August 19th, 14 CE: Augustus finally kicks the marble bucket

[Ryro]

2008 years ago, after out living all of his worthwhile heirs, Augustus dies. 

(Here he is, famously, pointing at exactly where his home run hit was going to go)

 

(Also famous for his favorite snack, live bird on a stick)

And for those that like artistic computer renderings of what he may of looked like in his youth, here's three. It's uncanny how much they all don't look alike, isn't it!

(Top to bottom we have Daniel Craig Augustus, Bruce Campbell Augustus and Timothy Chalamet Octavius)

His last words were reported to be either:

Or 

 

Pretty crazy that this once sickly youth (who just happened to be sick for just about every major battle of his life) would live so damned long! However, for ancient collectors he had left us such a diverse collection of coin types from all over the world (even if right up to the time of his death at 75 he was still minting the idealized image of himself when he was 27).

Queue the coins!

Augustus (27 BC - 14 AD). AR Denarius. Uncertain Spanish mint (Colonia Patricia?), c. 19 BC. Obv. Oak-wreathed head right. Rev. Shield. RIC I (2nd ed.) 36a. AR. 2.80 g. 20.00 mm. RRR. Broken and repaired, otherwise. VF. Purchased from Artemide Kunstauktionen Feb 2022

Augustus, 27 BC-AD 14. Denarius (Silver, 20mm, 3.58 g), Lugdunum, 2 BC-AD 12. CAESAR AVGVSTVS DIVI F PATER PATRIAE Laureate head of Augustus to right. Rev. AVGVSTI F COS DESIG PRINC IVVENT / C L CAESARES Gaius and Lucius Caesar, on left and right, standing facing, each togate and resting a hand on one of two shields set on the ground between them; behind the shields, two crossed spears; above, on left, simpulum right, and on right, lituus left. BMC 519-533. BN 1651-1657. Cohen 43. Lyon 82. RIC 207. VF

Augustus

SYRIA, Seleucis and Pieria. Antioch. 27 BC-AD 14. Æ As 24mm,. Struck circa 27-25 BC. Bare head right / AVGVSTVS within laurel wreath. McAlee 190; RPC I 4100. Good VF

Former: fortunancient

Augustus

Æ21 of Pergamon, Mysia. 27 BC-AD 14. M. Plautius Silvanus, proconsul, and Demophon. SIΛBANON ΠEPΓAMHNOI, the proconsul M. Plautius Silvanus standing left, holding patera, being crowned by uncertain male figure / Tetrastyle temple of Augustus; ΣEBAΣTON above, ΔHMOΦΩN below. RPC 2364; BMC 245. 4.93g, 20mm, 2h.

Very Fine. Ex: Savoca blue

Augustus

Ae Diobol,

24 MM 8.65 GR

AE Diobol Year 41 = 11/12 AD, Egypt, City of Alexandria. Head R. Rs. LMA in the oak wreath.

Augustus, with Agrippa. GAUL, Nemausus. 27 BC - 14 AD. Æ As (26 MM, 10.71 g, 12h). Struck circa 16-10 AD. Back to back heads of Agrippa, left, wearing combined rostral crown and laurel wreath, and Augustus, right, bare; c/m: D D with palm branch between the letters, all within dotted circle / Crocodile chained to palm branch, wreath tied to palm

MYSIA, SYRIA or CYPRUS (Bronze, 13.24, 27mm) Ephesus, Pergamum, Antioch or Paphos(?) Augustus. 27 (BC-AD 14) AE dupondius, struck ca. 25 BC

Obv: AVGVSTVS - name clockwise behind bare head of Augustus right, all within dotted border

Rev: large CA within rostral wreath (ships' beaks and laurel-branches) between dotted inner and outer borders; between wreath ties, a large pellet.

RPC 2234; BMC 721; Howgego 2b

Augustus

Hispania, Uncertain mint.. 27 B.C.-A.D. 14 Æ as (24 mm, 7.25 g). 'Moneta castrensis'. Mint in northewestern Spain, Probably struck before 23 B.C. [IMP] AVG DIVI F, bare head left; palm branch before, winged caduceus behind / Round shield with four linear outer panels and round central boss. ACIP 3301; RPC 3. Fine, earthen-green patina.

