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Bronze with janiform head Class II
| Issuer | Suessiones |
|---|---|
| Year | 50 BC - 40 BC |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Janiform (double-faced) head depicted in the Celtic La Tène style, with two schematically rendered faces shown back-to-back at center, each exhibiting bold, abstracted facial features typical of Belgic coinage. A shared helmet or headdress surmounts both heads, rendered with stylized angular lines. Spiral and annular decorative motifs flank the conjoined faces in the field, while pellet ornaments appear at the junction of the two profiles. The flan is irregular and the relief is well-defined, reflecting the hand-struck hammered technique characteristic of late Gaulish bronze issues. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A stylized Celtic horse prancing to the left occupies the central field, rendered in the characteristic schematic La Tène manner with an elongated body, raised forelegs, and exaggerated flowing appendages terminating in pellet-and-line motifs representing the mane and tail. A group of three concentric annulets arranged in a triangular cluster appears above the horse in the upper field, serving as a distinctive symbol of the Suessiones series. A single concentric annulet is placed below the horse's belly in the lower field. The flan edges are irregular, consistent with hand-struck production. |
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| Additional information |
The Suessiones controlled territory around modern Soissons in the Aisne valley, and Caesar singled them out specifically in the Gallic Wars as having once held dominance over British tribes across the Channel — an unusual claim that suggests a political reach well beyond their immediate neighbors. Their coinage was struck during a period of profound disruption, with the tribe's submission to Rome following the campaigns of 57 BC effectively ending their autonomy. Most surviving bronzes of this class show heavy wear consistent with prolonged local circulation, suggesting the coinage continued in use well after political independence had ceased.