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1192
Augustus. Silver Denarius (3.47 g), 27 BC-AD 14. Tarraco(?), ca. 19 BC. CAESAR AVGVSTVS, bare
head of Augustus right. Rev. OB CIVIS above, SERVATOS below, oak wreath with ties inwards. (RIC 75a
(Colonia Patricia?); BN 1164-9; BMC 376-7; RSC 210). Lightly toned, lustrous surfaces. Superb extremely
fine.
$ 1,500
The oak wreath on the reverse of this coin is the
corona civica,
traditionally bestowed upon a Roman soldier who had saved a fellow
citizen in battle by slaying the enemy. Here it is the
corona civica
that was awarded to Octavian by the Senate in 27 BC, when he
was officially recognized as Augustus, the first Roman emperor. This honor recognized that by bringing an end to the civil war and
bringing about the destruction of Mark Antony, he had saved the entire citizenry of Rome from endless bloodletting.
1193
Augustus. Silver Denarius (3.81 g), 27 BC-AD 14. Emerita(?), ca. 25-23 BC. P. Carisius, propraetorian
legate. IMP CAESAR AVGVST, bare head of Augustus left. Rev. P CARISIVS LEG PRO PR, trophy of
Celtiberian arms consisting of a helmet, cuirass, shield, and javelins, erected atop pile of arms. (RIC 4b; BN
1061-4; BMC 284-5; RSC 402). Softly struck from a worn obverse die. Plenty of mint luster still present.
Lightly toned. Extremely fine.
$ 1,000
This denarius celebrates the victories of Augustus and his legate, P. Carisius, in the Cantabrian Wars (29-19 BC) that resulted in the
total conquest of Spain. Although much of Spain had been pacified and conquered by the Romans between the early second and
mid-first centuries BC, the mountaineering Cantabri and Astures of northern Spain still resisted the Roman juggernaut. Augustus
personally led the campaign in 26 BC and enjoyed several important victories before he took ill and was forced to retire to Tarraco.
Later in the year he accepted the surrender of the Cantabri. In 25 BC, command was given to Carisius, who, after vicious fighting
managed to conquer the Astures. The end of the war was celebrated by the closure of the doors to the Temple of Janus in Rome
although in the following year, rebellion stirred among the Cantabri and Astures yet again.
1194
Augustus. Silver Denarius (4.08 g), 27 BC-AD 14. Rome, 19 BC. M. Durmius, moneyer. AVGVSTVS
CAESAR, bare head of Augustus right. Rev. M DVRMIVS above, III VIR in exergue, lion attacking stag to
left. (RIC 318; BMC 63; RSC 431). Attractively toned with a good portrait. About extremely fine. $ 1,250
1193
1194