DR-263 | Crawford: 298/1
Lucius Caesius
Lucius Caesius

Gens: Caesia
Moneyer: Lucius Caesius
Date and mint: 112 BC/111 BC - Rome


Obverse: Bust of Apollo seen from behind, with his head turned to the left and with Lightning to the right. Dotted border.
Legend: AP

Reverse: Lares Praestites sitting facing each other, with the dog in the middle, each holding a staff in his left hand; above, bust of Vulcan with clamps on the shoulder. Dotted border.
Legend: LA RE L CAESI

Comment: The gens Caesia was a plebeian family of Roma, of which few details are known before the late Republican period. Its name derives from “caesius”, which means “bluish” or “blue-gray”, possibly in reference to the color of the eyes of some ancestor.

Lucius Caesius held the office of triumvir monetalis. There are no records that he has held other higher-ranking magistrates.

Between 112-111 BC, Roma was involved in significant external conflicts, especially in Numidia, where the war against Jugurtha, a Numidian king who challenged Roma's authority, was beginning.

The bust of Apollo, god of light, music and prophecy, appears seen from behind, with his head turned to the left. This type of representation is unusual and suggests a special artistic interest on the part of the moneyer. The presence of the lightning bolt on the right may link Apollo to the divine power of Jupiter, highlighting his role as protector of Roma.

The reverse shows the Lares Praestites, protective divinities of Roma, sitting face to face with a dog in the center, a symbol of loyalty and protection. Each Lar holds a staff, an object associated with their role as guardians. Above them appears the bust of Vulcan, god of fire and forging, with tongs on his shoulder, which could allude to Rome's ability to overcome difficulties through strength and resistance.

The legend "LA RE L CAESI" refers to both the Lares and the name of the moneyer, Lucius Caesius.

Provenance: Nomos AG (2011)
Price: 10,310 €