To which is prefixed, an INTRODUCTION, containing A GENERAL HISTORY OF ROMAN MEDALS. IN TWO VOLUMES VOL. I. By WILLIAM COO ̊K E, M. A. Vicar of Enford in Wiltshire, and Rector of Oldbury and Didmarton, in Gloucestershire. The Medal, faithful to its Charge of Fame, Through Climes and Ages bears each Form and Name; In one fhort View subjected to our Eye Gods, Emperors, Heroes, Sages, Beauties lie. Again ROME's Glories fhine, Her Gods and godlike Heroes rife to View, POPE. LONDON: PRINTED FOR J. DODSLEY, IN PALL-MALL M.DCCLXXXI то H IS G R A CE HENRY DUKE OF BEAUFORT. MY LORD, Co! NOINS and Medals, confidered only as Pieces of Antiquity, are the pleafing Amusements of the Curious; but when properly and in due Courfe applied, and made the constituent Parts of Hiftory, they become valuable Acquifitions to the Learned and Ingenious. For fuch Perfons look for fomewhat lefs controvertible than the bare Teftimony of Authors, and which is only to be met with in the more reclufe Department of Coins and Infcriptions; as they, who fearch for Gems, dig deep, and fpend but little Time upon the Surface. These are the neceffary and infallible Evidences. of Historic Truth, explaining and clearing the feveral Parts of it with equal Delight and Profit; and which, neither the Rage of Gothic Barbarity, nor the Ignorance of the dark Ages that fucceeded, have been able to deprive us of. But of all Antiquities of this Sort, thofe of ROME, and of the higher Empire especially, are most interefting. Our Affection or Veneration for thefe precious Remains, therefore, does not arise fo much from their Antiquity, and the great Names which they preferve (many of which had elfe been buried in Oblivion) as from the extraordinary Symbols impreffed, and the illuftrious Actions recorded on them. Thus on fome, which were ftruck in Honour of the first Imperial CESAR, we fee the PERPETUAL DICTATURE, which proved fo fatal to him; and, on thofe of MARCUS BRUTUS, the 1 : the two Daggers of himself and CASSIUS, with the Cap of Liberty, vainly fupposed to be then restored, and the Ides of March which the fame CASAR had been cautioned to beware of: on others, again, the vindictive Spirit of the fecond TRIUMVIRATE, in their Reverfes of the MARS ULTOR; and their subsequent Partition of the Roman Empire, elegantly reprefented by Emblems on their respective Coins on others, the ftrong Paffion of the devoted ANTONY, for his inchanting CLEOPATRA on others, the heroic Bravery of TRAJAN, lifting from the Shallows the ftranded Ship of State and on others, the unwearied HADRIAN, honouring with his Prefence and Munificence the feveral Provinces of his wide Dominion. He, who is not taken with thefe Delicacies, with which Hiftory, Antiquity, and true Literature, are fo intimately connected, is loft to every genteel Study, and all Senfibility of Tafte. 1 Who is there then fo unreflecting as not |