Roman Empire, Octavian Augustus, Denarius


Roman Empire, Octavian Augustus, Denarius (obverse) Roman Empire, Octavian Augustus, Denarius (reverse)

Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus pushed his luck when he offered the Roman senate to resign from all his political offices in 27 BC. The bluff worked out: The senate denied his request for resignation and bestowed Octavian with comprehensive powers and many honorary titles. Among other things, Octavian (until 14 AD) now held the right to call himself 'Augustus' (the venerable), a title of religious rather than political authority. The later Roman emperors all adopted this title.

The obverse of this denarius portrays the powerful man together with his name CAESAR AVGVSTVS. The reverse depicts the symbols of the four priestly corporations of ancient Rome, of which Augustos was a member: a ladle (simpuvium) for the ponitifices; a staff (lituus) for the augurs; a tripod for the quindecimviri, and a sacrificial dish (patera) for the epulones.


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