COIN (ROMAN)

A silver Roman Republican denarius of the moneyer Caius Coelius Caldus, minted in Rome in 51 BC. The moneyer has taken the opportunity to celebrate the career successes of his family. On the obverse the coin has the portrait of C. Coelius Caldus, the moneyer's grandfather, who was also called Caius Coelius Caldus, and was Consul in 94 BC. Behind his head there is a standard with the letters H S, with the pole dividing the letters, which stands for Hispania or Spain. The design on the reverse shows a figure seated at a banquet (epulum) on a table with a trophy with the Macedonian shield on the left and a trophy with a carnyx (war trumpet used by Celtic warriors) and oval shield on the right, referencing a successful campaign against the Celts. The inscription reads L Caldus VII VR EPVL, which stands for Lucius Caldus (the moneyer's father) who was one of the Septemviri (seven men) appointed to organise the epulum (banquet) in honour of the gods, and Jove in particular. The table shown is called the Lectisternum, around which statues of the gods would have been arranged on couches as if they were feasting. The coin is described in BMC Republic Vol.I, p.475, no.3838.

Ruler: Republic
Moneyer: Coelius Caldus, C.
Denomination: Denarius (Roman Republic)
Material: Silver
Mint: Rome
Obverse: Head of Coelius Caldus facing right with a standard behind his head bearing the letters HIS
Obverse legend: C COEL.CALDVS
Reverse: Figure preparing a banquest on a high lectisternum between a trophy on the left with a Macedonian shield and a trophy on the right with an oval Celtic shield and carnyx. The moneyer's name is below.
Reverse legend: L.CALDVS / VII.VR.EPVL below lectisternum and C CALDVS reading downwards on the left and IMP A X (imperator, augur, decemvir) downwards on the right // CALDVS III VIR
Dated: -51.0 to -51.0
Weight (g): 3.4
Diameter (mm): 18.0
Thickness (mm): 2.0
Completeness: Complete
Preservation: Good
Parish: Veryan
District: Cornwall
County: Cornwall
Region: South West
Discovery method: Metal detector