Didrachm of Suessa Aurunca, Campania
Date265 BCE – 240 BCE
PeriodHellenistic Greece
MediumSilver
Dimensions22 mm, 6.60 g
Credit LineGift of Drs. John and Bessie Sawhill
Object number2024.2.12
On View
Not on viewCollections
DescriptionObv: Laureate head of Apollo right, trident symbol behind
Rev: Naked man (Dioscurus) on horseback left, holding palm branch and leading second horse. SVESANO in exergue.
HN Italy 447, HGC 1 508, Sambon 855, SNGANS.1.594 - 597
NotesSNGANS.1.594 is closest but none in range have a trident symbol on obverse
“In 340 BC, the Aurunci (an Italic people inhabiting the border region between Samnium and Campania) surrendered themselves to the Roman consul, T. Manlius Torquatus, at the outbreak of the Latin War (340-338 BC)… they appealed to Rome for aid, but the consuls did not arrive in time to prevent the destruction of Aurunca.” -- HGC 1 pg 209
“A Roman colony with Latin rights… a level of privilege below that of full Roman citizenship… was established at Suessa in 313 BC. This has led to some speculation that the Aurunci somehow managed to incur the displeasure of Rome in the preceding years.” –HGC 1, pg 209
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