Pre-Long Beach Auction #80

Cn. Domitius Calvinus. Silver Denarius (3.86 g), 39 BC. Osca. Imperator in Spain, 39-36 BC. OSCA, bearded male head right. Reverse DOM COS ITER IMP, simpulum, aspergillum, axe and apex. Crawford 531/1; HCRI 342; Sydenham 1358; Burgos 1509. A magnificent example, well struck and well centered. Lovely old cabinet tone with a hint of iridescense. Nearly Mint State. Rare.

Cn. Domitius Calvinus was stalwart Caesarean, having served as Caesar's Master of the Horse. He commanded the Caesarean center at Pharsalus and was present at Thapsus, and in 39 BC Octavian appointed him governor of Spain with instructions to put down a revolt of the Cerretani. The province, which had recently been ceded to Octavian after Sextus Pompey's defeat, was in a state of extreme turmoil following years of misrule and civil war. Calvinus was known as a strict disciplinarian, and was a good choice for the job as he quickly put down the revolt and restored order to the province. While in Spain he established his capital at Osca where he minted these denarii. The obverse directly copies the bearded male head found on Spanish denarii of the second and first centuries BC, and the reverse presents the symbols showing he was a member of the college of pontifices.
Estimated Value $5,000 - 7,000.
Ex NAC 52 (7 October 2009), 299; Gorny & Mosch 107 (2 April 2001), 339.