Augustus. Silver Denarius (3.62 g), 27 BC-AD 14. Lugdunum, 2 BC-AD 12. CAESAR AVGVSTVS DIVI F PATER P[ATRIA]E, laureate head of Augustus right. Reverse: C L CAES[ARES AVGVSTI F COS D]ESIG PRINC IVVENT, Gaius and Lucius Caesars, togate, standing facing, supporting between them on ground honorary shields and spears; above, lituus and simpulum turned inwards. RIC 210; Lyon 85; BMC 540; RSC 43c. Toned. EF. Estimate Value $500 - 600
Augustus formally adopted his two grandsons, Gaius and Lucius, the children of his friend and general M. Agrippa and his only child, his daughter Julia. Both were groomed as heirs, but neither survived him, Lucius dying in Gaul in AD 2 and Gaius in Lycia in AD 4. With their deaths Augustus was forced to look for another suitable candidate to succeed him, and selected his stepson, Tiberius.