The coinage of the Rasna : a study in Etruscan numismatics. Part IV

Transcription

1 The coinage of the Rasna : a study in Etruscan numismatics. Part IV Autor(en): Objekttyp: Vecchi, Italo Article Zeitschrift: Schweizerische numismatische Rundschau = Revue suisse de numismatique = Rivista svizzera di numismatica Band (Jahr): 72 (993) PDF erstellt am: Persistenter Link: Nutzungsbedingungen Die ETH-Bibliothek ist Anbieterin der digitalisierten Zeitschriften. Sie besitzt keine Urheberrechte an den Inhalten der Zeitschriften. Die Rechte liegen in der Regel bei den Herausgebern. Die auf der Plattform e-periodica veröffentlichten Dokumente stehen für nicht-kommerzielle Zwecke in Lehre und Forschung sowie für die private Nutzung frei zur Verfügung. Einzelne Dateien oder Ausdrucke aus diesem Angebot können zusammen mit diesen Nutzungsbedingungen und den korrekten Herkunftsbezeichnungen weitergegeben werden. Das Veröffentlichen von Bildern in Print- und Online-Publikationen ist nur mit vorheriger Genehmigung der Rechteinhaber erlaubt. Die systematische Speicherung von Teilen des elektronischen Angebots auf anderen Servern bedarf ebenfalls des schriftlichen Einverständnisses der Rechteinhaber. Haftungsausschluss Alle Angaben erfolgen ohne Gewähr für Vollständigkeit oder Richtigkeit. Es wird keine Haftung übernommen für Schäden durch die Verwendung von Informationen aus diesem Online-Angebot oder durch das Fehlen von Informationen. Dies gilt auch für Inhalte Dritter, die über dieses Angebot zugänglich sind. Ein Dienst der ETH-Bibliothek ETH Zürich, Rämistrasse 0, 8092 Zürich, Schweiz,

2 ITALO VECCHI THE COINAGE OF THE RASNA A STUDY IN ETRUSCAN NUMISMATICS Plates - 6 Part IV The marks of value which are traditionally called Roman numerals are in fact derived from the Etruscan numbering-system which was employed on funerary inscriptions to indicate the age ofthe deceased and was also extensively used in legal and commercial transactions. A fine example is to found in the inscription painted on the tomb of Larth Felsna in the necropolis of Villa Torlonia at Tarquinia: felsnas : la : ledes svalce : avil : CAI murce caput V%»^Ä' signifyng: «Larth Felsna of Lethe lived 06 years, murce Capua, tlekhe that of Hannibal». The claim on the funeral inscription is that he was 06 years old and that he was either a mercenary in Hannibal's army which took Capua in 26 or that he was present its recapture by Rome in 2. Larth gives us no numismatic information other than that he was probably in the pay of Hannibal, although Etruria remained substantially loyal to Rome during the 2nd Punic War. The treason trials of 204 and 202 conducted by the consuls M. Cornelius and M. Servilius, however, indicate that some prominant Etruscan individuals had gone over to the enemy of Rome.2 The cities ofetruria, especially Populonia and Vetulonia, were by the 3rd century B.C. completely under the military, political and economic influence of the Roman Republic3. From the outset of the 2nd Punic War in Italy, Populonia struck a gold, silver and bronze coinage with marks of value that corresponded to Rome's ever declining post-scmilibral standard bronze, which by 2 was stabilized at the sextantal and only some time later at the uncial as standard, confirmed by Pliny4 A.J. Pfeffig, Studi Etruschi 25, 967, 659 ff.; TLE For further insight into this period see the fine study by A. J. Pfeffig, Die Haltung Etruriens im 2. punischen Krieg, Historia 5, 966, For a detailed analysis of Etruscan numismatics, see Rasna, part I, SNR 67, 988, 43-73, part II, SNR 69, 990, 5-25 and part III, SNR 7, 992, 9-0. '^Naturalis Historiae 33,

