Caligula Honours his Great-Grandfather

Good Extremely Fine; two highly attractive portraits, pleasant light cabinet tone.

Ex Thomas A. Palmer Collection; Ex Classical Numismatic Group, inventory no. 737486, April 2004; Ex Classical Numismatic Group, Triton VII, 13 January 2004, lot 849.

Much attention has been given over the years to the seemingly base character of Gaius, known to history as Caligula (meaning ‘little soldier ’s boot) after the nickname he acquired as a child from his father Germanicus’ soldiers during their campaign in Germania. Though there are few surviving sources concerning his reign, he is generally described as noble and moderate in the first six months of his rule, after which time the sources focus upon his cruelty, sadism, extravagance and sexual perversion. All surviving sources, except Pliny the Elder, characterise Caligula as insane, but given his extreme unpopularity it is difficult to separate fact from fiction in the historical record.

Recent studies have attempted to ascribe a medical reason for his unusual behaviour, citing encephalitis, epilepsy or meningitis as possibilities, however the question remains unanswered. Philo of Alexandria, Josephus and Seneca state that Caligula was insane, but describe this madness as a personality trait that came through experience. Certainly the experiences in the early years of his life would have been sufficient to leave an individual severely traumatised at the very least; born in AD 12 into the perilously dysfunctional Julio-Claudian family, his father Germanicus was allegedly poisoned by an agent of Tiberius (Germanicus’ uncle) when Caligula was only seven, and his mother Agrippina and eldest brother Nero were banished by the emperor on charges of treason in 29. His other older brother Drusus was imprisoned on similar charges in AD 30, and in the same year Nero was killed or committed suicide. His mother was mistreated in exile, losing an eye during a beating from a centurion, and died in AD 33. Tacitus (Annals, 6.25) speculates that she was starved to death as was Drusus, who died after having been reduced to chewing the stuffing of his bed. Meanwhile, Caligula and his sisters were “nothing more than prisoners of Tiberius, under the close watch of soldiers” according to Suetonius (Lives of the Caesars, III.64). All the while, Caligula was forced to act as though he bore Tiberius no ill-will, whom Caligula claimed to have planned to kill with a dagger in order to avenge his mother and brother (Lives of the Caesars, IV.12).

The grief felt by Caligula at the loss of his murdered parents, Germanicus and Agrippina, and his murdered brothers, Nero Caesar and Drusus Caesar, is evident in his efforts to commemorate their memories, of which his coinage provides numerous examples. Here, he celebrates his familial right to rule through his association with the first emperor, his great-grandfather, Augustus.

Nero, as Caesar, AR Denarius. Rome, AD 51-54. NERONI CLAVDIO [DRVSO] GERM COS DESIGN, bare-headed and draped bust to right / EQVESTER OR-DO PRINCIPI IVVENT in four lines on shield, behind which stands a spear. RIC I 79 (Claudius); BMCRE 93 (Claudius); RSC 97. 3.45g, 17mm, 2h.

Near Extremely Fine; a high-relief and attractive portrait of young Nero.

648.

Extremely Fine; high relief. Very Rare.

Ex Bolaffi Spa, Auction 34, 30 May 2019, lot 435.

The Only Example on CoinArchives

6,000

Nero Æ Sestertius. Lugdunum, AD 66. IMP NERO CAESAR AVG PONT MAX TR P P P, laureate head to right, globe at point of bust / Garlanded triumphal arch surmounted by statue of emperor in facing quadriga escorted on right by Victory holding wreath and palm and on left by Pax holding caduceus and cornucopiae; two small figures of soldiers below the quadriga on extreme left and right; on left side of arch in niche, figure of Mars standing facing, holding spear and round shield; ornamental reliefs on the faces and plinths of the arch; S-C across fields. RIC I 498; C. -; BMCRE 332 var. (obv. legend). 24.62g, 35mm, 7h.

Near Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare; the only example present on CoinArchives.

Acquired from Leu Numismatik AG; Ex collection of Dipl.-Ing. Adrian Lang; Ex Rainer Wilshke collection, Numismatica Ars Classica, Auction 84, 20 May 2015, lot 1796; Ex Dr. Busso Peus Nachfolger, Auction 349, 30 October 1996, lot 321.

2,400

651.

Civil War AR Denarius. Uncertain mint in Spain, AD 68-69. BON EVENT, diademed head of female to right / PACI P R, clasped hands holding winged caduceus. AM 42; RIC I 4 (R4); BMCRE 4; RSC 390. 3.01g, 19mm, 4h.

Near Extremely Fine; wonderful old cabinet tone. Extremely Rare; rated R4 by RIC and only four other examples found on CoinArchives.

From the private collection of an European Engineer.

The anonymous coins of the Civil War of AD 68-69 produced at mints in Spain, Gaul, Northern Italy and possibly North Africa and Germany are notoriously rare and difficult to obtain. They do not name their issuing authorities, but we may safely infer that they were struck in support of Vindex, Galba or Vitellius, depending on the location of their production. Until relatively recently they had largely been ignored by scholars, though in the 1970s Peter-Hugo Martin, Colin Kraay and Etienne-Paul Nicolas all published studies on this obscure series. Many of the coin types are known from only very few examples, or unique specimens, and despite the revolt being brief, a matter of just a few months, the coinage is exceptionally diverse.

900

Civil War, Vindex AR Denarius. Uncertain mint in Gaul, AD 68. AVGVSTVS CAESAR, bare head of Augustus to left / S•P•Q•R - CL•V inscribed in two lines on clipeus virtutis. Nicolas -; AM -; BMC -; RIC -; C. -. 3.39g, 18mm, 6h.

