From the John W. Garrett Collection
The Caesarians. Julius Caesar. February-March 44 BC. AR Denarius (17mm, 3.69 g, 4h). Lifetime issue. Rome mint; P. Sepullius Macer, moneyer. CAESAR DICT PERPETVO, wreathed and veiled head right / Venus Victrix standing left, holding Victory in right hand and scepter in left; to right at feet, shield set on ground; P • SEPVLLIVS downward to right, MACER downward to left. Crawford 480/13; Alföldi Type IX, 144 (A56/R47 – this coin); CRI 107d; RSC 39; Sydenham 1074; Kestner 3688; BMCRR Rome 4173. EF, toned.
Ex John W. Garrett Collection (Part I, Numismatic Fine Arts & Leu, 16 May 1984), lot 676.
The Julian clan (Gens Julia) traced its lineage back to Venus. The goddess’ tryst with Anchises resulted in the birth of the hero Aeneas, who in turn had a son Ascanius, also known as Julus, who was the eponym of the Julian clan. Caesar’s association with Venus and with figures closely associated with the founding of Rome served as a principal theme in his political marketing.
