HERITAGE AUCTIONS: THE TWELVE CAESARS

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V28 2025 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 28, Number 9, , Article 19

Heritage Auctions will be hosting their The Twelve Caesars Spotlight Auction on March 15. Select items are discussed below. -Garrett

Julius Caesar, as Dictator (49-44 BC). AR denarius (17mm, 3.76 gm, 11h). NGC Choice VF 4/5 - 4/5. Military mint traveling with Caesar in northern Italy, ca. 49-48 BC. CAESAR, elephant advancing right, trampling horned serpent / Culullus, aspergillum, securis (axe surmounted by dog or wolf's head), and apex. Crawford 443/1. Sydenham 1006.

One of the most popular types Caesar minted were of an elephant stepping on a serpent, with CAESAR in the exergue. Although there is no clear record of what these coins allude to, this design is believed to commemorate Caesar's victory in the Battle of Thapsus in 46 BC, where he defeated the forces of his political rival, Pompey, so efficiently that it was like an elephant stepping on a snake and could be seen as good defeating evil. On the reverse, he included important pontifical religious implements, a reminder to the Roman people that he was a pious man, and that he held numerous religious positions, such as Pontifex Maximus (Highest Priest). This series of coinage effectively communicated Caesar's dual image as a capable military leader and a custodian of Roman tradition, helping to consolidate his support base and establish his legitimacy during the tumultuous events of the civil war.

Octavian, as Imperator and Triumvir (43-33 BC). AR denarius (19mm, 3.75 gm, 12h). NGC Choice Fine 3/5 - 2/5, brockage, edge cut, light smoothing. Uncertain Italian mint, ca. 31-30 BC. Bare head of Octavian right, linear border / Brockage of obverse. RIC I 250a, 254a, or 257.

Born on 23 September 63 BC into a wealthy plebeian family, Augustus, originally Gaius Octavius, was the grandnephew and posthumously adopted son of Julius Caesar. This inheritance set him on a collision course with Rome's political elite, leading to the formation of the Second Triumvirate with Marc Antony and Marcus Aemilius Lepidus. Their initial unity against Caesar's assassins eventually gave way to conflict, from which Augustus emerged as Rome's first true emperor after victories in key battles like Philippi and Actium. In 27 BC, he was honored with the title "Augustus" by the Senate, signaling the start of his reign and the Pax Romana, a golden era of peace, prosperity, and cultural flourishing that lasted over two centuries.

Augustus' rule saw significant military, administrative, and cultural reforms that stabilized and enriched the empire. He established a standing army, including the Praetorian Guard, reorganized Rome's provinces, and became a patron of the arts, fostering the careers of poets like Virgil and Horace and commissioning monumental buildings that reshaped Rome. His savvy use of coinage to communicate his achievements and vision helped solidify his power and legacy. Augustus died in AD 14, he left behind a transformed Rome. Through Suetonius's "The Twelve Caesars" and his own "Res Gestae Divi Augusti," we glimpse the life and achievements of a ruler who balanced autocracy with republican ideals, setting a precedent for future emperors and leaving an indelible mark on Roman history.

Ex Classical Numismatic Group, Electronic Auction 470 (17 June 2020), lot 273.

Augustus (27 BC-AD 14). AR denarius (18mm, 3.69 gm, 6h). NGC XF 5/5 - 4/5. Spain (Colonia Patricia?), ca. 18-16 BC. Bare head of Augustus right with well-manicured hair; linear border / AVGVSTVS, Capricorn right, holding globe attached to rudder, bearing cornucopia on back; linear border. RIC I 126. Pleasant cabinet toning highlights the elements.

Ex Heritage Auction, Auction 61351 (11 December 2023), lot 24022; Numismatica Ars Classica, Spring Sale 2020 (25 May 2020), lot 830.

Claudius I (AD 41-54). AE as (29mm, 13.08 gm, 5h). Choice XF, bronze disease. Rome, ca. AD 50-54. TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG P M TR P IMP P P, bare head of Claudius left / LIBERTAS-AVGVSTA, Libertas standing facing, head right, both arms outstretched, pileus in right hand; S-C across fields. RIC I 113. Evidence of bronze disease, thus ineligible for encapsulation.

