Lot 3383

Description

L. Roscius Fabatus, (c.64 B.C.), silver denarius, Rome mint, (3.83 grams), obv. Juno Sospita head to right wearing goat's skin, symbol behind (unidentified in Cr.), L. ROSCI below, banker's mark in field, rev. female standing right feeding serpent erect before her, symbol behind, FABATI in exergue, banker's mark HE incuse monogram in field, (S.363, Cr.412/1, Syd.915, RSC.Roscia 3). Serrated edge, very fine, scarce.

Ex Noble Numismatics sale 65, (lot 1925) and previously from Henry Christensen, USA, Auction October 28, 1959 (lot 30). This piece relates to the yearly festival at Lanuvium in honour of Juno Sospita when a virgin descended into a grotto inhabited by a serpent. If the girl was not chaste she was destroyed by the serpent.