Roman Numismatics - Hercules and the Founders by Admin Admin

ONCE UPON A HISTORY

Roman Numismatics Hercules and the Founders

Travis Anderson, B. A.

Hercules and the Founders

269 BCE Hercules / She-Wolf Suckling Twins Flan: Metal circular disc. Obverse: Field occupied by man facing right type. Man is enclosed by off-center dots around the outside of the field. Man has full head of hair with a ribbon tied into it. Man wearing clothing tied around neck with separate object resting on his shoulder. Reverse: Field occupied by a four-legged hairy creature facing right with teats. Underneath the creature is two humanoid forms reaching up towards the teats. The creature and humanoids are standing on a line that represents the ground. Below them is the legend, ROMANO. Central Italy has a long history of currency that started in the rudimentary form known as aes rude. The Romans began using a more regulated currency as they became a larger power and wanted to have the ability to trade with greater ease. The first steps toward a more sophisticated coinage started in the third century BCE.1 One of those steps was the institution of the magistracy responsible for the making of coins in 289 BCE.2 The magistracy originally cast and struck coins in bronze before the first Roman silver coins were minted in 269 BCE.3 After that the silver coin became more common, but the duties of the magistracy did not change.

The legend that appears on the reverse side, ROMANO, appears on several Republic period coins and they form an early series of Roman coinage. The ROMANO relates to the old 1

John Philip Cozens Kent, Roman Coins (New York: Harry N. Abrams Inc., 1978), 9. John Philip Cozens Kent, Roman Coins (New York: Harry N. Abrams Inc., 1978), 10. 3 Harold Mattingly, Roman Coins: From The Earliest Times To The Fall Of The Western Empire (London: Methuen & Co Ltd, 1967), 5. 2

genitive plural form and means, “coinage of the Romans.”4 The phrase would indicate that the coins were not specifically meant for the people in the cities, but rather the whole of the Roman people. Making a coin for all of the Roman people would make sense for an early series attempting to increase the use of coins. The sentiments of all Romans being equal, regardless of where they live, was short lived with the institution of the second series of coins with the legend, ROMA, that stressed the supremacy of Rome.5 The “coinage of the Romans” series of coins is first found with the the institution of the magistracy giving a terminus post quem to all ROMANO series coins as 289 BCE. The ROMANO series was then discontinued in the early years of the First Punic War that lasted from 264 to 241 BCE.6 The ROMA series that replaced the ROMANO series have coins dating back to at least 250 BCE.7 With the discontinuance of the ROMANO series during the First Punic War and the ROMA series becoming predominant, a terminus ante quem for the series can be placed at 250 BCE.

The man facing right coin in question appears slightly off-center which is often attributed to the method of striking coins. Bronze and silver coins of the ROMANO time period were cast in bronze and are struck in both bronze and silver.8 Knowing the metal makeup of the coin would help with dating, but based on only the image of the coin it is impossible to determine what metal the coin is made from. The types that appear on the coin do reflect an advanced degree of artistic design. A highly competent artist would have been needed to produce the work of art that appears on this coin. In the early days of the magistracy it is unlikely that Rome could have

Harold Mattingly, Roman Coins: From The Earliest Times To The Fall Of The Western Empire (London: Methuen & Co Ltd, 1967), 11. 5 Harold Mattingly, Roman Coins: From The Earliest Times To The Fall Of The Western Empire (London: Methuen & Co Ltd, 1967), 11. 6 John Philip Cozens Kent, Roman Coins (New York: Harry N. Abrams Inc., 1978), 11. 7 John Philip Cozens Kent, Roman Coins (New York: Harry N. Abrams Inc., 1978), 265. 8 John Philip Cozens Kent, Roman Coins (New York: Harry N. Abrams Inc., 1978), 10.

produced highly skilled artists from nowhere, as can be seen by the less detailed coins of the period immediately following 289 BCE. One location that was known for their artists during the third century BCE was Alexandria. Alexandria formed an alliance with Rome in 273 BCE.9 Roman coinage after the alliance shows a strong influence from Alexandria, which may have supplied not only the artists to make the coins, but also the metal.10 The influence from Alexandria can be seen in this particular coin and that causes the terminus post quem to change to 273 BCE.

The early history of Roman coinage reveals that local deities or familiar objects were the most common types to appear.11 Based on the time period the likelihood of the man facing right type depicting a deity facing right is very high. Investigating the man, he has a shaven face and a tied ribbon in his curly hair; his facial features do not indicate which deity he might represent. It does eliminate deities known for wearing helmets or having beards, such as Mars and Jupiter. The man appears to be resting an object on his shoulder. The object has a rounded top with several notches on both sides before ending with what appears to be a handle. This description matches that of a club. The club was the weapon of choice for the legendary hero Hercules.12 The Hercules legend was created in Greece, but had a large following in Rome. Comparing the object with the club that Hercules is holding in the picture, in Appendix A, little doubt is left that this object is in fact a club.

