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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Roman Coins| ▸ |The Twelve Caesars||View Options:   | | | |
The lack of the usual S C (senatus consulto) suggests that the issue was funded and struck by the Emperor, rather than the Senate. Suetonius wrote (Gaius Caligula 53), "He was as eloquent and witty as you would want, especially when he could launch an attack on someone. Words and phrases used to find him whenever he was angry—his articulation and voice too rose up so that it was impossible for him to stay in the same place thanks to excitement and he was heard well by people standing far away. When he was about to give a speech, he used to threaten to unsheathe the tool of his nocturnal strains, and he despised work composed smoothly and with style so much that he used to say that Seneca wrote 'only school-essays' and was 'sand without lime'."SH98642. Orichalcum sestertius, RIC I 32 (S), BMCRE I 33, BnF II 45, Cohen I 1, Hunter I 14, SRCV I -, Choice VF, attractive portrait, near black patina, areas of slight porosity, weight 28.989 g, maximum diameter 35.7 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, 37 - 38 A.D.; obverse C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS PON M TR POT, laureate head left; reverse ADLOCVT above, COH in exergue (adlocutio cohortium - speech to the cohorts), Caligula standing left on platform, bare-headed, togate, extending right hand in gesture of address, sella castrensis (folding iron field chair) behind, addressing five praetorians standing right, each wearing helmet, parazonium at side, holding shield, the foremost soldier stands alone, the four others stand in two files and each holds an aquila; ex Roma Numismatics e-sale 65 (19 Dec 2019), lot 718; ex inventory of a UK dealer; scarce; $5000.00 (€4100.00)
Claudius, 25 January 41 - 13 October 54 A.D.
The wreath on the reverse is the corona civica, the oak wreath awarded to Roman citizens ex senatus consulto (by special decree of the Senate) for saving the life of another citizen by slaying an enemy in battle. It became a prerogative for Roman emperors to be awarded the Civic Crown, originating with Augustus, who was awarded it in 27 B.C. for saving the lives of citizens by ending the series of civil wars.SH98650. Orichalcum sestertius, RIC I 112, BMCRE I 185, Cohen I 38, SRCV I 1850, Hunter I -, Choice gVF, perfect centering, excellent portrait, attractive toned brass, weight 25.843 g, maximum diameter 35.0 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, 42 A.D.; obverse TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG P M TR P IMP P P, laureate head right; reverse EX S C / P P / O B CIVES / SERVATOS, inscription in four lines in oak wreath (Corona Civica); ex Naville Numismatics auction 64 (21 Mar 2021), lot 495; $2000.00 (€1640.00)
Nero, 13 October 54 - 9 June 68 A.D.
A decursio was a military exercise, by which Roman soldiers were taught to make long marches in a given time, under arms and without quitting their ranks. They sometimes consisted of a mock fight between two divisions. Augustus and subsequently Hadrian ordered that the infantry and cavalry were to march out three times a month ten miles from the camp and ten miles back, fully armed and equipped. Decursio on this coin probably refers Nero's participation in mock military maneuvers in the circus.SH96390. Orichalcum sestertius, RIC I 508, Mac Dowall WCN 448, BMCRE I 316, BnF II 135, Cohen I 88, SRCV I -, Choice aEF/VF, superb portrait, well centered and struck, scratches, marks, porosity more on the reverse, weight 23.971 g, maximum diameter 35.4 mm, die axis 180o, Lugdunum (Lyon, France) mint, 66 A.D.; obverse IMP NERO CAESAR AVG PONT MAX TR POT P P, laureate head left, small globe at point; reverse DECVRSIO (in exergue), Nero and a companion on horseback prancing right, Nero holds spear in right hand, companion holds vexillum in right over shoulder, S - C (senatus consulto) flanking across field; $1860.00 (€1525.20)
