Mn. Fonteius C.f, 85 BC. Denarius (Silver, 21 mm, 4.00 g, 10 h), Rome. MN•FONTEI C•F Laureate head of Apollo (Vejovis) to right; below, thunderbolt. Rev. Cupid riding goat to right; to left and right, pilei; below, thyrsus; all within wreath. Babelon (Fonteia) 11. Crawford 353/1d. RBW 1352. Sydenham 724b. An attractive, sharply struck example. Minor areas of weakness, otherwise, good extremely fine.



Although described in most catalogs as Apollo, the god depicted on the obverse of this coin is most likely the infernal Latin god, Vejovis, later identified alternatively with Jupiter (therefore the thunderbolt) and Apollo. The charming reverse of this coin alludes to the statue of a winged infant genius that stood near the cult statue of Vejovis in his temple, built between the two peaks of the Capitoline Hill in Rome. The caps of the Dioscuri above the genius are a reference to Tusculum, the hometown of the gens Fonteia.