Roma Numismatics Ltd
Auction XVIII 29 Sep 2019
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C. Memmius C. f. AR Denarius. Rome, 56 BC. Head of Ceres right, wearing wreath of grain ears; C•MEMMI•C•F downwards before / Naked captive, his hands tied behind his back, kneeling right at foot of trophy of arms with a Greek shield; C•MEMMIVS downwards to right, IMPERATOR downwards to left. Crawford 427/1; BMCRR Rome 3937-9; RSC Memmia 10. 3.76g, 20mm, 3h.
Near Mint State; beautiful old cabinet tone.
Acquired from Nomisma S.p.a. (San Marino).
This type records the principal military achievement of the moneyer's father, C. Memmius L. f. Gemellus, who has been succinctly described by John N. Rauk (Catullus, Memmius, and Bithynia, CAMWS 2018) as "the son-in-law of Sulla, an orator who won backhanded praise from Cicero (Brut. 247), seducer of the wife of Marcus Lucullus (Cic. Att. 1. 18. 3) and a fierce adversary of his brother (Plut. Cat. Mi. 29. 5-8), a poet whose immodesty impressed Ovid (Tr. 2. 433), a praetor (Cic. Q. fr. 1. 2. 16), a candidate for the consulship, a disgraced exile, the probable but imperfect patron of Lucretius, and a perfect villain for Catullus, and a successful military commander." The victory that preceded Memmius being hailed imperator by his troops is unknown, even the date is a matter of debate. Of the moneyer himself, little is known concerning his career, save that he was appointed suffect consul in 34 BC, replacing Lucius Scribonius Libo and was later appointed proconsular governor of Asia sometime after 30 BC. During his governorship, Memmius set up a monument honouring himself, his father, and his grandfather Sulla, which still survives today.
Near Mint State; beautiful old cabinet tone.
Acquired from Nomisma S.p.a. (San Marino).
This type records the principal military achievement of the moneyer's father, C. Memmius L. f. Gemellus, who has been succinctly described by John N. Rauk (Catullus, Memmius, and Bithynia, CAMWS 2018) as "the son-in-law of Sulla, an orator who won backhanded praise from Cicero (Brut. 247), seducer of the wife of Marcus Lucullus (Cic. Att. 1. 18. 3) and a fierce adversary of his brother (Plut. Cat. Mi. 29. 5-8), a poet whose immodesty impressed Ovid (Tr. 2. 433), a praetor (Cic. Q. fr. 1. 2. 16), a candidate for the consulship, a disgraced exile, the probable but imperfect patron of Lucretius, and a perfect villain for Catullus, and a successful military commander." The victory that preceded Memmius being hailed imperator by his troops is unknown, even the date is a matter of debate. Of the moneyer himself, little is known concerning his career, save that he was appointed suffect consul in 34 BC, replacing Lucius Scribonius Libo and was later appointed proconsular governor of Asia sometime after 30 BC. During his governorship, Memmius set up a monument honouring himself, his father, and his grandfather Sulla, which still survives today.