★ “Extremely Rare” "Third known example" ★

M. FERIDIUS, 40 BC AE. Uncertain mint in Cilicia?, colony.
Obv: CO·IVL·CIN (sic).
Draped bust of Mercury with caduceus, right.
Rev: FERIDIVS IIVIR EX D D.
Sella curulis between fasces.
Condition: VF.
Weight: 3.84 g.
Diameter: 17 mm.

M. Feridius is a Roman sent to the lands of Asia Minor by the Roman Republican Senate. Cicero, for example, received a letter in Cilicia from a friend, demanding that he should arrange for large numbers of panthers to be sent to Rome for the games, and then continuing: "I recommend to you M. Feridius, a Roman eques, the son of a friend of mine, a worthy and hard-working young man, who has come to Cilicia on business. I ask you to treat him as one of your friends. He wants you to grant him the favour of freeing from tax certain lands which pay rent to the cities – a thing which you may easily and honourably do and which will put some grateful and sound men under an obligation to you". (Letters to his Friends, 8.9.4)