Name/Title
BCE 0100 - 0001 Celtic Gaul. Aedui Tribe (1st c. BCE). AR Quinarius (1.92g). Stylized head of Roma left / Galloping horse with annulets. De La Tour 5252; BMC Gaul 333.Description
Celtic Gaul — Aedui Tribe
Silver Quinarius
Issued: 1st century BCE
Material: Silver | Shape: Round | Weight: 1.92 g
Obverse: Stylized head of Roma left, wearing crested helmet; X behind.
Reverse: Celtic-style horse galloping left; annulet above and below.
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The Aedui were one of the most prominent tribes in Celtic Gaul during the late Iron Age, centered in what is now Burgundy, France. Long-standing allies of Rome, they issued coinage that imitated Roman types while reflecting distinct local artistic sensibilities.
This silver quinarius copies the Roman Republican format but transforms its imagery into abstract, symbolic forms. The obverse presents a disjointed and deconstructed version of the Roman goddess Roma — a stylization unique to Celtic die engravers. The reverse, showing a galloping horse and annulets, speaks to a native Gallic iconography of movement, vitality, and warrior culture.
Such coins played an important role not only in trade but also as political statements: assertions of tribal autonomy, identity, and interaction with the Roman world. This piece, struck during the turbulent decades leading to the Roman conquest of Gaul, reflects the cultural hybridity and artistic innovation of the Aedui in a period of shifting power and alliances.Create Date
July 30, 2025Update Date
September 20, 2026
