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

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

3. Background: Republican Weight Standards Traditional chronology: "Heavy" libral (289 BC - 245 BC): ~324 g as "Light" libral (245 BC - 217 BC): ~270 g as Semilibral (217 BC - 215 BC): ~135 g as Post-semilibral (215 BC - 212 BC): various Sextantal (c. 212 BC - 207 BC): ~54 g as Uncial (c. 207 - 146 BC): ~27 g as

4. 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

5. Background: The Prow types

6. (Crawford nos. 35, 38, 41, 56, 338-9) DenominationDeity on obverse Function and/or patronage (after Scheid, p.155-157) 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

7. Background: The Prow types

8. Background: The Second Punic War 218: Rome declares war after Hannibal crosses the Ebro Winter 218 - 217: 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

9. Collateral Series

10. 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

11. Triens

12. Quadrans

13. Sextans

14. Sextans - comparison

15. Uncia

16. Semuncia

17. Collateral Series

18. Archaeological finds Green = hoards; blue = single finds

19. 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)1110051 Capua (#56)7463101 Termoli (#70)2319251101 Mandanici (#71)130037 Castagneto (#77)21121323 Isernia (#78)153445149 Tortoreto (#101)117061357 Fontanarosa (#141) 1004402

20. Collateral Uncia Triens?, Velecha, c.216 - 211 Hannibalic imitations

21. Collateral Semuncia Biunx, Capua, 216 - 211 BC Hannibalic imitations

22. 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-- 217 or early 216-- when cities like Capua were still under Roman control.

23. 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?

24. Hercules/Bull Quadrans Marsic Confederation denarius, Social War (90 - 88 BC) Denarius of L. Thorius Balbus, 105 BC