Anniversary of the Death of Britannicus

[LONGINUS]

 

February 11th of thereabout marks the anniversary of this tragic event.

 

 

Here’s a favorite of mine and a recent upgrade in my Judaean collection.

 

Please post your coins from the period.

 

 

 

 

[Octavius]

Another Antonius Felix prutah under Claudius with BRIT...

two aurei of Claudius announcing Nero as his successor - the Princeps Iuventutis, thus bypassing his son as heir - maybe because he was too young, or maybe just to spare him the dangers of being ruler (to no avail), maybe to simply appease Agrippina. We will probably never know what was in his mind.

[expat]

My Antonio Felix

ANTONIUS FELIX AE Prutah. Roman Procurator of Judaea under Claudius. AD 54.
Obverse: NЄP(Ѡ) KΛAY KAICAP. Two oblong shields crossed, two crossed spears behind.
Reverse: Palm tree with dot and star and with L ΙΔ in field under branches either side of tree; BPIT above, K AI either side of tree across bottom.
Issue struck in the name of Nero Claudius Caesar and Britannicus.
 
RPC-4971, Sofaer 59-61. Jerusalem mint, RY 14 = 54 AD. 2,49 g - 17 mm
Volume: RPC I №: 4971
Reign: Claudius Persons: Britannicus (Caesar)
City: Jerusalem  Region: Judaea Province: Judaea
Denomination: Æ Average weight: 2.41 g. Issue: Year 14 (AD 54)
Obverse: ΒΡΙΤ ΚΑΙ, LΙΔ (in field); palm tree
Reverse: ΝƐΡW ΚΛΑΥ ΚΑΙϹΑΡ; two crossed spears and shields
Reference: Meshorer 29 Specimens: 12
Not too much known about Britannicus, son of Claudius. He was named after his Father´s exploits in Britain around 50 AD. The sudden death of Britannicus shortly before his fourteenth birthday is reported by all extant sources as being the result of poisoning on Nero's orders; as Claudius' biological son, he represented a threat to Nero's claim to the throne.

[Al Kowsky]

[Limes]

This is often attributed to Britannicus, but i believe more recent information tenda to point to Nero. 

[Marsyas Mike]

On 2/12/2024 at 9:39 AM, Limes said:

This is often attributed to Britannicus, but i believe more recent information tenda to point to Nero. 

 

I just got one of those:

Nero/Britannicus (?) Æ 15 Philistos & Eikadios, magist. Smyrna, Ionia (c. 50-54 A.D.) ΖΜΥΡ, draped head of Nero (or Britannicus?) right / Ε[ΠΙ ΦΙΛΙΣ]ΤΟΥ ΕΙΚΑΔΙΟ | Σ Nike walking right, with trophy over shoulder RPC I 2476 (Nero as Caesar); (3.78 grams / 15 mm) eBay Feb. 2024          $20.00 BIN

Attribution:  RPC I 2476 (Nero as Caesar); BMC 283-284 (Britannicus); Klose 233, 37 (Britannicus); Klose XXXI 14-37; SNG Lewis 1379; Leake 2503; McClean 8300; Weber 2970; Winterthur 3173; Walcher 231; Hunter 199; SNG Copenhagen 1350-1351; SNG von Aulock 7995.

There's a discussion of this type on FORVM started by Joe Geranio here:  https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=83552.0

One of the photos he provides is of a statue purportedly of Britannicus - this bust looks like some of the coins, which may be why the identification was made:

[Limes]

Thats a nice coin @Marsyas Mike! Strong portrait. 

I have far too little knowledge about this to say the portrait is of either B or N. I do hope its B, because thats the reason I got the coin in the first place 😄

[JeandAcre]

(Here's how late I am to this party:)

Wow.  I never would have guessed that Britannicus would show up on a procuratorial prutah!  Never mind in conjunction with Felix, who (obviouslness alert:) gets name recognition from the book of Acts.  That's just cool.