some device allusive to the history of the gens to which the striker 
of the piece belonged. Hence they not only confirm or supply 
historical tradition, but give us a great amount of information 
respecting customs, mythology and religious rites, armour and 
costume. Those presented by Mr. Stillingfleet are of types not 
previously in our cabinet. 1. The first is a coin of M. Porcius Laeca. 
On the obverse is the head of Pome with X (denarius); on the 
reverse a figure placing a pileus, the emblem of liberty, on the 
head of another figure, while behind stands a boy with rods in his 
hand. This alludes to the celebrated Porcian law, by which it was 
forbidden to scourge with rods a Poman citizen. In another coin 
of Laeca in our collection Liberty is represented as holding a pileus 
in her right hand. The enactment of the Porcian law is recorded 
by Livy (x. 4), and it is alluded to by Cicero in his fifth oration 
against Yerres, where he mentions it, as one of the greatest of his 
enormities, that he had caused a Poman citizen to be beaten with 
rods at Messina, the sufPerer all the time exclaiming “ Civis 
Pomanus sum.” It was to the Porcian law that St. Paul alluded 
(Acts xvi. 37), “ They have beaten us openly uncondemned being 
Pomansand (xxii. 25) “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man 
that is a Poman and‘uncondemned ?” The words of Cicero, who, 
in his oration for Pabirius, says that the Porcian law had “removed 
the rod from the back of a Poman citizen,” have been interpreted 
as if scourging him had been absolutely forbidden. But the words 
of St. Paul indicate that it was only forbidden to scourge him 
before trial. And this is confirmed by other coins of Porcius Leeca, 
in which the exergue has “Provoco,”—I apjoeal. The tribune 
who proposed the law lived 197 b. c., but the coin is probably not 
older than the time of Cicero and the Catilinarian conspiracy, in 
which a Lseca was concerned. 2. A denarius of C. Valerius Placcus. 
Obverse, a head of victory winged, a star; reverse, C. Yah Flv. 
Imperator ex S. C. (Senatus Consulto.) In the centre a legionary 
standard surmounted by an eagle; on either side two standards, 
one inscribed H, the other P. The Poman armies were divided 
into three ranks; the Hastati, who were in front, the Principes, 
W‘ho stood next, and the Trieres in the rear, who had the charge of 
the eagle. Thus the entire infantry are represented b}^ the three 
standards, the Trieres by the eagle, the others by the letters H 
and P. Por some military exploit Valerius Placcus had been saluted 
Imperator by his army, and the Senate by decree had confirmed the 
title. His victory was probably gained in Spain. Cicero, in his 