Son of the great general Drusus, and Antonia, niece of the emperor Augustus, Tiberius Claudius Drusus seemed well-positioned when he was born in 10 BC. But a serious childhood illness left him with a limp, a stammer, and other qualities that made him the black sheep of the family. While these problems barred him from a political career, such exclusion also granted him immunity from the family's murderous intrigues. Upon Caligula's assassination in January, AD 41, Claudius was the sole surviving Julio-Claudian male and, when members of the Praetorian Guard found him cowering behind a curtain in the palace, they immediately acclaimed him as Emperor. Claudius astutely awarded the Praetorians a substantial bonus, and with 10,000 heavily armed soldiers backing him, he easily forced the Senate to accept him as the next princeps. Once installed, Claudius surprised everyone by ruling with intelligence and moderation. In AD 43, he ordered the invasion and annexation of Britain, the first major addition of territory to the Empire since the days of Augustus.

He exercised discernment in his selection of provincial governors and exhibited adept diplomacy in handling foreign relations. However, his notable shortcomings lay in his excessive attention to minutiae, dependence on freedmen and close associates, and his questionable choices in romantic partners. His third wife, Messalina, known for her promiscuity, wielded significant influence as Empress and became embroiled in a scandalous conspiracy in AD 48, which posed a threat to his rule. Subsequently, his next wife, Agrippina the Younger, skillfully utilized her influence to consolidate her own power and advance the position of her son, Nero, from a previous marriage, within the succession plans. This done, she fed Claudius a dish of poisoned mushrooms in October AD 54 and brought his 13-year reign to an end. Despite many missteps and his unsavory demise, Claudius had been a fairly successful ruler and his regime set a pattern for the Flavians and the reigns that followed.

Nero (AD 54-68). AE as (28mm, 7h). NGC VF. Rome, ca. AD 65. NERO CAESAR AVG GERM IMP, laureate head of Nero right / PACE P R VBIQ PARTA IANVM CLVSIT, three-quarter view of temple of Janus with latticed window on left, front doors closed on right, garland draped across arched entrance; S-C across fields. RIC I 306.

The Temple of Janus was one of the oldest structures in the Roman Forum. In keeping with the spirit of Janus, the two-faced god, the temple had large doors on two opposing sides. According to tradition, the doors were kept open in wartime and closed during times of peace. The closing of the Temple doors was a rare event, even during the Pax Romana. In AD 66, having recently concluded a favorable peace treaty with Parthia, Nero closed the doors with great fanfare and marked the occasion on his coinage.

To read the complete item description, see:
Nero (AD 54-68). AE as (28mm, 7h). NGC VF. (https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/roman-imperial/roman-imperial-nero-ad-54-68-ae-as-28mm-7h-ngc-vf/a/61482-25061.s)

Domitian (AD 81-96). AR denarius (19mm, 3.48 gm, 5h). NGC Choice XF 4/5 - 4/5, flan flaw. Rome, 14 September AD 95-13 September AD 96. IMP CAES DOMIT AVG-GERM P M TR P XV, laureate head of Domitian right / IMP XXII COS XVII CENS P P P, Minerva advancing right, brandishing javelin in right hand, shield on left arm. RIC II.1, 761.

Domitian, often remembered as a controversial figure in Roman history, lived a complex life marked by both admirable achievements and a dark reputation. Born in AD 51 into the esteemed Flavian family, his father Vespasian's rise to power marked the conclusion of the tumultuous Year of the Four Emperors in AD 69. Despite his auspicious lineage, Domitian spent much of his early life in the shadow of his elder brother Titus. This overshadowing may have contributed to the development of his reserved and resentful personality. However, when Titus passed away in AD 81 after a brief two-year rule, Domitian swiftly stepped into the role of emperor, marking the beginning of his own rule within the Flavian dynasty.