Crawford 290/1, Roman Republic, 114-113 BC., moneyer Caius Fonteius, Denarius

Roman Republic (Rome mint 114-113 BC.), moneyer Caius Fonteius.
Denarius (19-20 mm, 3,69 g), silver, axis medal alignment ?? (ca. 0°),
Obv.: Janiform head of the Dioscuri; control-letter I at left, mark of value (Roman numeral, XVI as monogram, value of 16 As) right, six dots below.
Rev.: C. FONT (NT in monogram) above, Galley with pilot and three oarsmen; ROMA in exergue.
Crawford 290/1 ; Sydenham 555 ; Bab. Fonteia 1 ; BMC (Italy) 597 .

The gens Fonteia was a plebeian family at Rome. Members of this gens are first mentioned toward the end of the third century BC. In his oration, Pro Fonteio, Cicero mentions that the Fonteii came originally from Tusculum, of which municipium it was one of the most distinguished families. The Fonteii claimed descent from Fontus, the son of Janus. A two-faced head appears on this coin of the gens, which some historians in the past suppose to be the head of Janus, in reference to this tradition. But as Janus is always represented in later times with a beard, nowadays historians regard that the two heads refer to the Dioscuri, who were worshipped at Tusculum with especial honours, and who may be regarded as the Di Penates of the gens. Eckhel maintains that the two heads refer to the Dioscuri, who were worshipped at Tusculum with especial honours, and who may be regarded as the Di Penates of the gens. Michael Crawford likewise favours a depiction of the Dioscuri as they appear on other coins of the Fonteii. The galley on the reverse meanwhile is a reference to Telegonus, son of Ulysses and according to myth the founder of Tusculum. The reverse may be an allusion to P. Fonteius Capitus, ancestor of the moneyer, praetor in Sardinia in 169 BC and who would have won a naval victory. For Mr. Crawford, the reverse would be an allusion to the marine origin of Telegonus, founder of Tusculum. Besides the denarius thre is a series of bronzes including the as, the semis, the triens, the quadrans, and the uncia.

For this type Crawford found an estimate of 142 obverse dies and 177 reverse dies. On the obverse, the alphabet is sometimes accompanied by globules located under the bust.