DR-333 | Crawford: 335/9
Lucius Caecilius Metellus / Caius Publicius Malleolus / A. Postumius Albinus
Lucius Caecilius Metellus / Caius Publicius Malleolus / A. Postumius Albinus

Gens: Caecilia / Poblicia / Postumia
Moneyer: Lucius Caecilius Metellus / Caius Publicius Malleolus / A. Postumius Albinus
Date and mint: 95 BC/92 BC - Rome


Obverse: Bust of Diana, right, draped, with quiver on shoulder. Dotted border.
Legend: ROMA

Reverse: Three horsemen charging to the left; before, two banners and a fallen warrior. Dotted border.
Legend: A ALBINVS S F oA ALBINVS S F

Comment: The Caecilia gens was one of the most powerful senatorial families of the Republic, with a long tradition of consuls and generals. The gens Poblicia, of very ancient origin, had already lost prominence at this stage, while the gens Postumia had given several prominent figures to politics and the military, among them the consul Aulus Postumius who became the protagonist of the legendary battle of Lake Regilus. The association of the three families in the same issue reflects the political magnitude of this moneyer series.

The coinage took place between 95 and 92 BC, on the eve of the social war, in a context of strong social and political instability. These years witnessed a very extensive moneyer production in which family propaganda was mixed with messages of civic identity and military power.

The obverse shows the bust of Diana facing right, with a quiver on her shoulder and the legend ROME. Diana, a hunting and protective goddess, provides a religious and protective component, while reinforcing the Roman identity against the Italic allies. The reverse represents a charge of three horsemen towards the left, preceded by two banners and over a fallen warrior. The legend A ALBINVS S F refers to Aulus Postumius Albinus. The scene refers to the battle of Lake Regilus (496 BC), in which Aulus Postumius, Roman dictator, won victory over the Latins. According to tradition, in the heat of combat he led a charge that recovered lost standards, a gesture that brought glory to the Postumia gens.

The design, with its dynamism and evocative value, not only celebrates a mythical feat of the Republic, but also links the Postumia family with the Dioscuri, who, according to tradition, appeared in the Forum to announce the victory after the battle. The combination of Diana on the obverse and the equestrian charge on the reverse builds an iconographic program that combines religion, myth and family memory, exalting Roma as the victor and the Postumians as protagonists of its history.

Provenance: Classical Numismatic group (2020)
Price: 4,310 €