14. Koson Stater coin, Dacia, mid-1st century B.C., gold, museum piece

Obverse: Procession of three people in Roman toga, to the left, the first and last carrying fasces on their shoulder; Legend: ΚΟΣΩΝ. Reverse: Eagle to the left, on a scepter, holding in its right claw a laurel wreath. The Dacian Koson represents one of the most important and rare numismatic pieces of antiquity. The name of the koson is closely related to the name of the Dacian king, Cotiso. Many historians attribute the minting of the gold coin with the legend "ΚΟΣΩΝ" to Koson, who would have been the same as King Cotiso, mentioned by historical sources. Cotiso was the successor of Burebista who, after the disintegration of the Dacian kingdom, asserted himself as king of the Dacians between Banat and Oltenia, as the poet Horace named him. Historical sources tell us that the new king of the Dacians was courted by the two antagonists, Marc Antony and Octavian (later, Augustus) to form alliances. Cotiso is also mentioned in an ode of the poet Horace in which he assures the safety of Rome, as Cotiso's army was defeated by Augustus's troops in 25 BC. The end of Cotiso's reign is marked by the campaign of Marcus Vicinius, the first Roman general to cross the Danube and invade Dacia. It is assumed that King Cotiso was killed in the aftermath of this campaign, marking the end of his reign in 9 BC.

Dimensions

custom d=18 mm

Description

gold

PROVENANCE

Repatriated, through purchase from outside of Romania (from Münzenkabinett Frank GmbH, Möglingen, Germany, in June 2015).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

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