1879.] -^01 [Phillips. 



richly decorated with sculptures. The one which this coin, presents has 

 on each side a lyre suspended with a festoon in the middle and a hammer 

 at bottom. It would seem that L. Scribonius Libo renewed this puteal, 

 whence it obtained his name. It is twice referred to in Horace (Epist. Lib. 

 I. 19. 8., Sat. Lib. II. 6. 34). 



In 1812 an altar was found at Veil, in every respect corresponding with 

 this representation, and it is likely that the puteal Libonis served as a model 

 for imitation in other places. 



After the decline of Roman liberty the emperors coined gold and silver, 

 but the bronze remained the prerogative of the Senate. Upon the reverse 

 of the imperial denarii occur many interesting types such as Pax, Provi- 

 dentia. Pietas, Fecunditas, JEquitas, Concordia, Tranquillitas, Constantia. 

 Pudicitia, Decursio, Adlocutio, Fides, Spes, Victoria, Fortuna, and a mul- 

 titude of others. Upon the decease of an emperor, it was the custom to 

 deify him, and to issue coins commemorating the event ; they usually bear 

 on the reverse the word consecratio, and an eagle soaring to heaven, or a 

 chariot drawn by four elephants, or a Phoenix, the head on the obverse 

 being surrounded by rays. When it was a female who received this honor, 

 as in the case of one of the imperial family, the reverse bore a peacock, or 

 a chariot drawn by peacocks, or a carpentum drawn by mules. 



The servile adulation which had been their portion in life was not ended 

 even in death. 



The very earliest of the Roman coinage was of copper (or bronze), and 

 was issued by Servius Tullius, about the sixth century before Christ. The 

 As was the primitive monetary unit of Rome, and although from time to 

 time reduced in weight retained its legal value always unchanged. The 

 coinage of silver, the denarius, quinarius, and the sestertius began about 

 269 B. C ; gold was first minted about 206 B. C. 



One coin alone has preserved to us the monetary implements of the 

 ancients ; a denarius of the gens Carisia bears on the reverse the pincers, 

 hammer, anvil and bonnet of Vulcan. 



When the first Triumvirs placed their own effigies upon the coins, they 

 gave a great shock to the ancient habits and superstitions of the Roman 

 people by displacing the old traditionary types of gods and goddesses. 

 Pompey and Csesar were the first to set the example, which was followed 

 by their relatives and their successors in authority, although by some 

 authors it is held that the head of Pompey was not placed upon coins until 

 after his death, and that it was then done by his sons. 



Among the imperial Roman series are many fine and rare coins, starting 

 from Julius Csesar and coming well down to the later days of the Byzan- 

 tine empire. There are pieces of Augustus, Agrippa, Mark Antony, An- 

 toninus Pius, iElius Csesar, Caracalla and Geta, Domitian, Claudius, Ca- 

 ligula, Elagabalus, Gallienius, Herennus Etruscus, Hadrian, Julian the 

 Second, Maximinius, Marcus Aurelius, Philippus, Pertinax, Titus, Trajan, 

 Vespasianus, and many others. They all bear the image of the emperor on 

 the obverse, and on the reverse in many instances commemorate important 



PROC. AMER. PHILOS. SOC. XVIII. 103. Z. PRINTED APRIL 22, 1879. 



