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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;IdesOfMarch01, post: 4809726, member: 39084&quot;]In ancient Rome, amounts needed for public works and projects were calculated in sestertii, not denarii or aurei, and this might explain why these coins seem to have such heft and ubiquitous usage.</p><p><br /></p><p>The first sestertius I acquired, and still one of my favorites, was this Caligula:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1167062[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>GAIUS (CALIGULA) 37 - 41 A.D.</p><p>AE Sestertius (28.01 g.)&nbsp;&nbsp; Rome c. 37 - 38 A.D.&nbsp;&nbsp; RIC 32</p><p>C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS PON M TR POT Laureate head l. Rev. ADLOCVT Gaius, bare headed and togate, standing l. on platform, r. hand extended to five soldiers with shields and parazonia, rearmost pair carrying an aquila; in exergue, COH.&nbsp; Ex. Luc Girard</p><p><br /></p><p>In my imagination I would envision the scene on the reverse and wonder if the gathering of soldiers was really listening to Caligula, or thinking that if he were a real soldier, he&#039;d be out there fighting with them.</p><p><br /></p><p>Although I generally collect only one example of each denomination for the 12 Caesars, I always wanted the iconic Three Sisters and was fortunate enough to acquire one (the second time I had been at an auction for this coin):</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1167065[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>GAIUS (CALIGULA) 37 - 41 A.D.</p><p>AE Sestertius (28.56 g.)&nbsp;&nbsp; Rome c. 37 - 38 A.D.&nbsp; RIC 33</p><p>C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS PON M TR POT Laureate bust l. Rev. AGRIPPINA – DRVSILLA – IVLIA Sisters standing: Agrippina as Securitas holds cornucopiae; Drusilla as Concordia holds patera and cornucopiae; Julia as Fortuna, holds rudder and cornucopiae. In exergue, S·C.&nbsp; From the Gasvoda collection.</p><p><br /></p><p>My impression of this reverse is that the engravers were generally trying to model the sisters after the Three Graces, this particular sculpture is from a museum in ancient Ostia:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1167066[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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