L. Papius Celsus (ca. 45 BC). AR denarius (17mm, 9h). NGC VF. Rome. Head of Juno Sospita right, wearing goat skin headdress / CELSVS•III•VIR / L•PAPIVS, she-wolf crouching right, placing stick on fire; eagle standing left on right, fanning flames with its wings. Crawford 472/1. Sydenham 964. Papia 2. From the Bacchus Collection The curious scene depicted on the reverse of this type refers to a foundation myth for the city of Lanuvium, parent city of Rome. According to a legend related by Dionysius of Halicaranassus in Roman Antiquities, the hero Aeneas saw a fire burning in a nearby forest and went to investigate. As he drew closer he saw the fire was being fed by a she-wolf (Roman people), who was dropping sticks into the blaze, while an eagle (Roman army) standing nearby fanned it with his wings. A fox (Carthage) kept intruding, trying to snuff out the fire by wetting his tail in a nearby stream and beating the flames down with it, but was driven off by the eagle and wolf.

HID09801242017

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