Extremely Fine. Apparently unique and unpublished; of great numismatic interest.

Ex Long Valley River Collection; Ex Roma Numismatics Ltd., Auction VII, 22 March 2014, lot 1012.

652.

1,800

This coin is a restitution of the type issued under Augustus (RIC 42b), and follows that coin very closely, except for the style of the portrait which is distinctly ‘provincial’. This style is however entirely in keeping with the manner of engraving common among Vindex’s engravers, which tends towards tightly pursed lips, pointed noses and furrowed brows. Quite apart from its being a previously unrecorded type for Vindex, this coin is also among a certain rare league of that series, being a direct copy of a pre-existing type. Other restitutions included the Divus Iulius comet type (RIC 37 and 102), the capricorn reverse type, and the bull reverse type popular under Augustus. The appearance of this type is therefore a pleasant surprise, but not completely unexpected.

Galba AR Denarius. Rome, AD 68-69. IMP SER GALBA AVG, bare head to right / S P Q R OB C S in three lines within oak wreath. RIC I 167; BMCRE 34 corr. (bust type); RSC 287. 3.49g, 18mm, 6h.

Extremely Fine; attractively toned with a striking portrait.

Acquired from Artemide Aste s.r.l. (San Marino).

900

654.

Otho AV Aureus. Rome, AD 69. IMP M OTHO CAESAR AVG TR P, bare head to right / PAX ORBIS TERRARVM, Pax standing facing, head to left, holding olive branch and caduceus. RIC I 3; C. 2; BMCRE 1; BN 2; Biaggi 270; Calicó 524. 7.05g, 20mm, 5h. Near Very Fine. Rare.

From a private European collection.

According to the accounts of Plutarch and Suetonius, Otho was sent to Lusitania in AD 68 because Nero had become enamoured of his wife Poppaea Sabina. The two were divorced, and Otho’s bitterness at his estrangement from his wife, paired with his relocation to Hispania, made him a natural ally for Galba, the governor of neighbouring Tarraconensis, in his revolt against Nero. Support for Nero waned, and he fled to the villa of his freedman Phaon where he took his own life, while Galba, accompanied by Otho, marched on Rome and was declared emperor

Otho expected to be named Galba’s heir as a result of his loyalty, but when Galba nominated L. Calpurnius Piso Frugi Licinianus, Otho’s disappointment manifested itself as anger and he fomented a revolt amongst the Praetorians, who murdered Galba. Otho was hailed emperor on 15 January 69, however, his reign was not destined to be lengthy. Whilst he had the support of Egypt, Africa and the legions of the Danube, support for Vitellius was strong among the powerful legions stationed on the Rhine and conflict became inevitable.

Otho committed to a battle before his reinforcements from Dalmatia were able to reach him, and he suffered a defeat at the Battle of Bedriacum. Ignoring the entreaties of his generals to await his reinforcements and offer battle once again, Otho took his own life, after just three months as emperor, giving his reason as to avoid further bloodshed.

His suicide was widely recognised by his contemporaries as an honourable act. The poet Martial later wrote in his Epigrams VI. XXXII “Sit Cato, dum vivit, sane vel Caesare maior, dum moritur, numquid maior Othone fuit?” (“Cato while he lived, he was greater than Caesar himself, when he died, was he at all greater than Otho?”). Given the nature of the circumstances of his death, it seems fitting that the legend on the reverse of this rare type should be PAX ORBIS TERRARVM, since despite the violence of his short reign, through his suicide Otho had steered Rome away from further conflict.

Very Rare

Near Very Fine. Very Rare.

From a private European collection.

6,000

656.

Ex Walters Collection (1932) and Cited in RIC and BMCRE

657.

Vitellius Æ Sestertius. Rome, AD 69. A VITELLIVS GERMANICVS IMP AVG P M TR P, laureate and draped bust to right / PAX AVGVSTI, Pax standing facing, head to left, holding branch and cornucopiae; S-C across fields. RIC I 118 (this coin cited); C. 67; BN 92; BMCRE p. 377, ⴕ (this coin cited). 25.29g, 37mm, 6h.

Near Extremely Fine; slightly smoothed.

This coin cited in Roman Imperial Coinage Vol. I (Revised Edition) From 31 BC to AD 69 (London, 1984);

This coin cited in Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum Vol I: Augustus to Vitellius. (London, 1965);

Ex Bolaffi Spa, Auction 41, 26 May 2022, lot 213;

Ex Numismatik Lanz München, Auction 32, 29 April 1985, lot 451;

Ex Frederick A. Walters Collection, Adolph Hess Nachfolger (Lucerne), Auction 211, 9 May 1932, lot 503.

A Very Rare Issue

4,500

Vespasian AV Aureus. Tarraco(?), AD 69-70. IMP CAESAR AVG VESPASIANVS, laureate head to right / Mars advancing to right, holding spear and trophy; VLTOR to left, MARS to right. RIC II.1 1297; C. 270; BMCRE 350; Calicó 651. 7.25g, 18mm, 6h.

Very Fine. Very Rare.

Ex collection of Z.P., Austria, Roma Numismatics Ltd., E-Sale 91, 2 December 2021, lot 838.

1,500

Vespasian Æ Sestertius. Rome, AD 71. IMP CAES VESPAS AVG P M TR P P P COS III, laureate head to right / ROMA, Roma standing to left, holding Victory and spear; S-C across fields. RIC II.1 244; C. 418; BMCRE 564. 26.06g, 34mm, 7h.

Extremely Fine; some superficial metal flaws.

From a private UK collection.

900