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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Roman Coins| ▸ |The Twelve Caesars| ▸ |Nero||View Options:   | | | Nero became emperor after his stepfather, the emperor Claudius, died (Claudius was probably poisoned by Nero's mother Agrippina II). At first, Nero ruled well, guided by his mentors Seneca and Burrus, but soon his reign degenerated into the debauchery and murder for which he is infamous. He had his mother, Burrus, Britannicus, and numerous senators and members of the nobility murdered or executed. Legend says he kicked Poppaea, his pregnant wife, to death. He was the first emperor to persecute Christians, blaming them for the Great Fire in 64 A.D. Nero committed suicide in 68 A.D. after generals in Africa, Gaul, and Spain all rebelled, and the Praetorian Guard in Rome deserted him. |
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.SL111603. Orichalcum sestertius, RIC I 168 (S); BMCRE I p. 226, 142; BnF II -; Hunter I -; SRCV I -, ANACS VF30 (7432075, says Lugdunum mint in error), dark spots are where the plastic holder is in contact with the coin, weight 27.15 g, maximum diameter 35.5 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, c. 66 A.D.; obverse NERO CLAVD CAESAR AVG GER P M TR P IMP P P, laureate head left; reverse DECVRSIO, Nero and a soldier on horseback prancing right, Nero bear headed, wearing cuirass and short tunic, and holds spear in right hand, soldier, on far side and slightly behind, holds vexillum in right over shoulder, S - C (senatus consulto) flanking high across field; ex Classical Coins, ANACS| Verify;
The reverse legend translates, "The gates of Janus' temple are closed because peace of the Roman people is set on both land and sea." On the rare occasions when Rome was not at war the doors of the 'Twin Janus' were ceremonially closed, an event Nero commemorated extensively on the coinage of 65 - 67 A.D. -- Roman Coins and Their Values, Vol. 1 by David R. SearSH110266. Orichalcum sestertius, RIC I 265, BMCRE I 160, Cohen I 144, Mac Dowall WCN 153, BnF I 73 (head right), SRCV I 1958 var. (same), aVF, near centered, weight 24.989 g, maximum diameter 33.8 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, 65 A.D.; obverse NERO CLAVD CAESAR AVG GER P M TR P IMP P P, laureate head left; reverse PACE P R TERRA MARIQ PARTA IANVM CLVSIT, view of the Temple of Janus from the front left corner, temple front on the right with garland over closed doors within arch, the left side of the temple to the left with long latticed window, S - C (senatus consulto) flanking across field; ex Inasta auction 101 (25 Jun 2022), lot 747;
One explanation for Nero's slight beard on this coin is that it is his "beard of mourning" for the death of his wife Poppaea. 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. The story of her death may have been a lie, part of a larger effort to denigrate Nero after his suicide. Certainly Poppaea was deeply mourned by Nero. During the mourning period, Nero may have followed Roman customs and not shaved his face. A similar light beard also occurs on some tetradrachms of Antioch dated 65 - 66 A.D.RB112056. Orichalcum sestertius, RIC I 138, BMCRE I 129, Mac Dowall WCN 128, Cohen I 18, BnF II -, Hunter I -, SRCV -, aVF/F, brown tone, corrosion, a few pits, weight 27.266 g, maximum diameter 33.5 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, 65 A.D.; obverse NERO CLAVD CAESAR AVG GER P M TR P IMP P P (Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus Pontifex Maximus Tribunicia Potestate Imperator Pater Patriae), laureate head left, short beard visible, no globe at point of bust; reverse ANNONA AVGVSTI CERES, Annona standing right, right hand on hip, cornucopia in left hand, facing Ceres enthroned left, veiled, feet on footstool, stalks of grain in right hand, torch in left hand; in center modius on garlanded altar, prow behind, S C (senatus consulto) in exergue;
Nero, 13 October 54 - 9 June 68 A.D., Caesarea Maritima, Judaea
