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Object Type
Museum number: 1866,1201.4189
Denomination: denarius
Description: Silver coin. (whole); Head of Octavian, bare, right; behind, lituus. (obverse); Crocodile standing right. (reverse)
State
Authority
Cultures/periods
Production date: 28BC
Production place: Minted in: Italy (Brundisium and Rome?)
Materials
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
Associated places: Named in inscription: Egypt
Acquisition name
Acquisition date: 1866
Department: Coins and Medals
Registration number: 1866,1201.4189
C&M catalogue number: RE1 (106) (651); RR2 (537) (244)

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