B. DENARIUS OF L. CAESIUS (p. 101).
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Fowler, W. Warde (William Warde)
Obv. Youthful bust l., hair disordered, striking with thunderbolt. Behind, a monogram.
Coin.
Rev. L. CAESI Two young male figures seated to r. Each has drapery wrapped round waist, and grasps a spear. Between them, a dog, which one of them caresses. In field, in monograms, LARE Above, head of Vulcan and pinchers (moneyer’s mark). The monogram of the obverse was read by Mommsen AP for Apollo; but the closed P was not at that time in use: the interpretation of Montagu (Numismatic Chronicle, 1895, p. 162) as Roma is therefore to be preferred. The head appears to be that of Vedius or Vejovis, whose statue at Rome carried in the hand a sheaf of arrows, which would naturally be confused with the Greek thunderbolt. Other heads of Vejovis on Roman coins, as those of the Gens Fonteia, are more Apolline in type, with long curls and laurel-wreath.
The two seated figures of the reverse are identified by the inscription as Lares. They are clearly assimilated to the Greek Dioscuri, early adopted at Rome. The dog, however, which sits between them is an attribute properly belonging to them. Dr. Wissowa in Roscher’s Lexicon (p. 1872) says that they are clad in dogs’ skins; this, however, is certainly not the case, an ordinary cloak or chlamys falls over their knees.
This representation of the Lares stands by itself, the deities are frequently represented in later art, especially wall-paintings and bronze statuettes, but their type is that of boys who hold cornucopiae or drinking vessel, and are fully clad.
P. G.