★ The Marsic Confederation ★

The Bellum Sociale, 90-88 BC. AR Denarius, Corfinium mint, c. 90 BC. Obv. Laureate head of Italia left, wearing earring and necklace; behind, ITALIA upward. Rev. Oath-taking scene: youth kneeling at the foot of a standard and holding pig, at which eight soldiers (four each side) point their swords; in exergue, II and dot. Campana 38; HN Italy 415/c. AR. 3.54 g. 20.00 mm. RR. Very rare and choice for issue. Sound metal, broad flan and lovely even grey toning, with golden hues. Good VF. Marcus Livius Drusus, who was Tribune of the Plebeians in 91 BC, attempted to bring Roman citizenship to the Italian allies. This, along with his land reform proposals, proved unpopular with the Senate and Roman landowners and he was assassinated before his plans were brought to fuition. With the promise of citizenship rights removed, a rebellion of the Italic allies began which came to be known as the Social War (cf. Livy, Periochae 71), from the Latin ‘socii’ (allies), thus in Latin: Bellum Sociale - the War of the Allies. During this conflict, the allies of the Marsic confederation (the Marsi, Peligni, Piceni, Vestini, Samnites, Frentani, Marrucini, and Lucani) struck coins which were often inspired by the types found on Roman denarii, with some detailing the names of the rebel generals. This was to be the last struggle of the Italic allies for independence against the dominant leadership of Rome; the coins not only helped pay for the troops, but were also used as propaganda against Roman overlordship. The circulation of these coins continued even after the conflict ended, and were used alongside their republican models. (Roma Numismatics XVIII, 2019, lot 842 note).