DR-345 | Crawford: 337/3
D. Iunius Silanus
D. Iunius Silanus

Gens: Junia
Moneyer: D. Iunius Silanus
Date and mint: 91 BC - Rome


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

Reverse: Victoria in biga, right, holding reins with both hands. Dotted border.
Legend: D SILANVS L F ROMA

Comment: The Junia gens, one of the largest in the Republic, had a branch of great political relevance in the Silanos. D. Junio Silano, belonging to this line, was responsible for a wide moneyer series in the year 91 BC, coinciding with the outbreak of the social war. The conflict with the Italian allies forced an abundance of coinage to cover the enormous military expenses, and the Silano coins formed a very elaborate propaganda program.

The obverse of this type features the helmeted bust of Roma on the right, accompanied by control marks. Roma appears as a symbol of authority and resistance against the rebellious people. The reverse shows Victoria in biga advancing to the right, holding the reins with both hands, with the legend D SILANVS L F ROMA. The composition projects a clear message: Roma, under the protection of the gods and the action of its magistrates, will inevitably achieve victory.

This denarius is part of a larger series (Crawford 337) that combines different types: the mask of Silenus surrounded by a torc, the head of Salus, and the bust of Roma, all of them accompanied on the reverse by variants of Victoria in biga. The multiple known subvariants, with changes in legend and symbols, demonstrate the magnitude of the emission. The program as a whole unites family memory (Silano–Sileno), the prosperity of Roma (Salus), civic identity (Roma) and military triumph (Victoria), composing a coherent propaganda in a moment of decisive crisis.

Provenance: Classical Numismatic group (2018)
Price: 1,036 €