What is a 12 Caesars set?

12 Caesars denarii (silver):



From left to right, top to bottom:

- Julius Caesar, Octavian/Augustus Caesar, Tiberius
- Caligula, Claudius, Nero
- Galba, Otho, Vitellius
- Vespasian, Titus, Domitian

12 Caesars aurei (gold):



Same order as denarii, except that top left aureus is Octavian (left portrait) and Julius Caesar (right portrait) and was struck after Julius Caesar's death.

 

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Both sets are absolutely beautiful IoM

 

That's a problem for me too, I just love everything(except late roman, I hate that stuff).

 

10 of 12 Caesars sestertii, missing Tiberius and Titus:

 

Gil-galad!!

=> 'ello, coin brother!!

 

There are no words.......

 

I was having a mental block when I was writing the statement quoted...

Hence the not very good and vague description.


My definition for "Imperial" is the first, as there was production of Imperial coinage from cities other than Rome, such as Lugdunum, Spain, Ephesus, etc.

 

IoM: Nice sestertius set as well. I'm envious

 

Great sets, IdesofMarch01! Having seen them again now, I'd probably pick your Augustus aureus as my favorite of the groups. It's great portrait of him and the reverse type is very impressive. I also like your Augustus denarius - a dealer recently had an example of this for sale at the ANA show but it was too marked up for my tastes. A tough coin to find, but a very impressive reverse.

 

I wrote a reply earlier today but must have pressed the wrong button because it went Poof. I'll try again now.

I wanted to thank the OP for posting the question which has resulted in my learning quite a bit about Roman coins & it has given everyone the opportunity to see some(incredible) portrait coins in this thread. It would be great to learn if one of these sets is ever on display at a major show because I (and probably others at CT) would love to see it in person.

I also agree with Ardatirion in post #16 about buying what you like that is in your price range. You can define what you want in your Caesar set or type set. I only own a few Roman coins & I don't believe that any are portrait coins of the 12. I just bought a Roman coin with a woman's draped bust. She's not one of the 12 but I certainly like the coin and it is within my price range.

 

Impressive set!!! I know assembling this costs a lot of time, patience, and money.

 

I continue to have issues with the concept of collecting the 12 Caesars. It is fine for an advanced collector like Ides to take on this specialty but way too many beginners think this is where they should start collecting. The 12 are famous because one book survived for us to read and the author decided not to include Nerva but to consider Julius a part of the set even though modern accounting does not consider him an emperor. I'd rather see beginners start a Roman collection with twelve important coins spread more evenly over the time Rome was the power in the Mediterranean. Certainly it would not include the insignificant Otho. We could make a case for starting with one coin of the Republic and one of the Imperatorial period (that one could even be Julius Caesar). Who would be the ten or twelve significant Emperors? I'll suggest a 'set' for beginners who want to cover the 'big picture'.
any Republican
any Imperatorial
Augustus
Vespasian
Trajan
Marcus Aurelius
Septimius Severus
Valerian
Aurelian
Diocletian
Constantine I
Theodosius I

Others will change a few of these but I have a reason for including each one. If I were to think a bit about it, some days I'd probably change a couple. The inability to come up with a definitive list on which everyone would agree means this idea will never fly. The fact remains that ancients are a terrible place for set collectors. It is a great place to buy coins that you like and ignore ones that you don't. The operative word here is YOU. Buy what you want. If that is the 12 Caesars, please at least tell me you have read Suetonius' book.

 

Doug is right (as usual). Read up a bit on the history and find coins that you are pleased to own because they relate to something you know. Most experienced collectors have areas they collect, but the concept of a complete "set" is not big in ancients like it is in US coins.

"The Twelve Caesars" is only one book written in antiquity. There are others.

If you want a set that corresponds to a book written in antiquity, you could get "Lives of the Later Caesars" with a controversial authorship (possibly in the fourth century). It covers 117-284 with a gap from 244-253. Those coins will be good-looking and not expensive. The book is cheap in Penguin Classics.

You could get "The Later Roman Empire" by Ammianus Marcellinus (covering 25 years 354-378) in Penguin Classics. The coins of this period are very available and inexpensive.

You could get "Fourteen Byzantine Rulers" by Michael Psellus, who lived 1018-1096. The book is inexpensive in Penguin Classics.

I remind you that public libraries and university libraries may well have relevant books.

 

I guess my idea of collecting the 12 C's provincially, all provincial, wouldn't fly so well.

 

Why not? Do it your own way. The only rule is to have fun with it.
.

 

You could try collecting a dynasty set like the Nerva-Antoine Dynasty, they are all fairly common coins although Nerva is slightly rarer than the others.

Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius + Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus + Commodus

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerva–Antonine_dynasty

 

I like the attitude here - collect coins that interest you and that you want to own.

 

As Warren mentioned, we get the concept of the 12 Caesars from Hadrian's secretary, Suetonius, but that doesn't constrict us from creating our own groupings. In fact, although JC was the first Roman to put his bust on a coin, I consider all his issues Imperatorial. I would put his coins into a category along with Octavian, Marc Antony, and the numerous issues of various moneyers immediately prior to the establishment of the empire.

Then I would organize my collection according to the modern historical subdivisions, starting with Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero for the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Then the Year of Four Emperors and Flavian dynasty, followed by (as arnoldoe suggests), the Nerva-Antonine Dynasty. After that you get into the Severans, and by the time you've collected Severus Alexander, you've moved into the Third Century, which is an entirely new ball-game.

 

=> I agree 100%

... and although the 12 Caesars-set seems to be a slightly more popular collection-target than my choice, I agree that you're free to choose your own personal target grouping ...

=> My Nine Barnyard Pals:

1) BOAR

2) BULL

3) DONKEY

4) GEESE

5) GOAT

6) HORSE

7) OXEN

8) SHEEP

9) ROOSTER


... man, collecting ancients is a blast!!

 

Great sets @IdesOfMarch01!!

I'm a new collector of ancients looking at completing a 12 Caesars set, but have been a little on the fence as I learn more. @dougsmit you make a very good point and I see myself steering a little more in this direction or with @stevex6 on subsets of animals. I'm a person that needs a set to work toward or I end up spending way too much. (Lack of self control sometimes)

I don't want to derail this thread too much, so I may start a new one to discuss sets for beginners. Could be very interesting to hear from the veteran collectors that have a lot more experience.