Ex: Silicua Subastas

"The 'Moneta castrensis' coinage, lacking any sort of ethnic or magistrate, is impossible to place with certainty. Most examples are found in northwestern Spain, and stylistically show some affinity to the Spanish issues of Carisius. The obverse legend places the coinage after 27 B.C., and the fact that the coins lack any indication of the tribunican power suggest a terminus post quem of 23 B.C. It is most likely that the 'moneta castrensis' coinage was struck to finance Rome's efforts during the Cantabrian Wars, which brought an end to Spanish self-determination and finalized the province's subjugation."

Augustus with Divus Julius Caesar

(27 BC-14 AD) MACEDON. Thessalonica. Obv: ΘEOΣ.

Wreathed head of Julius Caesar right; uncertain c/m on neck.

Rev: ΘEΣΣAΛONIKEΩN.

Bare head of Augustus right; Δ below. RPC I 1554.

Fine. 12.3 g.21 mm.

Former: Numismatik Naumann

 

 

Help me bring the old muthafuka back from the dead, at least his memory anyways. You've got coins of the first Augustus and we'd love to see em!

Edited August 20, 2022 by Ryro

[Prieure de Sion]

After the series "Rome" - I dont like anymore this guy ... 😄 

[Restitutor]

15 minutes ago, Prieure de Sion said:

After the series "Rome" - I dont like anymore this guy ... 😄 

I like him in season 1! When he tried fighting Antony in his bedroom is still one of my favorite scenes lol. Wish they didn’t recast him for season 2 though… 

[Prieure de Sion]

9 minutes ago, Restitutor said:

I like him in season 1! When he tried fighting Antony in his bedroom is still one of my favorite scenes lol. Wish they didn’t recast him for season 2 though… 

Sure! You are right... in season 1 it was fine - season 2 its like they change the director, or the screenwriter or or... but its an 180 deg. change of the character - and its not well done. It seems artificial, wooden, intentional but not skilful. And while Antony, Brutus, Cassius, Cicero and all the others are not so badly characterised - Agrippa and also Maecenas are a childish disappointment and do not even begin to do justice to the historical characters.

Sorry for the OT ... 😉 

 

[Qcumbor]

I raise a glass to the Man !

 

 

 

And after he passed :

 

Q

[Spaniard]

Nice to see an @Ryro thread...

I do like that broken Spanish mint Denarius...I usually see this type attributed to Caesaraugusta mint near modern day Zaragoza...Style of portrait does seem to fit but there does seem to be some conflict between the 2 mints....

I only have one decent Augustus portrait coin which I've posted before but hey I need to post something....

Spain, Kelse-Celsa. Augustus. 27 BC-14 AD. AE Unit (10.98 gm, 28mm). Velilla de Ebro (Zaragoza) mint.
Obv.: IMP. CAESAR. DIVI. F. AVGVSTVS. COS. XII, laureate head right.
Rev.: CN. DOMIT. C. POMPEI. II. VIR. C. V I. CEL, bull standing right. Abh. 811. VF.

 

 

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

I don't know, he really was one of the most successful leaders of all time.  He kind of deserved his titles, so I show him that respect.  Exceptionally few leaders could match his credentials.

Here's my favorite affordable Augustus types, and one of my favorite of the whole Roman series.

Attribution: RPC 2233
Date: 25 BC
Obverse: AVGVSTVS, Bust right within border of dots
Reverse: CA within circle in wreath, all within border of dots
Size: 34.58 mm
Weight: 18.6 grams

[Al Kowsky]

Octavian / Augustus must have been a handsome dude 😎, most of his portraits are very flattering. The coin pictured below I sold at a Heritage auction.

 

 

 

[LONGINUS]

Great post, @Ryro 

 

It’s great to have an Augustus denarius in my collection again. I sold my first one a few years ago and regretted it afterward.

 

Edited August 20, 2022 by LONGINUS

[John Conduitt]

He supposedly had golden hair, bright eyes, gappy teeth and a monobrow. And poor skin, if you rely on my coin...

