Preparing for Caesar's Funeral

Readers are asked to prepare themselves for the funeral of Gaius Julius Caesar scheduled for a few days after the Ides of this month. Yes we are fast approaching the date we commemorate (the Gauls would probably prefer, "celebrate") the demise and apotheosis of the first of the Twelve Caesars. You may need some time to gather what you will need.

First of all, you will want to find any coins you have that are connected with the perpetual dictator. But next you will need some objects to contribute to his send off, which was quite a send off. As most readers know, a few days after his passing he was to be given a state funeral, which at that time, meant a really big bonfire. The consul and distant cousin Marc Antony, would give a eulogy and then read the will. It may even have started of with the "Friends, Romans, Countrymen..." preamble we know from Shakespeare but whatever was originally planned got badly out of hand. When Antony revealed all the money and property Caesar had bequeathed to the huge crowd, mostly of the common people, all sense of decorum was lost and it went wild. They precipitously lit the funeral pyre (coming close to burning down the forum in the process) and then started throwing everything they could get their hands on onto the pyre as their final gift to Caesar and perhaps as offerings to the appropriate deities. A Senator Cinna, mistaken as one of Caesar's assassins, was ripped to pieces by the mob and disappeared from sight (perhaps he contributed his bit to the pyre). Troops from outside the walls of Rome had to be sent in to restore order. It must have been a sight to behold.

Well of course we could not be there for that funeral but perhaps we can virtually contribute something to the funeral pyre and so honor Caesar in the traditional manner. Maybe a coin to pay Charon to get Caesar across the River Styx (while he awaited apotheosis and his promotion to Elysium). Or maybe something that you might have had with you if you had been there in the forum back in 44BC. Below I have displayed my offerings. First is a denarius issued by one of his assassins, Brutus, about ten years before the assassination. The Brutus on the coin is one of the assassin's liberty loving, tyrannicidal ancestors. Throwing this coin onto the pyre might have really pleased Caesar. The second denarius is one of Caesar himself. Foreshadowing his deification it is a posthumous issue to recognize his deification which many mourners undoubtedly looked forward to.

In case prudence and thriftiness militated against casting these coins onto the flames I have brought three objects, some of them ad hoc, for the occasion. First, on the upper left is a cabinet or cupboard key to lock up the valuable spices at home. On the upper right is an applique I just happened to have on me. Below is the buckle from my belt. All three artifacts date from the time period of 100 BC to 100 AD.

So take a look at what you have in your collection of coins and artifacts that you might want to bring to a virtual funeral (the best kind) to commemorate and honor great Caesar's ghost.

 

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Great write up, thanks kevin.

minted before his death, Caesar believed Venus was his ancestor.


and postume:

 

Interesting and timely topic...et tu Brute?

 

Excellent write-up and coins, @kevin McGonigal !!!

Vive ResPublica!

Rome had been ruled by Kings traditionally since 753 BCE. However, her last King, after many offenses and excesses at the expense of the Roman people... Lucius Tarquinius Superbus was deposed in 509 BCE. The Monarchy was replaced by a Republic.

Instrumental in the overthrow of the monarchy, one of the first two Consuls of Rome in 509BCE, was Lucius Junius Brutus. He was consul with Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus and later Publius Valerius Publicola. According to Livy, one of Brutus' first acts as a Consul was to have the Roman citizens swear an oath to never allow a King of Rome. Even when his own two sons were caught in a conspiracy to restore the monarchy, under orders of the Consuls, he stoically witnessed their execution... Tough love...

Later, in 439 BCE Republican Rome was gripped in a severe famine; people starving, suffering abounded. Enter Spurius Maelius, a wealthy Plebeian, who saw an opportunity to seize Rome... He purchased a large amount of wheat to distribute - at a low price - to the starving people of Rome. However, his ulterior motive was to foster support to usurp the fledgling Republic and proclaim himself Rex (King). A hated word in Roman vocabulary! The cry of the people arose and Maelius was to appear before the aging Cincinnatus, (the elected Dictator during this crisis.) Enter Gaius Servilius Ahala, Magister Equitum (Master of the Horse). Maelius refused to appear, and was hunted down and killed by Ahala. Ahala then razed his home to the ground and distributed the withheld wheat to the starving people.

