Publius Cornelius Sulla CORNELIA 151 BCE AR denarii Mint Rome

18mm 12h. 3, 21g.

Obverse: Head helmeted Roma right; X Behind.

Reverse: Victoria (Victory) in a bigga going right, holding a whip with the right hand and the reins of the left. P. SVLA "Publius Sula//Roma" 

For denarii of this type, Mr. Crawford has noted an estimate of 84 obverse dies and 104 reverse dies. This type seems in fact much rarer than the general works suggest. This is the first time that we have offered this type of denier for sale.

Comments: The coin belongs to the illustrious gens Cornelia. M. Crawford, op. cit., p. 250 evokes several hypotheses for this character who could be the uncle or the grandfather of the dictator Sulla (138-78 BC), born around 180 BC recalling that an eponymous ancestor of the gens was praetor in 186 BC.

History: In 151 BC, the consuls L. Lucinius Lucullus and A. Postumius Albinus were imprisoned by the tribunes of the plebs. The consuls for the year 150 BC are T. Quinctius Flaminus and M. Acilius Balbus. Masinissa, in Africa, attacks Carthage which finally declares war on it in 151 BC. The Carthaginians are beaten the following year. The Romans intervene and eventually declare war on their eternal rival, Carthage.

Coleção : Roman Republic