Numismata hellenica: a catalogue of Greek coins; with notes, a map ...

Metal
JE
M JE
JE
5-4
5
H
M 2+
Weight
in grains
Troy.
17-1
EUROPEAN GREECE
SECTION II.
ITALY.
^SERNIA Samnii.
Note.—JEsemia., though stated by Strabo (pp. 238, 250) to have been destroyed in the Marsic war
(B.C. 90), and as little better than a ruin in his own time, is still a town preserving its ancient name
in the form Isemia.
VOVCANOM. Beardless head with conical cap (Vulcan) to I. B. Jupiter, fulmi-
nating in a biga, to r. ; Victory flying above ; in exergue, AISERNIN[0].
Another similar.
Another similar ; behind head of Vulcan, forceps.
Head of Apollo to L; behind, oval shield. R. Andromorphous bull to r. ; above,
Victory flying to r. ;
in exergue, AISERNINO.
Note.—The legend Volcanom is the Vulcanum of later times, and its interpretation is, that " the
people of jEsernia honour Vulcan." Aisernino, like Romano, Caleno, Paistano, appears to be the
same case of the gentile which was so generally employed by the Greeks, namely, the genitive
plural, but with the omission of the final .lEolic M. Thus we find that the legend on some coins
is Romanom, on others, Romano. In later Latin *om* became 'orum.' Upon these questions, vide
Eckhel i. p. 124, whose conclusions, however, are not exactly the same as the preceding. As to the
andromorphous bull crowned by Victory, there are so many proofs of the reference of this type to
rivers, that it has probably this allusion also on the coins of .lEsemia, notwithstanding the arguments
of Eckhel, that it is a type of Bacchus, Possibly in the mythology of some cities, it may have
had a double signification.
ALBA Latii. I
Note.— Alba preserves its ancient name, with remains of its walls and other buildings, at a distance
of four or five miles to the n.w. of the Lago Fuciuo.
Head of Mercury to r, ; wings on apex of cap.
to r.
ning
ALLIBA Campanise.
R. AVBA. Winged gryphon run-
Note.—No mention of this city is found in ancient history, but the Campanian style of its coins
and their marine monster resembling that of Cumse, seem to indicate that AUiba was a maritime
town on the shore between Naples and Cumte. The name tends to confirm this supposition, for
AUibas was a river of the infernal regions (Suidas in v.), and these we know the Roman poets placed
in that locality.