Catalog
Quinarius - Juba I
| Issuer | Numidia |
|---|---|
| Year | 60 BC - 46 BC |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Diademed and draped bust of Juba I facing right, rendered in the Hellenistic portrait tradition with distinctive curled hair and beard. A scepter is visible over the royal shoulder, affirming the king's regal authority. The portrait exhibits bold, expressive modeling characteristic of Numidian royal coinage of the late Republican period. The flan is irregular, with no surrounding legend visible on this type. |
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| Reverse description | A horse shown in full gallop facing right, depicted in a dynamic, animated pose with all four legs extended and the head raised, capturing the spirited equestrian tradition emblematic of Numidian coinage. The animal's musculature is rendered with energy and movement across the broad, unadorned field. No legend or exergual inscription accompanies the design. This motif reflects the deep cultural importance of the horse in Numidian royal iconography, echoing earlier Carthaginian and North African numismatic traditions. |
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| Additional information |
Juba I ruled Numidia as a Roman client king but sided catastrophically with Pompey against Caesar in the civil war. After the defeat at Thapsus in 46 BC — the terminus of this issue — he arranged a mutual suicide pact with the Roman general Marcus Petreius rather than face capture. His kingdom was annexed immediately, becoming the province of Africa Nova under Caesar's appointee Sallust.
The quinarius denomination itself was rarely struck by client kings, making this a politically pointed choice — mimicking Roman monetary forms while asserting independent royal authority.