apollo on the obverse, for those not familiar with the relevant myth, I'll quote from the entry for Marsyas in John Melville Jones, A Dictionary of Ancient Roman Coins (London 1990) at p. 176:

"In Greek mythology Marsyas was a satyr who challenged the god of music, Apollo, to a [musical] contest in which the loser was to suffer the punishment decreed by the victor. When he lost he was flayed alive. A statue of a satyr with a wineskin which stood in the Forum at Rome bore the name of Marsyas and was regarded as having a symbolic meaning. Reproductions of it were set up in the forums of some provincial cities as a sign that they had been granted the same civic rights as Italian cities."

 

1-1/2 Animals...


Roman Republic
Anonymous.
214-212 BCE
AE Quadrans
28.1 mm, 19.28 g, 1 h
Sicilian mint.
Obv: Head of Hercules right, wearing boar's-skin headdress; three pellets behind / Rev: ROMA, bull charging right; grain ear and three pellets above, snake below. Crawford 72/7; Sydenham 94.
black patina, lightly porous.
Ex RBW collection (not in previous sales).

 

I will slip this one in whilst nobody is looking too hard....

L Papius Denarius Serratus

Obv:– Head of Juno Sospita right, wearing goat skin tied under chin. Behind head, horse's head.
Rev:– Gryphon running right; in ex., L. PAPI.; in field, donkey's head
Minted in Rome from . B.C. 79.
Reference(s) – RSC Papia 1. RRC 384/1. RCTV 311.
Symbol variety – RRC 193. Babelon unlisted. BMCRR unlisted. CNR unknown

 

I love the donkey control mark. I don't remember ever seeing a donkey on a Roman coin before, as a control mark or otherwise.