L. Farsuleius Mensor (ca. 76/5 BC). AR denarius (19mm, 6h). NGC Choice VF. Rome. MENSOR, draped bust of Libertas right, seen from front, wearing stephane, triple pendant earring and necklace; S•C to right, die number and pileus behind, bead-and-reel border / L•FARSVLEI, Mars (?) in rearing biga right, reins and spear in left hand, helping citizen climb into biga with right; scorpion right below horses. Crawford 392/1a. Sydenham 789. Farsuleia 1. Crawford (75 BC), Hersh/Walker (76 BC). From the Bacchus Collection Crawford notes the moneyer L. Farsuleius Mensor is otherwise unknown, but his cognomen, with its associations with distributions of land, perhaps indicates popularis sympathies. The most insistent pressure in the 70s BC was for the restoration of the powers of the tribunate, demanded in the name of libertas, and it seems reasonable to regard the obverse as expressing sympathy with this demand. The warrior on the reverse is clearly male, and should probably be regarded as Mars. The reverse as a w suggests peace and reconciliation between soldier and citizen, possibly an allusion to the second objective of some politicians of the period of the assimilation of the new citizens enfranchised after the Social War.

HID09801242017

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