DR-349 | Crawford: 342/1
Caius Vibius Pansa
Caius Vibius Pansa

Gens: Vibia
Moneyer: Caius Vibius Pansa
Date and mint: 90 BC - Rome


Obverse: Mask of bearded Silenus. dotted border
Legend: PANSA
Symbols: Obverse below, control mark | Reverse before, control mark

Reverse: Bearded Pan mask, right. Dotted border.
Legend: C VIBIVS C F

Comment: The Vibia gens, of plebeian origin, gained prominence in the late Republic, until it produced figures of great importance in the 1st century BC. Among them is Gaius Vibius Pansa, moneyer magistrate in 90 BC, also remembered because a descendant of his, of the same name, would be consul in 43 BC. and one of Octavio's allies against Mark Antony.

The obverse of this denarius shows a mask of a bearded Silenus, accompanied by the legend PANSA. Silenus, companion of Dionysus, symbolizes wisdom wrapped in wine and debauchery, and at the same time functions here as a nomen loquens, playing with the magistrate's cognomen. The reverse features a mask of bearded Pan to the right, with the legend C VIBIVS C F. Pan, god of forests and fertility, was also the one who gave rise to the word “panic” due to the sudden fear he inspired, and his presence reinforces the link with the family name.

Two variants of this type are known: in one, Pan's mask on the reverse appears more stylized and with elongated features, while in another it is represented with more coarse and rounded features. These differences reflect the existence of several dies in a relatively broad issue, in which the identity of the coin was transmitted both by recourse to minor divinities and by playing with its own name.

The choice of Silenus and Pan is striking in the context of the social war, as it moves away from the solemn representations of major gods to opt for figures associated with the Dionysian world. This detail reinforces the personal and family character of the broadcast, while projecting a message of vitality and abundance in times of crisis.

Provenance: Numismatica Ars Classica (2017)
Price: 3,900 €