UNCERTAIN. Tessera (Lead, 21 mm, 4.18 g, 1 h), Hermeros and Silvanus, circa 1st-2nd century. HERMEROTIS Altar. Rev. SILV-ANI Silvanus standing left, holding sickle in his right hand and pedum in his left. J. Scholz: Römische Bleitesserae, in: Numismatische Zeitschrift 25 (1893) p. 21 and plate II, no. 34 (this tessera). Rostovtsev 1426 (this tessera cited). Overbeck, Milan 207. Turcan 192. Minor surface roughness and cracks, otherwise, very fine.


Silvanus was the Roman deity of woodlands and forests. He does not appear on Roman coinage, but he was quite beloved as a device on Roman lead tesserae.