Germanicus Lives! Rare lifetime portrait from Sardes, Lydia (oh and Drusus too)

As anyone familiar with Julio-Claudian coinage knows, the great Germanicus isn't a tough find in an absolute sense, but nearly all of his coinage was issued after his untimely death at the age of 33.

It was the dying wish of Augustus that Tiberius adopt Germanicus and designate him as heir to the Principate on equal footing to Tiberius' own son, Drusus, although Germanicus' enormous military success and popularity following his recovery of Varus' lost eagles thrust Germanicus to the forefront of Roman politics, well ahead of Drusus, and almost ahead of Tiberius himself. Thus, when Germanicus died under highly suspicious circumstances in the prime of his life and during the midst of a public feud with the governor Gnaeus Calpurnius Piso, there were loud cries of foul play, many accusing Piso of poisoning Germanicus, and some going so far as to implicate Tiberius in the plot. That is likely why the following year, Tiberius doubled down on asserting his own lineage, minting huge numbers of bronze coins for Drusus and for his newly born grandsons, Tiberius and Germanicus Gemellus.

During his five year tenure as heir apparent to the emperor and Rome's own beloved "Roman Alexander" Germanicus appeared only on provincial coinage, not making his imperial debut until his son Caligula was emperor. Posthumously, Germanicus made perhaps a brief appearance under Tiberius, extensively under Caligula and Claudius, and finally as a restitution issue under Titus.

I've been searching for quite some time for a lifetime portrait of Germanicus, and finally had the chance to jump on this one; one of the finest I have ever seen, and easily in my favorite portrait style of his

Germanicus and Drusus Caesars
AE 15 of Lydia, Sardes
c. 17-19 AD
ΓΕΡΜΑΝΙΚΟΣ ΚΑΙΣΑΡΕΩΝ, Bare head of Germanicus right
ΔΡΟΥΣΟΣ ΣΑΡΔΙΑΝΩΝ, Bare head of Drusus right
RPC I 2992
Rare (19 in RPC Online + 55 on ACSearch, inclusive of duplicates)

My photo to capture the in-hand appearance


Seller's photos, color is inaccurate, but highlights the details better


I particularly like the unusual level of realism given to Germanicus' portrait, especially the hooked nose and facial hair - given that the Julio-Claudians up until Claudius had a tendency to idealize all of their portraiture, RPC 2992 may be the most realistic portrait of Germanicus in existence.

Compare to this bust attributed to Germanicus, auctioned by Sotheby's in 2012 (not mine!)



*And note that while I was doing research, some give the dating of this coin to after Germanicus' death, or about 23 AD. I'm not entirely sure which to believe, but the posthumous attribution seems to be a minority view, so I'm sticking to my guns!

Let's see those coins of Germanicus!

 

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Very nice addition.


Germanicus, with Divus Augustus (15 B.C. - 19 A.D.)
AR Drachm
CAPPADOCIA, Caesarea
O:GERMANICVS CES TI AVGV COS II PM, bare head of Germanicus right.
R: DIVVS AVGV-STVS, radiate head of Augustus left.
3.23g
16.5mm
RPC I 3623a; cf. Sydenham, Caesarea 50; RIC I 61; BMCRE 106

The date of this issue remains uncertain. RPC places it late in Tiberius' reign, circa 33/4 AD, while the traditional dating, adopted by RIC and Sydenham, place's it in the first year of Caligula's reign, 37/8 AD.

 

Cool coin, and for a provincial a very realistic portrait of fine style. Congratulations!

Here's my posthumous specimen:

 

How do you do the background? It is great, very pleasing

 

@Finn235.......Wonderful looking coin!....Both portraits are realy nice...
Another great pick up.......Sorry no Germanicus or Drusus here

 

RIC Vol I, Claudius, As, Rome, No. 106

Obverse depiction: Germanicus, bare headed facing right
Inscription clockwise from bottom: GERMANICVS CAESAR TI AVG F DIVI AVG N

Reverse depiction: large S. C.
Inscription clockwise from top: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG GERM P M TR P IMP PP

 

Sometimes I forget what I have.

Drusus.


Tiberius & Drusus ( 14 - 37 A.D.)
AR Drachm
CAPPADOCIA, Caesarea-Eusebia
O: [TI C]AES AVG PM TRP XXXV, Laureate head of Tiberius right.
R: DRVSVS CAES TI] AVG F COS II R P, Head of Drusus left.
Caesarea in Cappadocia mint 33- 34 A.D.
3.47g
19mm
RIC I 87; RPC I 3622. Syd 46

 

GERMANICUS


RI Germanicus Caesar died 10 October 19 CE Copper As 27mm struck under Caligula- S-C RIC I 35 BMCRE I 49 Left

 

@Finn235 - lovely coin. I also have one from Sardes



Drusus Julius Caesar and Germanicus (heirs of Tiberius), as Caesars, Æ28 of Sardis, Lydia. Possible posthumous issue, struck under Tiberius. Circa AD 23-26(?). Alexander of Sardis, son of Kleon, high priest of the Koinon of Asia.

ΔΡΟΥΣΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΓΕΡΜΑΝΙΚΟΣ ΚΑΙΣΑΡΕΣ ΝΕΟΙ ΘΕΟΙ ΦΙΛΑΔΕΛΦΟΙ, Drusus and Germanicus seated left on curule chairs, one holding lituus / ΕΠΙ ΑΡΧΙΕΡΕΩΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ ΚΛΕΩΝΟΣ ΣΑΡΔΙΑΝΟΥ, KOINOY AΣIAΣ in two lines within wreath.

RPC I 2994; SNG von Aulock 3143; SNG Copenhagen 517

 

eparch's coin is a very nice example of the type. Many of them were overstruck with a circular, two sided ring die set that changed the legends wut left the central figures. Mine is not very nice but I know there is someone here who has a good example. Maybe she will post it.

 

Very cool, @Finn235! Historical and with eye-appeal! You can't beat that.

Here's my very pedestrian specimen as minted under Caligula in honor of Germanicus.


Germanicus, 15 BC - AD 19.
Roman Æ as, 11.18 g, 27.5 mm, 7 h.
Rome, issued under Caligula, AD 40-41.
Obv: GERMANICVS CAESAR TI AVG F DIVI AVG N, bare-head of Germanicus, left.
Rev: C CAESAR DIVI AVG PRON AVG P M TR P IIII P P around large SC.
Refs: RIC 50; BMCRE 74-78; Cohen 4; RCV 1822; CBN 123.
Note: Reverse die-match to Henry Cohen, Description historique des monnaies frappées sous l'Empire Romain, Tome I, Paris, 1880, page 225, no. 4.

 

@Finn235, those are wonderful portraits. Whether or not they actually resemble the people they portray, they certainly look like they could!

My only coin of Germanicus, minted under Caligula. It's nothing to write home about, but I like the fact that his profile is clear, you can see some of his hair, and the obverse legend is easily readable.

Germanicus (died 19 AD, father of Caligula [Gaius] & brother of Claudius), AE As, Memorial issue struck under Caligula, 40-41 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Bare head left, GERMANICVS CAESAR TI AVG F DIVI AVG N / Rev. Legend C CAESAR DIVI AVG PRON AVG P M TR P IIII P P around large S C in center. RIC I Caligula [Gaius] 50, Sear RCV I 1822. BMCRE 74 (Caligula), Cohen 4. 28 mm., 11.99 g., 6 h