Coin (reverse), Quinarius, of Marcus Cato

Add to album

This Roman silver coin, of a type called a quinarius, was minted in Rome by Marcus Cato in 89 BC. This picture shows the reverse of the coin.

The reverse depicts Victory holding a pan (patera) and palm-branch, an identification made explicit by the legend 'VICTRIX' (she who conquers) below. The design of this side and the reverse were copied for an issue minted by a relation in 47 or 46 BC.

This coin was issued during the Social War, when Rome's Italian allies rebelled in order to obtain citizenship. Rome produced a huge amount of coinage to fund the wages of soldiers, and even reduced silver content of some issues.

Record details

To search on related items, click any underlined text below.

• Online ID: 000-190-000-076-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  A.1932.459
• Date: 89 BC
  
• Material: Silver. Inscription: Obv. Head of Liber r., wearing ivy-wreath; behind, M.CATO downwards;below, control-mark, fibula / Rev. Victory seated r., holding patera in r. hand and palm-branch inl. hand, over l. shoulder; in exergue, VICTRIX
  Coin, quinarius
  
• Dimensions: 14.00 mm D / Die Axis: 4.5
  
• What: Coin, quinarius
  
• Subject: Ancient Coin Collection
  
• Who: Cato
  Liber
  Victory
  
• Where: Italy, Rome
  
• Event:
• Description: Silver quinarius of the Roman Republic, Rome, 89 BC
  
• References:
  • Crawford, M.H. Roman Republican Coinage. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1976. 
• Translations:
• Related Records: