Augustus & Agrippa

petitioncrown

The impressive bronze coin was struck near the end of the reign of Augustus, the first emperor of Rome (ruled 27 BCE-14 CE).

Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa was at Octavian's side the entire time. During the war that followed Caesar's death, Agrippa's defense of Italy was critical in Octavian's ultimate success.

Bronze Dupondius - Augustus and Agrippa with Crocodile Reverse Most conspicuously, a large crocodile is chained to what is either a palm tree, a palm shoot or a palm branch; different sticking’s present greater or lesser versions. .

Besides its bulk, the most striking element of the crocodile is its sharp, pointy teeth, the pattern of the creature's scales on its back. All four feet are present.

Divided by the trunk of the palm tree is the inscription COL / NEM, which is an abbreviation for Colonia Augusta Nemausus, or "Augustan Colony Nemausus".

SmEagle1795

Nice coin! Here's the one I purchased earlier this year. It's very interesting to note the wide range in style on these issues.

BillDugan1959

If you want to teach me something, how do you establish a date on this coin?

The OP says it is "late" in the reign of Augustus, but how do we know?

I assume that the identification of Agrippa comes from the "Naval Crown" that he uniquely was entitled to wear?

TheRaven

I think they are dated from the historical context.

BillDugan1959

I kinda know the timeline - Battle of Actium 30 BC (effectively the end of the Civil Wars); former Roman Soldiers begin to be settled at Nimes 28 BC; Agrippa dies 12 BC; Augustus dies 14 AD. The "Divi F" presumably refers to Augustus as the adopted son of the Divine Julius (wouldn't that be kind of an earlier claim that Octavian would likely lean upon, not a later one?).

"PP" is pater patriae, which title was voted to Augustus in 2BC, but the Divine Julius earlier held this title as well. Along with "Divi F", "PP" might refer to Julius? Yet it might refer to Augustus and put the coin 2BC or later.

Or couldn't the coin have been issued by Gaius (Caligula)? He was descended from both Agrippa and Augustus. [But I think that is stretching it quite a bit.]

I just wonder how the time is determined.

petitioncrown

well it has to be your area of interest - great a few members brought new ideas to the table and gave me future notes to expand other articles