The Emperor Game! Can WE do it?

Didius Julianus

 

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Quick correction: Lucius Verus was co-emperor with Marcus Aurelius, not with Antoninus Pius.

 

You are right that was my bad. Sometimes I get Emperors mixed up in my head.

It was Antoninus Pius who adopted Lucius Verus and Marcus Aurelius.

 

Well it looks like no one wants to post Septimius Severus so I’ll post mine. ^_^

I like the details on the face but not very fond of the black silver oxide on the coin :/





Next up: Caracalla AND Geta!

 

Here's a Caracalla:


Caracalla, AD 198-217.
Roman AR denarius, 2.9g, 19mm, 6h.
Rome, issue 10, AD 217.
Obv: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG GERM, laureate head right.
Rev: P M TRP XX COS IIII PP; Serapis, wearing polos on head, standing facing, head left, holding wreath and scepter.
Refs: RIC 289c; BMCRE 188; Cohen/RSC 382; RCV 6846; Hill 1586.

 

You skipped two. Both are listed in the pack from 193 "Year of Five" but the Clodius Albinus as Augustus did not come until a couple years later after he revolted from Septimius under whom he had been Caesar. He died in 196 after issuing a few coins from Lugdunum.

Pescennius Niger


Clodius Albinus as Augustus

 

Thanks for the correction! I’m doing the best I can but sometimes I miss things so I appreciate it.

 

Skipped over

Pescennius Niger


Clodius Albinus

 

Geta as Caesar and as Augustus:

 

Just curious what does “ (Emperor) as Augustus” mean?

They don’t look anything like Augustus. Especially the ones with beards. Augustus didn’t have a beard.



I know Augustus was also an Emperor’s title but wouldn’t that mean every coin was the Emperor as Augustus if it’s a title?

Or does it mean something else?

Thanks! Great coins btw!

 

See https://www.unrv.com/government/caesar-augustus.php

(And check out the different legends of the two Geta coins - not every coin of a male ruler is of an Augustus.)

 

Hmm… this is one of those “you should know” things if you’re spending any sort of money on coins for historical interest… take some time to learn about how Augustus and Caesar were applied throughout the timeline of the empire. For example… here is Marcus Aurelius as Caesar under Antonius Pius in 156-157ad before he was Augustus:

Especially later… there are many coins for Caesars that are very interesting.

 

Before moving to Macrinus (missing from my collection, except a provincial, but I think it is more interesting to keep this thread on Imperials only), since the Caesar and Augustus titles were clarified, there was another Caesar who never made it to Augustus - Aelius. Adopted by Hadrian and meant to be his successor, but died before Hadrian.
Born as Lucius Ceionius Commodus, after adoption the name was changed to Lucius Aelius Caesar. He was the father of the future co-emperor Lucius Verus.

Coins with his portrait are not very common so I was glad to get this at a low price


Aelius, as Caesar AD 136-138. Rome
Denarius AR
18 mm, 2,80 g
RIC II, Part 3 (second edition) Hadrian 2645
Old RIC II Hadrian 434
Obverse Legend: L AELIVS CAESAR
Type: Head of Lucius Aelius Caesar, right
Reverse Legend: TR POT COS II
Type: Salus standing left, holding patera and sceptre; to left, altar with snake coiled around

 

Good explanation with one minor correction. 'Augustus' was not a name. The man Octavian took the title 'the revered one' Augustus rather than 'king' because that latter term was politically incorrect in the Roman mind. However calling him by his personal name simply was not done. He was most honored by 'Caesar' since that showed acceptance of his position as heir to Julius. I am not sure when the fashion started requiring 'Augustus' rather than 'Caesar' but the pair together "most revered of the Caesars" seemed popular at times. You did not walk up to Antoninus Pius and say, "Hi, Pi." This is common through history. Autograph collectors value pen on paper 'Roi' which was the only signature require of the king of France. Even today you do not call the judge in court "Judge Judy" but formally, "Your Honor". Caesar was a family name and carried honor as well but allowed use by the whole Imperial line (father and heirs) but only the top man was Augustus in addition to being Caesar. I never really understood why the whole female side of the family was Augusta rather than some feminized form of Caesar but it was their system and they did it their way. After the end of the Julio-Claudians who claimed to be descendants of Julius, we see different levels of using Caesar and Augustus. The famous story is where Antoninus Pius delayed accepting 'Augustus' until the Senate agreed to the deification of Hadrian as he demanded. That gave us the coins of his not having Augustus and another series where Augustus in on the reverse but not obverse.


Titles develop in a culture and people are careful to use the current fashion. It is our job to learn what was appropriate for each ruler. Today, calling a "Mr. President" by "Your Excellency" might not cost you your head but I suspect it would terminate your White House access credentials.

Trivia:
Which emperor did not use Caesar and has very few coins with Augustus? The few with Augustus were from a branch mint and may show a failure of that city to understand what was to be done.


Vitellius styled himself as Imperator but not Caesar and Augustus. Those not familiar, might enjoy the Wikipedia article. (I prefer links to cut and paste!)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitellius


Vespasian restored the titles and set up the formal system of 'just Caesar' for his sons while he was both Caesar and Augustus.

 

Macrinus Sestertius:

 

Emperor Severus Alexander - Denarius - PM TRP II COS PP (Mars)

And the real power behind the throne: Julia Mamaea Augusta - Denarius - FELICITAS PVBLICA