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Julius Caesar, Imperator and Dictator, October 49 - 15 March 44 B.C.
This is a scarcer variety of the type with the elephant's legs parallel and a human-like ear, attributed to Spain. The engravers were apparently unfamiliar with elephants. The round ear may indicate the elephant depicted is a North African Forest Elephant. The lower portion of modern elephant's ears have a distinctly triangular shape. The North African Forest Elephant species is thought to have become extinct around the 1st or 2nd century A.D. If the Romans used them in the Colosseum and other games, it would go some way to explain their extinction around that time. A hippopotamus species from Lower Egypt and a lion species from Mesopotamia are also suspected to have been butchered to extinction in Roman games.SH82717. Silver denarius, BMCRR Gaul 27 (also with human-like ear), Russo RBW 1557 (same), RSC I 49, Sydenham 1006, Crawford 443/1, Sear CRI 9, SRCV I 1399, EF, well struck on a broad flan, iridescent toning, some die wear, Spain, traveling military mint, weight 3.947g, maximum diameter 18.9mm, die axis 45o, traveling with Caesar, 49 B.C.; obverse elephant walking right, legs parallel, ear resembling a human ear more than an elephant ear, trampling on a carnyx (Celtic war trumpet) ornamented to look like a dragon, CAESAR below; reverse implements of the pontificate: culullus (cup) or simpulum (ladle), aspergillum (sprinkler), securis (sacrificial ax), and apex (priest's hat); ex CNG (59305, 5/2/2000, www.historicalcoins.com); SOLD
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