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Message:: [QUOTE="zadie, post: 8134118, member: 114699"]Hi y'all! In light of 2021 soon drawing to a close, I thought it'd be fun to share my favourite acqusitions and a little regarding how this year turned out for me as a collector of ancient coins. During the last 12 months, I have found myself suddenly and quite unexpectadly straying from the goals I had originally set out for myself at the beginning of the year; Sestertii of Nero, coinage of the 12 Caesar's, provincials of the republican era... Whether it was due to the pandemic or maybe some sort of crisis within myself I could literally not stop myself from buying new coins. Having an urge to curate a collection of coins that I truly care about, this left me feeling very unfulfilled and quite honestly pretty unhappy. Not until July, after many late night discussions with some of my collector friends have I managed to regain a little control over my addicition(?) <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie53" alt=":hungover:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> So, what type of coins have I been spending all my money on this year? Promagesterial Cistophori! The Roman Republic produced a form of government unique in antiquity and unparalleled in the documentation that has survived to this day. Combining my fascination of the republican political and legal system with my love of numismatics is what has driven my collecting in 2021. In my opinion, no other type of coins better highlights these systems and the form of government that existed in the republic during this era. This series of coins traces its origins to Pompey's return to Rome in 61 BC. After going east and conquering just about everything in sight, Pompey returned to Rome as a glorious hero with more looted silver than he knew what to do with. Much was deposited into the Roman treasury. The immense loot brought back by Pompey contained many coins of the relatively heavy cistophoric standard. Normally these would be melted down and made into smaller denarii. However, in 59 BC the senate was debating how to pay Quintus Tullius Cicero, then propraetor and governor of Asia. Already possessing a large quantity of coins in the local cistophoric standard, the senate made the decision to make these payments in cistophori. Q. Cicero was soon succeeded as governor of Asia by Titus Ampius Balbus in 58 BC. Balbus began anew the minting of the cistophori that the senate had sent during the tenure of his predecessor, striking them in his own name. [ATTACH=full]1417078[/ATTACH] I highly recommend William Metcalf's book on this subject, if my brief description succeeded in igniting any interest! 1. C. Fabius M.f (Hadrianus?) [ATTACH=full]1417082[/ATTACH] Promagesterial Cistophori. C. Fabius M.f Hadrianus as Proconsul of Asia. Pammenes, magistrate. AR Cistophoric tetradrachm, Tralles 57 BC. Serpents emerging from cista mystica; all within wreath / C. FABI M. F. PRO COS, Two serpents entwined by bow case, eagle above. In the left field, zebu over a meander, TPAΛ. In the right field, Apollo. ΠΑMMΕΝΗΣ in exergue. 26.90 mm, 12.20 g. Stumpf 32; Metcalf 325 (This coin, O4/R25) Ex NAC sale 52, 2009, 832. We know very little of the career and life of Gaius Fabius. He evidently served as praetor in 57 BC and was subsequently granted the proconsular command of Asia. The cognomen of Hadrianus is assumed based on other individuals of the Fabii that we know of from this time period. 2. C. Septumius T.f [ATTACH=full]1417085[/ATTACH] Promagesterial Cistophori. Gaius Septumius as Proconsul of Asia. Herakleides, magistrate. AR Cistophoric Tetradrachm, Ephesus. Dated year 79 (24th september 56 - 24th of september 55 BC. Serpents emerging from cista mystica; all within wreath / C•SEPTVMI•T F PRO COS. Two serpents standing by decorated bowcase surmounted by platform on which two facing fasces; OΘ (date), EΦE, bow and quiver to left. In the right field, torch of Ephesus. HPAKΛEIΔHΣ in exergue. 25mm, 12.44 g. Stumpf 36. Four examples known to me: ANS Wits, British Museum, Roma E56, 518 and this coin. Septumius served as praetor in 57 BC and vigorously supported Cicero's return from exile. After his term, he was given the proconsular command of Asia in 56. As the mints of Laodice and Apamea had recently been transferred to the neighbouring province of Cilica, he only struck coins in the three remaining Asian mints: Tralles, Pergamum and Ephesus. The cistophori of Septumius are dated "Year 78" (57-56 BC) and "Year 79 (56-55 BC). Septumius survived the civil war and subsequently served as augur in 45 BC.  