Obverse: Helmeted head of Roma right, X below
chin, PITIO behind
Reverse: Dioscuri mounted right, carrying lances,
L. SEMP below horses (M and P in ligature),
ROMA in exergue
The bust of the goddess Roma, with its winged
helmet, is a popular obverse type during the
Republican period. The helmet itself is
reminiscent of Hellenistic and Roman helmets of
the time period, categorized by scholars as the
Italo-Attic type. Officers and deities are often
depicted as wearing this helmet long after such a
design had gone into general disuse by the
military. As such, it continued to be employed
as a symbol connected with deities and heroic
figures of the past. The Dioscuri, depicted on
the reverse of this coin, are familiar due to their
attendant iconography, each wearing a conical
hat crowned by a single star. The Dioscuri were
mythological sons of Zeus by the Spartan queen
Leda and, in addition to being revered as
demigods by the Greeks, they also were attended
by the Romans at an early date and associated
with Roman military victory. It was believed by
the Romans that after a victory early on in their
history, the two deities appeared in the forum to
announce that victory to the Romans. Also, the
two were reported to have even assisted the
Romans in said battle.
Crawford 216/1. RSC Sempronia 2.