Q. POMPONIUS MUSA. Denarius (56 BC). Rome.

Obv: Laureate head of Apollo right; tied volumen to left.
Rev: Q POMPONI / MVSA.
Clio standing left, holding scroll and leaning on column.

Crawford 410/3; RBW 1485.

Clio is the first of the nine Muses, daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne (goddess of memory). From her mother, she inherited the gift of preserving and transmitting the memory of events and personalities, which makes her the Muse of History and “who can make famous.” She is a wise, calm, and thoughtful figure with a sensitive heart. When the narrative is particularly moving, Clio can be moved to tears, and her tears, as rare as pearls, are a source of pride for poets, who see them as confirmation of the value of their work. Writers who wish to evoke distant times, reawaken buried memories, and give voice to forgotten heroes turn to her. Thanks to her, history becomes storytelling, and the past becomes living memory.

Condition: Very fine.

Weight: 4.44 g.
Diameter: 18 mm.