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Banner Artemide LVII
A Sensual Victory Facing the Phallus-shaped Aesculapius Altar
Lot # 337
L. Rubrius Dossenus. AR Quinarius, Rome mint, 87 BC. Obv. Laureate head of Neptune right; on the left, DOSSEN and trident. Rev. Victory standing right; on the left, L·RVBRI; on the right, garlanded altar with snake coiled round top. Cr. 348/4; B. 4 (Rubria). AR. 1.82 g. 15.00 mm. A choice example, well centred and sharply struck on a broad flan and unusually complete. Rare as such. Lovely old cabinet tone. About EF. The altar here represented is the one of Aesculapius temple, on Tiberina island. This temple was dedicated on the Tiber Island on January 1, 291 B.C. After a plague in Rome in 293 B.C., ambassadors were sent to the city of Epidaurus in Greece (a well-known center for healing). They were supposed to bring back the image of the god Aesculapius, the Greek god of healing, who had a large sanctuary in the town. When the ambassadors returned to Rome, they brought not the image but a serpent, the symbol of the god. The serpent abandoned the ship upon arrival in Rome and swam to the island. This was taken as a good omen. The entire island was consecrated to Aesculapius and a temple to the god was built on its southeast end. (IATH).