C. Numonius Vaala. Denarius circa 43

C. Numonius Vaala. Denarius circa 43, AR 19.5mm., 3.66g. C·NVMONIVS – VAALA Male head r. Rev. Soldier rushing left, attacking wall defended by two soldiers; in exergue, VAALA. Babelon Numonia 2. Sydenham 1087. Woytek, Arma et Nummi p. 558. Crawford 514/2.

Very rare. Countermark on obverse otherwise very fine/ fine.



The interesting scene, depicting an attack on a military camp, is usually taken to illustrate an act of heroism performed by some ancestor, though it could equally well be nothing more than a punning allusion to the cognomen Vaala (from vallum, meaning palisade). The dinstinctive male head on obv. recalls the likeness of Julius Caesar and possibly indicates the moneyer's epousal of Octavian's cause in the confrontation with Lucius Antony.