Gaius Julius Caesar Germanicus, AKA Caligula, was born on this day, August 31, 12 AD. Caligula (37-41 A.D.) AR Drachm CAPPADOCIA, Caesarea O: C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS Bare head of Caligula to right. R: IMPERATOR PONT MAX AVG TR POT Simpulum and lituus. 3.37g 18mm BMC 102. RIC 63 Sear 1798 Caligula (37 - 41 A.D.) AE30 AS SEGOBRIGA, SPAIN O: C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS IMP, laureate head left. R: SEGO BRIGA in wreath. Segobriga Mint 30.5mm 10.1g Burgos 1724
A stellar drachm, @Mat! As most people here know, it's hard to find a respectable portrait of Caligula in silver... With both Commodus and Caligula born on that day, August 31 deserves quite the reputation for bringing forth, let's say, rather disagreeable rulers... Caligula, Roman Empire, As, 37–38 AD, Rome mint. Obv: C CAESAR GERMANICVS PON M TR POT, bare-headed head left. Rev: VESTA, Vesta seated left holding patera and sceptre. S–C. 28 mm, 10.18 g. Ref: RIC I Gaius Caligula 38.
Happy Birthday, Little Boots! CALIGULA AE As. 11.16g, 28.3mm. Rome mint, AD 37-38. RIC 38. O: C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS PON M TR POT, bare head left. R: VESTA, Vesta, veiled and draped, seated left on throne with ornamented back and legs, holding patera in right hand and long transverse sceptre in left, S C in fields.
Spain, Segobriga. Gaius (Caligula). AD 37-41. Æ As (28mm, 10.91g, 4h). Obv: C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS IMP; Laureate head left. Rev: SEGO/BRIGA; in two lines within wreath. Ref: ACIP 3246; RPC I 476. Ex-The R. D. Frederick Collection.
CALIGULA AR Denarius OBVERSE: C CAESAR AVG GERM P M TR POT, bare head right REVERSE: DIVVS AVG PATER PATRIAE, radiate head of Divus Augustus right Struck at Lugdunum, 37/8AD 3.5g, 18mm RIC I 10 CALIGULA AE As OBVERSE: C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS PON M TRP O T - Bare head Left. REVERSE: VESTA - Vesta seated left, holding patera and scepter Struck at Rome, 37/8AD 9.6g, 28mm RIC38, BMC46, C27
A slightly ironic, possible, barbarous imitation, possibly made by the same kin of the 500 or so loving German barbarians the emperor kept around him to ensure his safety, that went absolutely berserk when they found out about the young emperors assassination. Long live Gaius!
Very cool coin. I'm really weak on the immediate historical context, but between the reverse and the legends, Cappadocia had to be in the middle of some aggressive Latinization when it was issued. ...And, Just, Dang. The same day gave us Caligula and Commodus. Yikes. 'Disagreeable' is the height of diplomatic understatement.
I'd say this provincial of Caligula from Carthago Nova is the ugliest rendition of an emperor in my collection: Caligula AD 37-41. Roman provincial Æ 28 mm, 11.17 gm. Carthago Nova, Spain, AD 37-38. Obv: C. CAESAR AVG. GERMANIC. IMP. P.M. TR.P. COS., laureate head of Caligula, r. Rev: CN. ATEL. FLAC. CN. POM. FLAC. II. VIR. Q.V.I.N.C., head of Salus r., SAL AVG across field. Refs: SGI 419; Heiss 272, 35; Cohen 247, 1; RPC 1, 185; SNG Cop 503.
Terrific example. Reminiscent of the vaguely sestertius-sized AE of Augustus from Taraco that netted my first ever example of the reign. Not nearly as good as this, but the same set of visual dynamicas was in play: cruddy portraits, and this provincial aspiration toward what was otherwise the beginning of the high point of Roman coin legends.
Caius Ae Sestertius Obv. Head left laureate. Rv Inscription within wreath 37=38 A.D. RIC 37 27.88 grms 34 mm Photo by W. Hansen
Great coins! Today Caligula was born yesterday. That suits him well Caligula is a hard to find emperor in acceptable quality. Here are mine. The As was a bronze disease victim. The silver is ehm..... ugly. But hey, its a denarius and I'm absolutely happy to have it in my collection I really like the difference in the portraiture between the bronze and silver coins. The bronze coins have generally are more idealized portrait. The portraiture on the denarii often just scream madness! Different mint, more fun!
