Happy Ides of March

Et tu, Brute?

 

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PIZZA PIZZA...

 

Heh

 

Today also is the anniversary of the Death of Romanus II (March 15th 963).

 

The Ides of March is always a nice opportunity to have our JC related coins have a breath out of the trays








Q

 

All right, time to share again my Julius Caesar lifetime portrait denarius (from January-February 44 BC):

My original write-up on the coin:
https://www.cointalk.com/threads/lifetime-portrait-denarius-of-julius-caesar.358365/#post-4353121

 

The Caesarians. Julius Caesar. 42 BC. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.71g). Posthumous issue. Rome mint, L. Livineius Regulus, moneyer. Obv: Laureate head of Caesar right between laurel branch and winged caduceus. Rev: Bull charging right.; L•LIVINEIVS above, REGVLVS below. Ref: Crawford 494/24; CRI 115; Sydenham 1106; BMCRR Rome 4274; RSC Caesar 27; RBW 1730. Toned, near Fine, bankers' marks on obverse and reverse. Ex CNG eAuction 79 (17 Dec 2003), Lot 118. Ex Heritage Auction 3004 (13 Jan 2009), Lot 22940. CNG note: Sear suggests that this moneyer is the son of the praetor of the same name who served under Caesar in the African War. It has been proposed that the laurel branch and caduceus on either side of Caesar's head symbolize the peace and prosperity Caesar had hoped to restore to the Roman world by victories over his enemies.

 

This is my favorite day of the year -- getting to see all the wonderful Bruti and Caesares (if I'm getting the plurals right)!

Here's my procession of lictors, accensi, and consuls Bruti (I do tend to accept the monogram-Kosons as M.J. Brutus coinage; the AV Stater photo is from Pars-VAuctions):



And my "coins that killed Caesar," a category in which I include not only the portrait coins naming him dictator (which many believe were a "last straw" provoking the killing within only weeks of their issue), but also the elephant denarius 5 years earlier in 49, which he struck in his own name using treasury silver without the consent of the Senate immediately upon crossing the Rubicon (see Nousek 2008 ; portrait photos were from Aureo-Calico 353 & Grun 79 auctions):



Metellus Scipio's (Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius Scipio) elephant denarius was no doubt some kind of response to Caesar's (a mockery? a challenge? an assertion that his ancestor, Scipio Africanus, was the true hero of Rome that conquered Hannibal's Carthage?). Caesar would have the last laugh: Scipio was defeated at Thapsus and ultimately committed suicide (c. 46 BCE) as honorably as a defeated Roman general could. His moving last words were immortalized by Seneca, "Imperator se bene habet" ("Your general's just fine" or "All is well with the commander") [Wiki]. (Photo of this coin by Ben Mous, WA, 2021, ex-private WA collection)


Shortly after: My favorite Julius Caesar coin, his captives denarius struck c. 46 BCE, which inspired centuries of Roman silver and bronze "captives coinage" (through the sons of Constantine and beyond), as well as this CoinTalk Post (CT 374729, 3 Feb 2021):



Of course, in the end, the biggest winner may have been his heir Octavian, AKA Augustus Caesar (Divus on this Dupondius of Caligula, ex-Huntington/ANS, photo by CNG):


Not sure, but I may have sold the Augustus below, definitely sold the Caesar elephant and wish I hadn't!!

 

Wonderful collection!

 

I just can't believe it's already one full year since the last time we did this! Seems like last month. Oh well. I've always considered this a sad day. They used to idolize J. Caesar when I studied Latin in high school.

some of my Julius Caesar and related coins....


Roman pugio - (similar, but alas not THE one.)

 

Wish I had a portrait denarius too. But I’m happy with this one.


Cassius

Sic semper Tyrannis.

 

I like it, I don’t have one….