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coin
Object Type
coin
Museum number
1866,1201.4189
Denomination
denarius
Description
Silver coin.
(whole)
Head of Octavian, bare, right; behind, lituus.
(obverse)
Crocodile standing right.
(reverse)
State
Associated with:
Roman Empire
Ancient Greece and Rome: Roman Empire
Authority
Ruler:
Augustus (Octavian)
Cultures/periods
Roman Imperial
Production date
28BC
Production place
Minted in:
Italy
(Brundisium and Rome?)
Materials
silver
Dimensions
Die-axis:
6 o'clock
Diameter:
20 millimetres
(max)
Weight:
3.60 grammes
$Inscriptions
Curator's comments
This denarius celebrates the successful conclusion of Octavian's Egyptian campaign. The conquest the Ptolemaic kingdom of Egypt in August 30BC removed the last obstacle to Octavian's achievement of supreme power in the Roman world. In 29 BC, Octavian returned to Rome for his official triumph (a triple one, primarily celebrating his successes at Actium and Alexandria but also in Illyricum) and in the following year this coin picturing a crocodile with the inscription AEGVPTO CAPTA celebrated the event.
In Bibliothèque National de France’s catalogue (BNCMER Auguste) mint attributed to Ephesus.
Bibliographic references
RE1 / Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, vol. 1: Augustus to Vitellius
(651, p.106)
RIC1 / The Roman Imperial Coinage, vol. 1
(275a, p.61)
(type)
RR2 / Coins of the Roman Republic in the British Museum, vol. 2. Coinages of Rome (continued), Roman Campania, Italy, the social war, and the provinces.
(244, p.537)
Location
Not on display
Subjects
emperor/empress
crocodile
Associated names
Named in inscription & portrayed:
Augustus (Octavian)
Associated places
Named in inscription:
Egypt
Acquisition name
Bequeathed by:
James Woodhouse
Acquisition date
1866
Department
Coins and Medals
Registration number
1866,1201.4189
C&M catalogue number
RE1
(106)
(651)
RR2
(537)
(244)