The obligatory EID MAR thread for March 15

Of course it's a repro ...



But this one of Marc Antony is real:


Antony and Octavia.
AR cistophorus, 25.6 mm, 11.71 gm.
Ephesus, 39 BCE.
Obv: M ANTONINVS IMP COS DESIG ITER ET TERT, Jugate heads of Marcus Antonius and Octavia to right; he wears ivy wreath.
Rev: III VIR RPC, Cista mystica surmounted by figure of Bacchus, standing to left, holding cantharus and leaning on thyrsus; on either side, coiled serpent.
Refs: SNG Cop. 408; SNG von Aulock 6555; Franke KZR 472; RSC 3; Sydenham 1198; RPC 2202; Sear 1513; BMCRR East 135-137.

Post your "Ides of March"-themed coins!

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Poor ole Jules thought he had it made in the shade...Et Tu, Brute?

 

44 BC Julius Caesar Lifetime Portrait denarius

CAESAR DICT PERPETVO
laureate head of Julius Caesar right

L BVCA
Venus seated right holding Victory on extended right hand, transverse scepter in left

Struck Feb - Mar 14th, 44 BC.

3.58g

RCV 1410, RSC 24.

Venus seated' only appears on this one type of Caesar's 'lifetime' issues, on the remainder she is standing.

Lucius Aemilius Buca was a distant relative of the dictator Sulla. This coin was struck within a month of Caesar's murder.

Ex-Incitatus, Ex-CNG Electronic Auction 223, lot 393

 

(with the virus stuff going on, one has a bit more free time)

 

Brutus Slavei


Slavei


Brutus honoring Important Republic Family


RImp Brutus-Ahala 54 BC JBrutus cons 509 BC ServAhala mstr hrse 439 BC S398Cr433-2


Brutus' Buddy trying to Save the Republic


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

 

Murderer of the Republic...year of the Crossing


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


Caesar DICTATOR PERPETVO... minted 2 weeks before his death


RImp 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 R

 

good timing for this thread @Roman Collector


I bought a coin sold as an "ancient" counterfeit of an EID-MAR. It does not match any of the known dies -> it was not produced by Brutus. Could it be 2000 years old? That is harder to tell, at best maybe. I purchased the coin from a reputable dealer who bought it from an established auction house and it has a provenance back to 1947.

It is thought to be a contemporary forgery ie, at the time of Brutus. The coin was definitely a struck coin and not cast and has the weight and silver composition of other military pieces of the time of Brutus.

 

I always like this little conundrum, Gene, ever since you first posted it. It is a very cool coin. Thanks for sharing it again.

 

That is pretty cool.

 

JULIUS CAESAR
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: Diademed head of Venus right.
REVERSE: CAESAR - Aeneas advancing left, carrying Anchises and palladium
Carthage or military mint with Caesar in North Africa, 47 to 46 BC
4.0g, 17mm
CRI 55, Sydenham 1013, RRC 458/1, S 1402

MARCUS ANTONIUS
Ionia Silver Cistophoric Tetradrachm
OBVERSE: M ANTONIVS IMP COS DESIG ITER ET TERT, head of Antony right, wreathed in ivy, lituus below, all within wreath of ivy and grapes
REVERSE: III VIR R P C, bust of Octavia right on cista flanked by snakes
Ephesus 39 BC
11.8gm, 26mm
RPC I 2201, Sydenham 1197, Sear 262

 

Thanks for the reminder, @Roman Collector , I almost forgot the Ides!

This coin circulated during Caesar’s lifetime.

 

This is what a genuine ancient counterfeit looks like . Notice the spot of plating missing on the obverse, otherwise this it a top quality fake .

 

CAVE IDVS MARTIAS!
Ar den of J. Caesar / Sepullius 44BC.
Ae Dupondius Caesar/Octavian.
I don't have (unfortunately) the ides of March dagger denarius, but I do have a Roman dagger or Pugio similar to those used to do the deed. Mine was dated later - to the 1st-2nd century.

 

Need to get one of those Liberty cap coins. One of these days...

 

AND WHAT ABOUT ME ??? I'M THE REAL BRUTUS !

 

That is a nice "Pugio"!

and a nice Antony and Octavia! The wikipedia lists about 22 people who participated in the plot. In this article, Epstein, D. (1987). Caesar's Personal Enemies on the Ides of March. Latomus, 46(3), 566-570, describes some of the personal animosities that contributed.

There are coins issued by at least 6 of the ~22 conspirators whose names are known e.g.

• Marcus Junius Brutus
• Gaius Cassius Longinus (brother of Lucius)
• Lucius Cassius Longinus (brother of Gaius)
• Decimus Junius Brutus
• Decimus Turullius (moneyer for Mark Antony)
• Publius Servilius Casca Longus brother of Gaius Servilius Casca and the one responsible for the first stab

as well as conspirators with close relatives who issued coins e.g.

• Marcus Porcius Cato son of “The Younger”
• Lucius Minucius Basilus potentially the son of L. Minucius 133 BC
• Gaius Servilius Casca brother of Publius Servilius Casca Longus
• Servius Sulpicius Galba great grandfather of the emperor with same name

Although I have shared these coins before, here's a coin of the best known Brutus foreshadowing his tyrannicide in 54 BC:

Roman Republican, M. Junius Brutus, 54 BC.
AR Denarius, Rome, struck 54 BC
Obv: Bearded and bare-headed head right of L. Junius Brutus; BRVTVS.
Rev: Bearded and bare-headed head right of Caius Servilius Ahala; AHALA
Size: 3.96g, 17-19mm
Ref: Crawford 433/2; Junia 30

As well two coins from his lesser known cousin Decimus Junius Brutus, a lead actor in the conspiracy against Julius Caesar, with few relevant pages in a book on the moneyer here.

Imperatorial Rome, D. Junius Brutus Albinus, 48 BC, AR Denarius, Rome mint
Obv: Head of Pietas right, wearing cruciform earring and pearl necklace; PIETAS downward to left
Rev: Clasped hands holding winged caduceus; ALBINVS • BRVTI • F around below
Ref: Crawford 450/2, Postumia 10

-Shakespear

 

...i've been looking at some the 'other' Brutus's coins to buy, but for this eids, it's Marc Anthony denarius from the battle of Philippi, with Sol in the house..

 

Cool coin with Sol in the House... neat reverse.


Reminds me,,,