Item number: A259

Year: 74 BC

Material: Silver

Size: 18.8 x 18.6 x 1.3 mm

Weight: 3.0 g

Provenance: Coincraft 2018

This silver coin is a Roman Republic denarius, minted in 74 BC by Caius Postumius and featuring the monogram TA/AT. The obverse of the coin displays a right-facing bust of Diana, adorned with a bow and quiver over her shoulder, and encircled by a dotted border. The reverse depicts a hound in mid-run to the right, beneath which the legend “C·POSTVMI TA/AT” and a spear are inscribed.

The monogram TA/AT on the reverse may signify Tatius or Tatianus, possibly referring to the Sabine King Tatius, who co-ruled with Romulus, the founder of Rome. Caius Postumius integrates the iconography of Diana Aventina, linking it to the temple erected on the Aventine Hill by King Servius Tullius. This temple commemorated the hard-fought Roman victory at the Battle of Lake Regillus in 499 BC against the Latins. The depiction of a hunting dog on the reverse complements Diana’s typical portrayal with a canine companion.

Cavedoni, the editor of Numorum Italiae veteris Tabulae CCII (Plates of Ancient Italian Coins 202), noted that this denarius bears similarities to older coins from Larinum, particularly in the depiction of the hunting dog. The coin exists in two varieties, distinguished by the presence or absence of the TA/AT monogram; the variant lacking the monogram is significantly rarer.

In 74 BC, Marcus Antonius Creticus was appointed praetor with the extraordinary task of eradicating piracy in the Mediterranean to support operations against King Mithridates VI of Pontus. However, Creticus not only failed in his mission but also plundered the provinces he was meant to protect, leading to his derisive nickname “Creticus,” or “conqueror of Crete.” He was also notable as the father of the general Mark Antony.

物件編號: A259

年代: 公元前 74 年

材質: 銀

尺寸: 18.8 x 18.6 x 1.3 mm

重量: 3.0 g

來源: 錢幣工藝 2018

這枚銀幣是羅馬共和國時期的一枚銀質第納里烏斯硬幣，由蓋烏斯·波斯圖米烏斯(Caius Postumius)於公元前74年鑄造，硬幣上帶有TA/AT的字母組合。硬幣的正面展示了戴安娜的右側面像，她肩上搭著弓和箭筒，周圍環繞著點狀的邊框。反面描繪了一隻向右奔跑的獵犬，下方刻有「C·POSTVMI TA/AT」的字樣和一支矛。

反面的TA/AT字母組合可能代表塔提烏斯(Tatius)或塔蒂安努斯(Tatianus)，意指與羅馬建立者羅穆盧斯共治羅馬的薩賓王塔提烏斯。蓋烏斯·波斯圖米烏斯在硬幣上採用了戴安娜·阿文蒂娜(Diana Aventina)的圖像，這與塞爾維烏斯·圖利烏斯王(King Servius Tullius)在阿文提諾山(Aventine Hill)上建立的戴安娜廟宇有關。該廟宇是為了紀念公元前499年羅馬人在勒吉魯斯湖戰役中艱難戰勝拉丁人而建造的。而在反面的獵犬圖案經常跟戴安娜女神連袂出現。

《意大利古代硬幣圖錄202》的編輯卡維多尼(Cavedoni)指出，這枚第納里烏斯的某些圖案與拉裡努姆城(Larinum)的一種更古老的獨立硬幣相似，特別是在獵犬的描繪上。這種硬幣有兩種變體，僅能通過TA/AT 字母的組合存在與否作區分；沒有字母組合的變體要稀有得多。 

公元前74年，馬庫斯·安東尼烏斯·克雷提庫斯(Marcus Antonius Creticus)被任命為裁判官，肩負著清除地中海海盜威脅的特殊任務，以支援對抗本都帝國(Pontus)的米特里達梯六世(Mithridates VI)的行動。然而，克雷提庫斯不僅未能完成任務，還掠奪了他本應保護的省份，最終只能通過一項可恥的條約來自救。因此，他被諷刺地稱為「克雷特的征服者」。他也是將軍馬克·安東尼的父親(Mark Antony)。