Mn. Acilius Glabrio Denarius 49, AR 20mm, 3.75 g. SALVTIS Laureate head of Salus right Rev. MN·ACILIVS – III·VIR·VALETV Valetudo standing left, resting l. arm on column and holding snake in r. hand. Babelon Acilia 8. Sydenham 922. Sear Imperators 16. Crawford 442/1a.

Lovely iridiscent tone and about extremely fine.

When Caesar took possession of Rome, early in 49 BC, following the flight of Pompey and his supporters, his urgent need of money was only partially by the production of denariiof the elephant/pontifical emblems type (see Lot no. 80). This coinage was produced solely in the name of Caesar from a mint presumably located in his military camp. However, it was important that the normal production of coinage at the Capitoline mint should be resumed as quickly as possible and to this end Caesar instructed the moneyer Manus Acilius Glabrio to take over the position vacated by the pro-Pompeian Quietus Sicinius who had fled into exile. It cannot be determined whether Acilius already held the office of moneyer prior to Caesar's arrival in Rome, and decided to support the new regime, or whether he was actually Caesar's nominee. The reverse legend, which proclaims him as one of the tresviri monetales (college of three moneyers), may possibly indicate the former as being the more likely alternative. But whatever the origin of his appointment Acilius' coinage is a large and important one and must have played a vital role in the opening phase of Caesar's rule in Rome.