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Augustus



1. Biography
2. Coinage
2.1. Some general notes
2.2. Portrait
2.3. The Types
2.4. Coins


1. Biography

Caius Octavius was born in Rome on 23rd of September 63 BC. His career started with his adoption by Julius Caesar, after which he was named Octavian. After the murder of Julius Caesar, Octavian forced the senate to bestow him with the consulate. On Novemer 11th 43 BC, he constituted the second triumvirate together with Marcus Antonius and Marcus Aemilius Lepidus; the goal was to take revenge on the murder of Caesar. Octavian took possession over Rome and Italy, but his and Marc Antony's interests were drifting apart as soon as the latter married Cleopatra, queen of Egypt. This led to civil war and the ultimate battle of Actium, in which Marc Antony and Cleopatra were decisively defeated.
So as not to make the same mistake as Caesar, Octavian officially restored the Republic, but kept some privileges like the high command of the army, the tribunician power and a power of veto in the senate, which allowed him to further lead the empire. Augustus, as he now was named after a decree of honour of the Senate, soon became very popular and left behind his throne to his adopted son Tiberius after a long reign of more than forty years. He died on 19th of August 14 AD.


2. Coinage

2.1. Some general notes

In 23 BC, Augustus undertook a major currency reform. The ratio between the denominations was set as follows:
1 Aureus = 25 Denarii = 100 Sestertii = 200 Dupondii = 400 Asses = 800 Semisses = 1600 Quadrantes

The Aureus weighed 1/41 Roman pound, which was 7.96 grams. In reality, the weight varied between 7.70 and 8 grams. Only few purity tests have been done, they showed that the gold content of the Aureus was very high. The following mints issued Aurei (and Multipla):
Colonia Caesaraugusta: 19-18 BC
Colonia Patricia: 20-16 BC
Lugdunum: 15-6 BC, 6-9 AD and 13-14 AD
Rome: 32-29 BC (uncertain), 19 BC, 17-16 BC
  and 13-12 BC (19-12 BC with moneyers' names)
Pergamum: 19-18 BC
Cyrenaica: 31-30/29 BC

The Denarius had a standard weight of 1/84 Roman pound = 3.99 grams but usually weighed between 3.60 and 4.00 grams. The silver content usually was between 96.25 and 98 %. Denarii were minted by the following mints:
Emerita: 25-23 BC
Colonia Caesaraugusta: 19-18 BC
Colonia Patricia: 20/19-17/16 BC
Lugdunum: 15-6 BC
Rome: as aureus
Peloponnesus: 21 BC
Samos: 21-20 BC

After the opening of a mint at Lugdunum in 15 BC, Augustus displaced all the noble metal issues to the new mint, in order to get more independent of the Rome mint.

The Sestertius had a standard weight of 1/13 Roman pound, but ususally weighed between 24.00 and 26.50 grams. It was issued in aurichalcum:
Rome: 18-15 BC
Ephesus: 25 BC
Pergamum: 28-15 BC

The Dupondius, also issued in aurichalcum, had a standard weight of 1/26 Roman pound, but usually weighed between 11.00 and 13.50 grams. It was issued by the following mints:
Emerita: 25-23 BC
Nemausus: 20-10 BC
Lugdunum: 9-14 AD
Rome: 18-15 BC and 7 BC
Pergamum: 28-15 BC

The As, issued in red Zypriotic copper, had a standard weight of 1/30 Roman pound while usually weighing 9-12.00 grams. It was issued by the following mints:
Emerita: 25-23 BC
Nemausus: 20 BC - 14 AD
Lugdunum : 15-10 BC and 9-14 AD
Rome: 16-15 BC, 7-6 BC and 10-12 AD

The Semis, having a standard weight of 5.55 g, was only issued in Lugdunum from 9-14 AD, because the Quadrantes, weighing 2.90-3.30 grams, sufficiently covered the need of small change. The latter was issued in Lugdunum (15-10 BC), Treveri (?) and Rome (9-8 and 5-4 BC).

2.2. Portrait

Augustus' portrait usually was rather graceful and with a narrow neck. As time went by, his portrait was more and more idealized, so that even at the age of seventy, he still looked like thirty on his coins.

Different portrait-types of Augustus (Denarii).
29 BC21-20 BC2 v. - 4 AD


2.3. The Types

Most of Augustus' precious metal issues referred to victories and honours he had achieved during his reign. Many also glorified his adoptive father Caesar or portrayed his friend Agrippa, his grandchildren Caius and Lucius or his stepson Tiberius.

