Denarius of Augustus
Date19-18 BCE
PeriodRoman Empire
Place MadeCaesaraugusta, Spain, Europe
MediumSilver
Dimensions21 mm, 3.73 g
Credit LineGift of Drs. John and Bessie Sawhill
Object number2024.1.27
On View
Not on viewCollections
DescriptionObv: Oak-wreathed head of Augustus, left; CAESAR AUGUSTUS
Rev: Eight-rayed comet with tail upwards; DIVVS-ILIVUS across field to left and right
RIC I 37b; BMCRE I 326
RIC I 37b; BMCRE 326
NotesIn the summer that followed Caesar’s assassination and funeral, a comet was observed so bright that it was visible in the daylights. Comets have always been heralds of good or bad omens throughout history, but this one was seized by the remaining Caesarians (mainly Octavian) as indicating the deification of Julius Caesar and his acceptance among the Gods. Suetonius reports, "a comet shone for seven successive days, rising about the eleventh hour, and was believed to be the soul of Caesar." (Caesar 88) and the comet came to be known as Julian Star (Sidus Iulium). Eventually, a temple was erected to the Deified Caesar (Divus Iulius) at the site of his burial pyre, remanent of which remain in the heart of the Roman Forum to this day.
The propaganda benefits for Caesar’s chosen heir, his nephew Octavian, were immediate and powerful. Having no title of his own, he could now begin to align himself as the “Son of a God”. His early coinage frequently featured imagery of the eight-rayed comet and included the inscription DIVI-F (Son of a God). This particular coin was issued much later in 19/18BCE for the Secular Games which occurred every 100 years. This truly once in a lifetime event was a powerful propaganda opportunity for Octavian (now Augustus) to entertain the populace and remind them of their ruler’s association with the Divine.
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