Utica was an ancient city located between Carthage in the south and Hippo Diarrhytus (now Bizerte) in the north, near the outflow of the Medjerda River into the Mediterranean.
It is traditionally considered to be the first colony to have been founded by the Phoenicians in North Africa. The actual founding date of Utica is controversial. Several classical authors date its foundation to around 1100 BC. The archaeological evidence, however, suggests a foundation no earlier than the eighth century BC.
After the defeat of Carthage by Rome, Utica was an important Roman colony for seven centuries. In AD 439, the Vandals captured Utica, in AD 534 the Byzantines captured it once more. Finally the Arabs were responsible for its ultimate destruction around AD 700.
It is traditionally considered to be the first colony to have been founded by the Phoenicians in North Africa. The actual founding date of Utica is controversial. Several classical authors date its foundation to around 1100 BC. The archaeological evidence, however, suggests a foundation no earlier than the eighth century BC.
After the defeat of Carthage by Rome, Utica was an important Roman colony for seven centuries. In AD 439, the Vandals captured Utica, in AD 534 the Byzantines captured it once more. Finally the Arabs were responsible for its ultimate destruction around AD 700.
Modern location: Ruins
Obverse: head of Bacchus or Liber right wearing ivy wreath; M·C(AT)O·PRO·PR
Reverse: seated Victory right holding patera and palm; VIC(TR)IX
Diameter:
12.5 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 1.8 g
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 1.8 g
"This coin was struck under Senate authority in Utica, North Africa where Cato was propraetor at the beginning of the civil war. The design is copied from an issue by another M. Cato in 89 B.C. Cato preferred to die with the Republic rather than outlive it. Defeated by Caesar he committed suicide in 46 B.C." ForumAncientCoins note
Crawford 462/2, SRCV I 1383, Sydenham 1054a,RSC I Porcia 11
Obverse: draped bust Roma or Libertas rirgt; M·CATO·PRO·PR
Reverse: Victory seated right, holding patera and palm; VIC(TR)IX
Diameter:
17.5 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 3.6 g
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 3.6 g
No notes for this coin
Crawford 462/1c, SRCV 1381, RSC I Porcia 9, Sydenham 1052, BMC Africa 15
Obverse: M CATO PRO. PR - Draped female bust right.
Reverse: VICTRIX - Victory seated right holding patera, VICTRIX in the ex.
Diameter:
18 mm
Die Orientation: 3 H
Weight: 3.61 g
Die Orientation: 3 H
Weight: 3.61 g
Following Caesar’s victory at the battle of Thapsus, Cato fled to Utica along with the remaining Pompeians, where this type was struck. Having
been pursued by Caesar, Cato refused an offer of clemency and committed suicide. The reverse design recalls those of an ancestor, another M. Cato the Elder, who struck coins at Rome in 89 BC.
Crawford 462/1c; Sear, CRI 46; RSC 1, Porcia 9; Sydenham 1052.
Obverse: head of Africa right, laureate and clad in elephant scalp, stalk of grain right, plough below; Q·METELL__SCIPIO·IMP
Reverse: naked Herakles facing, leaning on club set on rock draped with lion's skin; EPPIVS__LEG·F·C
Diameter:
17.5 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 3.8 g
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 3.8 g
No notes for this coin
Crawford 461/1, SRCV I 1380/1 (large Africa head), BMCRR Africa 10 (same), RSC I Caecilia 50, Sear CRI 44, Sydenham 1051
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Obverse: G T A above, Q METEL PIVS right, SCIPIO IMP left, the Genius of Africa (Sekhmet the lion-headed Egyptian goddess) standing facing, holding ankh in right hand
Reverse: P CRASSVS IVN right, LEG PRO P R left - Victory standing left, holding winged caduceus in right hand, small round shield in left
Diameter:
18 mm
Die Orientation: 12 H
Weight: 3.15 g
Die Orientation: 12 H
Weight: 3.15 g
Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius Cornelianus Scipio Nasica (yea his full name was that ridiculous) as Imperator and Publius Crassus Junianus as Legatus Pro Praetore
During the civil war between Julius Caesar and the senatorial faction led by Pompeius Magnus ("Pompey the Great"), Scipio remained a staunch optimate. He led troops against Caesar's forces, mainly in the battles of Pharsalus and Thapsus, where he was defeated. He later committed suicide. Ronald Syme called him "the last Scipio of any consequence in Roman history."
Roma Numismatics Limited has put forward the thought that it is Tanit in leontocephalic form instead of "Genius of Africa" and the "ankh" is rather the linear female abstract symbol for Tanit. I agree with the rationality behind this, because it looks everything like that symbol and nothing like an anhk, but include the standard attributions as we know them.
During the civil war between Julius Caesar and the senatorial faction led by Pompeius Magnus ("Pompey the Great"), Scipio remained a staunch optimate. He led troops against Caesar's forces, mainly in the battles of Pharsalus and Thapsus, where he was defeated. He later committed suicide. Ronald Syme called him "the last Scipio of any consequence in Roman history."
Roma Numismatics Limited has put forward the thought that it is Tanit in leontocephalic form instead of "Genius of Africa" and the "ankh" is rather the linear female abstract symbol for Tanit. I agree with the rationality behind this, because it looks everything like that symbol and nothing like an anhk, but include the standard attributions as we know them.
RSC Caecilia 51