Harold Mattingly, Roman Coins: From The Earliest Times To The Fall Of The Western Empire (London: Methuen & Co Ltd, 1967), 10. 10 Harold Mattingly, Roman Coins: From The Earliest Times To The Fall Of The Western Empire (London: Methuen & Co Ltd, 1967), 11 11 J. G. Milne, Greek and Roman Coins and the Study of History (Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1971), 56. 12 William Smith, ed., A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. 2, Earinus-Nyx (London: John Murray, 1872), 400.

Besides the club, Hercules is often associated with a lion’s skin.13 Common representations have him wearing the lion skin one of two ways. First, he wears it with the lion head around his own head with the mane and teeth prominently displayed. This type does not display any form of a lion’s head so that cannot be the representation. Second, the lion’s paws are brought around Hercules’ neck and tied together in front of his neck with the rest of the body draped down his back, also displayed in Appendix A. On the coin in the center of the man’s neck is a small circle that would represent the knot where the paws are tied. Coming off the left side of the knot is three lines that stretch out before bulging into two small balls at the end of the three lines. Compared to a lion’s paw there is enough similarity to conclude that the garment that the man is wearing could represent a lion skin tied around the man’s neck. Putting together these symbols with the knowledge that deities often appear on coins it can be deduced that the obverse side of this coin is Hercules facing right wearing his lion skin and resting his club on his shoulder. It is unclear why he is encircled by small dots. These dots do not seem to add to the symbolism of the coin and could just be used as a guide for when the minter is striking the coin.

The type on the reverse side is a very iconic image for any Roman history enthusiast. The four legged, hairy creature facing right is recognizable as a wolf. Based on basic knowledge of wolves and dogs the bumps jutting out from the wolf’s stomach area can be determined to be teats. The wolf having teats classifies it as a female, or she-wolf. The two humanoid figures underneath the she-wolf would be rather small for human standards based on the biology of wolves and it would then make sense that these humanoid figures are children or babies. The two babies are reaching up toward the teats of the she-wolf while the she-wolf turns her head toward the two babies in a caring way that implies that the she-wolf is nursing the two human babies. 13

William Smith, ed., A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. 2, Earinus-Nyx (London: John Murray, 1872), 400.

The scene of a she-wolf suckling two babies comes from the foundation story of Rome.14 The reverse of the coin would then be depicting the twin founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus, as babies being saved by a she-wolf.

Hercules was a very popular deity and was often a subject in the arts. Whether old or young he always symbolized heroic strength and energy. 15 For a nation growing in strength and prominence these would have been important characteristics to be associated with. The legend of Hercules was wide-spread in Rome from at least the sixth century BCE.16 Hercules was seen as a beacon of power and for that reason the Fabia gens traced its origin to him. 17 The patrician family attached their genealogy with the story that Evanderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s daughter visited Hercules and conceived the first of the Fabii.18

The Fabii were still a prominent patrician family during the time that this coin would have been minted. Throughout the history of the Roman Republic the Fabii used their legendary genealogy to gain power. From 273 BCE to 250 BCE, four different people with the nomen Fabius were elected consul. Having been elected consul these four men would had sufficient power to mint coins to depict the powerful deity of Hercules, and that would also honor and show loyalty to their legendary clan origin. The four consuls included: C. Fabius Licinus in 273 BCE, C. Fabius Pictor in 269 BCE, N. Fabius Pictor in 266 BCE, and Q. Fabius Maximus Gurges in 265 BCE.

Jacob Abbott, Romulus (New York: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1902), 185. William Smith, ed., A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. 2, Earinus-Nyx (London: John Murray, 1872), 400. 16 T. P. Wiseman, Remus: A Roman Myth (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995), 41. 17 William Smith, ed., A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. 2, Earinus-Nyx (London: John Murray, 1872), 400. 18 T. P. Wiseman, Remus: A Roman Myth (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995), 41. 15

Information on C. Fabius Licinus was very scarce and the only mention of him, beside the listing in the Fasti was under the listing for another man as follows, “Fabricus is stated in the Fasti to have been consul suffectus in B.C. 273, but this appears to be a mistake, arising from a confusion of his name with that of C. Fabius Licinus.”19 The quote gives no indication about who the man was or anything of significance about him so C. Fabius Licinus cannot be confirmed as having a connection to the coin either way. More information is available for C. Fabius Pictor. During his consulship a war was waged against the Picentes.20 His father was famous for painting the temple of Salus.21 His son, Quintus Fabius Pictor, wrote the first history of Rome, which included the story of Romulus and Remus.22 N. Fabius Pictor was C. Fabius Pictor’s brother. N. Fabius Pictor triumphed over the Sassinates and the Sallentni and Messapii during his consulship.23 Q. Fabius Maximus Gurges was in his third consulship in 265 BCE and was slain while attempting to quell a disturbance at Vulsinii in Etruria.24

