Not a coin, but two lead sling bullets of the Twelfth Legion Fulminata (1st c. BC)

Lead sling bullet. Pb 45 mm, 63,43 g.

I found it many years ago in Paris at the Marché aux Puces. Unfortunately I don't know its provenance: France, Italy, Orient? These lead bullets bearing Latin inscriptions were used in the Roman army in the 1st c. BC - 1st c. AD.

Side A : L·XII ( L(egio) XII, Twelfth Legion )
Side B : FERI (strike !)

In the 1st c. BC the Twelfth Legion Fulminata was levied by Julius Caesar and fought in the Gallic wars, later at Pharsalus in Greece against Pompey. It later sided with Mark Antony and served in Orient. In 40 BC it fought at the siege of Perusia (Perugia, Italy) against Octavian's troops. Several lead bullets very much like this one were recovered from Perugia, sometimes bearing obscene Latin inscriptions insulting Octavianus (the kind "In your ass, Octavianus!"), some mentioning the Legio XII. This glandus (sling bullet) may be from Perusia too, but we'll never know...

I bought it with another one I posted before on this forum. It has no inscription, just a winged thunderbolt, which was the emblem of the Legio XII Fulminata. Maybe both bullets have the same origin.



Pb 37 mm, 48.39 g.
Side A : winged thunderbolt
Side B : blank

 

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Thanks, great writeup! I have one like your second example with a winged thunderbolt; now I have a bit more information about it - thank you!

 

That would leave a mark

 

Very cool! I wish I could find the saucier ones.