On April 16, the John and Penelope Biggs Department of Classics was pleased to welcome 21 members and friends of the St. Louis Ancient Coin Study Group to campus for a public lecture by Professor Liv Mariah Yarrow (City University of New York), underscoring the department’s ongoing commitment to community engagement and collaboration beyond the university.
Professor Yarrow’s lecture, “Divine Currency!? Italic and Roman Monetary Cultures on the Eve of the First Punic War,” explored the religious, cultural, and material contexts of early Roman and Italic coinage. Drawing on recent archaeological discoveries, epigraphic and iconographic evidence, and innovative non‑destructive scientific techniques, Yarrow challenged long‑standing assumptions about the intrinsic value and use of early bronze coinage. The talk placed particular emphasis on evidence from religious sanctuaries, including the sanctuary of Diana at Nemi and recent finds from San Casciano dei Bagni, offering a nuanced picture of monetary practice in central Italy on the eve of Rome’s great Mediterranean expansion.
Members of the Ancient Coin Study Group joined students, faculty, and members of the wider public, contributing to a lively and engaged audience. In correspondence following the event, the group expressed their appreciation for both the department’s hospitality and Professor Yarrow’s ability to present complex scholarly material in an accessible and engaging way. Several attendees noted the particular value of hearing directly from a scholar whose work bridges numismatics, archaeology, and Roman history, and whose research they have followed closely for many years.
The strong turnout reflects a long tradition of collaboration between Washington University in St. Louis and the region’s numismatic community, extending back to the activities of John Max Wulfing and the St. Louis Numismatic Society. Events such as this align closely with the mission of Professor William Bubelis and the stewardship of the Wulfing Collection at Washington University today, fostering dialogue between academic scholarship and public interest in the ancient world.
The Department of Classics is grateful to the St. Louis Ancient Coin Study Group for their enthusiastic participation and looks forward to continued opportunities for collaboration through public lectures and events that highlight the enduring relevance of ancient history and material culture.
