Nomos AG
obolos 15 24 May 2020
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L. Marcius Philippus, 57 BC. Denarius (Silver, 19.5 mm, 3.43 g, 5 h), Rome. ANCVS Diademed head of Ancus Marcius to right; behind his neck, lituus. Rev. PHILIPPVS Aqueduct, on which is a statue of Q. Marcius Rex on a horse rearing to right with a plant below; in the five arches of the aqueduct, A Q V A MAR. Babelon (Marcia) 28. Crawford 425/1. Sydenham 919. A popular denarius. Slightly wavy flan, and with a few scuffs, otherwise, very fine.
The Gens Marcia claimed descent from the fourth king of Rome, Ancus Marcius, who is portrayed on the obverse of this coin. There was a legend that he built the Aqua Marcia, the longest of the aqueducts of Rome (it taped sources 91 kilometers away from the city), but, in fact, it was built by Q. Marcius Rex, whose statue appears on the reverse of this coin, in c. 144-140 BC, and it was paid for by the spoils of Carthage and Corinth, which were both destroyed in 146. Having such a major source of water allowed the city of Rome to begin the expansion that led to it become the largest city in the western world.
The Gens Marcia claimed descent from the fourth king of Rome, Ancus Marcius, who is portrayed on the obverse of this coin. There was a legend that he built the Aqua Marcia, the longest of the aqueducts of Rome (it taped sources 91 kilometers away from the city), but, in fact, it was built by Q. Marcius Rex, whose statue appears on the reverse of this coin, in c. 144-140 BC, and it was paid for by the spoils of Carthage and Corinth, which were both destroyed in 146. Having such a major source of water allowed the city of Rome to begin the expansion that led to it become the largest city in the western world.