119
3121
Nero, with Agrippina II. Silver Denarius (3.65 g), AD 54-68.
Rome, AD 55.
NERO CLAVD DIVI F CAES AVG GERM IMP TR P COS, jugate busts of Nero
and Agrippina II right, Nero with a small fold of drapery behind neck, Agrip-
pina draped.
Reverse:
AGRIPP AVG DIVI CLAVD NERONIS CAES MATER,
the diefied emperors Augustus and Claudius seated on a cart drawn by four el-
ephants left; in upper left field, EX S C. RIC 7; BMC 8; RSC 4. Well struck and
perfectly centered with the portrait of Nero in high relief. Lovely old cabinet
toning. An incredible coin!
Superb Extremely Fine.
For the first few years of Nero’s reign while he was still a minor, his mother
Agrippina enjoyed unparalleled supremacy, firmly dominating the young
emperor. Her portrait and title ostentatiously adorn the early coin issues from
the reign, some with her bust alone and others, such as on this handsome
denarius, showing jugate busts of her son and herself. As Nero became older
he strongly resented Agrippina’s dominance over him and meddling, and
by AD 59 things had deteriorated to such a state of affairs that he had her
murdered. In hindsight this is perhaps not entirely surprising; even by ancient
standards the actions of the imperial family at this time were considered
vile. Suetonius even records that on the day of Nero’s birth, “Many people
at once made many direful predictions from his horoscope, and a remark
of his father Domitius was also regarded as an omen; for while receiving the
congratulations of his friends, he said that ‘nothing that was not abominable
and a public bane could be born of Agrippina and himself.’” (Seut. Nero vi).
Estimated Value............................................................................ $20,000 - 25,000
Ex NFA XXV (29 November 1990), 356.