N. Fabius Pictor, C. Fabius Pictor, and Q. Fabius Maximus Gurges remain as candidates for having a connection to the Hercules / She-Wolf Suckling Twins coin. All three being from the Fabia gens would have explained why the image of Hercules was used to honor them. Q. Fabius Maximus Gurges having been elected consul three times obviously held significant political sway. Dying during the year of his consulship could have led to the minting of a coin to

William Smith, ed., A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. 2, Earinus-Nyx (London: John Murray, 1872), 842. 20 William Smith, ed., A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. 2, Earinus-Nyx (London: John Murray, 1872), 228. 21 William Smith, ed., A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. 3, Oarses-Zygia (London: John Murray, 1872), 364. 22 T. P. Wiseman, Remus: A Roman Myth (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995), 1. 23 William Smith, ed., A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. 3, Oarses-Zygia (London: John Murray, 1872), 364. 24 William Smith, ed., A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. 2, Earinus-Nyx (London: John Murray, 1872), 993.

honor his life. N. Fabius Pictor could have minted a coin to use as payment to his soldiers during his triumphs, or to celebrate those triumphs. C. Fabius Pictor could have minted a coin to pay his soldiers during the war against the Picentes. It is also known through Livy that “for the first time, the Roman people started to use coins of silver”25 during C. Fabius Pictor’s consulship. That means that coins were definitely minted during the year he was consul and it can be reasonably concluded that he may have used that influence to have the design of the coin honor the legendary founder of his clan. While any of these three could have minted the Hercules coin it is not clear why any of them would mint a coin depicting the image of the She-Wolf suckling Romulus and Remus.

A simple explanation for the depiction of the She-Wolf standing on top of the legend, ROMANO, is that it is a patriotic image of the foundation story, but that does not provide a sufficient answer. The story of Romulus and Remus is one that seems to have evolved over time and many different versions of the story exist. The Fabii even make an appearance in one of the versions. After the city was founded Romulus had a commander by the name of Fabius. In this version it is Fabius that kills Remus with a shepherd’s shovel.26 It is unknown which version of the foundation story was most recognized during the 260s BCE, but if it was this one it would not make any sense for the Fabii to represent Remus on a coin that honors their gens history. If they had wanted to allude to the foundation of Rome it would have made more sense to depict just Romulus, or the legendary Commander Fabius, and leave Remus off the coin. The inspiration for the reverse side of the Hercules / She-Wolf Suckling Twins coin then must have come from elsewhere. These Fabii were powerful and influential, but only made up one of the

25 26

Titus Livius, Periochae: Book XV T. P. Wiseman, Remus: A Roman Myth (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995), 10.

two consul positions. If coins were minted to honor the deeds or clan of a consul it would make sense that one side would be dedicated to one consul and the other side to the other consul.

L. Mamilius Vitulus was consul with Q. Fabius Maximus Gurges in 265 BCE. Besides the consulship and the First Punic Wars beginning the year after his consulship not much else is known about his life.27 D. Iunius Pera was consul with N. Fabius Pictor in 266 BCE. His year as consul was significant for the triumphs mentioned above and he later went on to be censor in 253 BCE.28 Q. Ogulnius Gallus was consul with C. Fabius Pictor in 269 BCE and his year as consul was highlighted by the war against the Picentes and the minting of the first Roman silver coin. He was then appointed dictator in 257 BCE.29 However, Q. Ogulnius Gallus is most famous for the work he did as a curule aedile before he became consul.

As a curule aedile, with Cn. Ogulnius, Q. Olgulnius Gallus put several moneylenders on trial and confiscated their property. With that revenue they “installed bronze thresholds in the Capitoline temple, silver vessels for three tables in the shrine of Jupiter, Jupiter with a four-horse chariot on the roof, and statues at the Fiscus Ruminalis of the founders of the city as infants beneath the she-wolf’s teats; they also paved with squared stone the way from the Porta Capena to the temple of Mars.”30 The purpose of these actions would have been to pay tribute to Jupiter and Mars. The first three tributes would have been made to the supreme god, Jupiter. The final two to the war god, Mars.31 Mars was the second most honored god in Rome, the mythical father

William Smith, ed., A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. 3, Oarses-Zygia (London: John Murray, 1872), 1278. 28 William Smith, ed., A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. 3, Oarses-Zygia (London: John Murray, 1872), 185. 29 William Smith, ed., A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. 2, Earinus-Nyx (London: John Murray, 1872), 228. 30 T. P. Wiseman, Remus: A Roman Myth (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995), 72. 31 T. P. Wiseman, Remus: A Roman Myth (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995), 73.

