Aureus of Octavian & Caesar with laurel wreath

Question 1

When was the coin minted and why is this date significant?

Answer 1

43 BC
- This was just after he was appointed as consul, so he would just have defeated Antony’s forces

Question 2

What are the similarities between the Caesars?

Answer 2

• Both in portrait style
• Legend on either side follows similar structure and order
• Both legends show them with the family name Caesar
• Both hold religious roles

Question 3

Portrait style:

Answer 3

Caesar was one of the first Romans to use his portrait on coins, so Octavian following in his footsteps shows their similarities in practices

Question 4

Legend structure:

Answer 4

Allows the viewers to draw parallels between them and see Octavian as a new Caesar

Question 5

Family name Caesar:

Answer 5

• Reminds audience of Octavian’s rightful role as Julius Caesar’s son
• Also reminder of inheritance of not just money, but supporters and the power that came with this
• Also invokes a sense of heroism, due to the family name’s links to the founding of Rome due to their supposed ancestry with Romulus, Aeneas, Mars and Venus

Question 6

Religious roles described:

Answer 6

• Shows them to be pious and follow Roman belief system
• Octavian is an Augur who interprets omens from the Gods

Question 7

What are the differences between the Caesars on the coin?

Answer 7

• Different titles mentioned
• Octavian doesn’t have a laurel wreath

Question 8

Different roles mentioned:

Answer 8

• Julius Caesar’s roles are all held for life such as Pontifex Maximus and Dictator in perpetuity
• Octavian’s positions such as consul were held for a set amount of time and elected
• Although nobles and the well educated would know Octavian hadn’t achieved these roles through fair means, and probably intended on keeping them for life, the urban-poor and educated wouldn’t necessarily know this
• To them, this helps Octavian avoid being viewed as a tyrant and having unconstitutional power

Question 9

Laurel wreath:

Answer 9

• Octavian doesn’t have any triumphs yet, whilst has father had achieved four.
• This makes the Caesar name still seem powerful, and could also be a reminder of Octavian’s young age, which would have served as a further reminder to the educated that the rules had been changed to allow him to become consul much younger than is customary

Question 10

What is the impact of this aureus?

Answer 10

• Reaches a broad audience, and they’re always around so maintain ‘front of mind’ awareness
• Includes a mix of images and abbreviated text, to convey complex meaning in a relatively accessible way- lots of graffiti in Rome would suggest that a lot of people knew how to read and write, even if it was just a little.
• Images target the illiterate + urban poor