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AR Denarius (uncertain mint, 199-170 BC)
O/ Helmeted head of Roma right; X behind; border of dots.
R/ The Dioscuri galloping right; MA (or MAN) below; ROMA in exergue; line border.
3.97g; 20mm
Crawford 172/1 (20 obverse dies, 25 reverse dies).
Manlius Vulso?:
This issue bears the same monogram as the rare RRC 64/1, minted by Publius Manlius Vulso as Praetor in Sardinia in 210. It is thus likely that this denarius was also minted by another Manlius Vulso. Unfortunately, this family had many members during the large timespan given by Crawford (199-170) who moreover could not identify the mint. Hoards do not help as only a single MA denarius was reported in a hoard (in the Campanian hoard analysed by Richard Schaefer).
If the mint was not in Rome, then it was possibly minted by a promagistrate. A better dating and/or a minting area could help to find which Manlius Vulso is the moneyer among the five candidates (according to Broughton), who are:
- Lucius Manlius Vulso, Praetor in Sicily in 197, Legate, Lieutenant in 189, Envoy in 188.
- Lucius Manlius Vulso, Legate and Ambassador in 149.
- Gnaeus Manlius Vulso Cn.f. L.n., Aedile Curule in 197, Praetor in Sicily in 195, Consul in Asia in 189, Proconsul in 188-187.
- A. Manlius Vulso Cn.f. L.n., Triumvir coloniis deducendis in 194-192, Praetor suffect in 189, Consul in 178, Proconsul in Cisalpine Gaul and Istria in 178.
- Publius Manlius (Vulso?), Praetor and Propraetor in Nearer Spain in 195-194, Praetor and Proconsul in Further Spain in 182-180 – possible son of the moneyer of RRC 64/1. This Manlius could therefore be the most likely candidate of the five, with a mint in Spain in 195-194 (?).
There are several stylistic differences among 172/1 denarii and there could actually be several distinct issues, which is a possibility considering the number of Manlii Vulsones mentioned above.
Collection : Roman Republic