minted in Rome
This silver coin of a type called a victoriatus was minted in Rome by Caecilius Metellus between 194 and 190 BC. This picture shows the reverse.
The reverse depicts Victory standing facing to the right, crowning a trophy. The letters ME, joined together, appear between the two, and denote the Metellus family. The word 'ROMA' (for Rome) appears below.
After a victorious battle, the Greeks erected a trophy on the battlefield and dedicated it to the gods. It consisted of weapons of the defeated army placed on a pole or tree trunk. This custom was adopted by the Romans, but sometimes it was made in Rome.
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