Crawford 319/1, Roman Republic, 103 BC., moneyer Quintus Minucius Thermus, Denarius

Roman Republic (Rome mint 103 BC.), moneyer Quintus Minucius Thermus.
Denarius (19-20 mm, 3,84 g), silver, axis about medal alignment ?? (ca. 340°),
Obv.: Head of Mars left, wearing crested and plumed helmet.
Rev.: Two warriors in combat, each armed with sword in right hand and shield in left; the one on the left protects a fallen comrade; the other wears horned helmet; Q•(THE)RM•(MF) in exergue. “Quintus Minucius Thermus Marci Fillius”, (Quintus Minucius Thermus son of Marcus).
Crawford 319/1 ; Sydenham 592 ; BMCRR Italy 653 ; Minucia 19 .
Old toned collection patina

The moneyer is perhaps Quintus Minucius Marci filius Thermus of the “consilium” of Pompeius Strabo at Asculum, as legate or as tribune as Mr. Crawford proposes. Crawford thinks the reverse refers to a brilliant action by one of the currency's ancestors.
This coin records the brave deeds of the moneyer's ancestor and namesake, Quintus Minucius Q. f. L. n. Thermus who was elected consul in 193 and assigned Liguria as his province. From his base in Pisa, he waged war against the Ligurians. His command was extended for the following year, during which time he defeated the Ligurian forces near Pisa. He remained as proconsul in Liguria for 191–190. During this time it appears that he may have won the distinction of the corona civica, the second highest military award to which a Roman could aspire, by saving the life of a fellow citizen in battle through slaying an enemy on a spot not further held by the enemy army that day - this act being depicted on the reverse. He may also have been the same Thermus who served as military tribune under Scipio in North Africa in 202 BC. Appian relates that about this time there was a cavalry engagement between the forces of Hannibal and those of Scipio near Zama, in which the latter had the advantage. On the succeeding days they had sundry skirmishes until Scipio, learning that Hannibal was very short of supplies and was expecting a convoy, sent the military tribune, [Quintus Minucius] Thermus, by night to attack the supply train. Thermus took a position on the crest of a hill at a narrow pass, where he killed 4000 Africans, took as many more prisoners, and brought the supplies to Scipio.

In 103 BC Marius prepares to face the barbarian hordes that have invaded the northern Roman empire. That year, Marius was consul for the third time, associated with Lucius Aurelius Orestes. In fact, the scene could also refer to recent events with the invasion of the Cimbri and the Teutons which ravaged Cisalpine Gaul, finally leading to Marius' victories over the Teutones and Ambrones at Aquae Sextiae in 102 B.C. and the Cimbri at Vercellae in 101 B.C.