L. Titurius L.f. Sabinus. Denarius

L. Titurius L.f. Sabinus; 89 BC, Denarius, 3.85g. Crawford-344/1b, Syd-698. Obv: SABIN, Bare-headed, bearded head of King Tatius r; in lower field before, [palm branch]. Rx: [L] TITVRI, Two Roman soldiers, facing each other, each carrying off a Sabine woman in his arms. Shortly after Rome's founding, the nascent Roman state found that there were not enough women to sustain the population for long. Although the Romans entreated their neighbors for the right to marry their women, none were particularly inclined to agree, as they feared it would grow Rome's power. A plot was then devised: they would organize a festival in honor of Neptunus Equestris and invite their neighbors the Sabines. At a given signal, they would take the women by force, as depicted on the reverse of this denarius.

Unsurprisingly, the Sabines objected and war quickly followed. As the battle raged, the Sabine women intervened, throwing themselves between their husbands and fathers in hopes of ending the bloodshed. Peace ensued, and the Sabines joined the Romans as one nation, with Titus Tatius ruling jointly with Romulus.. VF