Detail of the Capitoline Hill from the Model of Rome at the Time of Constantine (306–337 CE), created by Italo Gismondi between 1933 and 1937 CE. This 1:250 scale model is displayed at the Museo della Civiltà Romana in Rome, Italy. Photo by Jean-Pierre Dalbéra of Paris, France, taken 10 June 2011, image used under CC BY 2.0 license, via Wikimedia Commons
There is little known about the moneyer of today's coin of interest, Petillius Capitolinus, one of the last moneyers to strike an independent senatorial coinage before the 2nd Triumvirate took control of the minting process in 41 BC. We will carefully connect all that we can about this coin, starting with "After All, I am not the malicious one" from Horace:
"If someone while you were there
Gave a hint of Petillius Capitolinus’ thefts,
You’d be sure to defend him as is your habit:
‘Capitolinus has been a dear friend and companion
Since childhood: he’s done me many a favour when asked,
I’m delighted he’s living freely here in the City:
But I’m still amazed at how he escaped that trial.’
That’s the black ink a cuttlefish squirts, now, that’s
Pure venom. Let such nastiness be far from my work,
And well before that from my heart: if there’s anything
I can truly promise, I’ll promise you that."
-Horace, Satires, 1.4.94-100Why this quote from Horace's Satires?
Quintus Horatius Flaccus (65 BCE–8 BCE) was a prominent and influential Roman poet at the end of the first century BCE. His works explore themes of philosophy, politics, love, and the art of living, often with a tone of humor, reflection, and pragmatism.
In Satire 1.4, Horace discusses his style of writing and how it differs from more vicious or biting forms of satire. He justifies his approach as lighthearted and humorous, rather than malicious or intended to harm. He contrasts himself with those who use wit as a weapon to hurt or defame others. He also acknowledges that some of his jokes might be perceived as offensive, but he insists they are made in good faith.
As you would expect from this set of "Notes on Ancient Coins" - there is a connection to a Roman Republican denarius and the moneyer who may be the same with this person referenced by Horace. Petillius Capitolinus was the moneyer for this denarius:
Roman Republican, Petillius Capitolinus, 41 BC, AR denarius (18mm, 3.81g, 11h), Rome.
Obv: PETILLIVS - CAPITOLINVS Eagle standing front on thunderbolt, wings spread and head to right.
Rev: S - F, temple of Jupiter Capitolinus with figures on the roof and the architrave; between central four columns, garlands hanging.
Ref: Babelon (Petillia) 2. Crawford 487/2b (with S-F). RBW 1704. Sydenham 1150.
Although other dates are assigned to this coin in auctions (e.g. 43 BC), I use Woytek's dating - with these 3 moneyers in 41 BC before the triumvirate took responsibility for minting.
There are three coins in the series (487/(1) (2a) and (2b) - the coin above is 487/2b with the S-F on the reverse, 2a omits this. I have the other coin below 487/1 which has a head of Jupiter in palce of the eagle.
Roman Republican, Petillius Capitolinus, 41 BC., AR Denarius (18mm, 3.71g), Rome.
Obv: CAPITOLINVS, bare head of bearded Jupiter right.
Rev: PETILLIVS, The Capitoline temple of Jupiter, with hexastyle façade and eagle in pediment.
Ref: Crawford 487/1.
Woytek also mentioned an interesting over-strike of RRC 487/1 which corrects and error of combining the obverse of Jupiter and a reverse of the temple from 487/2b with S-F. This was published by Hersh, Charles A. in “Some Additional Roman Republican Overstrikes.” Museum Notes (American Numismatic Society) 32 (1987): 85–95.
The Temple on the Reverse
The Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus, also known as the Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus, was the most important temple in Ancient Rome. It was located on the Capitoline Hill, which was the site of an ancient village and the center of Roman political and religious activities. According to legend, this was the location of the Hut of Romulus. The temple of Juno Moneta where coins were minted was near the temple of Jupiter on the Capitoline Hill.
What is the SF on the Reverse?
Paully's Realencyclopaedia (RE) in the entry for Petrillius #7, tells that a Petillius Capitolinus minted denarii around 714–40 AUC featuring the depiction of the Capitoline Temple and the inscription S·F·, which perhaps refers to his official role, possibly even an honorable one, carrying out sacred rites (sacris faciundis?). In Roman Republican Coinage, Crawford suggests that "the letters SF perhaps stand for sacris faciundi and refer to come particular feature of the cult associated with the Capitoline temple". It seems easy to conclude that the SF is in some way making a connection between Capitolinus and/or his family and the images of Jupiter and the Temple on his coin.
The Eagle & Jupiter on the Obverse
There is little mystery about eagle on the obverse of (2b) or jupiter on (1) : Petillius Capitolinus depicts an eagle standing on a thunderbolt. The eagle is a powerful symbol and often associated with Jupiter. The thunderbolt that the eagle is standing on is also a traditional attribute of Jupiter.
The Connection to Sulla
Capitoline Temple was built of wood and was destroyed by fire in 83 BC, and restoration started under the supervision of Lucius Cornelius Sulla who at this time was was consul and subsequently dictator.
Sulla in his sack of Athens acquired columns that were brought back to Rome to use in the city.
"Marble columns were certainly used in temples, not, however, as an embellishment, since embellishments as such were not yet appreciated, but merely because there was no way of erecting stronger columns. Thus they are a feature of the unfinished temple of Jupiter Olympius at Athens, from which Sulla brought columns to be used for temples on the Capitol. [Note (d): In particular, that of Jupiter, which had been burnt down in 83 b.c. Sulla arranged for its reconstruction, but the greater part of the work was carried out by Catulus, who does not seem to have used these pillars.]"
