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Roman Republic, Denarius

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Roman Republic, Denarius (obverse) Roman Republic, Denarius (reverse)

This Roman denarius depicts the Greek god Apollo; below him is a thunderbolt. The legend MN FONTEI CF refers to the moneyer, Marcus Fonteius, son of Caius (CF for Caii fiius). The reverse depicts Cupid, the god of love, sitting on a he-goat. Above him are two pilei (felt caps worn at feasts, particularly the Saturnalia). Below is the thyrsus, the pole wound with leaves and associated with Bacchus, the fertility god.

The design of this coin has symbols refers to fertility gods and their rites. The felt caps are also associated with the Dioscuri Castor and Pollux, divine twins who were depicted on early Roman denarii.

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