Numismatica Ars Classica
Auction 131 30 May 2022
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Claudius augustus, 41 – 54
Cistophoric tetradrachm, Ephesus (?) circa 41-54, AR 11.43 g. TI CLAVD – CAES AVG Bare head l. Rev. COM – ASI Distyle temple within which Claudius stands facing on l., holding spear and globe, being crowned by female figure standing facing on r., holding cornucopia in l. hand. Architrave inscribed ROM ET AVG. C 3. BMC 228 (Pergamum). Kent-Hirmer pl. 53, 186. RIC 120 (Pergamum). CBN 304 (Pergamum). RPC 2221.
In an exceptional state of preservation, undoubtedly the finest specimen known.
A superb portrait struck in high relief and a wonderful iridescent tone.
Virtually as struck and Fdc
Ex Leu 36, 1985, 239 and Sotheby's 5th July 1995, Two hundred highly important Greek and Roman coins, 101 sales.
The first Roman emperor to have been born outside Rome, Claudius was the youngest of the three surviving children of Drusus and Antonia Minor. While still very young, Claudius became disabled after suffering an illness, which caused his family (especially his mother) to disdain him. He was not permitted in the public eye, and unlike other sons of the imperial household, he was kept out of politics. It was this same disability, however, that probably saved him from the intrigues at court that proved fatal to so many of his relatives during the reigns of Tiberius and Caligula; by the time he was elevated to the throne by the Praetorian Guard after Caligula's assassination, he was the last surviving male of his family. Despite having little experience in politics, Claudius had a keen and scholarly intellect, and soon proved himself an able administrator. He respected the senate and declined many honours traditionally bestowed on an emperor, preferring to earn them instead, and he initiated extensive public works that were necessary and beneficial. Despite his effectiveness as ruler, however, it seems Claudius possibly fell victim to the intrigues of his fourth wife, Agrippina the Younger: wanting her own son, Nero, to succeed her husband on the throne, she fed Claudius a dose of poisonous mushrooms. Or so the story goes. Seneca said that Claudius died of natural causes, and as he was already 64 at the time of his death and an alcoholic, it may be that he simply succumbed to infirmity and old age.
The cistophorus was minted under Claudius for the first time since the great coinage of this denomination by Augustus. The Claudian issues were nowhere near as extensive and the pieces that are seen usually show significant wear indicating that they circulated heavily. RIC indicates that these issues may all be commemorative in nature and were not intended to be a regular coinage for the area. There are four main types of the cistophorus issues of Claudius: those including Agrippina (his wife); the issues dedicated to Artemis (Diana) and her temple, as above; the issues with ROM ET AVG temple reverses; and, late in his reign, the issues identifying Nero as his successor.
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Cistophoric tetradrachm, Ephesus (?) circa 41-54, AR 11.43 g. TI CLAVD – CAES AVG Bare head l. Rev. COM – ASI Distyle temple within which Claudius stands facing on l., holding spear and globe, being crowned by female figure standing facing on r., holding cornucopia in l. hand. Architrave inscribed ROM ET AVG. C 3. BMC 228 (Pergamum). Kent-Hirmer pl. 53, 186. RIC 120 (Pergamum). CBN 304 (Pergamum). RPC 2221.
In an exceptional state of preservation, undoubtedly the finest specimen known.
A superb portrait struck in high relief and a wonderful iridescent tone.
Virtually as struck and Fdc
Ex Leu 36, 1985, 239 and Sotheby's 5th July 1995, Two hundred highly important Greek and Roman coins, 101 sales.
The first Roman emperor to have been born outside Rome, Claudius was the youngest of the three surviving children of Drusus and Antonia Minor. While still very young, Claudius became disabled after suffering an illness, which caused his family (especially his mother) to disdain him. He was not permitted in the public eye, and unlike other sons of the imperial household, he was kept out of politics. It was this same disability, however, that probably saved him from the intrigues at court that proved fatal to so many of his relatives during the reigns of Tiberius and Caligula; by the time he was elevated to the throne by the Praetorian Guard after Caligula's assassination, he was the last surviving male of his family. Despite having little experience in politics, Claudius had a keen and scholarly intellect, and soon proved himself an able administrator. He respected the senate and declined many honours traditionally bestowed on an emperor, preferring to earn them instead, and he initiated extensive public works that were necessary and beneficial. Despite his effectiveness as ruler, however, it seems Claudius possibly fell victim to the intrigues of his fourth wife, Agrippina the Younger: wanting her own son, Nero, to succeed her husband on the throne, she fed Claudius a dose of poisonous mushrooms. Or so the story goes. Seneca said that Claudius died of natural causes, and as he was already 64 at the time of his death and an alcoholic, it may be that he simply succumbed to infirmity and old age.
The cistophorus was minted under Claudius for the first time since the great coinage of this denomination by Augustus. The Claudian issues were nowhere near as extensive and the pieces that are seen usually show significant wear indicating that they circulated heavily. RIC indicates that these issues may all be commemorative in nature and were not intended to be a regular coinage for the area. There are four main types of the cistophorus issues of Claudius: those including Agrippina (his wife); the issues dedicated to Artemis (Diana) and her temple, as above; the issues with ROM ET AVG temple reverses; and, late in his reign, the issues identifying Nero as his successor.
View a video of this lot