Valentia

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Valentia, a town in Hispania Tarraconenais in which the consul Junius |Brutus| settled the soldiers of Viriathus c. 138 BC. It is called a colony by Pliny but the extant coins do not support this statement. The following are the principal coins:

1. Obv. TI AHI T FL TRINI I P Q or C LVCIEN Q MVNI Q, winged helmeted head to right. Rev. VALENTIA, a cornucopiae and a thunderbolt, placed crosswise within a myrtle garland.

2. Obv. Head as on numer 1; behind S (semis). Rev. VAL, same type.

3. Obv. T AT L T, Same head; S. Rev. VAL, same type.

The Q signifies Quinquennalis. The reverse types appear to have been borrowed from the denarii of the Fabia gens, which probably allude to a |victory| near this town over Viriathus by Q. Fabius |Maximus| AEmilianus in 145 BC; or by Q. Fabius |Maximus| Servilianus in 142 BC.

VALENTIA or VALENTA. The names of the Spanish mint on coins of the Visigothic Kings: Suinthila (AD 621-631),
Chintilla (VALENTIA PIVS, AD 636-640),
and Loevigild (VALENTA + REX, AD 578-586).

VALENTIA, originally Hipponium, a city of the Brutti, but eventually (c. 189 BC) made a Roman colony under the name VIBO VALENTIA. Brass coins on the semi-uncial system were issued there:

1. As - Obv. Laureate head of Jupiter to right, behind |. Rev. VALENTIA, wigned thunderbolt; in field to right | and lyre.

2. Semis - Obv. Head of Juno to right; behind S. Rev. VALENTIA, double cornucopiae, in field S.

3. Triens - Obv. Head of Minerva to right; behind 4 dots. Rev. VALENTIA, owl to right; before 4 dots.

4. Quadrans - Obv. Bearded head of Hurcules to right; behind 3 dots. Rev. VALENTIA, two clubs upwards, handles united; in field 3 dots.

5. Sextans - Obv. Laureate head of Apollo to right; behind 2 dots. Rev. VELENTIA, lyre; in field 2 dots.

6. Uncia - Obv. Head of Diana to right; over shoulder quiver and 1 dot. Rev. Hound running to right; above 1 dot.

7. Semuncia - Obv. Head of Mercury to right wearing winged diadem; behind S. Rev. VALENTIA, caduceus; in field to left S.

The emblems in the field of all these pieces vary.

Previous to the change of name to Valentia in 189 BC, the town was called Vibo (the Bruttian or Oscan name of Hippo), and certain of the Victoriats and half Victoriats bearing the monogram VB, formerly attributed to the Vibia gens, were then issued between 228-189 BC.

VALENTIA. A name supposed to be given to Rome from the most ancient silver coin of this city, inscribed OVALANE V. (type, a sow with four young), and assigned to the time of Servius Tullius. The antiquity and attribution of this coin, and of another with the legends POMA and KVPI (type, cow suckling her young), is contested by some and supported by others.

View whole page from the |Dictionary Of Roman Coins|