Nero and Poppaea, 13 October 54 - 9 June 68 A.D., Roman Provincial Egypt
RPC Online I notes, "The date does look like L IB, but the coin is very battered." and "Confirmation required. Poppaea died in AD 65, so it seems unlikely that coins should have been made for her in year 12." This is the Dattari Collection plate coin and Dattari identified it as year 12. In Alexandria, Nero's year 12 began on 29 August 65 A.D. According to Suetonius, one day in the summer of 65, Poppaea quarreled fiercely with Nero over his spending too much time at the races. She was pregnant with her second child. In a fit of rage, Nero kicked her in the abdomen, killing her. This coin suggests her death was likely on or after the 19th of August. It would have taken 9 days or more for the news of her death to reach Alexandria. This coin may have been a trial strike or perhaps one of very few struck during the first days of the new year.RX93590. Billon tetradrachm, Dattari-Savio pl. 7, 199 (this coin!); RPC Online I 5289A (this coin!, the only spec.), aVF, brown tone, corrosion, scratches, rough, weight 7.834 g, maximum diameter 23.3 mm, die axis 0o, Alexandria mint, c. 29 Aug 65 A.D.; obverse NEPΩ KΛAV KAIΣ ΣEB ΓEP AYTO, radiate bust of Nero right; reverse ΠOΠΠAIA ΣEBAΣTH, draped bust of Poppaea right, L IB (year 12) lower right; from the Kreuzer Collection, ex Naville Numismatics auction 51 (21 Jul 2019), lot 301; ex Dattari Collection; this is the only known example of this type dated year 12!; unique!?; $540.00 (€442.80)
Augustus, 16 January 27 B.C. - 19 August 14 A.D., Uncertain Mint, Anatolia or Syria
The mint, the quaestor who struck this type, and even the identity of the person in the portrait remain uncertain. The type has previously been attributed to Macedonia and the portrait identified as Brutus (Friedlander) or Caesar (Grant). David Sear notes the type has never been found in Macedonia. Finds point to Syria or Anatolia. It is possible that the type was issued, with his own portrait, by Sosius, a general under Marc Antony who was quaestor in 39 B.C. Much more likely, however, the portrait is of Augustus.RP96854. Bronze AE 27, RPC I 5409; Sear CRI 957 (Syria); AMNG II 29 (Pella), gF, dark green patina, flan adjustment marks, strike a little weak, edge crack, weight 14.989 g, maximum diameter 26.7 mm, die axis 0o, uncertain Anatolian or Syrian mint, c. 39 B.C.(?); obverse bare head right; reverse hasta (spear), sella quaestoria (quaestor's seat of office), and fiscus (imperial treasury), Q (quaestor) below; previously a rare type but recent finds have made it easier to acquire; from a Florida collector, ex Trusted Coins; $400.00 (€328.00)
Domitian, 13 September 81 - 18 September 96 A.D., Sebaste, Samaria, Judaea
Sebaste was in the heart of the mountains of Samaria, a few miles northwest of Shechem. The city was called Samaria when it was a capital of the northern Kingdom of Israel in the 9th and 8th centuries B.C. According to Josephus, King Herod the Great renamed Sebastia in honor of emperor Augustus.RP98118. Bronze AE 23, Sofaer p. 64, 8; RPC II 2227 (9 spec); SNG ANS 1072; BMC Palestine p. 78, 5; Rosenberger III 30, Choice aVF, nice style, attractive blue-green patina with highlighting earthen deposits, scratches, weight 9.992 g, maximum diameter 23.4 mm, die axis 0o, Sebaste (Sebastia, Israel) mint, Sep 81 - 82 A.D.; obverse IMP DOMITIANVS CAESAR, laureate head right; reverse CEBACTHNWN L ΘP (Sebaste, year 109), Zeus standing half right, nude to the waist, himation over arm and around legs, long scepter vertical in left hand, small Nike presenting a wreath in right hand; only one sale of this type recorded on Coin Archives for the last two decades; very rare; $350.00 (€287.00)
