Trajan, 98-117. Sestertius (Orichalcum, 34 mm, 25.63 g, 6 h), Rome, circa 103-104. IMP CAES NERVAE TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS V P P Laureate head of Trajan to right, wearing aegis on his left shoulder. Rev. S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI / S C Bird's-eye view of the Circus Maximus: In the foreground, arcades with a final arch on the right side, surmounted by a quadriga; behind it and at the left end of the colonnades, another arch with a quadriga; in the background the rear boundary of the Circus with the spectator stands, enclosed in it the tetrastyle temple of Sol; in the arena, on the spina, the large obelisk erected by Augustus; at the end on the left and right the metae, in the spaces in between the equestrian statue of Trajan and the shrine of Cybele. BMC 856. Cohen 546. RIC 571. Woytek 175c. Rare and with an illustrious 19th century pedigree. A beautiful piece with an exceptionally detailed rendering of the Circus Maximus. Light pitting, otherwise, very fine.

The Circus Maximus, as it existed in ancient Rome, was a grand focal point of the city’s prestige, much like the Colosseum. It was not only the venue for thrilling chariot races but also hosted other equestrian contests and various events, including boxing matches, races, and occasional gladiatorial combat. Pliny the Elder noted that the Circus could accommodate up to 250,000 spectators, though this figure likely includes those seated on the surrounding hills. During the reigns of Augustus and Nero, fires caused significant damage to the Circus, necessitating multiple reconstructions. This is why it is depicted on the beautiful sestertius of Trajan, minted during his fifth consulate in 103. At that time, Trajan had restored the Circus, which occupied much of Rome’s XI region. Although the sestertius depicts it from the direction of the Forum Boarium, the central spina is incorrectly oriented 90 degrees from its actual position to highlight various monuments more prominently. Remarkably, this particular piece originally belonged to the collection of the Italian freedom fighter Achille Cantoni (1833-1867), renowned for his role in the Italian Wars of Unification. Cantoni first came into the public eye on 19 May 1849, when, at just sixteen years old, he saved the life of the future hero of Italian unification, Giuseppe Garibaldi, during the Battle of Velletri. After completing his law studies in Siena in 1855, Achille fought in the Sardinian War of 1859, before withdrawing into civilian life in 1862. However, during the Third Italian War of Independence in 1866, he returned to military service, initially as a captain and later as a major in the I Reggimento Volontari Italiani. Tragically, his life was cut short in 1867, during the failed attempt by Garibaldi to capture Rome as the capital of the newly formed Kingdom of Italy. On 3 November, he was killed at the Battle of Mentana, leading his unit as a major. Cantoni's collection of Roman coins was auctioned in two parts: the first in 1887 by Sambon, and the second in 1920 anonymously by Santamaria (listed as ‘amateur décédé’). We are honored to offer a coin from this hero of the Risorgimento, the Italian Wars of Unification - not just any coin, but a Circus Maximus sestertius of Trajan, which has not appeared on the market for over seventy years, forming an exciting connection between the ancient history of Rome and the birth of the modern Italian state