The Denarius shown here (struck 19-18 BC at Caesaraugusta) is a good example of the deification of Caesar. The obverse shows Augustus' head, wearing an oak wreath, while the reverse shows an eight-rayed comet (sidus Iulium) with a tail and the legend DIVVS IVLIVS.
The AE coinage issued by Augustus usually is far less impressive. This Sestertius has an oak wreath between two palm-branches and the legend OB CIVIS SERVATOS (for the protection of the citizens) on the obverse, while the reverse shows the legend T QVINCTIVS CRISPIN SVLPIC III VIR AAAFF surrounding a large S C ("Senatus Consulto", by the decree of the senate). The monneyer's name thus is T. Quinctius Crispinus Sulpicianus. III VIR AAAFF stands for III VIR A(ere) A(rgento) A(uro) F(lando) F(eriundo), which shows that the monneyer was member of the council to cast and strike bronze, silver and gold.


2.4. Coins


Legend-combinations alphabetically sortedAll legends

ObverseReverse
APRONIVS MESSALLA IIIVIR
APRONIVS SISENNA IIIVIR
AVGVR PONTIF
AVGVST
AVGVST DIVI F LVDOS SAE
AVGVST TR POT
AVGVST TRIB POTEST
AVGVSTVS
AVGVSTVS COS XI
AVGVSTVS DIVI F
AVGVSTVS TR POT
AVGVSTVS TR POT VII
AVGVSTVS TR POT VIII
AVGVSTVS TRIBVNIC POTEST
C ANTISTI VETVS IIIVIR
C ANTISTIVS VETVS IIIVIR
C NAEVIVS CAPELLA
C RVBELLIVS BLANDVS
CAESAR
CAESAR AVG TR POTEST
CAESAR AVG TRIB POT
CAESAR AVG TRIB POTEST
CAESAR AVG TRIBVN POTES
CAESAR AVG TRIBVN POTEST
CAESAR AVG TRIBVNI POTES
CAESAR AVG TRIBVNIC POTEST
CAESAR AVGV TRIB POTEST
CAESAR AVGV TRIBVN POTES
CAESAR AVGVS TRIBVN POTEST
CAESAR AVGVST
CAESAR AVGVST PONT MAX TRIBVNIC POT
CAESAR AVGVST TRIB POTEST
CAESAR AVGVST TRIBVN POTEST
CAESAR AVGVST TRIBVNI POTEST
CAESAR AVGVSTVS
CAESAR AVGVSTVS DIVI F PATER PATRIAE
CAESAR AVGVSTVS TR POT
CAESAR AVGVSTVS TRIBVNIC POTES
CAESAR AVGVSTVS TRIBVNIC POTEST
CAESAR COS VI
CAESAR COS VII CIVIBVS SERVATEIS
CAESAR DIVI F AVGVST
CAESAR DIVI F AVGVSTVS
CAESAR DIVI F COS VI
CAESAR DIVI F COS VII
CAESAR IMP VII
CAESAR PONT MAX
CAESARI AVGVSTO
CAISAR
GALVS APRONIVS IIIVIR
GALVS MESSALLA IIIVIR
GALVS SISENNA IIIVIR
I O M S P Q R V S PR S IMP CAE QVOD PER EV R P IN AMP AT Q TRAV S E
IMP
IMP AVGVST TR POT
IMP CAESAR
IMP CAESAR AVGVS TR POT IIX
IMP CAESAR AVGVS TR POT VIII
IMP CAESAR AVGVST
IMP CAESAR AVGVSTV
IMP CAESAR AVGVSTVS
IMP CAESAR DIVI F AVGVST COS VII
IMP CAESAR DIVI F AVGVSTVS IMP XX
IMP CAESAR DIVI F COS VI LIBERTATIS P R VINDEX
IMP CAESAR TR POT IIX
IMP CAESARI SCARPVS IMP
IMP CAISAR
IMP DIVI F
