Celsa, Spain
ca 120 – 50 BCE
Ae Unit 28mm, 12.1g
Obv: Bare-headed and draped bust right with hair in waves and locks; three dolphin swimming around
Rev: Horseman galloping right, reins in left hand and palm over shoulder in right hand; KELSE (In Iberian) below
Abh-771; Heiss p. 140 No. 2
Celsa was on the left side of the river Ebra, approximately 48 kilometers from Zaragoza. Roughly five kilometers away was a bridge mentioned by Strabo. Its excavations are near the modern day town of Velilla de Ebro, Aragon. It was founded by the local people and named Kelse, then occupied and colonized by Lepidus in 44 BCE. It subsequently grew into a large Roman settlement of 4,000. From the time of Nero, the city began to wane.
Recently, excavations have occurred with celebrated results. A number of interesting houses and edifices have been unearthed here, making news across the world.
44 BCE
Lepidus founds a colony at Celsa