DR-248 | Crawford: 295/1
Lucius Manlius Torquatus
Lucius Manlius Torquatus

Gens: Manlia
Moneyer: Lucius Manlius Torquatus
Date and mint: 113 BC/112 BC - Rome


Obverse: Bust of Roma with helmet, right. Torque as border.
Legend: ROMA
Symbols: Obverse before, x | Reverse above, Q

Reverse: Rider to the left. Dotted border.
Legend: L TORQVA EX S C

Comment: The Manlia gens was one of the oldest and most prestigious patrician families in Rome. Several of its members reached the consulate throughout the Republic, highlighting the figure of Titus Manlius Imperious Torquatus, famous for the episode in which he killed a Gaul and took his torc as a trophy, a nickname that became the cognomen of this family branch. That military courage and disciplinary severity of the Manlii Torquati became an essential part of their legacy.

The moneyer man Lucius Manlius Torquatus is not widely documented, but his cognomen links him directly to this patrician branch. His time on the moneyer bench could have been an initial step in a public career, although we have no evidence of subsequent positions. The fact that its issue is marked with the formula EX S C indicates that it was a coinage expressly authorized by the Senate, which gives it a particular character.

The coin is set in the same context as that of Publius Licinius Nerva, in the years 113–112 BC, a turbulent period both outside and inside Roma. The armies suffered defeats against the Cimbri and the war against Jugurtha was looming, while internal politics continued to be marked by the consequences of the Gracchi reforms and the growing weight of the plebeian electorate. It was a time when senatorial families turned to currency as a propaganda vehicle to reinforce their prestige.

The message of this coin is directly linked to the identity of the Manlia gens. The obverse shows the head of Roma with a helmet, but the most striking thing is that the edge is formed by a torc, a clear allusion to the heroic episode that gave its name to the Torquato lineage and a symbol of military bravery. The reverse represents a horseman advancing to the left, an image that could be related to Romen cavalry or a legendary episode in the family. Our interpretation is that the coin reinforces the idea of courage, discipline and military tradition of the Manlii, presenting them as defenders of Roma in a time of war uncertainty. The use of EX S C also underlines the legitimacy and authority of the broadcast, giving greater political weight to the message.

Provenance: Roma Numismatics (2018)
Price: 1,005 €