3 «asses uncialesfacti» in the context of the re-tariffing of denarius by the middle of the 2nd century. Previously, and throughout the 3rd century, Etruria had been an integral part of the Roman-dominated central Italic bronze as currency system (with denomi nations clearly marked with their bronze as equivalents) which by 27 was subject to severe inflation5. By the end of the period Populonia attempted to rationalize the bronze currency system by introducing centesimal and decimal marks ofvalue, in one case, early in the 2nd century together with Roman pellet ounce-marks of value (nos. 4 44), a system that was not to survive Etruria's total economic absorption by Rome. Sextans CATALOGUE POPULONIA AND VETULONIA (PUFLUNA CA VETALU) Bronze post-semilibral as period, c Ol Head of Sethluns r., wearing pileus decorated with laurel-wreath; to., two pellets and prow of ship. Border of dots. Rl VJfl + 33 dviweva Ai around hammer and tongs;5a in center, 2 pellets. Border of dots. 2 Ol R2 * 4.24 Florence, Museo Arch. Sambon Florence, Museo Arch. Sambon Milan, SNG 24 4* 6.57 Private coll. Antikenmuseum Basel Copenhagen, SNG 8 2* 4.44 London, BM (inv ) Munich, SNG 6 4* Private coll. The weight standard is based on a bronze quadrantal as of theoretically about 8g., struck during the post-semilibral period when Populonia and Vetulonia were politically and economically allied with Rome against Hannibal. 5 For a detailed analysis of weight standards and metralogical parallels of the period see R. Thomsen, Early Roman Coinage I (Copenhagen 957), ; II (96), 40-48; M. Crawford, RRC II, and I. Vecchi, Rasna part I, SNR 67, a Clearly pufluna, notfufluna as given in TLE. The Etruscan name for Bacchus, Fufluns, has its root in puple «bud, shoot or offspring» and is recognizable in the Etruscan names pupluna and pufluna which in Latin are rendered as Populonia, «multiplication of the race»; this, as Moneta, was one of the titles ofjuno. The cult of Fufluns Pachies was widespread in Etruria; according to Livy, the senate of Rome banned it in 86 B.C. on the grounds of public order. 64

4 POPULONIA (PUPLUNA) Bronze post-semilibral as period, c Triens Ol Head of Menvra r., wearing crested Corinthian helmet; to., 4 pellets. Border of dots. Rl 2 Ol R R2 4 Ol R3 Flying owl facing between two stars; above, 4 pellets; below, flvlwl\m. Border of dots Milan, SNG 5 2 Rome, Museo della Propaganda 3* Spink 82, 99, Florence, Museo Arch. Sambon London, BM (inv ) 3* Private coll Numismatica Ars Classica, 989, 9 2* Private coll. * Berlin (inv. 826/899) 5 As above, but with countermarks: llfs^cr (»^lcly &I'dbTJ \\\> m * 7.80 London, BM Sambon 4a (inv ) 2* 4.63 London, BM (inv ) 3* 7.83 London, BM (inv ) London, BM (inv ) 5* 5.70 London, BM (inv ) Atti Napoli, p. 24, pl. 9, 66 6* 22.6 Private coll. The very worn state of the countermarked issue makes classification by die difficult and indicates that these coins needed to be revalidated for circulation, probably as 20 decimae in the uncial as period in ca 200 (see nos. 4-48). Sambon suggests the crescent moon may be the sign of Bes, which during a raging war against Carthage seems unlikely. The countermarks seem to be of celestial symbols 65

