Description:
This hand struck denarius coin was minted in Rome by moneyer Furius Purpurio in 169 - 158 BC. The Roman Republic introduced the denarius in circa 211 BC. It soon became the principal denomination in the Roman Republic monetary system and was the equivalent of around two days’ pay for a Roman Soldier.
The obverse of this Roman Republic coin shows the head of Roma wearing a decorated winged helmet. In traditional Roman religion, Roma was a female goddess who personified the city of Rome and more broadly, the glory that was the Roman Republic. In the city of Rome itself, the Romans paid tribute to Roma at the Temple of Venus and Roma. This was the largest temple in the city, located near the Colosseum and dedicated to inaugurate the festival of Romaea in Roma's honor. The temple contained the seated, Hellenised image of Roma - the Palladium in her right hand symbolized Rome's eternity. Her image also appears on the base of the column of Antoninus Pius, which can still be seen today in Rome.
On the reverse side of this coin, Luna is depicted with a crescent moon on her head, while she is holding the reins and driving a galloping two horse chariot, known as a biga. A murex shell is shown above. To the Romans, Luna was the divine embodiment of the Moon. In ancient Roman art, Luna's attributes were the crescent moon and the two-yoke chariot.