Fast forward to 54 BCE: Long descendant of the two early Republic Heroes, Marcius Junius Brutus, (also known as Quintus Servilius Caepio Brutus), new to politics at 31 years old, enters the membership of the vigintisexvirate (the three Moneyers authorized to mint coinage). This was the first step on the cursus honorum - the road to political office in the Republic. Because of his deep-rooted love for the Res Publica, he honors his ancestral heritage by placing the busts of both great family forefathers, Brutus and Ahala, on the obverse and reverse of the denarius issue of 54BCE.

You all know the rest of the story as Senator Brutus, who on the Idus Martiae, 15-Mar-44 BCE, delivered the killing blow to the Tyrant Gaius Iulius Caesar, usurper of the Res Publica...


Roman Republic 54 BCE
AR Denarius, 18.3mm, 3.7g
Moneyer: Marcus Iunius Brutus (aka Quintus Servillius Caepio Brutus)
Obv: Bare hd of L. Iunius Brutus (Consul 509 BCE), Bearded r, BRVTVS behind
Rev: Bare hd of C. Servilius Ahala (Master of the Horse 439 BCE), bearded r, AHALA behind
Ref: Sear 398, Crawford 433/2, from collection W. Esty CKXSUB 613

—————

His Buddy CASSIUS


RR Gaius Cassius Longinus & P Corn Lentulus Spinther AR den 42 BCE military mint Brutus Cassius Smyrna Libertas r- jug & lituus 18mm 3.3g

—————

ENDER OF THE IVLIO-CLAVDII

Julius Caesar Vindex who ended the Julio-Claudians...Starts with an IVLIVS CAESAR and ends with an IVLIVS CAESAR. The irony of a man who kills off many of the Gauls, then a nobleman from the Gauls, with the same name starts the insurrection against the Julio-Claudians to end the dynasty!

IVLIVS CAESAR VINDEX

RI Civil War VINDEX 68-69 CE AR Denarius 3.22g Gallic mint SALVS GENERIS HVMANI Victory l globe - SPQR in wreath RIC 72 BMCRE 34-36 RSC 420 R

 

I will throw this onto the pyre.



Here is my JC.

 

Could that be a "damnatio memoriae" across Caesar's head?

 

This guy killed off a lot of my Ancestors... millions according to his commentaries... Celts and Germans.

We make him a historical hero...

I had posted this 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. 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

 

I'm at Caesar's funeral with funds to buy food and or drink. I unknowingly have a counterfeit denarius I plan to spend. Picture this with a full silver coating. Sure hope no one puts a bankers mark on it!



Fourree
Ruler: Julius Caesar (Dictator)
Coin: Silver/Bronze Denarius Fourree
CAESAR DICT PERPETVO - Wreathed and veiled head of Caesar r.
C MARIDIANVS - Venus standing l., Holding Victory and resting arm on shield set on globe.
Mint: Rome (February-March 44 BC)
Wt./Size/Axis: 2.90g / 19mm / 360
Rarity: Scarce
References:
RSC 9
Crawford 480/16
Sear 1415
Syd 1067
CRI 111
Provenances:
Bertolami Fine Arts
Acquisition/Sale: Bertolami Fine Arts Internet E-Live Auction/59 #522 $0.00 05/18
Notes: Nov 10, 18 - The Gary R. Wilson Collection

 

Excellent write up by you as well. Worthy of Livy.

 

Love the idea, love the write up and love the coins!

Julius Caesar 49-48 BCE AR denarius (18 mm, 3.43 g, 2 h). Military mint traveling with Caesar. CAESAR in exergue, elephant advancing right, trampling on horned serpent / Simpulum, sprinkler, axe (surmounted by a dog's head), and priest's hat. Crawford 443/1; HCRI 9; Sydenham 1006; RSC 49. Banker's mark on obverse, porous. Near fine. From the Expatriate Collection





Julius Caesar
P. Sepullius Macer - Venus Denarius,lifetime issue Feb-March 44 BC. Moneyer P. Sepullius Macer. Obv: CAESAR DICT PERPETVO legend with laureate and veiled head of Gaius Julius Caesar right. Rev: P SEPVLLIVS MACER legend with Venus standing left, holding Victory in right hand, and sceptre set on shield in left. 20mm, 3.18 grams. Crawford 480/13; Sydenham 1074; RSC 39; Sear 1414. Fine. Scarce. Ex-Savoca

and I dedicate to Caesar this joke:

 

Any chance that there were two issues of the Sepullius denarius? One before his death without the star and one with a star inserted posthumously, denoting his apotheosis?

