ANCIENT HISPANIA

The first coinage issues that have been linked to the territory of Galicia are the so-called “Northwestern” or “caetra” issues. Minted in the context of the Cantabrian Wars during the time of Augustus (c. 27–23 B.C.), these are anonymous bronze pieces that were intended for supplying the legions mobilised for this military campaign. The obverse features a portrait of the emperor, while the reverse displays a caetra—a round shield, from which the series takes its name—accompanied by spears and a falcata sword. This series was minted in three denominations: sestertii (of which only three pieces are currently known), dupondii, and asses. In the latter, two clearly different styles can be distinguished—one cruder than the other—perhaps copies of the originals. As for the place of minting, although the name of the mint is not mentioned, it could have been the camp city of Lucus Augusti (Lugo), where several planchets have been found in archaeological contexts. Nonetheless, the possibility remains that these coins were struck in a mobile workshop accompanying the army, or even in a second mint—perhaps Bracara—as suggested by the stylistic variation among the asses.