Caligula and Antoninus Pius - a little known connection

The idea for this thread came about due to two recent events in my Ancient coin collecting pursuit:

1. Searching for research resources during a visit to my JSTOR account.
2. Purchase of an Antoninus Pius denarius from Marc Breitsprecher (one of my favorite Ancient coin dealers).

In my JSTOR account I found an excellent research resource:

Journal Article on the Temple of Divus Augustus By Duncan Fishwick - Phoenix, Vol. 46, No. 3 (Autumn, 1992), pp. 232-255, Published by: Classical Association of Canada

And that fit my needs very well because I wanted to write this article for Coin Talk about the role two of my coins played in the Dedication of the Temple of Divus Augustus, it’s destruction due to devastating fires, and its eventual complete Restoration by Antoninus Pius.

One reason I downloaded and referenced this (well written) article is because Fishwick devotes a considerable amount of his narrative to the role the two coins I depict here played in preserving a historical record of the appearance and construction of the original and restored (by Antoninus Pius who was a great admirer of Augustus) Temples of Divus Augustus. Fishwick points out that these coin depictions are the only source available now that shows how the temples actually looked.

There had been a controversy relating to the depiction on the Antoninus Pius coins which illustrate a Corinthian octostyle (eight column) structure versus the hexastyle (six column) original structure depicted on the Caligula Sestertius.

That has been pretty much resolved, the consensus now being that the Antoninus Pius building engineers, while generally adhering to the original design, were permitted to exercise some of their own discretion in designing the Resoration.

Another part of this is that the Restoration design could have been based on the partial Restoration by Domitian (of which there is no surviving record) when the original structure was severely damaged by fire during his reign.

Please visit the thread of @Ancient Aussie at ……………

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/the-elusive-remains-of-the-temple-of-augustus.313119/

…………… for a lot more great information, accompanied by photographs, relating to the Temple of Divus Augustus.

Antoninus Pius issued a series of Restoration coins in both silver and bronze during his reign. They all included REST in the reverse legend which in this instance refers to the restoration of the Temple by Antoninus Pius.

The coins I reference:


CAIUS (CALIGULA), SESTERTIUS, BMCRE Vol. I, Rome, No. 69 (Pl. 29.12)
CAIUS (CALIGULA), SESTERTIUS, RIC Vol. I, Rome, No. 51
(40-41AD, 35mm, 26.2gm)

Obverse depiction: Personification of Pietas, draped, seated left
Inscription: C CAESAR DIVI AVG PRON AVG PM TRP IIII PP (in exergue): PIETAS

Reverse depiction: Caligula, veiled and togate, standing left holding patera over altar - attendants (victimarius) on either side holding bull for sacrifice - hexastyle temple of Divus Augustus, surmounted by quadriga and festooned with garlands, in background.
Reverse Horizontal Inscription: {small lettering} DIVO AVG and below: S C (left and right)

Note: Also BMCRE 41, RIC 36 - with obverse legend: C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS PM TR POT (in exergue): PIETAS

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


ANTONINUS PIUS, DENARIUS, RIC III, ROME, NO. 284
16.67mm, 3.73 grams

Obverse depiction: bust of Antoninus Pius, laureate, facing right
Obverse Inscription: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XXII

Reverse depiction: Octastyle Temple with figures (Augustus and Livia?) inside.
Reverse Inscription: AED DIVI AVG REST - COS IIII in exergue.

Please post any photos you have of any of these coins.

 

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Terrific coins --Stunning sestertius; research to match. Jamesicus, you're 'acting in character.'
On a more mundane (please read, easier) aesthetic level, there's just something almost viscerally iconic about Julio-Claudian sestertii with this confluence of full-length, 'monumental' figures, and those inimitable tall, earlier-1st-century letter forms.

 

Antoninus Pius. 138-161 AD. Æ Sestertius. Obv: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P. laureate head right. Rev:TEMPLVM DIV AVG REST, octastyle temple surmounted by quadriga; figures in pediment; Victories on angles; Statues of Divus Augustus and Diva Julia Augusta seated facing on bases within; statue on base in front of temple columns. S - C in left and right fields; COS IIII in exergue. RIC III, 787.

Edit: Are there statues at the base of the far left and far right columns? They are clearly visible at this link, but not mentioned by RIC:
https://cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=28008

 

Great coin @PeteB - thanks for posting it.

 

Antoninus Pius. 138-161 AD. AR Denarius (17mm; 3.09 gm; 6h). Rome. Obv: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P. Bare head right, drapery on left shoulder. Rev: TEMPLVM DIV AVG REST, in ex: COS IIII. Octastyle temple, in which are seated two figures (Divus Augustus and Livia). Temple surmounted by quadriga; figures in pediment; Victories (?) (Romulus and Anchises?) on angles; statue at each corner in front of the columns there. Further, two statues appear at ground level in front of the four columns on each side. RIC 143 var. (laureate head). RSC 809a, except this coin has drapery on left shoulder, and possible drapery on right shoulder. RIC and RSC do not have an obverse with this legend and "draped." Standard references do not cite the four statues described above, though their images show them.

 

Thank you @+VGO.DVCKS!

 

Again, @PeteB thanks for the great coin photo and additional information.

 

Great topic and coins jamesicus, a subject I have a thread https://www.cointalk.com/threads/the-elusive-remains-of-the-temple-of-augustus.313119/ if of interest.

 

Very nice indeed, Pete.

 

Thank you @Ancient Aussie. I am very thankful that you mentioned that thread of yours for I meant to include a link to it in my post. I am embarrassed that I didn’t - please accept my apology. It is an excellent thread that I encourage everyone with an interest in this subject to visit.

 

I was hoping some collectors might post photos of the Caligula Sestertius (especially BMCRE 41, RIC 36 - with obverse legend: C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS PM TR POT which is seldom encountered - notice I did not say very rare.

I know @dougsmit has a sestertius just like mine. it would be really great if someone would post a Sestertius/denarius “set”.

 

I just saw this but have nothing to add but the same old photo of my coin (ex Stacks/Coin Galleries, 2000).

 

.

 

But it is a great photo of a great old coin.

 

Great thread, jamesicus. No Caligula temples in my collection, but here is a scruffy Antoninus Pius denarius with the Temple of Augustus:


Antoninus Pius Denarius
(c. 158-160 A.D.)
Rome Mint
ANTONINVS AVG PI[VS PP TR [P X]XII, laureate head right / [TEMPLVM DIV] AVG REST, COS IIII, octastyle temple of Divus Augustus and Livia.
RIC 290 (uncertain attribution; several DIVI AVG types).
(3.02 grams / 16 mm)

 

Not so scruffy Mike - it bespeaks history. Thanks for posting it.

 

I have now updated my original post to include:

Please visit the thread of @Ancient Aussie at ……………

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/the-elusive-remains-of-the-temple-of-augustus.313119/

…………… for a lot more great information, accompanied by photos, relating to the Temple of Divus Augustus.

James