Crawford 296/1d, Roman Republic, moneyer Cneius Cornelius Blasio Cn. f. , Denarius

Roman Republic (Rome mint 112-111 BC.), moneyer Cneius Cornelius Blasio Cn. f. .
AR Denarius (17,5-18,5 mm, 3,61 g), silver, axis irregular alignment ?? (ca. 310°),
Obv.: CN BLASIO. CN F , “Blasio Cneii Filius”, (Blasio son of Cneius) , Head of Mars r., wearing Corinthian helmet; [above, mark of value XVI (in monogram = 16 As) ]; behind, prow.
Rev.: ROMA (in ex.) , The 'Capitoline Triad' – Jupiter standing facing between Juno and Minerva and holding sceptre and thunderbolt; Juno holds sceptre and Minerva holds sceptre and crowns Jupiter, in field between: ?.
Crawford 296/1d ; Syd. 561b ; Seaby Cornelia 19 .

Crawford estimated 137 obverse dies and 171 reverse dies for twelve different varieties of this type, which is actually rarer than general works suggest.
On the obverse, the head of Mars was sometimes identified with the portrait of Scipio Africanus (236-183 BC), who was the implacable enemy and victor of Hannibal (247-183 BC), an idea rejected by Crawford.
On the reverse, the three statues belonged to the first temple of Jupiter Capitolinus (cf. denarius of the Volteia gens RCV 312), which were deposited by Scipio Africanus himself, a means of propaganda that the general supposedly used to remind people of his ties to the gods.
The 'Capitoline Triad' - Jupiter, Juno and Minerva - were the gods worshipped at the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus on the Capitoline hill. Triumphs ended at this temple. The placement of the gods on this coin resemble their respective rooms in the temple.