L. Marcius Philippus, 57 BC. Denarius (Silver, 19 mm, 3.76 g, 4 h), Rome. ANCVS Diademed head of Ancus Marcius to right; behind, lituus. Rev. PHILIPPVS Equestrian statue, raising right hand, set to right on aqueduct; below horse, a flower; within the arches of the aqueduct, AQVA MAR. Babelon (Marcia) 28. Crawford 425/1. RBW 1524. Sydenham 919. Bankers' marks, a flan crack, and a few light scratches, otherwise, nearly very fine.


This denarius of L. Marcus Philippus features the head of Ancus Marcius, the legendary fourth king of Rome. He is identified not only by the legend, but also by iconographic elements: the diadem, a traditional symbol of royal authority since Hellenistic times, and the lituus behind his head, marking his role as augur. As a member of the gens Marcia, the moneyer could claim descent from Ancus Marcius, making it natural to place the king’s portrait on his coinage. The likeness may have been copied directly from the king’s statue, which stood among those of other early rulers on the Capitoline Hill and would have been familiar to many Romans.

Ancus Marcius was traditionally credited with constructing Rome’s first aqueduct. The moneyer’s ancestor, the praetor Q. Marcius Rex, was likewise commissioned by the Senate to build a new aqueduct - Rome’s third - to bring water to the Capitoline, completed between 144 and 140 BC and subsequently named the Aqua Marcia in his honor. The equestrian statue depicted on the aqueduct in this coin’s reverse likely stood in front of the Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus and was erected to commemorate the praetor’s achievement.