Gold Aureus of Julius Caesar
Date46 BCE
PeriodRoman Imperatorial
MediumGold
Dimensions16 mm, 7.94 g
Credit LineGift of Drs. John and Bessie Sawhill
Object number2024.1.10
On View
Not on viewDescriptionObv: Veiled female head (Vesta?) right; C CAESAR COS TER
Rev: Emblems of the augurate and pontificate – jug between lituus on left, and axe on right; A HIRTIVS PR
Crawford 466/1; BMCRR 4050 – 54; Sears Imperators 56;
NotesThese aureii were issued as part of Caesar's Quadruple Triumph celebrating his victories in Gaul, Africa, Egypt, and the East. Gold coinage was rare in Republican times but these aurei were mass produced to fulfil Caesar’s promises to his soldiers: 5000 denarii/200 aureii to each legionary and 10,000 denarii/400 auerii to each centurion.
This rapid production often led to low quality die work and striking. The female Vesta priestess on the obverse was often mistaken for male portraiture, or even an image of Caesar himself. The historical confusion can be easily understood as Caesar would indeed place his image on coins in 44 BC prior to his assassination.
The moneyer for these issues was Aulus Hirtius, a close friend of Caesar, and the final editor of Caesar’s “The Gallic Wars”. Hirtius would remain in public life until his death fighting his former colleague Mark Antony at the Battle of Mutina in 43 BC.
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