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Julia Livilla, Sister of Caligula, Mytilene, Lesbos
Julia Livilla was the youngest child of Germanicus and Agrippina the Elder and the youngest sister of Caligula. She was born on Lesbos, where this coin was struck, in early 18 A.D. Early in Caligula's reign, Livilla, and her elder sisters Agrippina the Younger and Drusilla, received considerable honors and privileges, such as the rights of the Vestal Virgins (with the freedom to view public games from the upper seats in the stadium), inclusion in the oath of loyalty, and depiction on coins. Suetonius and Cassius Dio accuse the insane Caligula of incestuous relationships with his sisters, including Livilla, and say he prostituted them to other men. Livilla and Agrippina were banished in 39 A.D. after unsuccessfully conspiring to overthrow Caligula and replace him with their shared lover (Drusilla's widower). After becoming emperor, Claudius recalled the sisters from exile. He soon married Agrippina Jr., but exiled and then executed Julia Livilla, apparently by starvation, without a defense and on unsupported charges.SH74029. Brass AE 18, RPC I 2348; SNG Fitzwilliam 4387; Trillmich pl. 14, 1; Cohen I 1; Vagi 576; BMC Troas -, F, well centered, obverse legend on left weak, porous and grainy, Mytilene mint, weight 6.244g, maximum diameter 18.4mm, die axis 0o, struck under Caligula, 18 Mar 37 - 39 A.D.; obverse IOYΛIAN NEAN ΓEPMANIKOY, draped bust left, M-Y/T-I in two divided lines low in field; reverse Γ KAICAPA CEBACTON, Caligula standing left, with toga drawn up over head (capite velato), patera extended in right, M-Y/T-I in two divided lines low in field; the only coin type featuring Julia Livilla's portrait alone; extremely rare, only about a dozen known, with the majority in museums; SOLD
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