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Cunobelinus Plant. Catuvellauni & Trinovantes. c.AD8-41. Celtic silver unit. 13mm. 1.17g.
1/2
Auctioneer has chosen not to publish the price of this lot
Norwich, Norfolk
Description
Cunobelinus Plant. c.AD8-41. Silver unit. 13mm. 1.17g. Plant or branch with nine buds or fruits, CVNOB [ELI]NVS around and within two circles, the outer one beaded./ Partially-cloaked Herculean figure walking right, holding club and thunderbolt, CA to left, MV to right, beaded border. ABC 2906, VA−, BMC 1897, S 309. EF, lightly toned silver, clear plant, lovely figure. Ex John Follows collection. Found Mersea Island, Essex. VERY RAREonly 30 others recorded.
The fabric and obverse are very similar to the Amminus Plant silver unit, ABC 456, which demonstrates Cunobelin’s influence in Kent prior to the Claudian invasion. Van Arsdell suggests that the plant is ‘possibly adapted from an engraved gemstone with a fruiting palm tree design’. Another possible prototype is the laurel trees which were planted by order of the Senate on either side of the throne of Augustus’ (David Sear, Roman Silver Coins, I, p.134) and featured on a denarius of Augustus, RIC 268. Other possibilities include olives, acorns or yew tree berries. We believe it is actually a stylised oak branch with nine acorns. Oak wreaths and acorns were popular Roman imperial symbols around this time and were also of special significance to the druids. The herculean figure on the reverse may be Camulos, the Celtic war-god who was revered by Cunobelin and his father and who inspired the name of their new capital, Camulodunon, ‘the fort of Camulos’ (modern Colchester, Essex). We think the god is Celtic rather than Roman because he has a bun or roll of hair at the back of his head. The three-pronged rod in his left hand may be a palm branch, thunderbolt, trident, sceptre or stylised trophy.
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Cunobelinus Plant. c.AD8-41. Silver unit. 13mm. 1.17g. Plant or branch with nine buds or fruits, CVNOB [ELI]NVS around and within two circles, the outer one beaded./ Partially-cloaked Herculean figure walking right, holding club and thunderbolt, CA to left, MV to right, beaded border. ABC 2906, VA−, BMC 1897, S 309. EF, lightly toned silver, clear plant, lovely figure. Ex John Follows collection. Found Mersea Island, Essex. VERY RAREonly 30 others recorded.
The fabric and obverse are very similar to the Amminus Plant silver unit, ABC 456, which demonstrates Cunobelin’s influence in Kent prior to the Claudian invasion. Van Arsdell suggests that the plant is ‘possibly adapted from an engraved gemstone with a fruiting palm tree design’. Another possible prototype is the laurel trees which were planted by order of the Senate on either side of the throne of Augustus’ (David Sear, Roman Silver Coins, I, p.134) and featured on a denarius of Augustus, RIC 268. Other possibilities include olives, acorns or yew tree berries. We believe it is actually a stylised oak branch with nine acorns. Oak wreaths and acorns were popular Roman imperial symbols around this time and were also of special significance to the druids. The herculean figure on the reverse may be Camulos, the Celtic war-god who was revered by Cunobelin and his father and who inspired the name of their new capital, Camulodunon, ‘the fort of Camulos’ (modern Colchester, Essex). We think the god is Celtic rather than Roman because he has a bun or roll of hair at the back of his head. The three-pronged rod in his left hand may be a palm branch, thunderbolt, trident, sceptre or stylised trophy.
Chris Rudd Auction 183
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