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L. Sulla. 84-83 BC. AR Denarius (17mm, 4.06 g, 12h). Military mint moving with Sulla. Diademed head of Venus right, wearing single-drop earring and pearl necklace; to right, Cupid standing left, holding palm frond in right hand; L • SVLLΛ below / Capis and lituus between two trophies; IMPER above, ITERV below. Crawford 359/2; Sydenham 761a; Cornelia 30; BMCRR East 4; Kestner 3141; RBW 1364. Attractive cabinet tone with hints of iridescence. EF.
From the GTP Collection. Ex Numismatica Ars Classica Spring Sale 2020 (25 May 2020), lot 551; Asta del Tatino 33 (14 June 2009), lot 130.
This coin is from the first issue of Sulla, struck in his army camp while marching toward the allies of his nemesis, Marius, in Rome. He is the first of the great imperatores of Rome to issue his own personal coinage without the authority of the Senate, the majority of whose members were allied to the Republican-minded Marius.
The iconography of this issue is telling of the self-promotion of Sulla, as the types and legends only refer to himself rather than some ancestor as was typical of the Republican coinage up to that time. Venus appears as she is the patron of Sulla, whom he regards as responsible for his successes for which he received his two acclamations of imperator by his troops. These two acclamations are commemorated by the reverse; the legend and the two trophies are overt references. The jug and lituus, though, are more subtle, but also probably symbolic of his claim to imperium rather than a reference to his holding a position in one of the priestly colleges in Rome. This issue, which transformed Roman coinage into a form of overt propaganda for the issuer (rather than his family), set a precedent which was followed by all the later imperatores and directly led to the development of the imperial coinage.
The final winners of all Triton XXVI lots will be determined at the live public sale that will be held on 10-11 January 2023.
Triton XXVI – Session Two – Lot 335-673 will be held Tuesday afternoon, 10 January 2023 beginning at 2:00 PM ET.
Winning bids are subject to a 22.5% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 25% for all others.
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