Julius Caesar AR Denarius. Military mint travelling with Caesar in Spain, 46-45 BC. Draped bust of Venus to left, wearing stephane; small Cupid at point of bust; lituus to left, sceptre to right / Trophy of Gallic arms, holding shield and carnyx in each hand; on left, bearded male captive kneeling to left, looking to right; on right, female captive seated to right, resting head in hand; CAESAR in exergue. Crawford 468/2; CRI 59; BMCRR Spain 86; Sydenham 1015; RBW 1640; RSC 14. 3.85g, 20mm, 1h.

Extremely Fine; beautiful golden tone.

Caesar's conquest of Gaul, to which the reverse of this coin alludes, with its captured Gallic spoils (the typical shield, the Gallic 'carnyx' or war horn, and axe) and obviously Gallic captives, was the springboard from which he was to take control of the Republic and become its Dictator. It allowed him to grow his power base through both fame as the conqueror of so vast a region and of so many peoples, and through strength as the commander of an army that grew ever more experienced and fiercely loyal. His allocation of the provinces of Gaul also granted him a magistrate's immunity from the prosecution his enemies intended to conduct upon his return to Rome, which would undoubtedly have stunted his career. It was from his province of Cisalpine Gaul that he invaded Italy across the Rubicon, and he did so with the Legio XIII Gemina, who had fought for him in the major battles of his conquest of Gaul.

The importance of this conquest of Gaul to Caesar's career, and his awareness of this importance, is demonstrated by this coin. It was minted some time after he had left Gaul behind, by the mint which moved with his army as it fought the Optimates around the Mediterranean and beyond – this coin in particular being minted for the Spanish campaign against Pompey's sons in late 46-early 45 BC - yet it harks back to these Gallic victories, reminding those he paid with these coins of his past as a Roman hero - a conqueror not of his own people, but of his people's enemies. Furthermore, as Sear points out, the theme of Caesar's victories in Gaul was undoubtedly "intended to revive memories of 'the good old days' in the hearts of his seasoned veterans who were now being called upon to face the Pompeian threat for the third time in only two and a half years" and whose morale may thus have been dangerously flagging.