Lot description:
Anonymous 225-214 BC. Rome
Didrachm AR
23 mm, 6,53 g
Laureate head of Janus / Jupiter standing in galloping quadriga driven by Victory to right, holding sceptre and reins, brandishing thunderbolt overhead; ROMA incuse on tablet below.
Pleasant tone, Near Extremely Fine
Crawford 28/3; BMCRR Romano-Campanian 78-99; RSC 23.
In the annals of Roman numismatics, long before the establishment of the denarius as the standard silver coinage, the Romans had occasionally issued silver didrachms, beginning around 326/5 B.C. These early silver coins were not part of a continuous series but rather appeared sporadically, their designs reflecting the episodic circumstances under which they were minted. The culmination of these didrachm issues is best exemplified by the quadrigatus, a coinage that stands out as the most substantial and intricate among the early Roman silver series. Unlike the relatively modest outputs of earlier didrachms, the quadrigatus represented Rome's first significant foray into large-scale silver production. It was minted in vast quantities across several mints over a span of approximately thirteen years, commencing around 225 B.C.
Initially, the quadrigati may have been struck in limited numbers, adhering to the precedent set by preceding didrachm issues. However, the scope of production expanded dramatically following Rome's declaration of war against Carthage in the spring of 218 B.C. Although the precise chronology of Roman coinage during the Second Punic War remains uncertain, it is generally accepted that between c.214 and 212 B.C., the denarius replaced the quadrigatus. This transition marked a pivotal shift in Roman monetary policy with far-reaching consequences.
The designs featured on the quadrigatus coinage are particularly noteworthy. The obverse of the coin depicts a Janiform male head, crowned with a laurel wreath. While this dual-faced image is often identified as the god Janus, the youthful, clean-shaven depiction has led many scholars to suggest that it may instead represent the Dioscuri, Castor and Pollux, presented in an unorthodox manner. Nevertheless, a youthful Janus cannot be entirely ruled out, as earlier Roman didrachms portray other deities, such as Mars, in both mature, bearded forms (Cr. 13/1) and as clean-shaven youths (Cr. 25/1 and 27/1). This diversity in portrayal is paralleled by the varied representations of Heracles on Greek coinage.
On the reverse, the coin bears the inscription ROMA, positioned beneath a dynamic quadriga scene, which gives the quadrigatus its distinctive name, quadrigati nummi, as referenced by Livy in his historical works (xxii.52.2 and xxii.58.4), composed some two centuries later. The scene depicts a chariot driven by Nike, the personification of victory, carrying Jupiter, who brandishes a scepter and raises a thunderbolt, poised to deliver a decisive blow. This imagery not only reinforces the divine favor claimed by Rome but also symbolizes the military prowess and ambitions of the Republic during a crucial period of its expansion
Starting price: 500 EUR | |