Crawford 413/1, Roman Republic, L. Cassius Longinus, Denarius

Roman Republic (Rome mint 63 BC.), L. Cassius Longinus.
AR Denarius (3.79 g, 19-21 mm).
Obv.: Veiled and diademed head of Vesta l.; to right, two-handled cup (cylix); control mark C to left.
Rev.: LONGIN III V , Roman citizen standing l., casting a vote by dropping tablet marked V (abbreviation for "Vti rogas") into voting urn.
Crawford 413/1 ; Sydenham 935 ; Babelon (Cassia) 10 .

The tablet marked V was used in Rome to cast a favorable vote on legislation; taken in conjunction with the head of Vesta on the obverse, this coin may refer to the law of 113 which set up the special commission, presided over by L. Cassius Longinus Ravilla, for the trial of three delinquent Vestal Virgins. In 137 BC L. Cassius Ravilla proposed a method of voting, known as the Lex Cassia Tabellaria. The reverse celebrates and commemorates that proposal becoming law. One can read the letter "V" on the tabella (ballot). It stands for V[ti] Rogas, or uti rogas a vote in favor of a new law. A vote against a new law was designated by the letter "A" (antiquo); L. (libero) and D. (damno) were used in the case of a public trial. Roman judices expressed their judgements by the letters A. (absolve), C. (condemno) and N.L. (non liquet). L. Cassius Longinus, whose name appears on the coin, was the younger brother of C. Cassius Longinus, one of the assassins of Julius Caesar.