Numismatica Ars Classica
Auction 132 30-31 May 2022
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Bruttium, The Brettii
Reduced quadrigatus circa 215-205, AR 5.61 g. Jugate busts of the Dioscuri r., wearing chlamydes and laureate pilei; above, two stars and in l. field, cornucopia and Γ. Rev. BPETTIΩN The Dioscuri galloping r., raising r. hands and holding palm branches; above, two stars. Below horses, Γ and spear. H. Pfeiler, Die Münzprägung der Brettier, JNG 1964, pl. 1, 5 (these dies). Jameson 405 (these dies). Gillet 276 (these dies). SNG ANS 2 (this reverse die). Historia Numorum Italy 1941 (these dies).
Extremely rare and among the finest specimens known of this intriguing issue.
Struck on fresh metal and with a light iridescent tone. Extremely fine
Ex Gemini sale IV, 2008, 22.
This impressive and rare didrachm was struck by the Brettii to finance the ongoing war against the Romans. Although the Brettii had been Roman allies at the outbreak of the Second Punic War (218-201 BC), after the crushing defeat inflicted by
Hannibal on the Romans at Cannae (216 BC) they threw their support behind the Carthaginians. Bruttium became a stronghold for Hannibal and a staging area for Carthaginian attacks on neighbouring regions and the Brettii some of his staunchest allies in Italy. The Brettii remained loyal to Hannibal even after 204 BC, when his former conquests and allies in Italy had been lost. Alas, Hannibal was not nearly so supportive of his allies. When he was recalled to defend Carthage in the following year he completely abandoned the Brettii to face the wrath of Rome alone. The Romans duly punished their faithless allies by seizing much of the territory of Bruttium, refusing to grant the Brettii a new treaty of alliance (even a severely disadvantageous one) and by establishing colonies to keep a perpetual watch over them. Interestingly, while the Brettii made themselves the enemies of Rome in the Second Punic War, this didrachm illustrates the great economic and cultural influence that the Romans had on them. The coin was struck to a weight standard that has been considered to reflect the declining weight of the Roman quadrigatus silver denomination. This denomination was finally destroyed by the financial pressures of the Second Punic War and replaced by the new denarius denomination in c. 211 BC. Ironically, the Brettian didrachm also prominently features the Dioscuri, the twin saviour gods who were said to have fought alongside the Roman forces at the Battle of Lake Regillus (c. 496 BC) early in the history of the Republic. The Dioscuri on the reverse echo the type chosen for the new denarius denomination although here they are unarmed and holding palms while on the denarius they charge with couched lances. The depiction of the draped busts of Castor and Pollux on the obverse is probably one of the finest in ancient Greek numismatics and may perhaps lie behind a very similar draped image of a single Dioscurus used more than a century later when Rome's disgruntled Italian allies revolted and embarked upon the Social War (91-88 BC).
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Reduced quadrigatus circa 215-205, AR 5.61 g. Jugate busts of the Dioscuri r., wearing chlamydes and laureate pilei; above, two stars and in l. field, cornucopia and Γ. Rev. BPETTIΩN The Dioscuri galloping r., raising r. hands and holding palm branches; above, two stars. Below horses, Γ and spear. H. Pfeiler, Die Münzprägung der Brettier, JNG 1964, pl. 1, 5 (these dies). Jameson 405 (these dies). Gillet 276 (these dies). SNG ANS 2 (this reverse die). Historia Numorum Italy 1941 (these dies).
Extremely rare and among the finest specimens known of this intriguing issue.
Struck on fresh metal and with a light iridescent tone. Extremely fine
Ex Gemini sale IV, 2008, 22.
This impressive and rare didrachm was struck by the Brettii to finance the ongoing war against the Romans. Although the Brettii had been Roman allies at the outbreak of the Second Punic War (218-201 BC), after the crushing defeat inflicted by
Hannibal on the Romans at Cannae (216 BC) they threw their support behind the Carthaginians. Bruttium became a stronghold for Hannibal and a staging area for Carthaginian attacks on neighbouring regions and the Brettii some of his staunchest allies in Italy. The Brettii remained loyal to Hannibal even after 204 BC, when his former conquests and allies in Italy had been lost. Alas, Hannibal was not nearly so supportive of his allies. When he was recalled to defend Carthage in the following year he completely abandoned the Brettii to face the wrath of Rome alone. The Romans duly punished their faithless allies by seizing much of the territory of Bruttium, refusing to grant the Brettii a new treaty of alliance (even a severely disadvantageous one) and by establishing colonies to keep a perpetual watch over them. Interestingly, while the Brettii made themselves the enemies of Rome in the Second Punic War, this didrachm illustrates the great economic and cultural influence that the Romans had on them. The coin was struck to a weight standard that has been considered to reflect the declining weight of the Roman quadrigatus silver denomination. This denomination was finally destroyed by the financial pressures of the Second Punic War and replaced by the new denarius denomination in c. 211 BC. Ironically, the Brettian didrachm also prominently features the Dioscuri, the twin saviour gods who were said to have fought alongside the Roman forces at the Battle of Lake Regillus (c. 496 BC) early in the history of the Republic. The Dioscuri on the reverse echo the type chosen for the new denarius denomination although here they are unarmed and holding palms while on the denarius they charge with couched lances. The depiction of the draped busts of Castor and Pollux on the obverse is probably one of the finest in ancient Greek numismatics and may perhaps lie behind a very similar draped image of a single Dioscurus used more than a century later when Rome's disgruntled Italian allies revolted and embarked upon the Social War (91-88 BC).
View a video of this lot