Roma Numismatics Ltd
Auction XXI 24-25 Mar 2021
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Julius Caesar AR Denarius. Lilybaeum, late 47 BC. A. Allienus, proconsul. Draped bust of Venus to right, wearing stephane; C•CAESAR IMP•COS•ITER around / Trinacrus standing to left, foot on prow, holding triskeles and resting elbow on knee; A•ALLIENVS to left, PRO•COS to right. Crawford 457/1; CRI 54; RSC 1; BMCRR Sicily 5. 3.90g, 19mm, 3h.
About Extremely Fine. Very Rare.
Ex Nomos AG, Auction 2, 18 May 2010, lot 154.
The subtle imagery of this very rare denarius of Caesar can only be fully understood in the light of its fascinating context. In late 47 BC Caesar was stopping over in Sicily in order to prepare his forces for an assault on his enemies who were assembling in North Africa, led by Quintus Caecilius Metellus Scipio, Cato the Younger and their ally King Juba of Numidia. Caesar typically had his coins minted on the campaign trail so as to keep his armies consistently well paid and loyal, and so this denarius was minted during his stopover in Sicily by his proconsul of Sicily, Aulus Allienus, who acted as moneyer.
The figure on the reverse side is Trinacrus, a son of Neptune with a particular association with Sicily, his name most likely deriving from an alternate name for the island, Trinacria ("three-cornered land"). To reinforce this connection with the three-cornered land, Trinacrus also holds the Triskeles, a symbol consisting of three limbs radiating from a central point and long since an emblem of Sicily, leaving us in no doubt what is being referred to. He has his foot on the prow of a ship, surely one of Caesar's beached in preparation for the upcoming invasion – a gesture of protection but also as if he is about to give the ship a push into the sea and on its way. Thus the vignette depicts the island of Sicily supporting and launching Caesar's fleet to a divinely-supported victory, and reveals further the human story of Allienus' pride in his province's support of Caesar and his desire to be recognised for this support as a loyal proconsul, making his Sicily a central part of Caesar's story.
About Extremely Fine. Very Rare.
Ex Nomos AG, Auction 2, 18 May 2010, lot 154.
The subtle imagery of this very rare denarius of Caesar can only be fully understood in the light of its fascinating context. In late 47 BC Caesar was stopping over in Sicily in order to prepare his forces for an assault on his enemies who were assembling in North Africa, led by Quintus Caecilius Metellus Scipio, Cato the Younger and their ally King Juba of Numidia. Caesar typically had his coins minted on the campaign trail so as to keep his armies consistently well paid and loyal, and so this denarius was minted during his stopover in Sicily by his proconsul of Sicily, Aulus Allienus, who acted as moneyer.
The figure on the reverse side is Trinacrus, a son of Neptune with a particular association with Sicily, his name most likely deriving from an alternate name for the island, Trinacria ("three-cornered land"). To reinforce this connection with the three-cornered land, Trinacrus also holds the Triskeles, a symbol consisting of three limbs radiating from a central point and long since an emblem of Sicily, leaving us in no doubt what is being referred to. He has his foot on the prow of a ship, surely one of Caesar's beached in preparation for the upcoming invasion – a gesture of protection but also as if he is about to give the ship a push into the sea and on its way. Thus the vignette depicts the island of Sicily supporting and launching Caesar's fleet to a divinely-supported victory, and reveals further the human story of Allienus' pride in his province's support of Caesar and his desire to be recognised for this support as a loyal proconsul, making his Sicily a central part of Caesar's story.