Ancient Roman Republic - 55 BCE Publius Licinius Crassus M.f. AR Denarius NGC Choice VF

Crassus is most noted for being the wealthiest man in Rome during his time, and also for his disastrous campaign of 53 BC to conquer Parthia, which resulted in the annihilation of his army and his own death. In 55 BC, after serving under Caesar in Gaul, he brought a troop of 1000 Gallic horsemen to Rome to be used in his upcoming campaign. While the reverse may allude to the roles of both his grandfather and father as censors (one of the duties of the censor was a public inspection of the horses of the Equites), it is more likely that Crassus depicted his own levy of Gallic horsemen. To do this he would have needed special permission from the Senate, and we have no record of this. However, a strong motive exists in that the profit made from the issue of coin would have substantially defrayed the cost of the levy, and Crassus surely was not a man who would pass up this sort of opportunity.