Octavian AR Denarius, Victory on Prow

Octavian AR Denarius Prow & Quadriga

AR Denarius
Octavian, 27BCE - 14CE
Diameter: 20mm, Weight: 3.52 grams, Die axis: 8h

Obverse: Anepigraphic, Victory standing on prow to right, holding palm branch over her left shoulder and extends laurel wreath in right hand.

Reverse: IMP. CAESAR
Octavian standing in triumphal quadriga to right, holds reigns in left hand and extends (olive or laurel) branch in right hand.

Mint: Either Brundisium or Rome.

Notes:
- This denarius celebrates the Battle of Actium in which Agrippa and Octavian triumphed over Antony and Kleopatra. The obverse die is the first of the entire IMP CAESAR series of Octavian; the die is shared with the last of the CAESAR DIVI F denarii of the same design.

-The reverse may refer to Octavian’s entry into Alexandria following the battle of Actium (31/30 BCE), or the triple triumph subsequently awarded to him in Rome (29BCE); the dating of the type is still not precisely known.

- After the great struggles between the triumvirs, many soldiers from the vast standing armies needed to be de-commissioned and paid. It is possible that this early type was minted using silver from the Ptolemaic treasury seized by Octavian following the Battle of Actium.

-Brundisium (modern day Brindisi) in southern Italy was Octavian’s naval base, which is where this type may have been minted to pay the soldiers. Alternatively the mint may have Rome.

Purchased from Praefectus Coins 2015, Ex Nomos Obolos 2 (2015), lot 204