Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Triton XXV 11-12 Jan 2022
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Claudius. AD 41-54. AR Denarius (19mm, 3.82 g, 4h). Rome mint. Struck AD 50-51. TI CLAVD CAESAR • AVG • P • M • TR • P • X • IMP • P • P, laureate head right / PACI AVGVSTAE, Pax-Nemesis, winged and draped, advancing right, with right hand holding out fold of drapery below chin, with left hand holding winged caduceus, pointing down at snake erect, gliding right. RIC I 52; von Kaenel Type 40, 701 (V588/R607 – this coin); RSC 65; BMCRE 62-3; BN 66-7. Handsome old cabinet tone. Good VF. Well centered on a broad flan. Great portrait.
From the Thomas A. Palmer Collection. Ex Empire Coins 12 (7 September 1990), lot 345; Leu 50 (25 April 1990), lot 280; Münzen und Medaillen AG 66 (22 November 1984), lot 543; Auctiones AG 13 (23 June 1983), lot 658; Auctiones AG 11 (30 September 1980), lot 40; Hess-Leu [19] (12 April 1962), lot 429.
Nemesis is the goddess who enacts divine retribution on those who display hubris, or arrogance before the gods. By Roman times she is usually depicted as a winged woman holding out a fold of her garment before her, expressing aversion by spitting upon her bosom (supposedly humans could avoid her anger by making the same gesture). From early in his reign, Claudius employed on his coins a version of Nemesis sharing some features with Pax (Peace) along with the legend PACI AVGVSTAE ("the Emperor's peace"). Claudius's Nemisis coinage starts in AD 43 and probably refers to his invasion and subsequent conquest of Britain, with Rome meting out "divine retribution" on the arrogant British tribes. "The Emperor's peace" presumably refers to Britannia being brought within the Pax Romana, albeit by force of arms. Nine decades later Hadrian would employ a similar reverse as a reference to the Bar Kochba conflict.
From the Thomas A. Palmer Collection. Ex Empire Coins 12 (7 September 1990), lot 345; Leu 50 (25 April 1990), lot 280; Münzen und Medaillen AG 66 (22 November 1984), lot 543; Auctiones AG 13 (23 June 1983), lot 658; Auctiones AG 11 (30 September 1980), lot 40; Hess-Leu [19] (12 April 1962), lot 429.
Nemesis is the goddess who enacts divine retribution on those who display hubris, or arrogance before the gods. By Roman times she is usually depicted as a winged woman holding out a fold of her garment before her, expressing aversion by spitting upon her bosom (supposedly humans could avoid her anger by making the same gesture). From early in his reign, Claudius employed on his coins a version of Nemesis sharing some features with Pax (Peace) along with the legend PACI AVGVSTAE ("the Emperor's peace"). Claudius's Nemisis coinage starts in AD 43 and probably refers to his invasion and subsequent conquest of Britain, with Rome meting out "divine retribution" on the arrogant British tribes. "The Emperor's peace" presumably refers to Britannia being brought within the Pax Romana, albeit by force of arms. Nine decades later Hadrian would employ a similar reverse as a reference to the Bar Kochba conflict.