On this date, 27 BC, the Roman Empire begins as the Senate grants to Octavian, the adopted son of Julius Caesar, the title Augustus, giving him imperial powers, thus marking the end of the republic and the birth of an empire. AUGUSTUS AR Quinarius OBVERSE: IMP VII CAESAR - Bare head right REVERSE: ASIA RECEPTA - Victory standing left on cippus, holding wreath and palm, snake on either side Uncertain Italian Mint 29-27 BC 1.7g, 13mm RIC 276, S 1568
James, Nice score & historically an important coin !. Pictured below for comparison is a portrait of the youthful Octavian on a denarius I recently sold on CNG 483. It was struck at Ephesus, circa 41 BC.
I've read the transition went rather smooth. I can imagine however that after that many years of civil war, people were tired, and all enemies of Augustus killed... Here's my Augustus coin pile:
A quinarius of Augustus not long after his victory in Actium. This coin seemed to be a nice complement to your collection of legionary denarii: The colony of Emerita was founded by Augustus in 25 BC for the veterans (emeriti) of the legions V and VII. The legatus Augusti, P. Carisius, was charged with maintaining the military operations in western Spain. Carisius also established a mint there to finance his activities, 25-20 BC. Augustus, 27 BC-AD 14, AR Quinarius, Emerita mint (Spain), P. Carisius, legatus pro praetore, struck circa 25-23 BC Obv: AVGVST, Bare head right Rev: CARIS I LEG, Victory standing right, placing wreath on a trophy consisting of helmet and cuirass; dagger and sword hilt at base of trophy Ref: RIC I 1a
Better twice than none ! A good opportunity to post more coins of his ! Augustus, Denarius - Rome mint, 2 BC CAESAR AVGVSTVS DIVI F PATER PATRIAE, Laureate head of Augustus right AVGVSTI F COS DESIG PRINC IVVENT, Caius and Lucius holding shields and spears 3,65 gr Ref : RCV # 1597, Cohen # 43, RIC # 207 Q
Well then, what could be more fitting for this thread than a coin of Augustus that used to be in @Bing's collection? Augustus, 27 BC - AD 14. Roman Æ as, 8.41 g, 26.1 mm, 10 h. Lugdunum, 10 BC - 6 BC. Obv: CAESAR PONT MAX, laureate head, right. Rev: ROM ET AVG, altar of Roma and Augustus, flanked by two columns, each surmounted by a statue of Victory. Refs: RIC 230; BMCRE 549-556; Cohen 240; RCV 1690; CBN 1634.
I like Quinarii, @Bing... And would enjoy having yours in my collection. In fact, I believe I was inspired to get one like yours (below) when you posted yours a long time ago. I grabbed this low cost version, but forgot to UPGRADE it! Here is my "possible" ASIA RECEPTA"... RI Augustus Quinarius - possibly Asia Recepta - blank wore-off-rev AND... And here he is looking right and left for AGRIPPA asking "what should I do, Grippy?" Octavian as Augustus LEFT-Sinister 27 BC–14 CE AR Quinarius Emerita 25-23 AR 13.5mm 1.79g - P CARISI LEG Victory trophy C 387. RIC 1b SCARCE RI Octavian as Augustus 25-23 BCE AR Quinarius RIGHT facing bust Emerita Augusta Sear 1642
In a real sense the beginning of the Roman Empire can be encapsulated with this one coin. Octavian Ar Denarius 29-27 BC Unknown Italian mint Obv Head of Octavian right bare headed. CAESAR COS VI Rv. Crocodile advancing right. AEGVPTO CAPTA RIC 275a CRI 430 3.71 grms 18 mm Photo by W. Hansen First of all it celebrates the end of the last Hellenistic Monarchy then still in existence, thus beginning the complete domination by Rome of the Mediterranean basin. Secondly and perhaps not known by them, at the time, it does celebrate the end of the Roman civil wars and thus inaugurates the Pax Romana. Third it does hint at the transformation of Octavian the warlord to Augustus the emperor. On previous issues Octavian usually is described as Imperator or as the son of the god Julius Caesar. In this issue we see none of the military trappings but instead we see him inserting himself within Roman political conventions. It is at this time we see him "restoring" the Republic. Octavian's journey from warlord to Princeps is a long and careful one and soon after this coin was struck we see the final transmutation the adoption of the honorific Augustus. Planchet archives at: https://edmontoncoinclub.com/the-planchet/the-planchet-archived/