Sulla’s Triumph
L. Sulla and L. Manlius Torquatus. 82 BC. AV Aureus (19.5mm, 10.79 g, 3h). Military mint moving with Sulla. Head of Roma right, wearing winged helmet, ornamented with griffin’s head, the visor in three pieces and peaked, single-pendant earring, and ornate necklace; L • MANLI up right field, PRO • Q down left / Sulla, holding branch in right hand and reins in left, driving triumphal quadriga right; above, Victory flying left, crowing him with wreath; L • SVLLA • IM in exergue. Crawford 367/4; Sydenham 756; Bahrfeldt 13; Calicó 16; Biaggi 11; BMCRR East 5–6; Kestner –; RBW 1385. Small die flaw on obverse, minor marks, underlying luster. VF. Very rare.
Ex Wayne Scheible Collection; J. Whitney Walter Collection (Stack’s, 29 November 1990), lot 1; Berk BBS 50 (18 November 1987), lot 24.
As consul for the year 88 BC, Sulla was awarded the coveted assignment of suppressing the revolt of Mithradates VI of Pontus, but political maneuvers resulted in this assignment being transferred to Marius. In response, Sulla turned his army on Rome, captured it, and reclaimed his command against Mithradates. His prosecution of the first Mithradatic War was successful, but he spared the Pontic king for personal gain. In 83 BC, Sulla returned to Italy as an outlaw, but he was able to win the support of many of the leading Romans. Within a year he fought his way to Rome, where he was elected dictator. It was during this campaign to Rome that this aureus was struck. The obverse type represents Sulla's claim to be acting in Rome's best interest. The reverse shows Sulla enjoying the highest honor to which a Roman could aspire, the celebration of a triumph at Rome.