5 and may be associated with Uni (Juno) who under the name Populonia watched over the multiplication of the race. As Lucetia, Uni was the feminine principal of celestial light and moon goddess, of which Tinia (Jupiter) was the masculine principal, god of light, sun, moon and of celestial phenomena such as thunderbolts, interpreted in the librifulgoralis. It is with the title Moneta, after having been the adviser of those about to be married that Uni became the adviser of the Roman people. Later this epithet Moneta changed its meaning, due to the installation near the temple of Juno on the Capital of the mint of the Roman State Head of Turms r., wearing petasus; behind, 4 pellets. Border of dots. R4 Caduceus and crescent above flvlw\m; below, caduceus and 4 pellets. Border of dots. Quadrans 7 04 * 9.5 Volterra, Museo Guarnacci Sambon 5 R5 Sextans Head of Menvra r. wearing crested Corinthian helmet; above, 3 pellets. Border of dots. Owl with closed wings standing r., head facing; to., two stars; above, 3 pellets; below, flvlwlvl Border of dots. * 7.40 Florence, Museo Arch. 05 Head of young Hercle r., bound with diadem; on shoulder, club. Border of dots. R6 Bow and arrow above 2 pellets; below, club and flviv^vt. Border of dots Berlin (Prokesch-Osten) 2 3* R Munich, SNG 3 Private coll. Santamaria 95 (Signorelh), Spink 82, 99, 40 Venturi-Ginori 24 2* 0 05 R8 66 * London, BM (inv ) Weber 76 Crippa, Listino, 969, 220 Florence, Museo Arch. London, BMC p. 5, 24

6 05 R * 4.00 Aes Rude, Jan. 979, 4 Copenhagen, SNG 2 Milan, SNG 7 Naville 5, 923, 2 New York, ANS, SNG 92 Sextans 2 06 Head of Menvra r. wearing crested Corinthian helmet; above, 2 pellets. Border of dots. RIO Owl facing with closed wings standing r., on 2 pellets ; to., crescent between two stars; below, flvlwivt. Border of dots..54 Private coll Private coll. 3* 2.77 Spink 82, 99, Rll 6.3 Populonia Hoard 2* 9.4 Private coll. Petrillo Serafin R R3 * Florence, Museo An *.94 Private coll Sternberg, 98, 6 06 R Berlin (inv. 899) 2* Private coll R Berlin (Imhoof-Blumer) Milan, SNG 6 3* 9.55 New York, ANS, SNG 93 67

7 8 07 R6 * Private coll Private coll R7 * 8.94 London, BMC p. 5, R8 * 0.94 New York, ANS, SNG R9 * R20 * Santamaria 95 (Signorelh), 2 Florence, Museo Arch. 23 OIO R2 *.55 London, BM (inv ) The weight standards of 23 correspond to the same diversity of weight standards at Rome, which gradually decline from the post semi-libral to the sexantal as of 2 B.C. Bronze sextantal as period, after c centesimae (as) 24 Oil Laureate and bearded head of Tinia r.; behind; )K. Border of dots R22 within wreath. Incuse hippocamp r. Border of waves in incuse Berlin (Fox) Berlin (inv. 56/908) Florence Mazzolini coll. 78 (from Populonia) 4* Hess-Leu 28, 965, 338 Spink 82, 99, 430 5* Vatican coll. Sambon

8 50 centesimae (semis) 25 Ol2 Bearded head of Nethuns r., wearing pistrix-skin headdress; behind, T. Border of dots within wreath. R23 Incuse hippocamp r. Border of dots within circle of waves. * London, BM (inv ) Numismatic Fine Arts 2, 976, 4 50 centesimae (semis) Bearded head of Nethuns r., wearing pistrix-skin headdress; behind, T. Border of dots within wreath. R24 Incuse eagle standing r., looking, at coiled serpent. Incuse linear border New York, ANS, SNG 7 Strozzi 630 2* Private coll. Antikenmuseum Basel Turin, Museo Arch. Sambon centesimae (semis) Bearded head of Nethuns r., wearing pistrix-skin headdress; behind, Î. Border of dots within wreath. R25 Incuse griffin in incuse walking r. Wreathed border. * Florence Mazzolini coll. 79 Sambon Strozzi 63 (from Val d'orcia) Vatican coll. 30 centesimae 28 Ol3 Bearded head of Hercle r., wearing lion's skin; behind, XXX. Border R26 of dots within wreath. Incuse ray (not a donkey's head) swimming to r. Border of waves in incuse..77 New York, ANS, SNG Stockholm, SNG 50 3* 3.42 Vatican coll., cast 24 Sambon Vatican coll., cast centesimae (quandrans) Helmeted head of Menvra r.; to r., A XX; to., XX. Border of dots within wreath. R27 Incuse cock standing. Linear border within wreath *.98 Copenhagen, SNG 4 Berlin (von Rauch) Berlin (inv. 500/87) Florence, Museo Arch. Strozzi 632 London, BM (inv ) 69

