Today and Caesar

Caesar crossed the small Rubicon river with his 13th Legion, on this day January 10, 49 BC. Crossing this boundary into Italy with his forces, he effectively declared war on the Roman state. Plutarch vividly describes the point of no return:

"When he reached the river…

Not my coin, but what a beauty

 

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MARCUS ANTONIUS
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: ANT AVG III VIR R P C, Praetorian galley, thyrsos behind prow
REVERSE: LEG XIII, eagle between standards
Patrae 32-31 BC
3.5g, 17mm
RSC 27

 

What a wonderful portrait coin @cmezner - thank you for posting it.
It illustrates what the portrait on my coin should look like.

 

What a fantastic portrait....

 

@cmezner thanks for sharing a piece of history. My wife gave me a book on the subject for Christmas.
I read a Roman historical fiction book by Alison Morton. One of her favorite sayings is - it was a Rubicon moment (not an exact quote).

My Caesar coin is a bit more modest.

 

Wow.. I know that is not your coin - but thank you for sharing. WOW.

 

@Bing yours is a wonderful and historically significant coin. Thank you so much for sharing it
I don't have a Legio XIII, but one is now on my wish list, maybe I get lucky someday.

@jamesicus yours is historically and beautiful too.

We are happy to enjoy what we have and admire the ones that are beyond our reach, well at least beyond my reach

 

Nice OP, @cmezner ... fitting.

GAIVS IVLIVS CAESAR

Last TWO Weeks of his life...


Roman Imperiatorial
Julius Caesar Lifetime
P Sepullius Macer
AR Denarius, 1st 2 weeks-Mar 44 BCE, 19 mm, 4.03g.
Obv: CAESAR – DICT PERPETVO Veiled and wreathed head of Caesar R.
Rev: P·SEPVLLIVS – MACER Venus standing l., holding Victory and sceptre resting on star.
Ref: Syd 1074a Sear Imperators 107e Crawford 480-14 Rare

- minted in last two weeks of his reign, or two weeks before he was assassinated.
- veiled, as he held the offce of Pontifex Maximus for several years, and that office was very important to him personally.
- wreathed... just short of being king... big no-no
- DICT PERPETVO - yeah, he was a king... so Roman Republic inherently and culturally hated kings.
- fairly difficult to capture with the star on reverse
- reasonably centered with most/all devices and legends (this is not as important to me cuz its numismatic vs the intrinsic Historical impact.)

 

Simply great coins, Brian - I never tire of seeing them - complete legends are seldom encountered on Julius Caesar lifetime issue coins.

Here is my specimen with Attribution information:


Denarius, Crawford, Roman Republican Coins (RRC), No. 480/8 (March 44 BC - Alfoldi)

Coin obverse depiction: Julius Caesar wreathed head facing right
Inscription clockwise from right: CAESAR DICT PERPETVO (Dictator in Perpetuity)

Coin reverse depiction: Venus standing, facing left, holding statuette of victory on palm of right hand and supporting vertical scepter with left hand.
Inscription vertical to right: L BVCA (L. Aemilius Buca, Moneyer)

Weight: 3.5g

 

She's a beaut Clark

 

Thank you, James. They all all vey fun to have. Mine posted is two picture versions of the same coin.

 

Very cool. Nice example of Augustus. I had to go look this one up!

 

.
Do you know how Legion XIII ended up with Mark Antony against Octavian if it was Caesar's legion 17 or 18 years earlier, given that by the time the coin was issued it was Octavian who was acting as Caesar's heir? Was it the same Legion XIII, or was there more than one?

 

Julius Caesar (February-March 44 B.C)
AR Denarius
O: Wreathed head of Caesar right; CAESAR downward to right, DICT PERPETVO upward to left.
R:Venus Victrix standing left, holding Victory in outstretched right hand and vertical scepter in left; L • BVC[A] downwards to right. L. Aemilius Buca, moneyer.
Rome Mint
3.92g
17mm
Crawford 480/8; Alföldi Type XIV, 62–3, 67, and 69 (A13/R22); CRI 105; Sydenham 1061; RSC 23; RBW 1683.

 

2 Julius Caesar portraits - lifetime denarius and an aureus of Octavian after death (Baroque style portrait)

 

When Caesar's sole rule was safely established, legion XIII was disbanded and its veterans were given land at Spello in Italy. A new Thirteenth Legion is mentioned after 41BC. This was probably not a new creation but a reconstitution of the old unit. However this may be, it was used by Octavian, who had to put an end to Sextus Pompeius' occupation of Sicily, which put the grain supply of Rome into peril. On one occasion, soldiers of the Thirteenth saved Octavian's life.

 

Thanks for the very interesting explanation. But I guess I still wonder why Antony would issue a coin for Legion XIII if it was used by his enemy (by that time) Octavian.

 

Looking at my post, I didn't really answer your question. There was another Legio XIII called Legio XIII Cyrenaica which is most likely the legion referred to on my coin.
The origins of the legion remain unknown. It is believed the legion was probably founded by Mark Antony around 36 BC, when he was governor of Cyrenaica. Equally, the legion's origins may come from the fact it was commanded by Lucius Pinaris Scarpus, an ally of Mark Antony whom Antony appointed to be governor of Cyrenaica in eastern Libya. There are still records of the legion in Syria in the beginning of the 5th century. The legion symbol is unknown. Legion III Cyrenaica was one of the longest-living Roman legions.

 

Thank you! It makes sense that it was a different Legio XIII.