DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14696#0707
632 The axe carried by priests and priestesses
P. Sulpicius Galba1 c. 69 B.C. (fig. 537) is surmounted by a lion's
head. Denarii issued by Iulius Caesar2 in Gault. 50—49 B.C. (fig. 538),
small bronze pieces with similar types circulated in 49 (?) B.C., after
his departure, by A. Hirtius3, aurei and denarii struck by Caesar4
himself at Rome in 49 B.C. (fig. 539), denarii and quinarii of 43 B.C.
Fig. 540. Fig. 541.
bearing the names of M. Antonius and M. Lepidus5 (figs. 540, 541),
exhibit the same sacrificial axe topped by a wolf's head with open
jaws. These animal heads must not be regarded as merely deco-
rative : rather they give graphic expression to the death-dealing
force conceived as resident in the axe itself. Two specimens of
1 Morell. Thes. Num. Fam. Rom. i. 402 f. pi. Sulpicia, 2, Babelon Monn. rip. rom.
ii. 473 nos. 6 fig., 7, M. Bahrfeldt Nachtrage and Berichtigungen zur Miinzkunde der
rbmischen Republik Wien 1897 p. 276 pi. 13, 17, Brit. Mus. Cat. Rom. Coins Rep. i.
433 no. 3516 pi. 44, 18, no. 3517 pi. 44, 19, no. 3518, G. F. Hill Historical Roman Coins
London 1909 p. 104.
2 Morell. Thes. Num. Fam. Rom. i. 209 pi. Iulia 4, 7, B, Babelon Monn. rep. rom.
ii. 10 no. 9 fig., Brit. Mus. Cat. Rom. Coins Rep. ii. 390 f. no. 27 pi. 103, 5, nos. 28—30,
G. F. Hill Historical Roman Coins London 1909 pp. 100 f., 104 pi. 11, 58.
3 Babelon Monn. rip. rom. i. 543 no. 3 fig., Brit. Mus. Cat. Rom. Coins Rep. i. 525
n. 4, ii. 390 n. 1.
4 Morell. Thes. Num. Fam. Rom. i. 208 pi. Iulia 4, 4, Babelon Monn. rep. rom. ii.
17 no. 25 fig., no. 26, Brit. Mus. Cat. Rom. Coins Rep. i. 505 f. nos. 3953, 3954, pi- 49,
I2> 3955j 3956, 3957 pi. 49, 13. Supra p. no n. 8.
5 Morell. Thes. Num. Fam. Rom. i. n f. pi. Aemilia 2, 6, Babelon Monn. rip. rom.
i. 130I. nos. 27 fig., 28, 29 fig., 30, 31 fig., 32 fig., Brit. Mus. Cat. Rom. Coins Rep. ii.
392 ff. no. 31 pi. 103, 6, no. 32 pi. 103, 7, no. 33 pi. 103, 8, nos. 34, 35.
6 Cp. e.g. a Persian axe-head of bronze, found at Ekbatana (Hajnadan) and now in
the British Museum, which ends in a stylised lion (W. Greenwell in Archaeologia 1902
lviii. 9 fig. 11, Forrer Reallex. p. 66 fig. 56) ; an Armenian axe-head of bronze from Van,
which has a lion with two hounds in a like position (W. Greenwell in Archaeologia 1902
lviii. 9 fig. 10, Sir W. M. Flinders Petrie Tools and Weapons London 1917 p. 13 pi. 11,
140); Scythian model axe-heads of bronze, from Jarmolintsy and from the district of
Romny, terminating in animal heads (E. H. Minns Scj/thians and Greeks Cambridge 1913
pp. 72, 178 fig. 73). See also the axe-heads from Hallstatt (supra p. 618 fig. 515).
P. Sulpicius Galba1 c. 69 B.C. (fig. 537) is surmounted by a lion's
head. Denarii issued by Iulius Caesar2 in Gault. 50—49 B.C. (fig. 538),
small bronze pieces with similar types circulated in 49 (?) B.C., after
his departure, by A. Hirtius3, aurei and denarii struck by Caesar4
himself at Rome in 49 B.C. (fig. 539), denarii and quinarii of 43 B.C.
Fig. 540. Fig. 541.
bearing the names of M. Antonius and M. Lepidus5 (figs. 540, 541),
exhibit the same sacrificial axe topped by a wolf's head with open
jaws. These animal heads must not be regarded as merely deco-
rative : rather they give graphic expression to the death-dealing
force conceived as resident in the axe itself. Two specimens of
1 Morell. Thes. Num. Fam. Rom. i. 402 f. pi. Sulpicia, 2, Babelon Monn. rip. rom.
ii. 473 nos. 6 fig., 7, M. Bahrfeldt Nachtrage and Berichtigungen zur Miinzkunde der
rbmischen Republik Wien 1897 p. 276 pi. 13, 17, Brit. Mus. Cat. Rom. Coins Rep. i.
433 no. 3516 pi. 44, 18, no. 3517 pi. 44, 19, no. 3518, G. F. Hill Historical Roman Coins
London 1909 p. 104.
2 Morell. Thes. Num. Fam. Rom. i. 209 pi. Iulia 4, 7, B, Babelon Monn. rep. rom.
ii. 10 no. 9 fig., Brit. Mus. Cat. Rom. Coins Rep. ii. 390 f. no. 27 pi. 103, 5, nos. 28—30,
G. F. Hill Historical Roman Coins London 1909 pp. 100 f., 104 pi. 11, 58.
3 Babelon Monn. rip. rom. i. 543 no. 3 fig., Brit. Mus. Cat. Rom. Coins Rep. i. 525
n. 4, ii. 390 n. 1.
4 Morell. Thes. Num. Fam. Rom. i. 208 pi. Iulia 4, 4, Babelon Monn. rep. rom. ii.
17 no. 25 fig., no. 26, Brit. Mus. Cat. Rom. Coins Rep. i. 505 f. nos. 3953, 3954, pi- 49,
I2> 3955j 3956, 3957 pi. 49, 13. Supra p. no n. 8.
5 Morell. Thes. Num. Fam. Rom. i. n f. pi. Aemilia 2, 6, Babelon Monn. rip. rom.
i. 130I. nos. 27 fig., 28, 29 fig., 30, 31 fig., 32 fig., Brit. Mus. Cat. Rom. Coins Rep. ii.
392 ff. no. 31 pi. 103, 6, no. 32 pi. 103, 7, no. 33 pi. 103, 8, nos. 34, 35.
6 Cp. e.g. a Persian axe-head of bronze, found at Ekbatana (Hajnadan) and now in
the British Museum, which ends in a stylised lion (W. Greenwell in Archaeologia 1902
lviii. 9 fig. 11, Forrer Reallex. p. 66 fig. 56) ; an Armenian axe-head of bronze from Van,
which has a lion with two hounds in a like position (W. Greenwell in Archaeologia 1902
lviii. 9 fig. 10, Sir W. M. Flinders Petrie Tools and Weapons London 1917 p. 13 pi. 11,
140); Scythian model axe-heads of bronze, from Jarmolintsy and from the district of
Romny, terminating in animal heads (E. H. Minns Scj/thians and Greeks Cambridge 1913
pp. 72, 178 fig. 73). See also the axe-heads from Hallstatt (supra p. 618 fig. 515).