Numismatica Ars Classica Zurich

Spring Sale 2021  –  10 May 2021

Numismatica Ars Classica Zurich, Spring Sale 2021

Roman and Byzantine Coins

Mo, 10.05.2021, from 3:00 PM CEST
The auction is closed.
No floor bidding.

Description

Roman Empire. Gaius augustus, 37-41.
Sestertius 37-38, Æ 28.44 g. C·CAESAR·AVG·GERMANICVS·PON·M·TR·POT Laureate head l. Rev. S·P·Q·R / P·P / OB·CIVES / SERVATOS within oak wreath. C 24. BMC 38. RIC 37. Biaggi, Le preziose patine 67 (this coin illustrated). CBN 50.
Very rare. An elegant portrait on an untouched tiber tone. About extremely fine

The young Gaius Julius Caesar, a son of the important commander Germanicus and named after the famous Julius Caesar, grew up in the military camps alongside his father. The soldiery, amused by this child who wore a scaled down version of legionary footwear, gave him the nickname, Caligula ("Little Boots"), the name by which he is still popularly known today, although it was never used in any official document and Gaius reportedly did not like it. His family life deteriorated during the reign of Tiberius: his father died (possibly through poisoning), his mother was banished, and his brothers imprisoned or exiled. He naturally grew to hate Tiberius, but hid it well. Gaius ingratiated himself with the emperor and had himself named in the emperor's will alongside Tiberius' grandson, Gemellus. When Tiberius died, perhaps through the agency of Gaius, Macro, the Praetorian Prefect, proclaimed him as the new emperor. Rome was happy to be rid of the austere and repressive Tiberius and the first months of Gaius' reign in AD 37 seemed to indicate that happier times were ahead. The new emperor was on good terms with the Senate and people, restoring free elections in the popular assembly and suspending the treason laws that had been so destructive under Tiberius. Then, Gaius was struck down by a serious illness in October AD 37, and when he recovered his outlook became very different. Fearful of potential rivals and lacking an heir, he ordered the execution of both Macro and Gemellus in AD 38. His reign became increasingly autocratic, leaving little room for the engagement of courtiers or the Senate in the administration. He began to mock and humiliate members of the senatorial class and the Praetorian Guard and revived the Tiberian treason laws. Although he expanded the Empire to include Mauritania, an abortive invasion of Britannia resulted in a bizarre exercise in collecting shells-"the spoils of Neptune"-on the shore of the English Channel. The emperor's mind was becoming unhinged. In AD 40, Gaius began to assume the role of a living god. Although this was acceptable and somewhat expected in the provinces it was anathema in Rome where the Emperor was still considered primus inter pares, first among equals. He appeared in public dressed as various deities and had the heads of cult statues removed and replaced with his own. He described himself as a New Helios and demanded universal worship. A cult image of himself as the sun god was famously ordered to be erected in the Jerusalem Temple, but Gaius died before the order could be carried out. The crisis of the Emperor's claims to divinity came to a head when he announced plans to move from Rome to Alexandria where he could more easily receive the religious adoration that he craved. It was feared that such a move would make Alexandria the new capital of the Empire and the elite of Rome would lose their former power. Rome had reached its breaking point and on January 21 AD 41, the Praetorian Guard assassinated the emperor in a passageway beneath the imperial palace. The present sestertius belongs to the early period of Gaius' reign, when he still ruled in accord with Roman custom and the precedents established by the beloved Augustus. The reverse type conspicuously links Gaius to Augustus by depicting the corona civica that had been awarded to Augustus ob cives servatos ("for saving a citizen"), that is, for saving the Roman people from continued civil war. The type not only connects Gaius to his revered great-grandfather, but implies that his succession after the death of the childless Tiberius also saved the Roman citizen body from civil war. The legend also commemorates Gaius' acceptance of the title Pater Patriae ("Father of the Country") which had been awarded to Augustus but refused by Tiberius when the Senate had offered it.

Question about this lot?

Bidding

Price realized 6'000 CHF 15 bids
Starting price 1'600 CHF
Estimate 2'000 CHF
The auction is closed.
Feedback / Support