Roman Republic - The Social War (91-87) - C. Paapius....

Roman Republic - The Social War (91-87) - C. Paapius.
Denarius - Campania (c. 90).
Magnificent copy - Slight mark on the reverse side.
Copy of the C collection. S. Bement (1843-1923) sale Naville 6 of January 28, 1924, N°25 and of the sale NAC 70 of May 16, 2013, N°98.
3.87g - Sydenham 637 - Campana 83m
Gorgeous - AU*

This coin, struck in Corfinio in the Abruzzo, with the helmeted head of Italia on one side and the Dioscuri riding on the other, was issued circa 90 BC, when the Italian allies (socii) revolted against the power of Rome. Because its domination on the Italian peninsula was considered too binding, the allies, who had expected to receive Roman citizenship as compensation, seceded and proclaimed their independence. The allies initiated the so-called "social war", with Corfinium as a capital city, with a Senate, and with two consuls: Q. Poppaedius Silo (leader of the tribe of the Marsi) and C. Papius Mutilus (leader of the Samnite army), the latter's nomen being mentioned in the exergue of this coin. It is a variation of a denarius issued in 136 BC by the moneyer C. Serveilus (type Crawford 239/1), on which the legend ROMA has been replaced by ITALIA. With this coin that the rebels chose for their shared coinage indicating their revolt was a unified one, and that Italy was not federated to Rome. Another type (Campana 3-4), with the cognomen Mutil(us) in Oscan, is known in 20 specimens, struck from 2 obverse and 2 reverse dies. Instead, this type with ITALIA is much rarer, with only seven examples known (including those in the Paris, London and Berlin museums), all struck from a single pair of dies, and this is the only coin that mixes Latin and Oscan legends. This coin seems to be the earliest attested use of the word 'Italia'. Automatically translated by DeepL. To see the original version, click here.