Roman Republic L. Manlius Torquatus AR Denarius. Rome, 65 BC. Ivy-wreathed head of Sybil right; SIBYLLA below neck truncation / Tripod, on which stands amphora flanked by two stars; L•TORQVAT downwards to left, III•VIR upwards to right, all within torque. Crawford 411/1b; RSC Manlia 12. 3.80g, 18.5mm. A superb example of the type! Very Rare! Rebuilt after its destruction in 83 BC during Sulla’s civil war, the Temple of Jupiter was rededicated around 69 BC. The Sibylline Books, lost in the fire, were replaced after envoys were sent in 76 BC to gather oracles from across the known world. Lucius Manlius Torquatus, who became consul after exposing election bribery, chose coin designs that evoked the legacy of Sulla and linked himself to his family's historic role as defenders of Rome — symbolized by the torque on the reverse.
