380/1. Publicia (80 BC)

AR Denarius Serratus (Rome, c.80 BC)

O/ Helmeted bust of Roma right, draped; ROMA downwards behind; control-letter F above.

R/ Hercules strangling the Nemean Lion; club at his feet; bow and quiver on left; C POBLICI Q F upwards on right; control-letter F above.

4.01g; 19.5mm

Crawford 380/1 (94 obverse dies/104 reverse dies)

- Naville Numismatics Live Auction 39, lot 452.

Gaius Publicius Q.f.:

The Publicii (here spelled Poblicius) were a minor plebeian gens, who traced their history to Ancus Publicius, a leader of the Latin League from the city of Cora, in the south of Rome (Dionysius, iii. 34).  The reverse alludes to this origin, as a Temple of Hercules was precisely built in the 80s BC in Cora; the scene with Hercules strangling the lion could therefore have been a statue inside the temple.

Our moneyer is not known beyond his moneyership, but the filiation on the reverse reveals that he was probably the younger brother of Quintus Publicius, praetor in 67 (Cicero, Pro Cluentio, 126).

Collection : Roman Republic