Caesarea, about 30 miles north of Joppa and about 70 miles northwest of Jerusalem, was founded by Herod the Great and named for Caesar Augustus. It was the seat of the Roman procurators and the Roman military headquarters in Judaea. The Pilate Stone, discovered here in 1961, is only archaeological find that names Pontius Pilate, by whose order Jesus was crucified. After the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., Caesarea was the provincial capital of the Judaea Province. Well into Byzantine times, Caesarea remained the capital. In the 630s, Arab Muslim armies took the region, but kept Caesarea as its administrative center until early 8th century. Caesarea's ruins are a national park on the Mediterranean coast of Israel, about halfway between Tel Aviv and Haifa.RP111376. Bronze AE 22, Kadman Caesarea Maritima 4 (same dies); RPC Online I 4862; Sofaer 7 ff.; Rosenberger 5 ff.; SNG ANS 753 ff.; Baramki 2 ff., aVF, dark patina, highlighting buff earthen deposits, scratches, weight 9.780 g, maximum diameter 21.7 mm, die axis 0o, Caesarea Maritima (Keisaria, Israel) mint, 68 A.D.; obverse NEPΩN ΣEBAΣTOΣ KAICAP (from upper right), laureate head right; reverse KAIΣAPIA H ΠPOΣ ΣEBAΣTΩ ΛIME (from upper right), Tyche standing left, right foot resting on prow, bust in extended right hand, standard vertical behind in left hand, L IΔ in lower left field;
Nero, 13 October 54 - 9 June 68 A.D., Ake Ptolemais, Galilee
Ptolemais was a maritime city of Galilee (Acts 21:7). It was originally Accho, but was renamed Ptolemais under the rule of Ptolemy Soter. The ceremonial founding of a new Roman colony included plowing a furrow, the pomerium, a sacred boundary, around the site of the new city.RP111779. Bronze AE 24, RPC I 4750 (20 spec.); SNG Cop 181; Kadman, Akko 92; Rosenberger 9; Sofaer 131; Seyrig 31, Rouvier 996; Baramki AUB 12, F, porous, weight 12.529 g, maximum diameter 23.5 mm, die axis 0o, Galilee, Ake Ptolemais (Acre, Israel) mint, c. 66 - 68 A.D.; obverse IMP NER CL CAES AVG GER P M TR POT, laureate head right, star-in-crescent to right; reverse DIVOS CLAVD STAB GER FELIX P, Nero plowing right with oxen, marking the pomerium (sacred boundary marking the foundation of a new Roman colony), four vexilla inscribed III, VI, X, and XII on far side (in background), C-OL - CL-A across field divided by vexilla shafts; ex CNG e-auction 510 (23 Feb 2022), lot 497; ex Dr. Jay M. Galst Collection; ex Coin Galleries mail bid sale (14 Apr 1999), lot 283; scarce;
Nero, 13 October 54 - 9 June 68 A.D., Roman Provincial Egypt
Ptolemy Soter wanted to integrate the Hellenistic and Egyptian religions by finding a deity that could win the reverence of both groups. The Greeks would not accept an animal-headed figure, so a Greek-style anthromorphic statue was chosen as the idol, and proclaimed as the equivalent of the highly popular Apis. It was named Aser-hapi (i.e. Osiris-Apis), which became Serapis, and was said to be Osiris in full, rather than just his Ka (life force). Ptolemy's efforts were successful - in time Serapis was held by the Egyptians in the highest reverence above all other deities, and he was adored in Athens and other Greek cities. RX111457. Billon tetradrachm, RPC Online I 5274; Dattari 251; Milne 222; BMC Alexandria p. 19, 156; Geissen 160; Kampmann 14.77; Emmett 133.10, VF, well centered on a tight flan, porous, weight 12.133 g, maximum diameter 23.6 mm, die axis 0o, Alexandria mint, 29 Aug 63 - 28 Aug 64 A.D.; obverse NEPΩ KΛAY KAIΣ ΣEB ΓEP, radiate head right; reverse AYTOKPA, draped bust of Serapis right, wearing taenia and polos ornamented with lotus, LI (year 10) lower right; from the CEB Collection;
The shield held by Victory is the golden shield that was dedicated to Augustus by the Senate and Roman People (S. P. Q. R.) in recognition of his classic, cardinal virtues. By placing the shield and Victory on his coin, Nero was claiming these same virtues were part of his regime. -- Roman History from Coins by Michael GrantRB110692. Copper as, RIC I 543, BMCRE I 381, BnF II 160, Mac Dowall WCN 593, Hunter I 131, Cohen I 302, SRCV I -, F, near centered, porous, weight 9.404 g, maximum diameter 28.0 mm, die axis 180o, Lugdunum (Lyon, France) mint, c. 66 A.D.; obverse IMP NERO CAESAR AVG P MAX TR P P P, laureate head right, globe at point of neck; reverse Victory flying left, shield inscribed S P Q R in right hand, S - C (senatus consulto) flanking high across field;
