Description: ROMAN IMPERATORIAL "JULIUS CAESAR" 44BC NGC XF 5x2 Description Julius Caesar, Roman Imperatorial, with Aulus Hirtius, as Praetor. AV aureus NGC XF 5/5 - 2/5. Rome, 46 BC. C•CAESAR-COS•TER, veiled female head (Vesta or Pietas?) right, with features of Julius Caesar / A•HIRTIVS•P R, lituus, oenochoe, and securis, all turned left (emblems of the augurate and pontificate). Aulus Hirtius was one of Caesar's most pivotal allies, a man whose fate could have seen him ascend to ultimate power if history had taken a different turn. A battle-hardened soldier, Hirtius fought by Caesar's side as a legate in Gaul around 54 BC and acted as an envoy to Pompey in 50 BC. His unwavering loyalty during the Civil War from 48-45 BC against Pompey and his followers showcased his dedication to Caesar's cause. In 46 BC, as Caesar's appointed mintmaster in Rome, Hirtius minted the first substantial gold aurei from the spoils of Caesar's conquests. These coins, marked with a mysterious veiled female head, were used to reward Caesar's victorious soldiers after a grand triumphal parade.Following Caesar's shocking assassination, Hirtius initially stood by Marc Antony. However, as Consul in 43 BC, he turned against Antony under the influence of Cicero and Octavian, raising an army that would clash with Antony's forces at the Battle of Mutina. In a dramatic turn of events, Hirtius's army triumphed in April 43 BC, but he was tragically killed in the fierce fighting, with his consular colleague Pansa dying days later. This left Octavian and Antony as the unchallenged powers of Rome.Beyond his battlefield exploits, modern historians owe Hirtius a debt for preserving and editing Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic and Civil Wars, ensuring that these crucial historical documents survived for posterity.
Price: 16900 USD
Location: La Jolla, California
End Time: 2024-09-10T02:49:43.000Z
Shipping Cost: N/A USD
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Item Specifics
All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted
Denomination: Aureus
Era: Ancient
Certification: NGC
