Crawford 308/1a, Roman Republic, Marcus Herennius, Denarius

Roman Republic (Rome mint 108-107 BC.), Marcus Herennius.
AR Denarius (3.93 g, 18 mm).
Obv.: PIETAS (TA in monogram), laureate head of Pietas right, control letter O and a dot below chin.
Rev.: M . HERENNI (HE in monogram), one of the Catanaean brothers Amphinomus or Anapias, nude, running r. bearing his parent on his shoulders; parent turns head l. and has raised r. hand.
Crawford 308/1a ; Syd 567 ; BMC 1253 ; Bab. Herennia 1 .

A scene from the Rescue by the Catannean Brothers of their Parents During the eruption of Mount Etna in Sicily. The brothers Anapias and Amphinomus rescued their parents during an eruption of the Etna ca. 500-400 BC. They became a role model of Pietas. The rev. depiction is similar to that of Aenaeas carrying his father Anchises out of the burning Troy. The parent being saved on this coin from an Etna eruption is traditionally identified as the father, but the sharp detail on this particular coin seems to indicate breasts.