9 30 05 R28 * 0.24 Ars Classica 6, 933, 0 Spencer Churchill, SNG 2 Pozzi 47 2 Cesano R29 Incuse dolphin between two fishes to., in incuse. Border of waves in incuse. *.93 Spink 82, 99, centesimae (quincunx) Laureate and bearded head of Tinia r.; behind; XX. Border of dots within wreath. R30 Incuse eagle standing., with wings spread and head to r. Wreathed incuse border. Venturi Ginori 3 2* 8.6 Vatican coll R3.35 Berlin (Imhoof-Blumer) 2* 8.6 Copenhagen, SNG 42 3* 0.70 Paris, de Luynes 2 2/2 centesimae (sescuncia) 34 Ol 7 Laureate and bearded head of Aplu r.; behind, X; below, IIX Border R32 of dots within wreath. Incuse coiled serpent within oval * 6.49 Florence, Museo Arch R33 Incuse fish swimming to r. Border of waves Berlin (Imhoof-Blumer) Cambridge, McClean Oxford, Ashmolean, SNG 2 4* 6.26 Private coll. Antikenmuseum Basel 2 70

10 0 centesimae Laureate and bearded head of Tinia r.; behind; X. Border of dots within wreath. R34 Incuse fish swimming to r. Border of waves * Copenhagen, SNG 43 Florence, Museo Arch. Strozzi 633 London, BM (inv ) Private coll. Private coll. Spink 82, 99, centesimae Head r., wearing Phrygian helmet; behind, A. Border of dots within wreath. R35 Incuse cross. Linear border. * 2.49 Florence, Museo Arch. Mazzolini coll. (from Cecina) Paris, BN Spink 82, 99, centesimae Head r., wearing Phrygian helmet; behind, A. Border of dots within wreath. R36 Incuse six-pointed star. Linear border London, Lloyd, SNG 29 Ratto, , New York, ANS, SNG 73 Hirsch 30, 9 (Baron 33 3* 3.08 Private coll Spink 82, 99, 434 2l/2 centesimae 39 O20 Young male head r.; to r., <l I. Border of dots within wreath. R37 Six-pointed star, in incuse. Linear border. * 2.49 Berlin (von Rauch), cat. 6, pl.,9 Sambon Florence, Museo Arch, (scavi Vetulonia) Spink 82, 99, 435 2'/2 centesimae 40 O20 Young male head r.; to r., K.\ I. Border of dots within wreath. R37 Spiral within linear border..89 Private coll. The sextantal revaluation at Rome, with a theoretical weight of the bronze as ofabout 54 g, was adopted by Populonia but with subdivisions tariffed in centesimal 7

11 unit marks of value. The dies of this special issue are carefully engraved and characterized by wreath-bordered obverses and incuse reverses. The wreath may be an indication of victory in connection with the Second Punic War. 0 decimae-triens Bronze uncial as period, after c Head of Sethlans r., wearing pileus decorated with laurel-wreath; between X and A. Border of dots. R38 Hammer and tongs either side of 4 pellets; below, flviwlv^. Border of dots Copenhagen, SNG Milan, SNG 9 (overstruck on sextans of Athena/owl, type 2) 3* 8.95 Private coll R R40 * 0.29 Spink 82, 99, Berlin (Fox) Berlin (Löbbecke) Berlin (inv. 5052) Berlin (inv. 5066) London, BMC p. 5, 26 (overstruck on sextans of Athena/owl, type 2) Milan, SNG Milan, SNG Munich, SNG Munich, SNG New York, ANS, SNG 97 (overstruck on sextans of Athena/ owl, type 2) * 9.02 Private coll Private coll R4 3.2 Weber 77 (overstruck on sextans type 2) 0.96 Berlin (Imhoof-Blumer) 2 Florence, Museo Arch. 3 Florence, Museo Arch. 4* 6.72 London, BMC p. 6, 28 72

