Coin / Medal , 54 BC , Ancient THRACIAN OR SCYTHIAN , KOSON / COSON , Dacia

Description

This is similar to the original
Features:
Diameter:
28 mm to 30 mm
Weight:
10 g / 0
.35 oz
/
0.022 lb
Material:
Bz / Ag
DACIAN (GETAE) KINGDOM (ca. 1st CENTURY BC-2nd CENTURY AD)
REIGN OF THE DYNAST
COSON
(KOSON)
(REIGNED AFTER 54 BC)
BASED ON THE COINAGE OF THE ROMAN SENATOR AND TRYANNICIDE MARCUS JUNIUS BRUTUS THE YOUNGER
OBV:
TWO LICTORS CARRYING FASCES FLANKING AND ACCOMPANYING A ROMAN CONSUL (SAID TO BE BRUTUS OR BRUTUS' ANCESTOR LUCIUS JUNIUS BRUTUS) LEFT; GREEK LEGEND "KOSON" IN EXERGUE; OUTER BEADING.
REV:
EAGLE LEFT STANDING ON SCEPTER AND HOLDING LAUREL WREATH IN CLAW.
THIS TYPE COIN IS SAID TO HAVE BEEN INSPIRED BY A DENARIUS ISSUED BY
MARCUS JUNNIUS BRUTUS
(85-42 BC), ONE OF THE CONSIPIRATORS THAT ASSASSINATED
JULIUS CAESAR
ON THE STEPS OF THE SENATE IN 44 BC. BRUTUS WAS ADMIRED IN HIS TIME FOR HIS INTELLECT AND POLITICAL INTEGRITY, AND HE BETRAYED HIS FRIEND AND BENEFACTOR CAESAR TO PREVENT THE LATTER FROM DESTROYING THE ROMAN REPUBLIC. THE DENARIUS ISSUE OF BRUTUS HAD BEEN STRUCK WHILE HE WAS MONEYER OF THE REPUBLIC IN 54 BC. THIS STATER WAS STRUCK AFTER CAESAR'S DEATH. BRUTUS AND HIS CO-CONSPIRATOR CASSIUS HAD FLED TO THE EASTERN PART OF THE EMPIRE TO RAISE AND PAY FOR HIS 17 LEGIONS TO FIGHT THE COMBINED TROOPS OF MARC ANTONY AND OCTAVIAN DURING THE ROMAN CIVIL WAR. THIS COIN IS SAID TO HAVE BEEN STRUCK WHILE BRUTUS WAS RAISING TROOPS IN NORTHERN GREECE IN PREPARATION FOR HIS FINAL BATTLE AT PHILIPPI. A
THRACIAN
(
GETIC-DACIAN
) KING,
COSON
(WHO WAS ALLIED WITH BRUTUS) IS SAID TO HAVE FURNISHED THE GOLD THAT BRUTUS USED. THE ROMAN AUTHOR APPIAN STATES THAT COSON'S WIFE DELIVERED GOLD AND SILVER TO BRUTUS IN GREECE.  BRUTUS AND CASSIUS WERE DEFEATED AT PHILIPPI BY OCTAVIAN (LATER TO BE KNOWN AS AUGUSTUS) AND MARC ANTHONY, AND BRUTUS COMMITTED SUICIDE SHORTLY AFTER THE BATTLE.
THERE IS AN INTERPRETATION THAT THIS COIN IS THAT OF COTISO(N), A GETIC KING AND ALLY OF OCTAVIAN. OCTAVIAN IS SAID TO HAVE PROPOSED AN ALLIANCE OF MARRIAGE OF HIM TO COTISON'S DAUGHTER AND OF OCTAVIA, OCTAVIAN'S SISTER, TO THE GETIC KING. THE PROPOSAL NEVER CAME TO FRUITION AS MARC ANTHONY, ALREADY BETROTHED TO OCTAVIAN'S SISTER, OBJECTED. THOUGH THIS VERSION IS SUBSTANTIATED BY THE IMPORTANT ECONOMIC TI ES OF ROME TO DACIA AND HOARDS OF THIS TYPE STATER HAVE BEEN FOUND IN TRANSYLVANIA RATHER THAN BULGARIA (DACIA RATHER THAN THRACE), THE MORE LIKELY ORIGIN IS THAT BOTH COTISO(N) AND COSON (KOSON) ARE THE SAME PERSON AND SEVERAL ROMAN AUTHOR'S IMPLY THE COSON/BRUTUS ORIGIN IS ACCURATE. HENCE,
THIS COIN WAS STRUCK BETWEEN 44 AND 42 BC.
THE
DACIAN (GETAE) KINGDOM
WAS A BRANCH OF THE THRACIANS AND CORRESPONDED IN TERRITORY TO ROMANIA, MOLDOVA AND PARTS OF THE UKRAINE, HUNGARY AND BULGARIA.
AS FAR AS ANY REFERENCE TO SCYTHIANS, THE SCYTHIANS WERE A NOMADIC IRANIAN TRIBAL STEPPE PEOPLE THAT WERE KNOWN TO THE CLASSICAL GREEKS, BUT THE ROMANS USED THE TERM TO DESIGNATE ANY GERMANIC BARBARIAN TRIBE OR CONFEDERATION, AS THE CLASSICAL SCYTHIANS DISSAPPEARED BEFORE THE FIRST CENTURY BC.