-Pliny, Natural History, XXXVI.45
What is known about Petillius Capitolinus?
Horace cites this widely known capital trial and the accusation against a certain Petillius Capitolinus for theft (furta) and his subsequent acquittal. In Satire 1.10.26, he describes the trial as a dura causa ("difficult case") without mentioning the cognomen.
Pomponius Porphyrio, is one of the earliest and most important sources of ancient interpretations of Horace’s poetry. Paully's Realencyclopaedia (RE) in the entry for Petrillius #7, tells us that Porphyry explains these references by stating that Petillius was entrusted with the care of the Capitoline Temple and was held accountable for the theft of a — presumably golden — crown (coronae subreptae de Capitolio), but was acquitted by Caesar.
"This, then, is envy and the venomous willingness to condemn a man by your opinion, even though the judges acquitted him.
However, Petillius Capitolinus, who had the care of the Capitol, was tried on the charge of stealing a crown from the Capitol and was acquitted by Caesar."
-Porphyrio, Commentum in Horatium Flaccum, 95-98Porphyrio, in his 3rd Century notes on Horace, gives us some more ancient evidence of Petillius' role as custodian of the temple.
This is echoed in this note from an annotated, 1845 edition of Horace's Satires.
See in context: Porphyrio, Pomponius. Commentum in Horatium Flaccum
Although in this reference - it seems incorrect that the title Capitolini would have come from his having stolen the crown. "Governor of the capitol" is also misleading.
T.P. Wiseman in New Men of the Roman Senate writes:
"Another triumviral moneyer was Petillius Capitolinus, whose responsibility for the temple of teh Capitoline Jupiter was evidenctly no less financial than religious, since he was tried for embezzelment as a result of itl the bank of Petrillius is known from contemporary tesserae, and it may not be fanciful to suppose that financial expertise was a potent qualification for his moneyership"Three tesserae nummulariae are referenced from ILLRP (1042, 1044, 1060) and image of one is available in Arethuse V 1928 Table II .
What are these Tesserae Consulares?
There are labels or tickets used in Roman times, for financial transactions and administrative activities. A convincing argument made in 1919 by Rudolf Herzg, has largely stood the test of time. These labels or tickets are thought to have been used to secure sums of money and other precious objects.
Tesserae were small, four- or six-sided rods, typically made of bone or ivory, used in ancient Rome as tools for verifying financial transactions and certifying precious objects. In her 2121 dissertation, Lindsay Margaret Holman thoroughly reviews the subject and extends the uses and add detail to our understanding of these objects. Each tessera carried inscriptions on its faces, including the name of the person verifying the transaction (often a slave or freedman), the name of their master or financial institution, the date, and a note of approval or inspection of coins ("spectavit").
The tesserae served as certificates that authenticated the purity and weight of a sum of coins, often accompanying sealed money bags, or certifying other precious objects. The hole drilled into one end of the tessera allowed it to be attached securely to the money bag or object, ensuring the record of the verification could not be separated from it. These tesserae were widely used between the late Republic and early Imperial periods (ca. 96 BCE–88 CE) for ensuring trust in monetary transactions amidst periods of debasement and counterfeiting.
References:
Woytek, Bernhard. Arma et Nummi: Forschungen zur römischen Finanzgeschichte und Münzprägung der Jahre 49 bis 42 v. Chr. Vienna: Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften (ÖAW), 2019. ISBN-13: 978-3-7001-3159-5. ISBN-13 Online: 978-3-7001-3525-8.
Hersh, Charles A. “Some Additional Roman Republican Overstrikes.” Museum Notes (American Numismatic Society) 32 (1987): 85–95.
Porphyrio, Pomponius. Commentum in Horatium Flaccum. Edited by Alfred Theophil Holder and Otto Keller. Vol. 1. Hildesheim: Gg. Olms, 1967.
Horace. Satiræ, Epistolæ, et Ars Poetica. The Satires. Edited by John McCaul and George B. Wheeler. Dublin: Cumming and Ferguson; London: W. S. Orr and Co., 1846.
(RE) Pauly, August, and Georg Wissowa, eds. Realencyclopaedia der classischen Altertumswissenschaft. Entry "Petillius," no. 7. Stuttgart: J.B. Metzler, 1893–1980.
Wiseman, T. P. New Men in the Roman Senate, 139 B.C.–A.D. 14. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1971.
Babelon, Jean. "Consular Tesserae or 'Tesserae Nummulariae' from the Cabinet des Médailles." Aréthuse V (1928): Table II.
Herzog, Rudolf. Aus der Geschichte des Bankwesens im Altertum: Tesserae Nummulariae. Giessen: Self-published, 1919. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Aus_der_Geschichte_des_Bankwesens_im_Alt/pixQ89ZxkEgC.
Holman, Lindsay Margaret. Herzog's Roman Tesserae: Their Nature and Purpose Revisited. PhD dissertation, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Graduate School, 2021. https://doi.org/10.17615/kp7w-0a90.
(RRC) Crawford, Michael H. Roman Republican Coinage. Reprint edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2019. 2 vols.
Pliny the Elder. The Natural History. Translated by John Bostock, M.D., F.R.S., and H. T. Riley, Esq., B.A. London: Taylor and Francis, 1855.
Herzog, Rudolf. Aus der Geschichte des Bankwesens im Altertum: Tesserae nummulariae. Giessen: Giessen, 1919.
(ILLRP) Inscriptiones Latinae Liberae Rei Publicae. Vol. 2. Edited by A. Degrassi. Florence: La Nuova Italia, 1957.
An image of Petillius' coin from https://arachne.dainst.org/
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