Roman Republic, Italy. Cn. Egnatius Maxsumus, Rome, c. 75 BC
Roman Republic, Italy. Cn. Egnatius Maxsumus, Rome, c. 75 BC
AR Denarius, 3.87g (18mm, 3h).
Bust of Libertas r., draped and diademed; behind, pileus and MAXSVMVS downwards; border of dots / Roma and Venus, each holding staff in r. hands (Roma holds sword in l. hand and places l. foot on wolf's head; Venus has Cupid about to alight on shoulder); rudders on either side on prow; [below, C. EGNATIVS. CN. F. F[; on r. CN.N upwards; on l., control mark; border of dots
Pedigree: Ex NFA Fall Bid Sale, Beverly Hills 1990, lot 1289 and Ex Kurpfälzische Münzhandlung 70, Mannheim 2006, lot 38
References: RRSC Vol 2 Moretti D184.3, Bab 2, BMC 3287, Craw 391/3, Syd 787
Grade: A little o/c on obverse and reverse, otherwise a great strike with lustrous surfaces. EF
rr1230
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Little is known of this moneyer but historically in 75 BC a few important events occurred. Marcus Tullius Cicero, the Roman statesman, lawyer, philosopher and scholar is made quaestor in western Sicily. A quaestor is a public official that can be defined loosely as an “investigator”. Additionally, Nicomedes of Bithynia died in 75 BC and bequeathed his kingdom to Rome. This created a chain reaction where Mithridates of Pontus, angered by the action of Nicomedes, starts a war on Rome resulting in the third Mithridatic War. This was the longest of the three wars and ended in 63 BC with Mithridates' defeat ending the Pontic Kingdom.