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Hadrian. AD 117-138. AV Aureus (18.5mm, 7.21 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck circa AD 124-125. HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS, laureate bust right, slight drapery / COS above, III in exergue, she-wolf standing left, suckling the Twins (Romulus and Remus). RIC II.3 709; Strack 195α; Calicó 1233; BMCRE 448-50; Adda 131; Biaggi 598; Jameson –; Mazzini 422; Heritage 3101, lot 32120 (same dies). Underlying luster, faint hairlines, minor marks. EF. Portrait of artistic merit.
According to Vergil (Aeneid, Book 2), Aeneas, the son of the goddess Venus and the Trojan Anchises, fled with some remnants of the inhabitants of Troy as it fell to the Greeks, taking with him his son, Ascanius, his elderly father, Anchises, and the Palladium, or ancient sacred statue of Athena. The Trojans eventually made their way west to resettle in Italy. There they intermarried with the local inhabitants and founded the town of Lavinium, and thereby became the nucleus of the future Roman people. One of the descendants of Aeneas’ son Ascanius (known now as Iulus) was Rhea Silvia. Impregnated by the god Mars, she gave birth to the twins, Romulus and Remus. Exposed by their great-uncle, Amulius, the twins were suckled by a she-wolf, until they were eventually rescued. Romulus later founded the city of Rome, and consequently the image of the she-wolf and the twins became the symbol of the city.
The final winners of all CNG Feature Auction 129 lots will be determined during the live online sale that will be held on 13-14 May 2025. This lot is in Session Two, which will begin 13 May at 2 PM ET.
Winning bids are subject to a 22.5% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 25% for all others.
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