Nero, 13 October 54 - 9 June 68 A.D., Caesarea Maritima, Judaea
Caesarea, about 30 miles north of Joppa and about 70 miles northwest of Jerusalem, was founded by Herod the Great and named for Caesar Augustus. It was the seat of the Roman procurators and the Roman military headquarters in Judaea. The Pilate Stone, discovered here in 1961, is only archaeological find that names Pontius Pilate, by whose order Jesus was crucified. After the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., Caesarea was the provincial capital of the Judaea Province. Well into Byzantine times, Caesarea remained the capital. In the 630s, Arab Muslim armies took the region, but kept Caesarea as its administrative center until early 8th century. Caesarea's ruins are a national park on the Mediterranean coast of Israel, about halfway between Tel Aviv and Haifa.RP110762. Bronze AE 25, Kadman Caesarea Maritima 4 (same dies); RPC Online I 4862; Sofaer 7 ff.; Rosenberger 5 ff.; SNG ANS 753 ff.; Baramki 2 ff., F, nice glossy green patina, porosity, light earthen deposits, obv. off center, rev. legend mostly off flan, weight 14.258 g, maximum diameter 24.8 mm, die axis 45o, Caesarea Maritima (Keisaria, Israel) mint, 68 A.D.; obverse NEPΩN ΣEBAΣTOΣ KAICAP (from upper right), laureate head right; reverse KAIΣAPIA H ΠPOΣ ΣEBAΣTΩ ΛIME (from upper right), Tyche standing left, right foot resting on prow, bust in extended right hand, standard vertical behind in left hand, L IΔ in lower left field;
Judaea, Antonius Felix, Roman Procurator Under Claudius and Nero, 52 - 60 A.D.
The palm depicted is, of course, the date palm. The tree was a symbol of Judea where palm trees grow in greater numbers than the surrounding areas (the Romans also used it as a symbol of Judea on Judaea Capta coins). The palm also symbolized abundance and plenty, dignity, royal honor, jubilation and victory, and was used in religious processionsJD111329. Bronze prutah, Hendin 6377; Meshorer TJC 340; Sofaer 59; BMC Palestine p. 264, 21; RPC I 4971, aVF, dark patina, highlighting earthen deposits, light corrosion, reverse edge beveled, prominent sprue cut, weight 2.487 g, maximum diameter 16.8 mm, die axis 180o, Jerusalem mint, under Nero, 54 A.D.; obverse NEPW KΛAV KAICAP (Nero Claudius Caesar), two crossed oblong shields with two crossed spears on far side; reverse BPIT (Britannicus), six-branched palm bearing two bunches of dates, L - IΔ / K-AI (year 14 of Caesar) flanking trunk;
Judaea, Porcius Festus, Roman Procurator under Nero, 59 - 62 A.D.
"Now when Festus had come into his province, after three days he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and they urged him, asking as a favor to have the man sent to Jerusalem, planning an ambush to kill him on the way. Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea, and that he himself intended to go there shortly...But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, "Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem, and there be tried on these charges before me?" But Paul said, "I am standing before Caesar's tribunal, where I ought to be tried; to the Jews I have done no wrong, as you know very well. If then I am a wrongdoer, and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death; but if there is nothing in their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar." Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, "You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you shall go." - Acts 25:1-4,9-12JD111330. Bronze prutah, Hendin 6380; Meshorer TJC 345; RPC I 4972; Sofaer, pl. 220, 66; BMC Palestine p. 266, 1, aVF, green patina, highlighting lighter fields, well centered, obv. edge beveled, traces of sprues, tiny edge split, weight 1.726 g, maximum diameter 15.6 mm, die axis 0o, Jerusalem mint, 59 A.D.; obverse NEP/WNO/C (Nero) in wreath tied at the bottom with an X; reverse KAICAPO (Caesar) and date LE (year 5), palm frond;
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