In a speech to the senate following his return from exile, Cicero says the following:  “Caius Septimius, Quintus Valerius, Publius Crassus, Sextus Quintilius, and Caius Cornutus, all devoted all their energies to the promotion of my interests and those of the republic. And while I gladly make mention of these things, I am not unwilling to pass over the wicked actions done by some people with a view to injure me. It is not suited to my fortunes at present to remember injuries, which, even if I were able to revenge them, I still would rather forget. All my life is to be devoted to a different object: to that of showing my gratitude to those who have deserved well of me; to preserving those friendships which have been tried in the fire; to waging war against my open enemies; to pardoning my timid friends; to avoiding the showing those who deserted me any indignation at having been forced to leave the city; to console those who promoted my return by a proper display of my dignity.” 3/4. C. Pulcher [ATTACH=full]1417093[/ATTACH] Promagesterial Cistophori. Gaius Claudius Pulcher as Proconsul of Asia. Euanthos, magistrate. AR Cistophoric Tetradrachm. Pergamum 55-53 BC. Serpents emerging from cista mystica; all within wreath / C. PULCHER PRO COS. Two serpents entwined by bow case; In the left field, monogram of Pergamon. In the right field, Asclepius' staff. EYANΘΗΣ / [ΜΕ] in exergue. 28mm, 11.43 g. Stumpf 49 [ATTACH=full]1417094[/ATTACH] Promagesterial Cistophori. Gaius Claudius Pulcher as Proconsul of Asia. Aristokles, magistrate. AR Cistophoric Tetradrachm. Tralles 55-53 BC. Serpents emerging from cista mystica; all within wreath / C. PVLEHR PRO COS. Two serpents entwined by bow case; In the right field, raised hand holding olive branch. [API]CTOKΛEC in exergue. 24 mm, 12,09 g. Stumpf 55 Note on this coin: The greek engraver of this die has misspelt the governor's name, incorrectly engraving PVLEHR instead of PVLCHER. Spelling mistakes done by engravers unfamiliar with latin became a slightly regular occurance in Asia. With this type alone, I know of four different spelling variations to both the governor's name and his title. Born to the famed gens Claudia, one of the oldest and most powerful families in Rome, Gaius Claudius Pulcher was the son of Appius Claudius Pulcher (Consul in 79 BC). He was brother to Publius Claudius Pulcher, who was infamously adopted into a plebian family and changed his name to Clodius in order to serve as Tribune of the Plebs in 59. Gaius chose to align himself with his brother and was elected Praetor in 56, energetically supporting the Populares in Rome. After he served term his term to completion, he was given the province of Asia to govern. His command was repeatedly prorogued as was other governors in the area. Cicero writes that Claudius intended to run for the consulship of 53 but was still stuck in his province until late that year. Returning to Rome, Claudius found himself under prosecution for embezzlement. He was found guilty and sentenced to exile. 5. C. Fannius [ATTACH=full]1417105[/ATTACH] Promagesterial Cistophori. Gaius Fannius as propraetor of Asia. Mantitheos, magistrate. AR Cistophoric tetradrachm. Apameia, 49/48 BC. Serpent emerging from cista mystica; all within wreath / C. FAN PONT PR. Two serpents flanking a tetrastyle temple, surmounted by a female cult statue holding patera and sceptre. MΑΝΤΙΘ[ΕΟΣ / MΑΝΤΙΘΕΟΥ]. Stumpf 57. Fannius served his term as governor of Asia just as the Roman civil war started in 49 and is the last known governor to strike cistophori in his own name. His coins are known from all five mints of Asia; Pergamum, Ephesus, Apamea, Tralles and Laodicea. He was supposed to serve out his term as propraetor in the province of Sicily but was replaced by Marcus Porcius Cato and sent to Asia instead. Serving his term as governor during a tumultous time for the republic, it seems that he continued his career as a partisan of the conspirators, serving Cassius during the Siege of Rhodes in 42 BC. That's it! I'm excited to see what 2022 brings <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />[/QUOTE]

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