Julius Caesar Late 47-46 BC. RRC 458/1/3b

Denomination: Denarius
Era: Late 47-46 BC
Metal:  AR
Obverse: Diademed head of Venus right
Reverse:  Aeneas advancing left, holding palladium and bearing Anchises on his shoulder; CAESAR downward to right.
Mint: Military Mint traveling in North Africa
Weight: 3.82 g.
Reference: Crawford 458/1; CRI 55; Sydenham 1013; RSC 12; BMCRR East 31; Kestner 3577-9; RBW 1600.
Date Acquired:  Jan. 14, 2023
Provenance:   Purchased at the NYINC.  CNG Classical Numismatic Review volume XLVII, No 1.  Winter 2023.  ID 5616574

Julius Caesar. Late 48-47 BC. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.82 g, 6h). Military mint traveling with Caesar in North Africa. Diademed head of Venus right / Aeneas advancing left, holding palladium and bearing Anchises on his shoulder; CAESAR downward to right. Crawford 458/1; CRI 55; Sydenham 1013; RSC 12; BMCRR East 31; Kestner 3577-9; RBW 1600. Iridescent toning, some light find patina, minor lamination error. EF.

From a military mint during Caesar's African campaign against the Pompeians Metellus Scipio and Titus Labienus who were aided by Juba of Numidia.  The locale of the conflict was south west of Sicily across the Mediterranean near the ancient city of Thapsus (near the modern sea port city of Bekalta, Tunisia) and  Ruspina (Possibly near Monastir(?)).

The reverse of this coin features a scene from Virgil's Aeneid. Aeneas is depicted carrying his lame father, Anchises, from the destroyed city of Troy to find new dwellings to the west. According to Virgil, Aeneas and his entourage eventually settled in Italy and their descendants, Romulus and Remus, went on to play a key role in founding the city of Rome. As a member of the Julian clan, which claimed to trace its ancestry back to Romulus, Remus and Aeneas, Caesar is here emphasising his connection to the mythical founders of Rome and demonstrating his divine right to rule.

Reference : RRC 458/1

Collection : Roman Republican Silver after 140 BC.