Cn. Plancius, 55 BC. Denarius (Silver, 18 mm, 3.70 g, 3 h), Rome. CN•PLANCIVS AED•CVR•S•C Female head to right, wearing causia. Rev. Cretan goat standing right; behind, bow and quiver. Babelon (Plancia) 1. Crawford 432/1. RBW 1541. Sydenham 933. Nicely toned with light iridescence. Struck from a somewhat worn obverse die, otherwise, good very fine.


The moneyer of this coin, Cn. Plancius, served under the proconsul, Q. Metellus, in Crete and later as a military tribune in Macedonia. The types he chose for this coin, the female head wearing a petasus (probably Diana Planciana) on the obverse and a Cretan goat with bow and quiver on the reverse, both refer to this military service. While in Macedonia, Plancius developed a close friendship with Cicero, who had been exiled there, and this friendship served him well later after he was accused of electoral corruption by Q. Metellus Creticus, as Cicero successfully defended Plancius leading to his acquittal.