Octavian, AR Denarius, c. 36 BC, mint moving with Octavian, Ex T.R. Hardaker Collection, Syndenham 1338, Sear imperators 315, RBW 1829, Crawford 540/2 (3.55 g, 18.5 mm) In 44 BC, following the murder of Julius Caesar, a comet bright enough to be seen in daytime appeared for seven days near the beginning of the Ludi Victoriae Caesaris (Games of the Victorious Caesar), a festival held in honour of Julius Caesar. Octavian used this opportunity to spread propaganda that the comet was Caesar’s soul ascending to the heavens, and convinced the Senate to deify Caesar. Octavian, being the adoptive son of Caesar, himself took the title “Divi Filius” (son of a god). In 42 BC, a temple of the Deified Julius Caesar was built for fostering a "cult of the comet". At the back of the temple a huge statue of Caesar, with a flaming comet affixed to its forehead, was erected. Obverse: IMP·CAESAR·DIVI·F·III· VIR·ITER·R·P·C. Head of Octavian right, slightly bearded Reverse: (COS·ITER·ET·)TER·DESIG. Tetrastyle temple of deified Julius Caesar, within which veiled figure standing facing, holding lituus; on architrave, DIVO·IVL and within pediment, comet-star
Intriguingly, the titles COS ITER ET TER DESIG saying that Octavian served as consul for the second time and was designated for a third term, suggest this issue was struck around 32 BC, although many numismatic sources cite 36 BC. Since the temple, which was solemnly inaugurated on August 28, 29 BC, did not yet exist at the time when this coin was struck the representation has only a symbolic character, a visual imagery that any Roman could decode: the sidus Iulium in the pediment, a sign of Caesar's apotheosis. memorial altar (left of the temple), which stood on the spot where Caesar's body was buried cult statue of the deified Julius DIV IUL (the divine Julius) on the entablature
This denarius was minted under Augustus celebrating the Secular games (Ludi Saeculares) in 17 BC. Obv: M SANQVINIVS (moneyer) III VIR, youthful laureate head of the deified Julius Caesar right, above, a comet with four rays and a tail. Rev: AVGVST DIVI F LVDOS SAE, herald or ludius standing left, wearing long robe reaching to ankles and helmet with two long feathers, and holding winged caduceus upright in right hand and round shield with a six pointed star. 2.48g, 17 mm. In the book Natural History, Pliny the Elder talks about how this comet signified a new era when it appeared during the games held in honour of Venus Genetrix, the patron deity of the Julii, and how this event cemented the notion of Augustus claiming himself the 'son of god' or DIVI FILIVS. In the book he quoted Augustus saying "On the very days of my games a comet was visible for seven days in the northern region of the sky. It used to raise about an hour before the dark and was bright and visible from all lands. The general populace believed that this signified Caesar's soul received among the spirits of the immortal gods, and this gave rise to the addition of a star to the bust of Caesar that we dedicated soon after in the forum".
