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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;zadie, post: 7809558, member: 114699&quot;]I recently acquired a new denarius of Augustus for my 12 Caesars&#039; set. The incredible variety of designs available made me want to sit down and ponder a little about what I wanted for my collection. While deciding which type to go after, I thought of three different criteria that would ideally be met:</p><p><br /></p><ul> <li>The coin tells a compelling story about the era in which it was minted or the person being depicted.</li> <li>Exhibits solid strikes from dies of an early die-state.</li> <li>Is of an appealing style.</li> </ul><p>In the end, my search concluded less patiently than I had planned (as it often does thanks to my impulsivity <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie20" alt=":banghead:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />)...</p><p><br /></p><p>Leisurely browsing upcoming auctions with friends, I came across this beauty: [ATTACH=full]1341046[/ATTACH]</p><p style="text-align: center"><font size="3">Roman Empire. Augustus (27 BC - 14 AD) AR Denarius. Lugdunum, struck 15-13 BC. Head of Augustus right, AVGVSTVS DIVI F / Bull charging right, IMP X below. RIC 167a; BMC 451. 3.57 g, 19 mm.</font></p> <p style="text-align: center"><br /></p> <p style="text-align: center"><br /></p><p>Immediately I knew it ticked 2/3 of my requirements. The strike was magnificent and the style superb. I knew the type was very common, as I had seen it countless times before but with a hefty price tag attached. To my knowledge however, it didn&#039;t tell a story that I found particularly interesting. A very beautiful coin sure, but not very very colourful storywise. Knowing that this was a very expensive type, I discounted even attempting to go for it and forgot about the coin entirely.</p><p><br /></p><p>Fast forward to the day of the auction - I&#039;m quietly observing each lot closing, making occasional comments to my friends about this or that. Suddenly, the denarius I had looked at before shows up on my screen. It has recieved no pre-bids and no one bidding live seems interested. I almost jokingly press the bid button and to my surprise I win the coin at opening price! As the excitement wore off, I realized I needed to do some research in order to learn all that I could about the type. To my surprise and joy this coin&#039;s story was very interesting indeed:</p><p><br /></p><p>Gaius Octavius was born to the gens Octavia, a plebeian family on the fringes of the aristocracy. His father, also named Gaius Octavius, was a novus homo steadily climbing the cursus honorum. The senior Octavius had previously served as Quaestor in 70 BC and was elected to the office of Praetor in 61 BC. As his term was ending in 60 BC he secured for himself the governorship of Macedonia.</p><p><br /></p><p>Before departing to his province, the senate assigned him to deal with a band of renegades who had occupied lands close to Thurium. These troops were remnants from the revolts of Spartacus and Catiline, who had again taken up arms and begun harrassing the Italian countryside. Octavius Senior engaged the renegades in pitched battle, winning a great victory.The symbol seen on the reverse of this coin is a reference to this, as the charging bull was the symbol Thurium, often seen on their coinage. </p><p><br /></p><p>In commemoration of this battle Octavius Senior bestowed upon his son, by this time a few years old, the cognomen Thurinus. Thus becoming Gaius Octavius Thurinus. Mark Antony would later mockingly refer to the future Augustus as &quot;Thurinus&quot; prompting Octavian to respond that he was suprised using his old name could be considered an insult.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1341416[/ATTACH] </p><p style="text-align: center"><font size="3">Augustus AV Aureus. Lugdunum, 14-2 BC. AVGVSTVS DIVI F, bare head right / Bull charging right, left forefoot raised, IMP X in exergue. RIC 166a; BMC 450; Calicó 212</font>.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1341417[/ATTACH] </p><p style="text-align: center"><font size="3">LUCANIA, Thourioi. Circa 400-350 BC. AR Double Nomos – Distater. Head of Athena to right wearing helmet adorned with Skylla raising her right hand on the bowl. Rev. Bull butting right. HN Italy 1803; Jameson 358 (same dies).</font></p> <p style="text-align: center"><br /></p> <p style="text-align: center">[ATTACH=full]1341418[/ATTACH]<font size="3">Magna Graecia, Lucania, Thurium. Distater, c. 370. Head of Athena to left wearing helmet adorned with Skylla raising her right hand on the bowl. Rev. Bull butting right, his head bent round toward the viewer; in exergue, fish to right. Du Chastel 14. HN III 1804. Noe D8.</font></p> <p style="text-align: center"><font size="3"><br /></font></p><p><font size="3">[MEDIA=youtube]opj5PSfqLG4[/MEDIA]</font>[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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