 

Nice thought! Not sure, not an expert. Checked ACSearch and @Andrew McCabe 's site, and did not see any...
That would be VERY interesting if there were one (I would snare it.)

 

Actually, I was one of Caesars legionaries in one of my previous lives. No kidding.
Just an ordinary soldier, of course. No big shot.
Yeah, so we followed him around everywhere. What a mess. But the money was good. In North Africa, after having given old Cato a good whipping, we got these:



After that we went to Spain. Not on holiday. Those pesky sons of Pompey were still around, and the Big C couldn't have that. He was a total control freak, you know. Had his hands in everything, and was not interested in any loose ends when it came to conflict. So we defeated the last of the Pompeians in Spain, and got paid again.



After that, there was less work for a while, but not long. The big man still had a lot of enemies, and got assassinated. It was a big shame. Dishonest and cowardly it was. So when Caesars family and old friends set out to avenge him, I signed up again. Of course I did. I loved Caesar. And I was broke, having spent most of my money on girls, wine and gambling, and just squandering the rest.
However, it seemed like the brass had some money trouble as well. Payment under Octavian, Mark Anthony and Lepidus wasn't as steady as with Big C. After having beaten Cassius and Brutus at Philippi we were allowed to sack and plunder though. That was great. I found this coin on one of the fallen. It looked like it had come straight from the mint:



Other coins were less shiny, as was the relationship between the three bosses. They were soon down to two:



And they couldn't keep the peace either. They had half of a gigantic kingdom each, and that still wasn't enough. So there was still work to be done for a simple legionary. Eventually the youngest won. He was an outsider for sure, but he showed them all. Strange guy, but smart as f. And a little vain. He never got enough of reminding us about his military successes too, although he was furthest from a warrior among all those that fought. But he was great. Perhaps the greatest of them all.



My man was Big C though. Always was. Every ides of March since he died, I share a keg of wine with him, pouring a cup over the base of a small Venus figure, while drinking the rest myself. I will do so this year too. It's a good tradition.

 

LOL, well written and great coins! Enjoyed that.

 

I know that some folks feel that my interest in the Roman Republic is unfounded, since the Imperial Era (you know, when everyone was kidding themselves that they did not have a king or tyrant in control, rather he was called a Pinceps...), reflected stretches of peace and prosperity. This is in comparison to the strife during the Imperatorial Era when the Republic was converting to a Kingship.

However, I have a different perspective. I enjoy the Republic in its ideals, shedding a kingship, and becoming a Republic in 509 BCE. They elected officials (Magistrates), and successfully had a solid government for 400 years or so. Cool. This was around the same time that Athens EXPERIMENTED with a Democracy. Consider, TODAY many governments stylized their structures and laws from the Roman Republic, and very carefully crafted their Constitutions NOT to emulate the Imperial Roman Era.

Ergo, I am not as fascinated with Imperial Roman history, rather, I enjoy the growth of the Roman Republic from shedding their tyrants to approx the Gracchii. The Imperatorial Era is fascinating, but rotten to the core with Roman Kings ( and their Oligarchs) vying for personal power.

This coin reflects the capstone of the Roman Republic when the Final Murderer of the Republic crossed the Rubicon...


RR Julius Caesar AR Denarius 49 BCE Traveling Mint Elephant-Pontificates Sear 1399 Craw 443-1

 

My Ceasar's coins



Q

 

*sigh* new ancients collector here......every time I bid on a JC, I get beaten.....I must be too cheap.

 

Ah, "the pen is mightier than the sword"?...I don't think so...it should really take only 1 sword...

 

The family tree does not go back that far, but it's not unthinkable that my great ancestors and the Romans would have been enemies. Here are the - sort of - relevant coins i own.