Roman Republic

, 1798-1799

CNI 1; Pagani 743; cf. Berman 3215 (bronze), PCGS graded AU-55

Ronciglione, under Austrian occupation. FEDELTA RELIGIONE, veiled bust of the Madonna left. Reverse: * L’INCENDIO DE RONCIGLIONI ANNO 1799, view of the city of Ronciglione burning.

The withdrawing French forces committed atrocities in some of the communes that had resisted integration into the Roman Republic. Leaders were executed and entire communes like Viterbo and neighboring Ronciglione were sacked and burned. This silver medal commemorates the destruction of Ronciglione on the reverse while advertising the reasons for its harsh punishment: fidelity (i.e. to the Pope) and religion in the face of revolutionary and anti-clerical republicanism.