Silver Denarius - Roman Republic, c. 125 BC
Moneyer: M. Porcius Laeca
Obv: Helmeted head of Roma, right – LAECA behind
Rev: Liberty in Quadriga, right, crowned by Victory, ROMA below
(Sear - 146), 18mm, 3.81gm
A goddess named for and representing the concept Liberty has existed in many cultures, including classical examples dating from the Roman Empire. The ancient Roman goddess Libertas was honored during the second Punic War by a temple erected on the Aventine Hill in Rome by the father of Tiberius Gracchus. A statue in her honor also was raised by Clodius on the site of Marcus Tullius Cicero's house after it had been razed. The figure bears certain resemblances to Sol Invictus, the late Roman Republic sun deity and the crown often associated with that deity often appears in modern depictions of Liberty.
