The Temple of Julius Caesar

Picked up this coin recently, expensive in VF condition, but this was a good price for a good fine with readable letters in the architrave and a good portrait of Octavian it ticked enough boxes.
One of the more interesting things about this coin is the star in the architrave which I believe represents a comet, although described as a star in most references.

The Temple of Caesar was the only temple to be entirely dedicated to the cult of a comet (referred to as a 'comet star') The comet, appearing some time after Caesar's murder (44 BC), was considered to be the soul of the deified Julius Caesar and the symbol of the "new birth" of Augustus as a unique Roman ruler and Emperor.

Augustus minted a few series of coins devoted to the comet star and to the deified Caesar, "Divus Iulius", to be struck and widely distributed, so it is possible to have an idea of the representation of the comet star of the deified Julius Caesar.

During his public speech about the appearance of the comet, Augustus specified that he himself, the new ruler of the world, was born politically at the very time his father Julius Caesar appeared as a comet in the sky of Rome.



Octavian, Southern or central Italian mint, Spring-early summer 36 BC. AR Denarius (19mm, 3.92g, 6h). Bareheaded and bearded head r. R/ Tetrastyle temple of Divus Julius: statue of Julius Caesar as augur standing within temple; DIVO • IVL on architrave, star within pediment, figures along roof line; lighted altar to l. Crawford 540/2; RSC 90 (Augustus). Bankers' marks.

Ex London Ancient Coins.

This is the remains today in the Forum between the Temple of Faustina and the temple of Vesta.

And a shot inside.
The niche and the altar in front of the temple podium are also a problem of interpretation based on scarce data. They were visible in 29 BC when the temple was dedicated and when Augustus' coin series with the temple of Divus Iulius was struck from 37 BC to 34 BC.



PIC courtesy of Pinterest.
The temple measured 26.97m in width and 30m in length, corresponding to 91 by 102 Roman feet. The podium or platform area was at least 5.5 m high (18 Roman feet) but only 3.5 m at the front. The columns, if Corinthian, were probably 11.8 to 12.4 m high, corresponding to 40 or 42 Roman feet.

The temple remained largely intact until the late 15th century, when it's marble and stones were used to construct new churches and palaces. Only parts of the cement core of the platform have been preserved.

LET'S SEE THOSE OCTAVIAN/JULIUS CAESAR COINS, I KNOW Johndakerftw HAS A GREAT COIN OF THE COMET.......

 

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Wow Wow Wow ! Nice article very interesting . I know absolutely nothing about Ancients, but this is great !

 

Thanks for the write up. Very enjoyable!

 

Nice writeup and nice coin, @Ancient Aussie ... cool pics!

This man murdered the Roman Republic, then the Senate executed him for that crime. The victors of the civil war were pro-Caesar, and were the architects of the destruction of the Republic, so history writes that he was murdered.

I have posted this before in @Bing ’s Caesar’s Comet thread. I was amazed at the odd coincidence that this coin, last series struck within 2weeks of his assassination, has a STAR / Comet on the reverse. The 4 months later a comet appears and folks revered that it was from Caesar Divus.

I captured this one because of it was minted during the last 2 weeks prior to Caesar's assassination. The symbol below the scepter is a STAR. Probably a symbol of Venus, a supposed ancestor of the IULII clan. Cool premonition prior to his death! Couple that up with the Seer's warning "Beware the EIde of Mar"!


Roman Imperatorial Era
Julius Caesar Lifetime
P Sepullius Macer AR Den
1st 2 weeks-Mar 44 BCE 4.03g.
CAESAR – DICT PERPETVO Veiled -
Venus Victory sceptre star
Syd 1074a Sear Imperators 107e Cr 480-14
Rare

Andrew Alföldi arranges Crawford 480 series coins in (44 BC) month order as follows:

RRC 480/1, Buca - January
RRC 480/2, DICT QVART - early February
RRC 480/3/4/5, CAESAR IMP - late February
RRC 480/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13/14, DICT PERPETVO - early to mid March 44 BCE
RRC 480/17/18, CAESAR IMPER - late March
RRC 480/19/20, PARENS PATRIAE - April
RRC 480/15/16, MARIDIANVS - April
RRC 480/21/22, CLEMENTIAE CAESARIS and Mark Antony - April

 

How do you guys know all this stuff ??

 

Nice OP coin and write-up @Ancient Aussie . Here's my JC lifetime denarius, struck in January-February 44 BC just a couple of months before that fateful Ides of March:

 

How were these coins struck ? hammered ?

 

I'm glad you like it, most of us here in the ancient forum are fascinated by the history from the age these coins were minted and as a result endeavour to read as much as we can find from ancient scriptures and historians. To answer your later question the vast majority of the these ancients were struck.

 

Very interesting coin @Ancient Aussie, congrats on the nice score

No comet here, I can show an Augustus/temple though


Augustus, Denarius - Colonia Patricia mint ? ca. 19-18 BC
CAESARI AVGVSTO, laureate head right
SP - QR on either side of a domed terastyle temple, in which is a chariot with aquila.
3,66 gr
Ref : RSC # 279, RIC # 119

Q

 

@Ancient Aussie - excellent write up - that coin is on my wants list.

The comet appears on both sides of this denarius :


Augustus RIC 340

Obverse : Herald in long robe and feathered helmet standing left
holding winged caduceus and shield depicting comet

Reverse : Youthful head of the deified Julius Caesar right;
above, comet

 

Thanks @Ancient Aussie! Wonderful coin!

Here is my well loved comet denarius.



I’m very grateful to have this coin in my collection. It’s one I didn’t think I would ever be able to add my collection, but, here it is!

Keep up the great work, everyone!

Erin

 

I see you took a "stab" at capturing the essence of the temple...Nice!

 

I just make it up as I go...

 

Nice one Bing, I like the tail behind the comet. Great coin.

 

Absolutely fantastic coin, a coin most would love in their collection, me included.

 

Thank you very much. I am pleased to have it, specifically its touch to a very historical place in time.

 

Thanks, that's one of the best I have seen of that type the detail on the chariot is unbelievable.

 

Thanks and your's is one great coin that I can't recall seeing before, just a question what year was that one minted? as the comet seems very prominent.

 

Thank's Erin, you must be very proud to have such an historically important coin.