Rome - The Republic
| Moneyer: | L. Cassius Longinus |
| Held Office: | Moneyer 63 BC |
| Denomination: | AR Denarius |
| Mint: | Rome |
| Obverse: | Veiled and diademed head of Vesta left, two-handled cup behind, control letter "S" before. |
| Reverse: | Togate citizen standing left, depositing ballot inscribed "V" in voting box, "LONGIN•III•V" behind. |
| Reference: | RSC Cassia 10, RCVM 364, RRC 413/1 |
| Weight: | 4.0 gms |
| Diameter: | 19.3 mm |
| Comment: |
The control letters on the obverse (one per coin) spell out the moneyer's praenomen and nomen, L. CASSI. The tablet marked V was used in Rome to cast a favourable vote on legislation. Taken in conjunction with the head of Vesta on the obverse, this coin may refer to the law of 113 BC which set up the special commission, presided over by L. Cassius Longinus Ravilla, for the trial of three delinquent Vestal Virgins. In 137 BC, L. Cassius Ravilla proposed a method of voting, known as the Lex Cassia Tabellaria. On the coin the letter "V" on the tabella (ballot) stands for V[ti Rogas], a vote in favour of a new law. |
L. Cassius LonginusL. Cassius Longinus was the younger brother of C. Cassius Longinus, one of the assassins of Julius Caesar. He assisted M. Laterensis in accusing Cn. Plancius, who was defended by Cicero in 54 BC. He joined Caesar at the commencement of the civil war, and was one of Caesar's legates in Greece in 48 BC. In 44 BC he was tribune of the plebs but was not one of the conspirators against Caesar. He subsequently joined Octavian in opposition to Mark Antony. And on their reconciliation in 43, he fled to Asia, where he was pardoned by Antony in 41. |
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