of the founders Romulus and Remus, and one of his sacred animals was the wolf. 32 The fourth tribute being a monument depicting the sons of Mars beneath his symbolic beastâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s teats honors Mars through his offspring and symbolize how everything the Romans do is in the honor of the war god. The fourth tribute, the statue of infants beneath the she-wolf, known as the Ogulnian Monument, no longer stands.33

The Ogulnian Monument was lost to time long ago. The historical representations of the she-wolf nursing the founders of Rome have two different common representations. First, the she-wolf finds the twins and then offers her teats by laying down while reaching her head around to lick and care for the twins. The second presents the she-wolf as standing over the twins and having them nurse below her.34 Based on the description of the Ogulnian Monument by Livy, it is likely that the monument combined the two and had the she-wolf standing with the twins below her while reaching her head around to lick and care for the twins. The trial that supplied the revenue and the creation of the statue occurred in 296 BCE and as one of the leading aediles Q. Ogulnius Gallus was linked with the monument.

The reverse type of the She-Wolf Suckling Twins depicts the scene in the same way that the Ogulnian Monument is commonly described. The work done in securing the monument gives Q. Ogulnius Gallus a connection to the scene and makes it a symbol of his political career. The monument gives Q. Ogulnius Gallus a greater connection to the story of Romulus and Remus than any other consul of the time period. As with the Fabii, Gallus would have had the same type

William Smith, ed., A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. 2, Earinus-Nyx (London: John Murray, 1872), 961-962. 33 T. P. Wiseman, Remus: A Roman Myth (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995), 72. 34 T. P. Wiseman, Remus: A Roman Myth (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995), 72.

of influence and power that goes along with being a consul and would have the same reasons as them to want to create a coin with an image that symbolizes him.

The consuls in 269 BCE, Q. Ogulnius Gallus and C. Fabius Pictor, both offer a symbol that can be found depicted on the coin. The influence and power that goes along with holding the highest office in the land would give them the power of having a coin minted in their honor. It is unlikely that the two decided to independently create and distribute the coins, as often happened in the final days of the republic. If the two were to mint coins independently they probably would have only depicted images of themselves to further their own power instead of sharing a side with each other. The coin having symbolism from both consuls would likely come from a government agency. The magistracy responsible for the making of coins is the most likely source of the coins. The magistracy making coins to honor their consuls would have made sense for the times. The coin could not have been made before the two took office, finalizing the terminus post quem at 269 BCE. Neither Q. Ogulnius Gallus nor C. Fabius Pictor were ever elected consul again after their term together. The commemoration for the two consuls then would not have occurred at any later date so the year the coin was minted would have been 269 BCE. Being that the coin was minted in 269 BCE and that was the year that Livy named as the first of Roman silver coins, the Hercules / She-Wolf coin could have been a part of the first silver coin series in Roman history, but without the actual coin to test for its metal makeup that is impossible to determine.

The coin was minted in 269 BCE by the magistracy responsible for the making of coins in Rome. The coin was either in the series of the first silver coins in Rome or a concurrent series of bronze coins. The coin was a continued part of the ROMANO, â&#x20AC;&#x153;coinage of the Romans,â&#x20AC;?

series that was part of the effort to give the Romans easier access to trade. The obverse side of the coin is an image of Hercules with curly hair held in a ribbon with no beard wearing his lion skin, and wielding his legendary club. Hercules is depicted on the coin because he is the legendary founder of the Fabia gens and serves as a symbol for consul two of 269 BCE, C. Fabius Pictor. The reverse side of the coin is an image of the twin founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus, being suckled by the she-wolf. The reverse side image was inspired by the Ogulnian Monument that depicts the same scene from the foundation story. The reverse side serves as a symbol to consul one of 269 BCE who orchestrated the Ogulnian Monument, Q. Ogulnius Gallus.

Appendix A:

Depictions of Hercules

Bibliography Abbott, Jacob. Romulus. New York: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1902. Kent, John Philip Cozens. Roman Coins. New York: Harry N. Abrams Inc., 1978. Livius, Titus. Periochae: Book XV. Mattingly, Harold. Roman Coins: From The Earliest Times To The Fall Of The Western Empire. London: Methuen & Co Ltd, 1967. Milne, J.G. Greek and Roman Coins and the Study of History. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1971. Smith, William, ed., A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. 2, Earinus-Nyx. London: John Murray, 1872. Smith, William, ed., A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. 3, Oarses-Zygia. London: John Murray, 1872. Wiseman, T.P. Remus: A Roman Myth. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995.