Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Auction 123 23-24 May 2023
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The Triumvirs. Octavian. Early 40 BC. AR Denarius (20.5mm, 3.97 g, 10h). Military mint traveling with Octavian in Italy; Q. Salvius, moneyer. Bare head right, wearing slight beard / Winged thunderbolt. Crawford 523/1a; CRI 300; Sydenham 1326b; RSC 514; RBW 1808. Lightly toned with iridescence, traces of underlying luster, slightly off center soft strike at the periphery. Near EF.
This issue of Octavian depicts him wearing a slight beard. Beginning with his earliest appearance on aurei and denarii struck in 43 BC and down to around 36 BC (see Crawford 540/1-2), Octavian continued to wear this slight beard, originally worn by Roman men who were in the period of mourning (see Crawford 496/2 for an issue of Antony, dated spring-summer 42 BC). As Octavian continued to wear it long after the period of mourning was technically over, the reason he continued to do so was to emphasize his vow of pietas to his slain adoptive father. When combined with the title Divi filius, bestowed on him by the Senate, this beard became part of powerful political message to advance his political position over all his rivals.
This issue of Octavian depicts him wearing a slight beard. Beginning with his earliest appearance on aurei and denarii struck in 43 BC and down to around 36 BC (see Crawford 540/1-2), Octavian continued to wear this slight beard, originally worn by Roman men who were in the period of mourning (see Crawford 496/2 for an issue of Antony, dated spring-summer 42 BC). As Octavian continued to wear it long after the period of mourning was technically over, the reason he continued to do so was to emphasize his vow of pietas to his slain adoptive father. When combined with the title Divi filius, bestowed on him by the Senate, this beard became part of powerful political message to advance his political position over all his rivals.