I recently received this coin of Julia Augusta from CNG: It was listed as: Julia Augusta (Livia). Augusta, AD 14-29. Æ Dupondius (27mm, 10.25 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck under Tiberius, AD 22-23. Can anyone explain why Livia is in parenthesis? Is there uncertainty whether is it Julia, Tiberius' wife, or Livia, his mother? Or was Julia also known as Livia? Also, I noticed an error in RIC. The reverse inscription is TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVG P M TR POT XXIIII. The coin is listed as RIC I (Tiberius) 47 with the reverse inscription: TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVG TR POT XXIIII, omitting the P M. When I first received this coin, I was tempted to return it, assuming that it was a forgery because I couldn't find the reverse inscription anywhere. After checking Wildwinds and seeing photos of several different examples, all of which included M P, I realized the error and decided that my coin was legit after all.
Because Livia is a byname. Keep in mind, though, that we don't really know it's Livia and not just a personification of Salus.
Great new coin. I love these types! She was given the name Julia when she was adopted into the Julian family, thanks to marrying hubby Augustus.
According to David Sear, "although she is not specifically named on these coins, it seems impossible to identify the lady in question as anyone other than the Empress Livia (Julia) herself. Not only was she the most powerful and influential woman in Rome, but she is also known to have been popular with the Senate by whose nominal authority the coins were issued"
Ah! That makes sense. Thank you. Ryro, I think I saw your coin on Wildwinds. It's one of the photos that convinced me my coin was legitimate.
Here is my Livia (as Pietas) PIETAS - below veiled, diademed and draped bust of Livia, as Pietas, right / DRVSVS CAESAR TI AVGVSTI F TR POT ITER around large S C Dupondius, Rome mint AD 23 (under Tiberius in the name of Drusus Caesar) 30,74 mm / 13,63 gr RIC (Tiberius) 43 ; BMCRE (Tiberius) 98; CBN (Tiberius) 74; Cohen 1; Sear 1741
Nice example @Julius Germanicus ! And the third and last in the series is Livia as Justia (Justice). He's mine:
Julia (The Elder) the daughter of Augustus / second wife of Tiberius was 1) Dead by the time Tiberius took power 2) Despised by Tiberius and publicly disgraced for her sexual scandals 3) Not the mother of Drusus, Tiberius' presumptive heir when these coins were struck. IIRC, she only appears on three coins - Two rare early denarii of Augustus from around the time Gaius and Lucius were born, and one provincial from Pergamum in Mysia (with Livia) And the "Pietas" dupondius is somewhat contended - as it was issued by Drusus, it has been suggested that it could portray Livia, Livilla (his wife, who conspired to have him killed), or perhaps Vipsania, his biological mother. Or maybe sometimes Pietas is just Pietas.
Wonderful examples! Though, Julia the elder was still alive when Tibs took over. She was banished on an island but still alive. Tiberius, having despised Julia as much as she did him, had her life snuffed out after step dad died and he came into power.
I like that one, Glen. My only Livia: Egypt, Alexandria. Dattari. In the name of Livia, wife of Augustus Diobol circa 1-2 (year 31), Æ 23.5mm., 7.46g. Draped bust r. Rev. Athena standing l., holding Nike and leaning on shield; L-ΛA. Dattari-Savio Pl. 3, 60 (this coin). RPC pag. 692, 5 (this coin cited). Very rare. Nice brown-green tone. Very Fine From the Dattari collection. In our opinion is correct the interpretation of Dattari on this coin and the date shown on the Rev. is L-ΛA and not LMA as suggested from RPC. Livia plate coin beside Dattari Rubbings of same coin. Ex: Naville; Ex: Dattari (@Sulla80 was gracious enough to put my photo into the Dattari Rubbings on the coin, further proving provenance... I really appreciate his help!)
