The George W. La Borde Collection of Roman Aurei Part I
THE ROMAN EMPIRE
Octavian as Augustus, 27 BC – 14 AD, in the name of Nero Claudius Drusus, brother of Tiberius and father of Germanicus
Aureus circa 41-45, AV 7.71 g. NERO CLAVDIVS DRVSVS GERMANICVS IMP Laureate head r. Rev. DE – GE – R – MA – NIS Vexillum between two crossed oblong shields, and two pairs of spears and trumpets crossed. C 5. BMC Claudius 104. RIC Claudius 73. CBN 317b. Calicó 317a (this coin).
Rare. A very elegant portrait finely engraved and a lovely
light reddish tone. Extremely fine
Provenance
Sold by Bank Leu, auction 48, Zurich, 10 May 1989, lot 315.
William H. Williams Collection sold by Numismatica Ars Classica (Zurich), auction 31 (”An American Collector”), 26 October 2005, lot 18.

Roman history, like that of any enduring empire, allows for speculation about how the course of events might have changed had certain people died, or in this case, not died. A perfect study in this is Nero Claudius Drusus, the younger brother of Tiberius. Unlike Tiberius, whom Augustus had always disliked, Drusus was much beloved by Rome’s first emperor. When Augustus wrested Livia from her first husband, she was pregnant with Drusus, and gave birth to him months after her marriage to Augustus. It is commonly understood that Livia’s first husband had sired Nero Claudius Drusus – but perhaps it is not impossible that Augustus was the father. Speculation aside, Augustus took instantly to the newborn Drusus and treated him as if he was a son of his own blood. The same cannot be said for Drusus’ brother Tiberius, who was already four years old when he came to live in Augustus’ household. Augustus saw personally to Drusus’ education and arranged his marriage to his extraordinarily noble and wealthy niece Antonia. Drusus’ career advanced quickly and, after commanding alongside his brother, he spent three years leading a campaign in Germany. While there Drusus was able to dedicate the great Altar of Lugdunum to Augustus on August 1, 10 B.C., the very day that his youngest son, Claudius (who struck this aureus in posthumous remembrance 50 years after his death) was born. But Drusus’ great possibilities ended tragically in 9 B.C. when he died of injuries he received falling off a horse at age 29. This reverse type celebrates his German campaign – for which his eldest son, Germanicus, was renamed.