| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 28 | Auction date: 9 December 2023 |
| Lot number: 3054 Price realized: 480 CHF (Approx. 546 USD / 507 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | Show similar lots on CoinArchives Find similar lots in upcoming auctions on  |
| Lot description: C. Memmius C.f, 56 BC. Denarius (Silver, 18 mm, 4.00 g, 6 h), Rome. C•MEMMI•C•F / QVIRINVS Laureate and bearded head of Quirinus to right. Rev. MEMMIVS AED•CERIALIA PREIMVS FECIT Ceres seated right, holding grain ears in her right hand and torch in her left; at her feet, serpent right. Babelon (Memmia) 9. Crawford 427/2. RBW 1532. Sydenham 921. Lightly toned and well centered. Struck from slightly worn dies, otherwise, good extremely fine. The reverse depicts the goddess Ceres holding her grain ears and a torch, and with a serpent at her feet - clearly a reference to her role in providing Rome with bountiful harvests, and thus a stabilizing influence. With this issue, C. Memmius C.f claims that it was his ancestor, a certain Memmius the Aedile, who first hosted the Cerialia in honor of Ceres in 202 BC. However, the first Memmius known to us is Gaius Memmius, legate in 174 and praetor in 172 BC. Furthermore, there is no Memmius among the list of aediles from 210-198, rendering the moneyer's claim highly suspicious. At this time in Rome's history, it had become a significant problem that Rome's aristocrats commonly invented illustrious deeds of their ancestors to increase their family's prestige. In fact, the problem had become so widespread that even Cicero wrote a scathing response to Cassius' claim that it was his plebeian ancestor, Juventius, who was first elected curule aedile: 'If I were to respond to you that the Roman people did not know that, and that there is no one to tell us that, especially since Congus is dead, I do not think that you would be too surprised if I myself, although somewhat versed in ancient history, were to confess that I heard it for the first time from you.' (Pro Plancio 34.58). Starting price: 75 CHF |  |
