Publius Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus, silver denarius, 3.94 g.
Title
Publius Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus, silver denarius, 3.94 g.
Creator
Publius Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus
Date
c. 89 BCE
Description
Obverse: Bust of Hercules Respiciens, seen from behind, wearing lionskin with head turned to right and club over left shoulder; on left, control mark, D ·; below, ROMA. Border of dots.
Reverse: Roma, standing facing, wearing helmet with triple crest and holding spear in right hand, with left hand on hip; to right, Genius of Rome crowning her with right hand and holding cornucopia in left hand; between, control mark · D · (with · above); in exergue [LE]NT MAR F; laurel wreath border.
Style/Period: Roman Republic
The family of Publius Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus favored Hercules and the Genius of the Roman People. Hercules Respiciens, the "Hercules looking back," is seen with his lion skin cap (see coin C032). The club and thinner face are Roman adaptations of the similar Hellenistic coin type. The genius performed an active role as guardian of whatever he represented. The Genius of the Roman people was popular in the first century BCE. Here, according to Brauer, the Genius is crowning Roma for her success and prosperity in the war against the rebel Sertorius from 76-75 BCE.
-- Bradford W. Wendel, LU '96
Bibliography: E. Babelon, Description historique et chronologique des monnaies de la republique romaine (Paris and London 1885-1886) Cornelia, 25; H. A. Grueber, Coins of the Roman Republic in the British Museum (London 1910), I, 233-234, no. 1705; T. R. S. Broughton, The Magistrates of the Roman Republic, II (New York 1952) 437; E. A. Sydenham, The Coinage of the Roman Republic (London 1952) 86, no. 604b; M. H. Crawford, Roman Republican Coinage (London 1974) 329-330, no. 329/1a; George C. Brauer, Jr., "The Genius Figure on Roman Coins," SAN Journal of the Society of Ancient Numismatics 13 (1982) 24-26; C. Foss, Roman Historical Coins (London 1990) 4, no. 8.
-- Bradford W. Wendel, LU '96
Bibliography: E. Babelon, Description historique et chronologique des monnaies de la republique romaine (Paris and London 1885-1886) Cornelia, 25; H. A. Grueber, Coins of the Roman Republic in the British Museum (London 1910), I, 233-234, no. 1705; T. R. S. Broughton, The Magistrates of the Roman Republic, II (New York 1952) 437; E. A. Sydenham, The Coinage of the Roman Republic (London 1952) 86, no. 604b; M. H. Crawford, Roman Republican Coinage (London 1974) 329-330, no. 329/1a; George C. Brauer, Jr., "The Genius Figure on Roman Coins," SAN Journal of the Society of Ancient Numismatics 13 (1982) 24-26; C. Foss, Roman Historical Coins (London 1990) 4, no. 8.
Source
Classics Department Collection
Identifier
C028
Rights
Wriston Art Center Galleries, Lawrence University, Appleton, WI,wriston-gallery@lawrence.edu,920-832-6890
Files
Citation
Publius Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus, “Publius Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus, silver denarius, 3.94 g.,” Lawrence University Classics Department & Ottilia Buerger Coin Collections, accessed November 5, 2026, https://thor.lawrence.edu/omeka/buerger/items/show/389.