296/1h. Cornelia (112-111 BC)

AR Denarius (Rome, 112 or 111 BC)

O/ Helmeted head of Mars right wearing Corinthian helmet; XVI ligate above; CN BLASIO CN F before; palm-branch behind.

R/ Jupiter standing facing between Juno and Minerva and holding sceptre in right hand and thunderbolt in left hand; Juno holds sceptre in right hand, Minerva holds sceptre in left hand and crowns Jupiter with right hand; monogram BLA in field; ROMA below.

3.85g; 18mm

Crawford 296/1h (137 obverse dies/171 reverse dies, all varieties combined)

- Ex ACR Auction 9, lot 378

Gnaeus Cornelius Cn.f. Blasio:

Blasio belonged to the illustrious patrician gens Cornelia, but nothing is known on his life. The Blasiones formed a minor branch of the gens and only one of them held the consulship, Gnaeus Cornelius Blasio in 270 and 257.  A Publius Cornelius Blasio was ambassador in 170 (Livy, XLV, 5); our moneyer was possibly his grandson.

The obverse is nonetheless interesting. The very expressive face of Mars, with distinctive features, looks strange for a god, so it has been suggested that it was a portrait: that of Scipio Africanus (see Crawford I, p.310 for the references).  However Crawford dismissed this theory as he thinks it does not match Africanus' known portraits.

As Crawford points out, the Capitoline triad of Jupiter, Juno and Minerva on the reverse, seems to have had a special place in Cornelii's cults, since many of their issues display these gods.

This issue is also peculiar for having 12 varieties, each with a different symbol or monogram on both sides, possibly for each month of the year.  Crawford mentions that his arrangement is random.

Collection : Roman Republic