Happy Ides of March

Today is March 15, the "Ides of March".

Post anything related to Caesar, Brutus and the rest of this historical day.


Julius Caesar (February-March 44 B.C)
AR Denarius
Lifetime Issue
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.



Mark Antony and Octavian (41 B.C.)
AR Denarius
M. Barbatius Pollio, quaestor pro praetore
O: Bare head of Mark Antony right.
R: Bare head of Octavian right, wearing slight beard.
Ephesus mint, Spring-early summer 41 B.C.
3.5g
20mm
Crawford 517/2; CRI 243; Sydenham 1181

 

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Always a fun thread this time of year!



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.

 

I had some delicious apple pie yesterday...Time to stab Caesar.

 

My humble deified Caesar with his namesake comet above.

Although I'm not sure if i'd call this occasion 'happy'

 

A couple of Caesarian denarii—one a (barely) lifetime portrait image, and the other some mythological propaganda.

 

Happy Eid Mar day!



Ex. Triton IX, 2006, lot 1356; NAC 62, 2011, S.C. Markoff Collection, lot 2005; NAC 120, lot 646

 

...coin moneyed by Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus, a conspirator who was in Julius Caesars will,..'beware of the handshake" 48BC

 

Happy Day

 

CAESAR


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



Roman Republic
Iulius Caesar
AR Denarius
49 BCE
Traveling Mint
Elephant-P
ontificates
Sear 1399 Craw 443/1

 

HEROS of the REPUBLIC

CASSIUS

Roman Republic
GAIUS CASSIUS LONGINUS & PUBLIUS CORNELIUS LENTULUS SPINTHER
AR silver denarius.
Struck circa 42 BC, at a mobile military mint moving with Brutus & Cassius, probably located in Smyrna.
C CASSI IMP LEIBERTAS, veiled & draped bust of Libertas right.
Reverse - LENTVLVS SPINT, jug & lituus. 18mm, 3.3g.
Ex: Incitis


BRUTUS:

Roman Republic
AR Denarius
BRVTVS / AHALA
Struck by the famous Marcus Junius Brutus when he was moneyer in 54 BCE
Obv: Bust of L. Junius Brutus, the Consul of 509 BC
Rev: Bust of C. Servilius Ahala, master of horse, 439 BC.
Ref:Sear 398. Crawford 433/2. Junia 1
Ex: @Valentinian


Brutus
EID MAR
Slavei

 

In today’s EID MAR news, the first meeting of MEMS (Mid-American EID MAR Society) will take place tomorrow as @AncientJoe and I are having lunch together. And, no, I will not be introducing my Brutus to his stellar example (my little guy is kind of sensitive about his looks).




ex - Johann Horsky, 1917
Spencer-Churchill, 1928
Munzhandlung Basel, 1940
John Balderston, 1948
Joseph Sternberg
Steve Rubinger, 1985
Published in Cahn, example 9b

 

And this is exactly how it happened - performed actually near the original place at the Largo di Torre Argentina

 

An orichalcum dupondius, likely handed out at Caesar's triumph after Munda, where it would not be lost on the Romans that Caesar was explicitly celebrating victory against other Romans

Roman Imperatorial period Orichalcum dupondius?(17.0g, 28mm). Julius Caesar, dictator, Autumn 45 BC, Rome. Draped bust of victory right, wearing necklace. Wing visible behind shoulder. Before, CAESAR DICT TER/Minerva walking left with trophy over right shoulder and, spears in left hand and shield decorated with Medusa. Snake at feet. C CLOVI PRAEF around. Crawford 476/1a; Sear HCRI 62; RPC 601; Sydenham 1025; BMCRR 4125.

A denarius of Cassius, part of a joint issue of Brutus and Cassius minted at an Eastern mint, perhaps Smyrna.

The Liberators, AR denarius(19mm, 3.71 g, 6h). Gaius Cassius Longinus, Imperator with Publius Cornelius Lentulus Spinther, Legate, late 43-early 42 B.C., military mint with Cassius and Brutus, possibly Smyrna. Head of Libertas right, wearing veil and diadem; before, LEIBERTAS upwards; behind, C•CASSI•IMP updwards. Border of dots / Jug and lituus; below, LENTVLVS SPINT in two lines. Border of dots. Crawford 500/5; Sear HCRI 223.

Ex Andrew McCabe Collection, CNG e-Auction 408, October 25 2017, lot 440, ex JD Collection, Numismatica Ars Classica 78 part II, May 27 2014, lot 1892, ex Jacques Schulman 265, September 28 1976, lot 454, ex Monnaies et Médailles Basel Auctiones 3, December 4 1973, lot 328

 

Julius Caesar Ar Denarius January-February 44 BC Obv. Head right laureate. Rv. Venus standing left holding victory. Crawford 480/4 CRI 102 4.34 grms 17 mm Photo by W. Hansen
It has long been speculated that the denarii featuring the portrait of Julius Caesar was one of the factors leading up to his assassination. Without being confirmed by contemporary written sources it remains just that. However, placing his image on a coin was revolutionary and it was obviously meant to make a statement. Despite being a departure from what had preceded it, the concept once initiated became extremely popular to the point that even one of his assassins placed his image on a coin.

 

Very cleaver…

 

My portrait Caesar is too shameful to post.

I have the 'Brutus' Servius Rufus denarius, and have for a couple of decades. When my photography improves, I'll post it sometime.

One photographed one (via the dealer picture)

 

Wish I had a portrait coin to display! This is the best I've got: