Nero was making music while Rome burned

[expat]

On July 18, 64 C.E., a fire started in the enormous Circus Maximus stadium in Rome, now the capital of Italy. When the fire was finally extinguished six days later, 10 of Rome's 14 districts had burned. Ancient historians blamed Rome's infamous emperor, Nero, for the fire.

Show your Neros or anything relevant

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

Nero (54-68 A.D.)

Type: Billon Tetradrachm, 25mm 12.73 grams

Obverse: NERW KLAY KAIS SEB GER, Radiate head right

Reverse: AVTO-KRA, Draped bust of Serapis right, wearing Kalathos, Date LI to right

Reference: Milne 222, Koln 160, RPC 5274, BMCGr 156: Sear 2001. 

Ex - Zurqieh

Edited July 19 by Ancient Coin Hunter

[Ryro]

Like Nero, I blame it all on the Christians. 

Here's a Rome mint and a couple MSCs. Nero was beloved in the provinces:

[rasiel]

His fiddling during the fire's been pretty well debunked by now. Off the top of my head I want to say that he in fact directed relief efforts. Besides, there's only so much anyone in such a situation could have done. Even with today's tech a fire of this size you pretty much just need to get out of the way and let nature run its course. Imagine back then.

Not, of course, trying to rehabilitate the image of this guy. He was an awful human being (as many other Roman emperors were!)

Coincidentally, just the other day I added this one to my emperors + empresses set. Cost a pretty penny too, the little bastard 🤭

Rasiel

 

[MrMonkeySwag96]

My humble, worn denarius:

3.00g Laureate head of Nero right "IMP CAESAR AVGVSTVS" Jupiter seated left holding a scepter and thunderbolt. "IVPPITER CVSTOS" RSC 119, RIC 53

[GERMANICVS]

I remember reading somewhere that Nero was in fact not as nasty as history would like to portray him....Neither as a person, nor as an administrator.

If I recall, the point that was being made is that he was given bad press by historians who resented him for other reasons.  

 

Whatever the case, he sure minted some interesting coins. Here are mine:

 

 

 

Edited July 19 by GERMANICVS

[mcwyler]

Seleucis and Pieria. Antioch. Nero. Dated RY 10 and year 112 of the Caesarean Era (AD 64) Tetradrachm AR 25 mm, 14.16 g NEPΩN KAIΣAP ΣEBAΣTOΣ, laureate bust right, wearing aegis / ETOVΣ BIP • I (dates), eagle standing right on thunderbolt, with wings displayed; palm frond to right. McAlee 265a; RPC I 4188; Prieur 89.

[LONGINUS]

 

Thank you for your interesting Post, expat 🔥🏛️🔥

 

[Amarmur]

I love Nero coins.Say what you will about him but the Roman imperials of Nero are some of the nicest Roman coins in my opinion.  I posted this one a ton of times before but this is my favorite coin in my ancients collection. Nero Dupondius 65 AD with Roma. I want to add more Nero coins but they are hard to find in this condition. 

[Romancollector]

I recently acquired two Neros that belonged to my friend Terence Cheesman @kapphnwn: a Syrian tetradrachm and a sestertius. Before he passed he sent me photos of his entire collection (photographed by Wayne Hansen), so I thought why not use the iconic blue background photos as a tribute until I have photographs of my own. 

[DonnaML]

Here are most of my Neros:

A couple of Nero middle bronzes:

Nero, AE As, 65 AD Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate head right, [NER]O CAESAR • AVG • GERM IMP / Rev. Temple of Janus with closed double doors on right, garland hanging above doors, latticed windows and wall to left [flan flaw at wall], PACE P R VBIQ PARTA IANVM CLVSIT, S|C across fields. RIC I Nero 306, BMCRE I Nero 227, Sear RCV I 1974 (ill. p. 390), Cohen 171. 27 mm., 9.61 g., 7 h.

Nero, AE As, 65 AD Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate head right, NERO CAESAR  AV-G • GERM IMP / Rev. Victory alighting left, wings spread, holding shield inscribed SPQR, S|C across fields. RIC I Nero 312, BMCRE I Nero 241, Sear RCV I 1976 (ill. p. 391), Cohen 288. 28 mm., 11.9 g., 12 h. Purchased from Robert Morris (Numi Numismatic), Brighton MI, 29 Oct. 2022, ex. Gerhard Hirsch Nachfolger Auction 375, 22 Sep 2022, Lot 1310.

A youthful Nero on a silver drachm from Antioch:

Nero AR Drachm, AD 56/57 (Year 3), Syria, Seleucis & Pieria, Antioch Mint. Obv. Laureate head of young Nero right, ΝΕΡΩΝΟΣ ΚΑΙΣΑΡΟΣ ΣΕΒΑ (beginning at upper right) / Rev. Tripod altar (supporting cauldron or lebes) with serpent entwined around center leg; ΔΡΑ-ΧΜΗ to sides (ΔΡΑ upwards on left; ΧΜΗ downwards on right), forming single word ΔΡΑΧΜΗ (“drachma”); above tripod, EP [for Year 105 of Caesarean Era) and Γ [for Nero’s Regnal Year 3]. McAlee 278(a) at p. 140 & n. 214 (ill. p. 141); Prieur 78; RPC [Roman Provincial Coinage] Vol. I 4179 (1992); RPC Online at https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/1/4179.  18 mm., 3.65 g., 1 h. Purchased at CNG [Classical Numismatic Group, LLC] E-Auction 512, 23 March 2022, Lot 399.*

*See McAlee p. 133: "An interesting feature of Nero's early silver coinage [in Antioch] is the presence of didrachms and drachms, which are exceptional for Antioch. There can be no doubt about the denominations, because in some cases the value is identified by the reverse legend. Presumably the coins were so inscribed to facilitate circulation of the unfamiliar denominations. Nor can there be any doubt that they were struck at Antioch, because the portrait style and date link them to the tetradrachms with reverse Agrippina Jr."

A Nero tetradrachm from Antioch:

Nero AR* Tetradrachm, AD 60/61 (Year 7), Syria, Seleucis & Pieria, Antioch Mint. Obv. Laureate beardless bust of Nero right, wearing aegis with snake rising up along the side of his neck (see McAlee p. 137 n. 203), ΝΕΡΩΝΟΣ [ΚΑΙΣΑΡΟΣ – ΣΕΒ]ΑΣΤΟΥ (Nero Caesar Augustus) around from upper right / Rev. Eagle** standing on a thunderbolt, head left, wings spread; to left, palm branch upright; to right, Ζ (retrograde) over ΘΡ ( = Regnal Year 7 / Year 109 [9 + 100] of Caesarian era, calculated from 49 BCE). 24.9 mm., 14.596 g. RPC [Roman Provincial Coinage] Vol. I  4181 (1992); RPC I Online 4181 (see https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/1/4181 ); McAlee 257 (ill. p. 137) [McAlee, Richard, The Coins of Roman Antioch (2007)]; Prieur 81 [Michel and Karin Prieur, Syro-Phoenician Tetradrachms (London, 2000)]; BMC 20 Syria 190 p. 174 (ill. Pl. xxi.8) [Warwick Wroth, A Catalog of the Greek Coins in the British Museum, Vol. 20, Galatia, Cappadocia, and Syria (London, 1899)]. Purchased April 20, 2024 from Forvm Ancient Coins, Morehead City, NC.  

 

*See McAlee Table 2 p. 17, stating that the mean percentage of silver in Nero’s Antioch tetradrachms from AD 59-63 was 79.39% (subsequently declining after the reign of Marcus Aurelius to a low of 10.77% under Trebonianus Gallus).

**See McAlee p. 133 on the introduction of the standing eagle reverse to Antioch tetradrachms under Nero: “In 59/60 there was an important reform of the silver coinage: the standing eagle became the standard reverse type, and continued as such for the nearly two centuries during which Antioch continued to coin this denomination. This change coincided with an increase in the silver content from 9.15 g. in the tetradrachms of 56/57 to 11.63 g. in the new coins. . . . [T]here is little doubt that the eagle tetradrachms struck from 59/60 to the end of Nero’s reign were worth four denarii.” See also id. p. 6, explaining that the “original significance [of the eagle] was as a symbol of Zeus, and it first came into common usage on coinage used in the east on the Hellenistic tetradrachms issued by the Ptolemaic kings. Later, it became the standard reverse type on the autonomous tetradrachms (or shekels) of Tyre, which contained more silver than most other contemporary tetradrachms and were valued at four Attic drachms, which were probably equal to four denarii. The adoption of the eagle as a reverse type on the Roman Syrian silver, under Nero, coincideds with an increase in the silver content of the tetradrachm and the cessation of the Tyrian shekels. Consequently, it is likely that the eagle on the tetradrachm was meant to signify that they were struck on the Tyrian standard, and thereby to indicate that they were valued at four Attic drachms.”

Some Nero tetradrachms from Roman Alexandria:

Nero, Billon Tetradrachm, Year 11 (64/65 AD), Alexandria, Egypt Mint. Obv. Radiate head of Nero, right, ΝΕΡΩ ΚΛΑV ΚΑΙΣ ΣΕΒ ΓΕΡ AY / Rev. Draped bust of Poppea Sabina [second wife of Nero and former wife of Otho], right, ΠΟΠΠΑΙΑ ΣΕΒΑΣΤΗ around, LIA [Year 11] in right field. RPC [Roman Provincial Coinage] Vol. I 5280 (1992)]; RPC Online at https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/1/5280; Emmett 128.11[Emmett, Keith, Alexandrian Coins (Lodi, WI, 2001)]; Dattari (Savio) 197-198 [Savio, A. ed., Catalogo completo della collezione Dattari Numi Augg. Alexandrini (Trieste, 2007)]; Milne 223 at p. 7 [Milne, J.G., Catalogue of Alexandrian Coins (Oxford 1933, reprint with supplement by Colin M. Kraay, 1971)]; K&G 14.85 (ill. p. 59) [Kampmann, Ursula & Ganschow, Thomas, Die Münzen der römischen Münzstätte Alexandria  (2008)]; BMC 16 Alexandria 124 at p. 16 [Poole, Reginald Stuart, A Catalog of the Greek Coins in the British Museum, Vol. 16, Alexandria (London 1892)]; Sear RCV I 2002 (Year 11; ill. of Year 10, at p. 394). 26.5 mm., 12.98 g.  Purchased from Odysseus Numismatique, Montpellier, France, Sep. 2021.

Nero, Billon Tetradrachm, Year 12 (65/66 AD), Alexandria, Egypt Mint. Obv. Radiate bust of Nero with aegis, right, ΝΕΡΩ ΚΛΑV ΚΑΙΣ ΣΕΒ ΓΕΡ / Rev. Bust of Alexandria, right, wearing elephant headdress, AYTO-KPA around, LIB [Year 12] in right field.  RPC I Online 5289, Emmett 109.12, Milne 238 at p. 7, K&G 14.88. 20x23 mm., 12.11 g.

Nero and Divus Augustus, Billon Tetradrachm, Year 13 (AD 66/67), Alexandria, Egypt Mint. Obv. Radiate head of Nero left, ΝΕΡΩ ΚΛΑV ΚΑΙΣ ΣΕΒ ΓΕΡ AY; in left field, LIΓ (Year 13) / Rev. Radiate head of Augustus right,  ΘΕΟΣ ΣΕΒΑΣΤΟΣ.  24 mm., 11.6 g. RPC I Online 5294 (see https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/1/5294), Emmett 113.13, Milne 251 at p. 7, BMC 16 Alexandria 112 at p. 15, Dattari (Savio) 184, Sear RCV I 2007 (ill. p. 394).

Nero, Billon Tetradrachm, Year 13 (AD 66/67), Alexandria, Egypt Mint. Obv. Radiate bust of Nero left wearing aegis (with serpent upright) on left shoulder, ΝΕΡΩ ΚΛΑV ΚΑΙΣ [ΣΕΒ ΓΕΡ ΑV]; in left field before Nero, L beneath ΙΓ (Year 13) / Rev. Galley under sail right, flags at masthead and at top corners of mainsail, standard on prow, and helmsman standing right at stern; below ship, two dolphins right, playing in waves; [ΣΕΒΑΣΤΟΦΟΡΟΣ]. 25.1 mm., 13.33 g.  RPC [Roman Provincial Coinage] Vol. I  5296 (1992); RPC I Online 5296 (see https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/1/5296 ); Emmett 121.13; Milne 273 (p. 8); BMC 16 Alexandria 176-177 (p. 21) (ill. Pl. XXX); K&G 14.99 (ill. p. 60); SNG Fr. IV, Alexandria I 514-520 (ill. Pl. 37); Sear RCV I 2009 (p. 395). Purchased from Dr. Busso Peus Nachf., Frankfurt a.M., Germany, Auction 434, 27 Apr. 2023, Lot 360 (ex “Collection of Dr. E.”).*

*According to the description of this type in the catalog for CNG’s Triton XXI, “The Giovanni Maria Staffieri Collection of the Coins of Roman Alexandria,” Jan. 9, 2018, Lot 16 (ill. p. 17), the type most likely “commemorates Nero’s visit to Greece in AD 66-67.” 

A not-great example of the Nero-Salus denarius; I'm thinking of trying to sell it:

Nero AR Denarius, Obv. Laureate head right, IMP CAESAR AVG P P/ Rev. Salus seated, holding patera, SALVS in exergue. RIC I 71, RSC II 316. 19 mm., 3.3 g.

