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Augustus (for Gaius Caesar?). 27 BC-AD 14. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.78 g, 6h). Uncertain eastern mint. Struck circa 17 BC. CA ES AR, youthful, bare head (of Caius Caesar?) right; all within oak wreath / AVG VST •, candelabrum, ornamented with rams’ heads and surmounted by a crescent; all within a floral wreath entwined with two bucrania and two pateras. RIC I 540; RSC 2 (Caius Caesar); BMCRE 684-5; BN 1013-6; CNR VIII, 11/4 (this coin). Toned. Good VF.
From the S & S Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 55 (13 September 2000), lot 1123; Münzen und Medaillen AG 52 (19 June 1975), lot 554.
The unusual youthful portrait on this denarius, identified only as CAESAR, was for many years identified as Caius Caesar, one of the grandsons of Augustus by way of his daughter Julia and right-hand-man Marcus Agrippa. Caius was born in 20 BC and his brother Lucius three years later; both were officially adopted by Augustus in 17 BC and the emperor clearly hoped one or both youths would eventually succeed him. They were given every preferment as they grew up and Caius was named consul in AD 1, while on a military tour of the eastern provinces. Both met tragic fates while still young: Lucius died of a sudden illness in AD 2, while Caius was wounded in a skirmish in AD 4 and died of sepsis en route back to Rome, leaving Augustus bereft and dependent upon his stepson Tiberius, for whom he had little affection. More recent scholarly opinion has swung toward identifying this type as depicting a “rejuvenated” portrait of Augustus for the revived Saecular Games of 17 BC. However, Augustus was already being depicted in idealized fashion as a young man on his coinage of 17 BC (as would continue throughout his reign), and there seems no obvious reason for a “rejuvenated” adolescent portrait. Furthermore, the adoption of Caius and Lucius that same year would seem to be a prime opportunity for dynastic propaganda. We therefore tend to side with David R. Sear as continuing to identify the handsome boy seen here as Caius, or perhaps a conflation of both youths.
The final winners of all Triton XXVI lots will be determined at the live public sale that will be held on 10-11 January 2023.
Triton XXVI – Session Three – Lots 674-990 will be held Wednesday morning, 11 January 2023 beginning at 9:00 AM ET.
Winning bids are subject to a 22.5% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 25% for all others.
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