2015-11-13 Fri

Caligula meaning the “Little soldier’s boot” was a popular name for Gauis Julius Ceaser Augustus Germanius, the Roman Emperor who ruled from 31-41 AD, famous for his cruelty, extravagance and sadism which led people to call him the ‘Monster Emperor’.

Having survived the feud which followed his father’s death and the resultant destruction of his family, Caligula ascended to the throne after his adoptive grandfather. The records bare facts that he was not always a ‘Monster’, but after recovering from a serious illness his personality turned for worse.

His early coinage depicts the joyful early days of his ascent. The obverse of his gold aureus and the silver denariis show his laurel crowned portrait, on the reverse Augustus with a spiky crown between two stars. Some have the inscription “Divine Augustus, Father of the nation”.

Other types of coins found are the bronze sestertius which he generously distributed amongst his guardsmen. These coins depict the Emperor standing on a platform with one hand raised in formal gesture of addressing or greeting the guards with a abbreviated inscription “ADLOCUT COH” meaning “Address of the Cohorts”.

Almost unlike his popular image of being very inhuman, he issued coins in the memory of his parents and sisters. The bronze coins show his father Germanicus riding a horse celebrating his victory, on the reverse he is shown in armour holding an eagle headed spectre. The inscription reads, “Standards Regained from the Defeated Germans.”

The mother of Caligula, Agrippina the Elder is shown on a bronze sestertius. The obverse inscription surrounding her portrait translates: “Agrippina, daughter of Marcus, mother of Emperor Gaius Caesar.” On the reverse, the legend “To the Memory of Agrippina” appears beside a ceremonial cart drawn by two mules.

The best and rarest of Caligula coins are those which depict his sisters, Agrippina the Younger, Drusilla and Julia Livilla as the personifications of Securitas, Concordia and Fortuna respectively.

The most spectacular are the smallest regular Roman denomination, the quadrans, these copper coins had the Emperor’s name and titles on the obverse along with the Liberty cap bracketed by the letters “SC” (Short for Senatus Consultum, Latin - decree of the senate) and the reverse continues the titles of the king and the letters “RCC” in the middle. RCC probably stands for something like “res civium conservatae”(“the interests of citizens have been preserved.”)

For an Emperor who was known for his cruelty and feared by his people, probably the most infamous Roman Emperor, his coins find a great demand.