IMP IX TR PO IV
IMP IX TR PO V
L AQVILLIVS FLORVS IIIVIR
L VALERIVS CATVLLVS
LAMIA SILIVS ANNIVS
M DVRMIVS IIIVIR
M DVRMIVS IIIVIR HONORI
MESSALLA APRONIVS IIIVIR
MESSALLA GALVS IIIVIR
MESSALLA SISENNA IIIVIR
OB CIVIS SERVATOS
P BETILIENVS BASSVS
P PETRON TVRPILIAN IIIVIR
P PETRON TVRPILIAN IIIVIR FERO
PVLCHER TAVRVS REGVLVS
Q RVSTIVS FORTVNAE
Q RVSTIVS FORTVNAE ANTIAT
S C OB R P CVM SALVT IMP CAESAR AVGVS CONS
S P Q R CAESARI AVGVSTO
S P Q R IMP CAES
S P Q R IMP CAESARI
S P Q R IMP CAESARI AVG COS XI TR POT VI
S P Q R IMP CAESARI AVG COS XI TRI POT VI
S P Q R IMP CAESARI AVGV COS XI TR POT VI
S P Q R PARE CONS SVO
S P Q R PAREN CONS SVO
S P Q R PARENT CONS SVO
S P Q R PARENTI CONS SVO
SCARPVS IMP
SISENNA APRONIVS IIIVIR
SISENNA GALVS IIIVIR
SISENNA MESSALLA IIIVIR
TI CAESAR AVGVST F IMPERAT V
TI CAESAR AVGVST F IMPERAT VI
TI CAESAR AVGVST F IMPERAT VII
TI CAESAR AVGVST F IMPERATOR V
TI CAESAR AVGVST F IMPERATOR VII
TI CAESAR AVGVSTI F IMPERATOR V
TI CAESAR AVGVSTI F IMPERATOR VII
TVRPILIANVS IIIVIR
TVRPILIANVS IIIVIR FERO
TVRPILIANVS IIIVIR FERON
(No legend)
ΛT CA
A LICIN NERVA SILIAN IIIVIR AAAFF
AEGVPT CAPTA
AEGVPTO CAPTA
APRONIVS GALVS AAAFF
APRONIVS MESSALLA AAAFF
APRONIVS SISENNA AAAFF
ARMENIA CAPTA
ARMENIA RECEPTA
ASIA RECEPTA
AVGV STVS
AVGVST
AVGVSTO OB C S
AVGVSTVS
AVGVSTVS CAESAR
AVGVSTVS DIVI F
AVGVSTVS L CANINIVS GALLVS IIIVIR
C ANTIST REGIN FOE DVS P R QVM GABINIS
C ANTIST VETVS FOE DVS P R QVM GABINIS
C ANTIST VETVS FOED P R CVM GABINIS
C ANTIST VETVS IIIVIR
C ANTISTI VETVS IIIVIR
C ANTISTIVS REGINVS IIIVIR
C ASINIVS C F GALLVS IIIVIR AAAFF
C ASINIVS GALLVS IIIVIR AAAFF
C ASINIVS IIIVIR AAAFF
C CAES AVGVS F
C CASSIVS C F CELER IIIVIR AAAFF
C CASSIVS CELER IIIVIR AAAFF
C CENSORINVS L F AVG IIIVIR AAAFF
C GALLIVS C F LVPERCVS IIIVIR AAAFF
C GALLIVS LVPERCVS IIIVIR AAAFF
C L CAESARES AVGVSTI F COS DESIG PRINC IVVENT
C MARCI L F CENSORIN AVG IIIVIR AAAFF
C MARIVS C F TRO IIIVIR
C MARIVS TRO IIIVIR
C PLOTIVS RVFVS IIIVIR AAAFF
C SVLPIC PLATORIN
C SVLPICIVS PLATORIN
CA
CAESAR
CAESAR AVGVSTVS
CAESAR AVGVSTVS S C
CAESAR AVGVSTVS SIGN RECE
CAESAR DIV F ARMEN CAPTA IMP VIIII
CAESAR DIV F ARMEN RECE IMP VIIII
CAESAR DIVI F
CAESAR DIVI F ARME CAPT
CAESAR DIVI F ARMINIA CAPTA
CAESARI AVG
CAESARI AVGVSTO
CAESARI AVGVSTO EX S C
CAESARI DIVI F
CIVIB ET SIGN MILIT A PART RECVP
CIVIB ET SIGN MILIT A PART RECVPER
CN PISO C PLOT L SVRDIN
CN PISO C PLOTIVS L SVRDIN
CN PISO CN F IIIVIR AAAFF
CN PISO L SVRDIN C PLOT RVF
