Crawford 319/1, Roman Republic, Q. Thermus M.f., Denarius

Roman Republic (Rome mint 103 BC.), Q. Thermus M.f..
AR Denarius (3.87 g, 19-20 mm).
Obv.: Head of Mars left, wearing crested and plumed helmet.
Rev.: Q. THERM. M F in exergue, two soldiers vis-à-vis in battle stance, fighting each other with swords, defending with shields; Roman soldier protects fallen comrade between them.
Crawford 319/1 ; Sydenham 592 ; BMCRR Italy 653 ; Minucia 19 .

On this coin, the moneyer probably commemorates his namesake who apparently exhibited great personal bravery when in conflict with the Ligurians. Crawford notes: "The moneyer is presumably to be identified with the Q. Minucius M.f. Ter. on the consilium of Pompeius Strabo at Asculum, perhaps as Legate.
The Ligurians were a people of the northern Appenines who probably represented the Neolithic peoples who were constricted by Gallic and Etruscan pressures. They inhabited the hills from the French Alps and along the Italian Riviera and had kinsmen in Corsica. They engaged in a series of conflicts with the Romans in the 230's but were not really reduced until after the Second Punic War. They were a constant threat to Massilia and other northern cities. In 197, Minucius Rufus marched through their territory. Q. Minucius Thermus, consul in 193 and governor of Liguria from 193 to 190, forced back one of the principal tribes, the Apuani (who had imposed a continuing threat on Pisa), relieved Pisa, and demonstrated across the Auser River.