Lot 1171
C. Numonius Vaala. Silver Denarius (3.92 g), 41 BC. Rome. C NVMONIVS VAALA, bare head of Numonius Vaala right. Rev. VAALA in exergue, soldier advancing left, holding spear and shield, attacking rampart defended by two soldiers. (Crawford 514/2; HCRI 322; Sydenham 1087; Numonia 2). Attractive old cabinet tone, a little softly struck on top of head. About extremely fine. Estimate $5,250UP
Ex Ars Classica 17 (3 October 1934).
Ex Count Tolstoi Collection (Hess, 11 March 1912), lot 923.
The obverse of this coin depicts an obscure ancestor of the moneyer C. Numonius Vaala who appears to have gained the cognomen Vaala for the gens Numonia through his military exploits. The reverse shows him storming the palisades (vallum) of an enemy rampart. It was customary in the Roman Republic to award the soldier who was first to break through the defenses of an enemy fortification with the corona vallaris - a golden crown ornamented with palisades, similar to the somewhat more familiar corona muralis awarded to the first soldier to break through the wall of an enemy city. It is presumably from the receipt of the corona vallaris by the moneyer's ancestor that he took the honorific cognomen Vaala (an archaic form of Vala), which was passed on to his descendants.
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| Realized $5,163 |
