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ROMAN REPUBLIC
ANCIENT COINAGE
Cn. Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus
76-75 BC
76 BC Sertorius victorious against Metellus and Pompey
75 BC a band of Cilician pirates in the Aegean Sea captured a 25-year-old
Roman nobleman named Julius Caesar, who had been on his way to study
oratory in Rhodes.
72 BC Lentulus loses battle against Spartacus. Crixos, a Celt and second in command under Spartacus, is killed. 300 Romans are sacrificed in his honor.
71 BC
Pompey is granted his second triumph for his victories in Spain.
70 BC
Pompey and Crassus are made consuls.
Struck 76-75 BC, Silver Denarius. 19mm. 3.80g. Uncertain mint in Spain.
This issue was struck to pay Pompey's troops during one of his campaigns
in Spain in 76 B.C. Cn. Lentulus struck in Spain in his capacity as
questor to the proconsul Pompey, who had been sent to the peninsula to
assist Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius in the protracted war against
Sertorius.
While this coin was struck in Spain, where the moneyer served as quaestor (or paymaster) under Pompey during Rome's war against Sertorius, the 'EX S C' on the reverse indicates that the emission was authorized by the Roman Senate. Interestingly, the gens Cornelia, from which the moneyer hailed, was one of the most illustrious of Rome's many prominent families, having provided Rome with over a third of her consuls.
Obverse: G•P•R, diademed and draped bust of bearded Genius Populi Romani right, scepter over shoulder.
Reverse: Globe between scepter adorned with fillet and crown (on left) and rudder (on right); CN•LEN•Q / EX• - S•C across outer fields ~ Reverse translation: 'Ex Senatus Consulto / Cnaeus Lentulus quaestor', (by decree of the Senate / Cnaeus Lentulus quaestor).
The obverse and reverse iconography refers to the subjection of the new province with on one side the Genius of the Roman People and on the other the symbols of terrestrial (sceptre) and maritime (rudder) power over the newly conquered region.
Ref. Crawford 393/1a. Sydenham 752. Cornelia 54.
NGC Certified and Graded Ch VF ~ Choice Very Fine, Attractively toned.
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