Crawford 379/1, Roman Republic, 80 BC. moneyer Lucius Procilius, Denarius
Roman Republic (Rome mint 80 BC.), moneyer Lucius Procilius.
Denarius (17-18 mm, 3,77 g), silver, axis about coin alignment ?? (ca. 200°),
Obv.: Laureate and bearded head of Jupiter right, S. C behind. “Senatus Consulto”, (with the agreement of the Senate).
Rev.: L. PROCILI / F in two lines behind, Juno Sospita walking right, wearing goat-skin headdress, hurling spear in her right and defending with shield at left arm; erect serpent before. “Lucius Procilius Filius”, (Lucius son of Procilius).
Crawford 379/1 ; Sydenham 771 ; BMCRR Rome 3147 ; Babelon Procilia 1 .
Lucius Procilius seems to be the historical contemporary of Cicero and may be identified with the tribune of the plebs of 56 BC who was accused by Clodius two years later of violence and was condemned.
Crawford estimated 104 obverse dies and 116 reverse dies.
For Lucius Procilius, there is a second denarius struck in 80 BC presenting a bust of Juno Sospita (but a serratus type coin). The gens must have originated from Lanuvium where the particular cult of Juno Sospita was celebrated. The representation on the reverse could correspond to a statue of the goddess, described by Cicero (from Nat. Deor., I, 29).