Lifelike Caesar Portrait
656. The Caesarians. Julius Caesar. March-April 44 BC. AR Denarius (19.5mm, 4.12 g, 6h). Rome mint; M. Mettius, moneyer. Wreathed head right; CAeÍAr downward to right; iÂper upward to left / Venus Victrix standing left, holding Victory in outstretched right hand and transverse scepter in left, resting her left elbow on shield set on celestial globe; B to left, Â • ÂeTTiuÍ downward to right. Crawford 480/17; Alföldi Type XVI, 20-21 (A3/R14); CRI 101; Sydenham 1055; RSC 35; RBW 1686. Lightly toned with a hint of iridescence, a few light marks. Good VF. Pleasing veristic portrait. ($4000) Verism, a style of portraiture that strives to be hyper-realistic in its depiction of the subject “warts and all,” can be traced as far back as the reign of the Egyptian Pharaoh Akenaten in the 13th century BC. It came to its full fruition in the late Roman Republic, perhaps influenced by the practice of making wax masks of the deceased. Caesar was the first living Roman to place his image on coins, and, in keeping with the style of portrait busts in stone and bronze, many of his numismatic portraits are veristic to the point of caricature. It is surprising to modern sensibilities that a man of his alleged vanity would allow himself to be portrayed with the balding pate, sagging jowls, and long “turkey neck” seen on this lifetime denarius. But it was clearly less important to Caesar that he be flattered with an idealized portrait, in the manner of Hellenistic kings, than to have his image convey the power and gravitas that only age and experience could provide.
657. The Caesarians. Julius Caesar. February-March 44 BC. AR Denarius (18mm, 4.09 g, 1h). Rome mint; P. Sepullius Macer, moneyer. Laureate and veiled head right; CAeÍAr downward to right, DiCT perpeTuO upward to left / Venus Victrix standing left, holding Victory in extended right hand and vertical scepter in left; shield set on ground to right; p • ÍepuLLiuÍ downward to right, ÂACer downward to left. Crawford 480/13; Alföldi Type IX, 1-6 (A23/R– [unlisted rev. die]); CRI 107d; Sydenham 1074; RSC 39; RBW 1685. Attractive find patina, some minor roughness. Near EF. ($3000)
658. The Republicans. C. Cassius Longinus. Spring 42 BC. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.81 g, 6h). Military mint, probably at Smyrna; P. Cornelius Lentulus Spinther, legatus. Tripod surmounted by cortina and two laurel branches, fillet hanging on either side / Capis and lituus. Crawford 500/1; CRI 219; Sydenham 1308; RSC 7; RBW 1761. Obverse struck slightly off center. EF. ($1500) From the Benito Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group Electronic Auction 192 (23 July 2008), lot 213.
659. The Republicans. C. Cassius Longinus. Spring 42 BC. AR Denarius (19.5mm, 3.42 g, 6h). Military mint, probably at Smyrna; P. Cornelius Lentulus Spinther, legatus. Diademed head of Libertas right / Capis and lituus. Crawford 500/3; CRI 221; Sydenham 1307; RSC 4a; RBW 1762. Attractively toned, faint porosity, reverse slightly off center. Near EF. Struck on a broad flan. ($1000) From the San Vicente Collection, purchased from Freeman & Sear, circa 2003.
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