Finally, my better Nero denarius, with a nice pedigree not mentioned by the dealer (HJB):

Nero, AR denarius, AD 65-66 Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate head right, NERO CAESAR – AVGVSTVS / Rev. Hexastyle (six-columned) temple of Vesta on podium of four steps, circular and with domed roof, containing seated statue of the goddess, facing, holding patera in raised left hand and scepter in right hand; VESTA above temple.* 18 mm., 3.45 g. RIC I Nero 62, RSC II Nero 335, BMCRE I Nero 104, Sear RCV I 1946 (ill. p. 384). Purchased from Harlan J. Berk, Ltd., Chicago, IL, 226^th Buy or Bid Sale, Dec. 2023, Lot 395; ex NFA [Numismatic Fine Arts International, Inc.], Los Angeles, CA, Fall Mail Bid Sale Oct. 12, 1988, Lot 769, from the Collection of Dr. George C. Brauer.**

 

Link to video: https://vimeo.com/892304479. 

*See Sear RCV I p. 383 (in the description of Nero’s aureus with the same reverse type, Sear RCV I 1933): “The celebrated temple of Vesta in the Roman Forum was destroyed in the great fire of AD 64. Nero rebuilt it and his structure, the sixth to be constructed on the site, survived until another catastrophic fire late in the reign of Commodus."

**The description of this lot in HJB's 226th BBS catalog said nothing about the coin's pedigree. However, this old coin ticket came with the coin:

I wasn't collecting ancient coins back in the day when NFA was in business, but I know enough to be aware from general reading that the initials stood for Numismatic Fine Arts International, which was owned by Bruce McNall and was one of the leading ancient coin dealers before it collapsed when he went to prison (and also employed Rob Freeman, who went on to have his own fiasco with Freeman & Sear). It was easy enough to find a lot of old NFA catalogs online through the Newman Numismatic Portal, and to figure out that NFA moved from Beverly Hills to Los Angeles sometime in 1986. So, based on the assumption that the "769" on the upper right of the coin ticket referred to a lot number, I simply started looking through all the NFA catalogs issued after the move to Los Angeles that had at least 769 lots. It didn't take very long to find the right catalog, although I fully understand that the cataloger(s) at HJB don't have the time to investigate individual lots to that extent, particularly for coins of this price level. Here are the relevant portions of NFA's catalog for the Fall 1988 Mail Bid Sale:

Definitely the same coin, as is clear from the "irregular flan" shape above all else.

Here is the catalog's biography of George Brauer (who died five years later, on Sep 27, 1993). I admit that the name was unfamiliar to me, although a Google search shows that he was fairly well-known, both as a collector of ancient coins and antiquities, and as an author of books on ancient numismatics and ancient history in general:

 

[Qcumbor]

A very interesting coinage for sure 

Q

[Al Kowsky]

[Limes]

On 7/18/2024 at 10:43 PM, expat said:

On July 18, 64 C.E., a fire started in the enormous Circus Maximus stadium in Rome, now the capital of Italy. When the fire was finally extinguished six days later, 10 of Rome's 14 districts had burned. Ancient historians blamed Rome's infamous emperor, Nero, for the fire.

Show your Neros or anything relevant

The fire started in the shops, somewhere near the circus and quickly spread because of narrow housing planning. Ancient sources one way or the other blame Nero, although  I think it's now generally accepted that Nero did not start the fire or celebrated it by playing the lyre. Nevertheless, it's a fantastic issue which really triggers the imagination. 

[Alegandron]

NERO with his Wife:


RI Poppea-Nero BI tetradrachm of Alexandria LI yr10 63-64AD Milne 217 RPC 5275


The Guy that got the ball rolling to STOP THE MUSIC…

VINDEX

RI Civil War VINDEX 68-69 CE AR Denarius 3.22g Gallic mint SALVS GENERIS HVMANI Victory l globe - SPQR in wreath RIC 72 BMCRE 34-36 RSC 420 RARE

Edited August 6 by Alegandron

[Octavius]

When you really think about it, aside from murdering his own mother and kicking his pregnant wife to death, how bad was he?

here he is "fiddling" while Rome burned...

 

more of his coins...

[TIF]

Some fabulous coins in this thread.  

There are several Imperial types I'd like to have but provincials always seem to get in the way :D.

Here's my one Nero Imperial:

Nero, CE 54-68
struck in Rome, CE 63
Orichalcum sestertius, 34 mm, 26.7 gm
Obv: NERO CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG GERM P M TR P IMP PP; laureate head right, wearing aegis
Rev: ANNONA AVGVSTI CERES; Ceres, veiled and draped, seated left, holding corn ears and torch, her feet on stool, facing Annona standing right, holding cornucopia; between them, modius on garlanded altar; in background, stern of ship
Ref: RIC 98. Cohen 24
Released from its NGC slab, Choice XF, strike 5/5, surfaces 3/5, fine style
Heritage, CICF World and Ancient Coin Signature Auction, Apr 2014
 

From the opposite end of the artistic scale, here's an ancient counterfeit Egyptian tetradrachm, notable because counterfeit Alexandrian coinage is uncommon.  I can't find the attribution at the moment but if I recall, it's from the Dattari collection.