Tliiliips.] ^44 [Oct. 3, 



the symbols respectively indicative of their supposed avocations. Upon 

 one denarius is found the representation <>t' Hercules Musagetae playing upon 

 a lyre. "The temple of Hercules Musarum was built in the Flaminian 

 circus by the consul Pulvius, who having, when imperator in Greece, 

 recognized Hercules as Musagetes, consecrated to his tutelar protection the 

 nine statues of the Muses, which lie had brought over from Aetolia, B. C. 

 189. The Pomponia, though a plebeian gens, were very proud, and, towards 

 the end of the Republic, followed the example of the other Roman gentes 

 by claiming high antiquity, pretending descent from Pompo, one of the 

 sonsofNuma." (Smyth, p. 184, etscq.) 



The gens Vibia likewise affords many varieties of obverses and reverses. 

 Among the former we find the laureated head of Apollo, the head of 

 Pallas, an ivy crowned head of Bacchus, a scenic mask of Pan, a laureated 

 female head supposed to represent the Goddess Libertas, laureated head 

 of Hercules, bearded head of Jove ; on the reverses are galeated figures in 

 quadriga, Ceres crowned with wheat marching across a field, Jupiter 

 Axuris, Roma seated on a pile of bucklers, holding in her right hand a 

 spear, in her left the parazonium, pressing with her left foot on a globe, 

 and in the act of being crowned by a flying Victory, two clasped right hands 

 sustaining a winged caduceus (relating to D. Brutus, who being besieged 

 by Mark Antony at Mutina, B.C. 45, was liberated by the consuls Hirtius 

 and Pansa), a panther with his fore feet raised on a decorated cjlindrical 

 altar on which are the Bacchic attributes, a bearded mask and a long 

 thyrsus adorned with ribbons, Victoria alata placing a garland upon a 

 trophy composed of spoils, and Ceres, crowned with corn, holding a lighted 

 torch, seated in a car drawn by two dragons." These dragons are 

 portentous creations of the ancient imagination in all countries. The 

 serpent worship was all but universal. It is alluded to in the earlier 

 portions of the Bible, and it is known to have prevailed among the Chal- 

 dees, the Persians and the Egyptians as emblematic of the Sun and Time 

 and Eternity. From the Orientals it descended to the Greeks, and from 

 them to the Romans, among whom it became a type of Victory, Prosperity 

 and Health." (Smyth, p. 255, etseq.) Ccresin her car, drawn by dragons, 

 likewise occurs upon the coins of the gens Volteia. 



There is a handsomely executed Paduan fabrication of a first brass of 

 the Emperor Otho, bearing his head on the obverse, and on the reverse 

 the Emperor standing with his right hand extended over an altar clasping 

 the hands of three soldiers who bear military ensigns ; inscription Securi- 

 tas p. R. s. C. A Roman first brass of the Emperor Otho is something 

 that has always been a desideratum ; none are known to exist or to have 

 ever existed. Bronzes from the Egyptian Mint are to be met with and 

 these alone must replace the Roman issue in collections unless the unex- 

 pected, which is always occurring, should some day bring to light a hoard 

 of these coins. The usual explanation given for the absence of the first 

 bronzes of this Emperor is based upon the power retained by the Senate of 

 striking copper, while their rulers had usurped the privilege of coining gold 