12 Following the collapse of the sextantal as standard and its fine Etruscan centesimal series, Populonia followed Rome and produced poorly engraved bronze uncial trientes with a weight standard based on an as of about 27 g. In keeping with Populonia's decimalisation policy, to the traditional 4 pelleted triens a 0 units mark of value was added on the obverse. The X to the left and A to the right of Sethlans seems to be a local attempt to decimalize uncial trientes, many ofwhich are overstruck on Menvra/owl sextantes type 2 of lighter than average weight. Similar but heavier restruck sextantes type 2 are tariffed in the following series at eleven units, see note to nos decimae Busteof Turms r., wearing winged petasus; to., crescent. Border of dots. R42 * R43 flviwivl above /X between two filleted caducei. Border of dots. New York, ANS, SNG 96 Aes Rude, Nov. 978, *.79 Berlin (inv. 827/899) London, BMC p. 397, R44 * R45 Ars Classica 6, 933, 9 Spencer Churchill, SNG 4 Berlin (inv. 2352), cat. 33 (overstruck on sextans of Athena/ owl, type 2).99 New York, ANS, SNG 95 (overstruck on sextans of Athena/ owl, type 2) 7.59 Berlin (inv. 8200), cat. 34 (overstruck on sextans of Athena/ owl, type 2) 2* Florence, Museo Arch. Many coins of this issue have been restruck making use of sextantes of Menvra/ owl of type 2, but bear no Roman pellet-marks than of value and are on average heavier the host sextantes of series 4-44 with a 0 unit-mark of value. The weight standard of the Populonian bronze unit, as the average of the 26 recorded specimens of both issues (4-48), is of about g., indicating that the reverse mark of value means eleven tenths of an uncial triens. Italo Vecchi Niederdorfstrasse 43, 800 Zürich 73

13

14 PLATE /4 2/2 2/4 i Kà-r*- f -.-. "P N^m iu*0 P*\ TS l h ' \.- KW*i /3 3/2 / 2/3 s- %,% V, -{ Kvusfc!» '.- 5/2 Italo Vecchi, The coinage of the Rasna. part IV

15

16 PLATE 2 r yj Pì rv" 5/3 5/5 5/6 6/ an>** ßm L0. K^r RW44VUÌ ßfi QQä^ <* s 7/ 8/3 9/2 0/ t 5*5 - fifï ^ V./5 V Italo Vecchi, The coinage of the Rasna, part IV

17

18 PLATE 3 2/3 v ^ i, 3/2 f 4/ 5/ t-v-x- s *. 9 *y^ 6/2 7/3 8/ 9/ 'V, 23* Ss vj) H : j * 20/ ^ " 2/ Italo Vecchi, The coinage of the Rasna, part IV m ;'Q: pl-

19

20 PLATE 4 22/ 23/ /,' j 24/4 24/5 25/ \ f A fi :Â 26/2 ai Italo Vecchi, The coinage of the Rasna, part IV

21

22 PLATE 5 J? ypw\»? < <r r* #; 28/3 29/5 30/ 3/ r ** t'jf i /^ m*0r ṙ> 55%tv /" «/? m:. 32/2 33/2 33/3 5/ isr 34/ obv. 35/4 jêêëêf**'-..«. 'Ï-^&À 36/2 37/ \J**j^ Italo Vecchi, The coinage of the Rasna, part IV

23

24 PLATE 6,v\ 38/3 w$ 4/3 42/ 39/ > S5 "» *» 40/ 43/ 44/4 45/ 46/2 47/ 8/2 Italo Vecchi, The coinage of the Rasna, part IV

25