283/1a. Marcia et al. (118-117 BC)

AR Denarius (Rome, 118-117 BC)

O/ Helmeted head of Roma right, with curl on left shoulder; XVI behind.

R/ Victory in quadriga right, holding reins and wreath; ROMA below; Q MAR C F L R in exergue.

3.77g; 20mm

Crawford 283/1a (32 obverse dies/40 reverse dies)

Quintus Marcius, Gaius F. and Lucius R.:

The four issues of the period between 119 and 115 (RRC 282-285) combined the names of all the monetary college on the same coins.  As a result, it can be tricky to identify the moneyers since they could not all fit their full names in the limited space; it is particularly visible on this issue as the names are all gathered on the same side.

Quintux Marcius (Rex?):

The only name that is easily identifiable is that of Quintus Marcius. It cannot be a Marius here because the Marii never used the praenomen Quintus.

Then the cognomen is much more difficult to guess as several stirpes of the Marcii used the praenomen Quintus: the Reges, the Philippi, the Libones, and the Rallae; the Censorini being the only ones not to use it.  It is noteworthy that Quintus Marcius Rex was Consul in 118; therefore our moneyer could be his son, as Andrew Burnett showed that the consuls likely appointed the moneyers.*  We indeed sometimes see a "team" of a father consul and a son moneyer (see the Norbani, or the Marcii Philippi).  If so, Rex the son died during his term (Valerius Maximus, v. 10 § 3).

In addition, Quintus Marcius Philippus was already moneyer in 129 BC (RRC 259), and probably too young to have a son moneyer just ten years later.  The last known member of the Rallae was Quintus Marcius, Tribune of the Plebs in 196.

Gaius F(lavius Fimbria?):

Babelon gave this moneyer to the gens Fabia.  However no member of the gens bore the praenomen Gaius after Gaius Fabius Pictor (Consul in 269 BC), apart from Gaius Fabius Hadrianus, but he already minted coins in 102 (RRC 322).

A better guess would be the gens Fannia, with an unknown son of Gaius Fannius, the Consul of 122.  However, the Consul already had a son moneyer, Marcus Fannius in 123 (RRC 275), five years before our denarius.

The most likely candidate is Gaius Flavius Fimbria, the Consul of 104, which fits well with a man in his late 20s, fourteen years before his consulship.

Lucius R(?):

Babelon thought this moneyer was a Lucius Roscius, grandfather of the moneyer of 64 (RRC 412), but it could also be an elder brother of Publius Rutilius Lupus, the Consul of 90, or the father of Lucius Rubrius Dossenus, moneyer in 87 (RRC 348).  It is impossible to be more accurate.

* Andrew Burnett, "The Authority to Coin in the Late Republic and Early Empire", in The Numismatic Chronicle, Seventh Series, Vol. 17 (137) (1977), pp. 37-63.

Colección : Roman Republic