PHOENICIA, Berytus. Augustus. 27 BC-AD 14. Æ (20.5mm, 7.08 g, 1h). P. Quinctilius Varus, legatus Syriae. Struck 6-4 BCE. VF.

CNG Feature Auction 121
Lot: 705. Estimated: $ 400

Roman Provincial, Bronze, Coin-in-Hand Video

Sold For $ 350. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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PHOENICIA, Berytus. Augustus. 27 BC-AD 14. Æ (20.5mm, 7.08 g, 1h). P. Quinctilius Varus, legatus Syriae. Struck 6-4 BCE. Bare head right / Two legionary aquilae between two signa. Sawaya Series 18 (D67/R–); RPC I 4535. Dark green patina, earthen highlights. VF.

Up until his final battle, Publius Quinctilius Varus was one of the most celebrated of Augustus’ generals. He had been consul in 13 BC (along with the future emperor Tiberius), governor of Syria from 7-4 BC, where he had sent two legions into Judaea to quell local unrest after the territory was converted to a Roman province, and subsequently governor of Germania.

By AD 9, Augustus had decided to straighten (and thereby shorten) Rome’s borders by conquering the vast region of Germania beyond the Rhine. He assigned Varus to develop the region without war, but the mixed Gauls and Germans living there were not prepared to accept Romanization. The Cherusci, along with other allies, ambushed Varus in the Teutoburg Forest of northwest Germany, and there annihilated the XVII, XVIII, and XIX legions in a battle that lasted for three days. Varus, sensing doom, committed suicide, and when Augustus heard of the disaster, he tore his clothes and screamed, “Varus, give me back my legions.” No further attempts were made to subdue the Germans beyond the Rhine until the reign of Domitian, and Varus was blamed for the collapse of imperial policy in Germany.

The final winners of all CNG Feature Auction 121 lots will be determined during the live online sale that will be held on 6-8 October 2022. This lot is in Session Three, which will begin 7 October 2022 at 9 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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