Ancient Roman Imperatorial - 48-46 BCE Julius Caesar, Venus obverse AR Denarius NGC AU
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SKU
5872244009
It is with true pleasure that we at AUCM offer a fascinating piece of ancient Roman history: an AR Denarius from the rule of Julius Caesar dated 48-46 BC. This is a wonderful piece of cultural and political propaganda that features the diademed head of Venus facing right on the obverse. The reverse presents Aeneas moving to the left, carrying palladium in his right hand and Anchises over his left shoulder. CAESAR is downward on the right. This issue was struck by the African mint of the Roman Republic.
Venus is the Roman goddess who represented love, beauty, desire, sexuality, fertility, prosperity and victory. In Roman mythology, she was the ancestor of the people of Rome through her son, Aeneas, who appears on the reverse of this coin. Thus her representation upon this coin's obverse was carefully orchestrated by Julius Caesar, who claimed her as his ancestor. Venus was essential to many religious festivals and greatly honored in Roman religion. The reverse of this issue presents a scene from Virgil's Aeneid. Aeneas, the son of Venus, is shown carrying his lame father, Anchises, from the ruined city of Troy to find a new home towards the west. Virgil's work tells us that Aeneas and his followers eventually settled in Italy, and their descendants, Romulus and Remus, were important figures in the founding of Rome. Thus by minting this coin, Caesar emphasized his relation to the mythic founders of Rome, thereby demonstrating his divine right to rule Rome.
| Grading Service | NONE |
|---|---|
| Year of Issue | NONE |
| Grade | NONE |
| Ancient Year Range | 1st C. BC- 44 AD |
| Denom Type | N/A |
| Numeric Denomination | AR Denarius |
| Mint Location | NONE |
| Designation | NONE |
| Circ/UnCirc | Not Specified |
| Strike Type | N/A |
| Holder Variety | Strike 5/5; Surface 3/5 |
| Grade Add On | NONE |
| Holder Type | N/A |
