Lot 3640

Description

Augustus, (27 B.C. - A.D. 14), silver denarius, Rome mint, issued c.19 B.C. by P.Petronius Turpilianus, (3.82 grams), obv. bare head of Augustus to right around CAESAR AVGVSTVS, rev. TVRPILIAN[VS] III VIR around, Tarpeia, long-haired facing half buried in shields with hands raised, (S.-, RIC 299, C.494, BMC 297). Scratches on neck and field on the obverse, otherwise very fine/good fine and very rare.

Ex. B.A. Seaby, London, March 1989. The type refers to the Sabine origin of the Petronia gens. A temple of the divinites Liber, Libera and Ceres was vowed by the dictator Aulus Postumius in 495 B.C., after consulting the copy of the Sibylline books which Petronius Sabinus is said to have made. This temple was restored by Augustus.