Coins of the 'Republic'

Top: Denarius of Crepusius, minted in Rome in 82 BC
Bottom: Denarius of Caius Naevius Balbus, minted in Rome in 79 BC ('serratus' style edge)

The obviously odd thing about these two coins is that they were made long before the Romans came to Britain, and they are therefore a likely indication of international trade with the Celtic tribe known as the Durotriges, who lived in Dorset where these were found.

On the obverse sides, Republican coins tended to show divinity - Apollo, in the top example, and Venus below. On the reverse of both are horse-related activites - a rider brandishing a spear at the top, 'victory in a triga' below. They couldn't put images of the Ceasars on these coins because... there hadn't been any Ceasars yet, nor would there be until Julius, some 25 years later.

I'd like to point out that these weren't found together. In fact, their discovery was separated by nearly a year and several miles. Otherwise I would have had to declare them as possible treasure.

'Follis' of Gallerius, 305-311 AD

(To read about the discovery of this coin, see 'Stupid Brothers 6')

This coin comes from a turbulent period of Roman history, when the empire was effectively being ruled by more than one Ceasar at the same time. Even more confusing is the fact that the names on the coins of the period were not neccessarily the names of the current Ceasar. For some time therefore I was convinced that this was a follis of Maximianus, who had the distinction of being Ceasar no less than three separate occasions... Unfortunately the last time wasn't such a good idea (I suspect it was his own) and he was almost immediately deposed and imprisoned by the Emperor Constantine ('The Great'). He was found dead a few days later, the cause being given as 'suicide'. Hmmm... In fact, it's a coin of Galerius, who reigned at the same time as Maximianus and only outlasted him by a single year. Unlisted in Spink.

To read a list of the causes of death for Roman emperors in general shows that it was an extremely dodgy occupation and something to be avoided at all costs: here, for example, is the list covering a mere 25 years from Carus, who reigned in 282 AD, to Severus II, whose reign ended - rather abruptly - in 307 AD:

Killed by lightning, executed age 30, murdered age 36, natural causes, murdered, murdered, suicide, natural causes, disease, executed.

Makes you think, doesn't it?

2 'Urbs Roma' coins, circa 330 AD

Showing on the reverse a wolf with Castor and Pollux, the twin founders of Rome, and a helmeted head of Roma on the obverse. Spink no. 600