Nice denarius minted by one of the monetary triumvirs of 85 BC, Lucius Julius Bursio.
Roman Republic
L. Iulius Bursio (85 BC), Denarius 85 BC, Rome mint
Obverse: head of Apollo Veiovis right, behind his head trident and bull's head
Reverse: Victory in quadriga right, holding reins, DV under horses, L·IVLI·BVRSIO in exergue
Diameter 19 mm, weight 3.96 g
Presented denarius was minted at the time when Rome ended the first war with Mithridates VI and in the city itself the popular consuls: Lucius Cornelius Cynna and Gnaeus Papirius Carbo were preparing to fight Sulla returning from the East. Monetary officials (latin tresviri monetales) were then Mn. Fonteius and L. Iulius Bursio - the latter from the Julius family, who had a special cult of the Italian legal deity Veiovis, who was already commonly identified with Apollo at that time. Another branch of this family gave birth to Gaius Julius Caesar, who was orphaned by his father in 85 BC and at the age of fifteen became the head of his family.