Augustus As, 16BCRome. Bronze, 26mm, 6.72g. Augustus head right; CAESAR AVGVSTVS TRIBVNIC (POTEST). S C; C CASSI(VS CELER) III VIR A A A F F around (RIC I, 376). Found in Britain.

[Ricardo123]

Nice coin all. Ok for hispania examples ?

[DonnaML]

Beautiful coins, everyone!

My only Divus Augustus is this Roman Alexandrian tetradrachm with Nero on the obverse:

My only Imperial bronze of Augustus alone:

Plus of course there's my COL NEM Dupondius from Nemausus, depicting Augustus with Agrippa:

My favorite Augustus silver coin is this cistophorus minted in Pergamum, Mysia:

I like this denarius despite the banker's mark:

Here's my example of the Gaius and Lucius denarius:

The obverse isn't too bad on this one:

Here's my anepigraphic Octavian, again with an obverse that isn't so bad:

 

 

Edited August 20, 2022 by DonnaML

[Octavius]

 I would say he "played the part " exceptionally well. Not bad for ruling half the world at 19 years old!

Some of his denarii...

[DonnaML]

4 hours ago, Octavius said:

 I would say he "played the part " exceptionally well. Not bad for ruling half the world at 19 years old!

Some of his denarii...

Every one of those is superb!

[kapphnwn]

Augustus Ar Denarius Colonia Patricia 19 BC Obv Head right bare Rv Legend within wreath RIC 77a 3.90 grms 18 mm Photo by W. HansenHere we see him with the wreath he earned for saving the lives of the citizens of Rome. On the obverse he is seen with the name of his adoptive father CAESAR as well as his title AUGUSTUS essentially the revered one. As usual with Octavian there is this careful little dance. Despite being surrounded by all this majesty he is bareheaded.   

[shanxi]

In Pergamon he got his own temple with his statue. Depicted on these two coins from his lifetime (top) and from the reign of Claudius (second):

 

Augustus
Pergamon, Mysia, AD 1
Ae 21
Obv.: CEBACTON KE ΦA…, Statue of Augustus, standing facing and holding scepter, within distyle temple.
Rev.: ΠEPΓAMHNΩN KAI CAPΔIANΩN, Demos of Pergamon crowning Demos of Sardeis.
AE, 5.46g, 20.8x22.2mm
Ref.: RPC 2362, SNG Copenhagen 519.
ex Künker auction 83, lot 707

 

Claudius
Pergamon, Mysia, AD 41-54
Ae 18
Obv.: KΛΑΥΔΙΟΝ ΚΑΙCΑΡΑ CEBACTON, Bare head right.
Rev.: CEBACTON / PERΓΑΜΕΝΟΙ, Statue of Augustus, holding spear, within tetrastyle temple.
AE, 6.01 g, 18 mm
Ref.: RPC 2370

 

 

[Qcumbor]

He was even famous far from Rome, and not forgotten almost 250 years later...

Augustus and Rhoemetalkes, Bronze - Semi autonomous coinage of Thracia, c11BC-12AD
ΚΑΙΣΑΡΟΣ ΣΕΒΑΣΤΟΥ, Head of Augustus right
ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΡΟΙΜΗΤΑΛΚΟΥ, Jugate heads of Rhoemetalkes and his wife Pythodoris right
9.82 gr
Ref : RPC vol I #1711, Sear #5396

 

Augustus, Antoninianus - Consecration coinage under Trajan Decius - Rome mint AD 250/251
DIVO AVGVSTO radiate head right
CONSECRATIO Eagle facing with spred wings and head left
3.10 gr
Ref : RIC IV # 77, Cohen # 577, RCV # 9458
Ex Gemini XIII auction, #291

 

Q

Edited August 21, 2022 by Qcumbor

[Edessa]

Augustus, 27 BC-AD 14. Æ Dupondius (27mm, 9.55g, 7h). Rome mint. P. Licinius Stolo moneyer. Struck 17 BC. Obv: AVGVSTVS TRIBVNIC POTEST; in three lines in oak-wreath. Rev: P LICINIVS STOLO IIIVIR A A A F F; around S C.  Ref: Cohen 442; RIC 346 (R3). Brown tone and very fine. Ex Naville Numis, Live Auction 72 (27 Mar 2022), Lot 446.