COL NEM
COL NIM
COM ASIAE
COS IMP CAESAR AVGV XI
COS IMP CAESAR AVGVS XI
COSSVS CN F LENTVLVS
COSSVS LENTVLVS RES PVB AVGVST
CRISPINV AAAFF
DIVI F AVG PONT
DIVVS IVLIVS
FORT RED CAES AVG S P Q R
FORTVN REDV CAESARI AVG S P Q R
FORTVN REDVC CAESARI AVG S P Q R
FORTVN REDVC CAESARI AVGVS S P Q R
GALVS APRONIVS AAAFF
GALVS MESSALLA AAAFF
GALVS SISENNA AAAFF
GERMANVS INDVTILLI L
IIIVIR AAAFF
IMP
IMP CAESAR
IMP CAESAR DIVI F
IMP X
IMP XI
IMP XII
IMP XIIII
IMP XV
IOV TON
IOVI OLV
IOVI OLVM
IOVI VOT SVSC PRO SAL CAES AVG S P Q R
IOVIS TON
IOVIS TONANT
IOVIS TONANTIS
L AQVILLIVS FLORVS III VIR
L CANINIVS GALLVS IIIVIR
L LENTVLVS FLAMEN MARTIALIS
L MESCINIVS AVG SVF P
L MESCINIVS RVFVS
L MESCINIVS RVFVS IIIVIR
L NAEVIVS SVRDINVS IIIVIR AAAFF
L SVRDINVS IIIVIR AAAFF
L VINICIVS
L VINICIVS L F IIIVIR
M AGRIPPA COS TER COSSVS LENTVLVS
M AGRIPPA PLATORINVS IIIVIR
M DVRMIVS IIIVIR
M MAECILIVS TVLLVS IIIVIR AAAFF
M SALVIVS OTHO IIIVIR AAAFF
M SANQVINIVS IIIVIR
M SANQVINIVS Q F IIIVIR AAAFF
MAR VLT
MART VLT
MART VLTO
MARTIS VLTORIS
MESSALLA APRONIVS AAAFF
MESSALLA GALVS AAAFF
MESSALLA SISENNA AAAFF
OB C S L CANINIVS GALLVS
OB CIVIS SERVATOS
P CARISI LEG
P CARISIVS LEG
P CARISIVS LEG AVGVSTI
P CARISIVS LEG PRO PR
P LICINIVS STOLO IIIVIR AAAFF
P LVRIVS AGRIPPA IIIVIR AAAFF
P PETRON TVRPILIAN IIIVIR
P STOLO IIIVIR
P STOLO IIIVIR AAAFF
PAX
PONITFEX TRIBVN POTEST ATE XII
PONTIF MAXIM
PONTIF MAXIM TRIBVN POT XXXIIII
PONTIFEX TRIBVN POTEST ATE XII
PRO VALETVDINE CAESARIS SPQR
Q AELIVS L F LAMIA IIIVIR AAAFF
Q AELIVS LAMIA IIIVIR AAAFF
QVOD VIAE MVN SVNT
ROM ET AVG
S P Q R
S P Q R CL V
S P R Q
S P R SIGNIS RECEPTIS
SEX NONIVS QVINCTILIAN IIIVIR AAAFF
SIGNIS PARTHIC RECEPT
SIGNIS PARTHIC RECEPTIS
SIGNIS PARTHICIS RECEPTIS
SIGNIS RECEPTIS
SISENNA APRONIVS AAAFF
SISENNA GALVS AAAFF
SISENNA MESSALLA AAAFF
T CRISPINVS IIIVIR AAAFF
T CRISPINVS SVLPICIAN IIIVIR AAAFF
T CRISPINVS SVLPICIANVS IIIVIR AAAFF
T QVINCTI CRISPIN SVLP III VIR AAAFF
T QVINCTIVS CRISPIN SVLPIC III VIR AAAFF
T QVINCTIVS CRISPIN SVLPICIAN III VIR AAAFF
T QVINCTIVS CRISPINV IIIVIR AAAFF
T QVINCTIVS CRISPINVS IIIVIR AAAFF
T QVINCTIVS CRISPINVS SVLPIC III VIR AAAFF
TI CAESAR AVG F TR POT XV
TI SEMPRONIVS GRACCVS IIIVIR AAAFF
TR POT XIII
TR POT XVI
TR POT XVII
TR POT XXIIII
TR POT XXV
TR POT XXVII
TR POT XXVIIII
TR POT XXX
TR POT XXXI
TVRPILIAN IIIVIR
VOLVSVS VALER MESSAL IIIVIR AAAFF
VOT P SVSC
VOT P SVSC PRO SAL ET RED I O M SACR
VOT P SVSC PRO SALVT ET RED I O M SACR
(No legend)