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Augustus & Agrippa

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".

Petition Crown
The Worlds Most Prestigious and Valuable Silver Coin. Thomas Simon and two Kings of Numismatics together Petition Crown & 1804 $

Comments

  • SmEagle1795SmEagle1795 Posts: 2,135 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 7, 2017 9:25PM

    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.

    Learn about our world's shared history told through the first millennium of coinage: Colosseo Collection
  • BillDugan1959BillDugan1959 Posts: 3,821 ✭✭✭✭✭

    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?

  • TheRavenTheRaven Posts: 4,143 ✭✭✭✭

    I think they are dated from the historical context.

    Collection under construction: VG Barber Quarters & Halves
  • BillDugan1959BillDugan1959 Posts: 3,821 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 8, 2017 11:01AM

    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.

  • 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

    Petition Crown
    The Worlds Most Prestigious and Valuable Silver Coin. Thomas Simon and two Kings of Numismatics together Petition Crown & 1804 $
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