DR-311 | Crawford: 327/1
Marcus Servilius
Marcus Servilius

Gens: Servilia
Moneyer: Marcus Servilius
Date and mint: 100 BC - Rome


Obverse: Bust of Roma with helmet, right. Dotted border.
Legend:
Symbols: Obverse behind, control mark | Reverse exergue, control mark

Reverse: Two soldiers fighting on foot, their horses in the background. Dotted border.
Legend: M SERVEAILI C F A

Comment: The denarius of Marcus Servilius, minted in Rome in the year 100 BC, belongs to the Servilian gens, one of the most influential families of the Republic. Among its most remembered members is Marcus Servilio Pulex Geminus, a hero of the 3rd century BC, famous for his extraordinary skill in single combat. Ancient sources, such as Livy, report that he participated in more than twenty individual duels and always emerged victorious, becoming an example of personal courage that the family proudly transmitted for generations.

We know about the moneyer Marcus Servilius that he was the son of Gaius (C F in the legend) and that, following the custom of his gens, he resorted to the memory of Pulex Geminus as a propaganda element in his broadcast.

The historical context of the year 100 BC. It was marked by strong social tensions: Lucius Apuleius Saturninus and Gaius Servilius Glaucia, popular tribunes, promoted radical laws supported by Marius and his veterans. Political violence in the streets was increasing, and Roma lived in a climate of great instability. In this environment, coins served not only to pay armies or supply the population, but also as a support to remind the community of the heroic deeds of each family.

The obverse features the traditional helmeted bust of Roma on the right. The reverse, however, is very unique: it shows two soldiers fighting on foot, with their horses in the background. This is a direct allusion to the single combats of Marco Servilio Pulex Gemino, reproduced here as an example of bravery and courage. Compared to the usual reverses of bigas or chariots, this scene of hand-to-hand combat is exceptional in republican numismatics and highlights family glory not through collective victories, but through the personal heroism of an ancestor. It is a clear message: the Servilia gens presents itself as the repository of a lineage of invincible warriors, capable of winning in the arena of individual combat, a symbol of Roman courage and honor.

Provenance: Roma Numismatics (2018)
Price: 2,680 €