P CARISIVS on left, LEG PRO PR on right | Afkortingen
18,00 mm
weight 3,85gr. | silver Ø 18mm.
obv. Bare head of Augustus left, IMP CAESAR before, AVGVST behind rev. Trophy of Celtiberian arms, consisting of helmet, cuirass, shield, and javelins, erected on heap of round shields, lances, and other arms, P CARISIVS on left, LEG PRO PR on right
The gens Carisia was a Roman family during the latter half of the 1st century BC. This coin was minted in Emerita Augusta (modern Mérida) by Publius Carisius as as legatus and propraetor. The colony of Emerita was founded in 25 BC by Publius Carisius, governor of Lusitania. It was meant as colony for veterans of legions V Alauda and X Gemina, who had recently participated in Augustus′ campaigns in north-western Spain under command of Publius Carisius. They were deployed along a front 400 kilometers wide, stretching from the modern Basque province of Guipuzcoa to northern Portugal. By contrast, the north-western tribes were able to muster about 100.000 men, mainly concentrated in their many hilltop settlements (castros) scattered across the rugged landscape. They were therefore more effective in conducting guerilla warfare against the Romans than attempting pitched battles. In 26-25 Augustus started a campaigning in three different areas. The settlements of Aracillum (modern Aradillos), Bergidum (modern Villafranca del Vierzo) and Lucus (modern Lugo) soon were captured and the defenders were killed or managed to flee. Publius Carisius managed to capture the stronghold at Lancia (modern Villasbariego). As far as Augustus was concerned, the north-west was now pacified, and he left Hispania in 24 BC to celebrate a triumph at Rome.
This coin commemorates the success of these campaigns. In reality the situation was still unstable. In 22 BC Publius Carisius was still in command of the army of Ulterior and succeeded in securing some of the main gold-mining areas by advancing northwards through the Pajares and Manzanal passes. The threat of continued Roman expension in the north-west coupled with Carisius′ brutality sparked off another revolt amongst the tribe of the Cantabri. Publius succeeded to put down this revolt, with the timely assistance of Caius Furnius. In 19 BC resentment against the Romans ran high and boiled over into a major rebellion. This was, in fact, the last serious resistance to Roman authority in the nort-west of Hispania.
cf. NAC auction 143, lot 441 (in about xf: SFR 4.000 + 22.5%)
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