Roman Republic, Denarius

The last years of the Roman Republic were overshadowed by civil war. Two years after the assassination of Julius Caesar (44 BC), the three most powerful men in Rome – Octavian, Mark Antony and Marcus Lepidus – formed a rule of three men, the Triumvirate.

This denarius was issued by Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus, the later Emperor Augustus. It was struck in a traveling military mint somewhere in Italy. The obverse depicts Octavian and the inscription CAESAR III VIR R P C (Triumvir rei publicae constituendae – triumvir for the reestablishing of the republic). With this design, Octavian propagated his pietas, his fidelity towards the godly laws and the republic.

The reverse shows a curule chair bearing the legend CAESAR DIC PER (Caesar dictator perpetuo), alluding to the murdered Julius Caesar, who had been the adoptive father of Octavian.