Augustus and Agrippa, c. 10 - 14 A.D., Colonia Augusta Nemausus, Gallia Narbonensis
The reverse commemorates the conquest of Egypt in 30 B.C. This theme was probably used at Nemausus because the colony was settled by Egyptian Greeks and veterans from Anthony's army that had surrendered to Octavian at Actium. This coin is from a final revival of the type with the addition of P P, for Pater Patri, Father of the Country, on the obverse. Augustus was honored with this title in 2 B.C.RP97570. Bronze dupondius, RPC Online I 525, RIC I 159, SNG Cop 700, SNG Tüb 160, SRCV I 1731, VF, well centered on a tight flan, excellent portraits, pitting and porosity, weight 12.380 g, maximum diameter 26.8 mm, die axis 270o, Colonia Augusta Nemausus (Nimes, France) mint, c. 10 - 14 A.D.; obverse back to back heads of Agrippa and Augustus, Agrippa (on left) facing left wearing a rostral crown, Augustus laureate head right, IMP above, P - P flanking below chins, DIVI F below; reverse crocodile right chained to a palm, wreath with long ties over COL - NEM across field above crocodile divided by palm, two palm fronds below crocodile; $180.00 (€147.60)
Domitian, 13 September 81 - 18 September 96 A.D., Caesarea, Cappadocia
Mount Erciyes (Argaios to the Greeks, Argaeus to the Romans) is a massive stratovolcano 25 km to the south of Kayseri (ancient Caesarea) in Turkey. The highest mountain in central Anatolia, with its summit reaching 3,916 meters (12,848 ft). It may have erupted as recently as 253 B.C., as may be depicted on Roman era coins. Strabo wrote that the summit was never free from snow and that those few who ascended it reported seeing both the Black Sea to the north and the Mediterranean Sea to the south in days with a clear sky.RP97898. Bronze AE 17, RPC II 1686A (1 spec.), Sydenham -, Ganschow -, BMC Galatia -, gVF, green patina, earthen deposits, light corrosion, some light scratches, weight 4.096 g, maximum diameter 17.2 mm, die axis 0o, Cappadocia, Caesarea (Kayseri, Turkey) mint, 95 - 96 A.D.; obverse AYT KAI ∆OMITIANOC CEBACTOC ΓEPMA, laureate head right; reverse KAICAPEIAC (counterclockwise), Mount Argaeus topped with wreath;
Augustus, 16 January 27 B.C. - 19 August 14 A.D., Colonia Patricia, Hispania Baetica
This type was probably struck for Augusts' visit to Colonia Patricia, c. 15 - 14 B.C.RP98533. Bronze provincial dupondius, Villaronga-Benages 3356, Burgos 1988, RPC I 128, SNG Cop 464, F, dark green patina, a little off center, bumps and marks, scattered corrosion, earthen deposits, weight 22.268 g, maximum diameter 33.3 mm, die axis 270o, Colonia Patricia (Cordoba, Spain) mint, 19 - 2 B.C.; obverse PERMISSV CAESARIS AVGVSTI, bare head right; reverse COLONIA PATRICIA, aquila between two signa; $150.00 (€123.00)
Domitian, 13 September 81 - 18 September 96 A.D., Parion, Mysia(?)
The attribution of this very rare type to Parium is uncertain. See RPC II p. 137.
The ceremonial founding of a new Roman colony included plowing a furrow, the pomerium, a sacred boundary, around the site of the new city.RP94451. Bronze AE 15, RPC II Online 889 (12 spec.), SNGvA 6202, F, dark brown patina, light corrosion, tight flan, weight 3.575 g, maximum diameter 15.3 mm, die axis 0o, Parion, Mysia(?) mint, 13 Sep 81 - 18 Sep 96 A.D.; obverse DO-MIT AVG (clockwise from the upper right), laureate head left; reverse priest plowing right with two oxen, marking the pomerium (sacred boundary marked for the foundation of a new Roman colony), GERM in exergue; zero sales of this type recorded on Coin Archives in the last two decades; very rare; $130.00 (€106.60)
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