The Semilibral “Collateral” Series in Context Caroline Wazer ANS Summer Seminar 2012

Collateral Series (Crawford 39/1-5) Also known as: la série défective (Zehnacker, Moneta) the "struck aes series inscribed ROMA" (Thomsen, ERC)

Background: Republican Weight Standards Traditional chronology: "Heavy" libral (289 BC BC): ~324 g as "Light" libral (245 BC BC): ~270 g as Semilibral (217 BC BC): ~135 g as Post-semilibral (215 BC BC): various Sextantal (c. 212 BC BC): ~54 g as Uncial (c BC): ~27 g as

Background: Aes Grave iconography “The iconography of these pieces is of particular historical interest (compensating for their frequently clumsy artistry), since they represent in its earliest known stage of development the unrivalled Roman instinct for using coins as a medium of communication and propaganda. Messages of religious symbolism, national pride, superstition, and hortatory common sense all find their place right from the start.” -Thurlow and Vecchi, 1986

Background: The Prow types

(Crawford nos. 35, 38, 41, 56, 338-9) DenominationDeity on obverse Function and/or patronage (after Scheid, p ) As Janus Beginnings, esp. of commercial enterprises SemisSaturn (or Jupiter?) Sovereignty; patron of the state TriensMars (or Minerva?) War and agricultural bounty; patron god of the city of Rome QuadransHercules Success in heroic activities; patron of entrepreneurs; in S. Italy, patron of farmers SextansMercury Journeys; patron of merchants UnciaBellona (or Roma?) War; patroness of Rome SemunciaMercury Journeys; patron of merchants

Background: The Prow types

Background: The Second Punic War 218: Rome declares war after Hannibal crosses the Ebro Winter : Hannibal crosses Alps 217: Semilibral standard introduced? June 217: The defeat at Lake Trasimene - 15,000 killed on Roman side August 216: The defeat at Cannae - up to 75,000 killed on Roman side; Italian allies in Campania and Apulia start to defect 213: Hannibal takes most of Southern Italy

Collateral Series

Collateral series types DenominationObverseReverse Triens Woman with diadem -- Juno?Hercules with centaur, ROMA Quadrans Hercules (?) wearing a boarskinBull and snake, ROMA Sextans She-wolf suckling twinsEagle with flower in beak, ROMA Uncia Sol with radiate crownCrescent with two stars, ROMA Semuncia Female bust with mural crownEquestrian with whip, ROMA

Triens

Quadrans

Sextans

Sextans - comparison

Uncia

Semuncia

Collateral Series

Archaeological finds Green = hoards; blue = single finds

Hoard evidence Hoard (RRCH #)# of semilibral collateral # of semilibral Prow series # of libral aes grave (heavy and light) # of post- semilibral Prow series # of other coins Campana (#49) Capua (#56) Termoli (#70) Mandanici (#71) Castagneto (#77) Isernia (#78) Tortoreto (#101) Fontanarosa (#141)

Collateral Uncia Triens?, Velecha, c Hannibalic imitations

Collateral Semuncia Biunx, Capua, BC Hannibalic imitations

Some conclusions about the collateral series Its iconography is fundamentally different from that of the Prow series, both in content and in meaning. It circulated alongside the Prow series, in both space and time. It must have been first minted at the early end of Crawford’s dating or early when cities like Capua were still under Roman control.

Open Questions and Further Research Were the two semilibral series actually struck at the same time, or just so close together in time that the obsolete one was still in circulation? Why was production of the collateral series stopped? How big was the issue of the collateral series?

Hercules/Bull Quadrans Marsic Confederation denarius, Social War ( BC) Denarius of L. Thorius Balbus, 105 BC