You know, from your history lessons, that on the Ides of March (15th), BC44 Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of Romans which included his friend, Brutus. You, probably, also know Brutus was immediately installed as the new Imperator. Julius Caesar was so egotistical and ruthless during his reign he was hated by the populace of Rome and everytime a new Roman coin was struck bearing his likeness, the common people would be incensed enough to call for his deposition. However, upon being crowned, Brutus, fearing he'd come to the same fate as his predecessor, became as egotisical. Brutus, thinking safety laid in the guise of constant motion, so as to not let his enemies know where he was at any given time, was constantly on the move. So much so as to have the Roman Mint travel with him and his itinerary. The following will fulfill the numismatic part of this post: Brutus sought to inform the populace that he was respomsible for ridding Rome of a tyrannical leader so, in 42 BC, he had a silver Denarius created with his own portrait on the obverse, but that isn't the egotisical aspect of the coin. Brutus had an active symbolism placed on the reverse of this coin: the bloodied daggers wielded by Brutus and his cohorts flanking a Roman Liberty Pileus (Liberty Cap). Here's a photo of Brutus' silver Denarius courtesy of Coin Archives: BRUTUS' SILVER DENARIUS Hope this was interesting... Clinker
i learned something new today. i never knew brutus had coins made with his portrait. thank you clinker!!
The story is complicated. You owe it to yourself to read PLUTARCH'S LIVES available online at http://classics.mit.edu/Browse/index-Plutarch.html Read about Caesar, Brutus, Antony, Cicero and Cato the Younger. Julius Caesar was loved by the mob, which is why his assassins fled the city. The EID MAR coin shows several kinds of daggers on different reverses, perhaps to show that the actors were not just one man or working for one man but represented many republicans. People who live at the level of Julius Caesar or Eleanor of Aquataine or Albert Einstein tend to be complicated. The events of their lives become history because of their multifaceted and powerful persona.
I knew the Democrats typically blame the Republicans for everything wrong in the country but I had no idea the Republicans were to blame for the assassinaiton of Julius Caesar.
Hi swish513: Neither did I until my research for numismatic articles uncovered the data... AND "THANK YOU" for reading and commenting... Clinker
In 54 BC, several years before Brutus became famous for his part in killing Caesar he issued coins honoring two of his more famous relatives while he was serving as a moneyer (a relatively low ranking position in the chain of offices to be held by aspiring Roman politicians). The coin shows Brutus the Elder, one of the first Consuls who in 509 BC was responsible for the overthrowing of the last king of Rome Tarquinius Superbus. On the other side is Gaius Servilius Ahala who in 439 BC saved the Roman way of life by stabbing Spurius Maelius who was selling grain during a famine for less than the established price in an attempt to court the favor of the starving poor who might be tempted to advance him politically. Maelius may have died but his way of buying votes became the standard way of doing business in later times. This coin is a plated 'fourree' but even a nice solid silver one costs a small fraction of the price of the EID MAR type (which usually go over $50k in moderate condition). Brutus came from a long line of reactionary Republicans willing to kill political opponents.
