Series: Republican deities - Ceres
Reference: Crawford 414/1

Gens and monetary:Fury - L. Furius Brocchus
Year and mint:From 63 BC to 63 BC - Rome
Obverse:Bust of Ceres, right; Ear of wheat on the left. Dotted border. III VIR BROCCHI
Reverse:Curul Chair; fasces on each side. Dotted border. L·FVRI / CN·F

Grade:EF / EF 3.9 g - 0h
Origin:Aureo & Calicó 2024

Comment:
The Furia gens is one of the oldest and most prestigious families of the Roman Republic, with patrician origins. Its members held important positions throughout Roman history, including several consuls. The Furia gens were proud of their lineage and their contribution to Roman politics and military.
L. Furius Brocchus was the monetary man responsible for the issuance of this denarius in the year 63 BC. Although there is not much information about his political career, his participation in the minting of coins indicates that he belonged to the republican elite.
The year 63 B.C. It was a crucial period in Roman history. That same year, Cicero, as consul, dismantled Catiline’s conspiracy, an attempted coup against the republican government. Rome was dealing with growing political tension, the rise of ambitious generals like Pompey and Caesar, and an economic crisis affecting the lower classes. This denarius was minted in the midst of this context of instability and internal conflict.
The obverse features a veiled head of Ceres, the goddess of agriculture and fertility. Ceres is a symbol of the prosperity of the Republic and its relationship with the land. The portrait of Ceres highlights the importance of agriculture as the basis of the Roman economy.
The reverse depicts a curule chair flanked by fasces on both sides. The curule chair was a ceremonial seat used by magistrates with imperium power, such as consuls and praetors, while the fasces represented judicial authority and the power to punish. This set symbolizes the power and authority of the Roman magistrates, reaffirming the importance of law and order in the Republic.