L TITURIUS SABINUS SILVER DENARIUS – THE “PUNISHMENT OF TARPEIA” EARLY LEGEND OF ROME – CHOICE XF NGC GRADED ROMAN REPUBLICAN COIN (Inv. 18941)

$675.00

ROMAN REPUBLIC. L. TITURIUS L.F. SABINUS, c. 89 BC.
Silver denarius, 3.97 g, 18 mm. Issue of Rome.
Obv. SABIN, head of king Tatius right, palm branch in front. Rev. L TITVRI, Tarpeia with arms raised, buried in shields, with Sabine soldiers flanking her, crescent and star above.
Crawford 344/2b; Sydenham 699.
NGC graded CHOICE XF, Strike 4/5, Surface 5/5, featuring a nice rendition of the mytho-historical story recounted in Livy’s From the Founding of the City 1.11.5-9. Tarpeia, a Vestal Virgin, betrayed Rome to the Sabines requesting “what they wore on their left arms,” hoping for the soldier’s ornate gold bracelets. Instead, the Sabines were so disgusted by her treachery that they did not throw their bracelets at her, but their shields, killing her. The coin illustrates Tarpeia being crushed by the Sabine shields.