189 - Denarius of the Roman Republic from the Papiria family. Minted in Rome in 122 B.C.

Denarius of the Roman Republic from the Papiria family. Minted in Rome in 122 B.C. Silver. Weight: 3.9 grams. Measurements: 18 mm in diameter. Provenance: Family legacy of Ramon Martí Alsina and Ricard Martí Aguiló. Archaeological collection formed from the 1950s by successive generations of the family, through acquisitions in European galleries and auction houses. On the obverse, the head of the goddess Roma wearing a winged helmet, facing right. In front of the head is the letter X (denarius or a value equivalent to 10 asses; although by that time the denarius had been revalued and was worth 16 asses, the iconography representing the previous value—denoted by an X—had been retained). Behind her is a laurel branch. On the reverse, the god Jupiter, holding a long scepter in his left hand, grasps the reins of a quadriga galloping to the right. With his right hand, he makes a gesture as if to hurl a bundle of lightning bolts. The legend “MP CARBO” (Marcus Papirius Carbo) appears below the horses. The exergue reads “ROMA.” References: Crawford 276/1; Sydenham 423 In Roman mythology, Roma is a goddess who personifies the city or state of Rome, primarily in the art of Ancient Rome. The Papiria family, or Gens Papiria, was a Roman family of patrician origin, with some branches of plebeian descent. Many members of the family held prominent positions in the history of Rome. Marcus Papirius Carbo served as mint magistrate in 122 B.C. This denarius was minted in that year, during one of the most critical moments in the history of the Roman Republic. In 123 B.C., Gaius Gracchus, a prominent populist politician, was elected tribune of the plebs. In 122 B.C., his laws were passed: the Agrarian Law, the Frumentary Law, and the Judicial Law, all of which included measurements in favor of the lower classes. In 121 B.C., Gaius Gracchus was assassinated by the senatorial oligarchy.