From the Gemini IV Auction, Closed January 8, 2008.



                  Lot # 292 - Auction is closed.Estimate: US$300 / Price 
                  Realized: US$400 
                  A. Plautius. Silver denarius 



             



            A. Plautius. Silver denarius (3.94 gm). Rome, 55 BC. Turreted head 
            of Cybele right, A. PLAVTIVS before, AED. CVR S.C. behind / Bacchius 
            (Aristobulus?) kneels right, camel at side, extending olive branch, 
            IVDAEVS on right, BACCHIVS in exergue. Crawford 431/1. Sydenham 932. 
            RSC Plautia 13. Toned extremely fine. 

            Ex Albert M. Potts Collection. 

            “Bacchius” is unknown to history, and the identity of the kneeling 
            figure on the reverse has been subject to considerable controversy. 
            The scene evidently refers to the submission of Aristobulus the High 
            Priest to Pompey; the alternative explanation, that Bacchius refers 
            to Dionysius of Tripoli (mentioned in Josephus), derives solely from 
            the similarity between the Greek Dionysus and the Latin Bacchus, and 
            seems implausible. An Italian correspondent of the cataloguer points 
            out the precise resemblance between the kneeling figure depicted 
            here and Bocchus on Sulla’s signet ring, copied on Crawford 426/1. 




      © 2005-2008 Gemini, LLC | Email: info@geminiauction.com

  ... Lot 292 sold for high bid of $400 [ $460, or approx 317.4 EUR, 234.6 GBP including the 15% buyers fee.] 

Gemini Auctions' results, text and images are re-used by the kind permission of:
    Freeman & Sear (www.freemanandsear.com)
 and Harlan J Berk (www.harlanjberk.com)