Imperial Image Physical Sources

Aureus: obv. bare head of Octavian; rev. Head of Julius Caesar with a laurel wreath

[43BCE]

Differences:

— Caesar has his iconic laurel wreath (A) Bald B) Shows his military strength, makes him seem kingly/ powerful) // Octavian doesn’t have this, showing that he wants to avoid a kingly image (he doesn’t want to get assassinated)

— Caesar’s side says “Dict Perp” // Octavian’s says “Cos” (consul), showing that he’s trying to separate himself from Caesar’s non-traditional ways of gaining power (even though he marched on Rome (R.G = “I liberated the republic))

Similarities:

— They are on the same coin, showing how Octavian tries to connect himself to Caesar

— Both stress the title “Caesar”, the same identity

— Octavian’s says “AUG” — displaying his title as a priest of the augurs + Caesar’s says “PONT MAX” — displaying his title as pontifex maximus. This displays Octavian as Caesar’s heir as they both stress the importance of military titles.

Denarius: obv. Portrait of Augustus with oak wreath; rev. eight-rayed comet (sidus lilium)

[19-18BCE]

differences:

— Now uses title ‘Caesar Augustus’ — his own political identity with a lesser link to Caesar as opposed to C. Caesar, as he tries to move away from the monarchial image as he tries to gain sole power

— Caesar’s side now says “Divus Julius” — ‘Divine Julius’, so no longer says “Caesar”. This also shows how Augustus attempts to link himself to the divine aspects of his adoptive father as opposed to the human who was quite controversial. Julius Caesar’s image also holds less weight, as the shock of his assassination is now quite far in the past.

— Sports an Oak Wreath, rather than the Laurel of Julius, as he tries to celebrate his own achievements and to present himself as a saviour in battle (R.G “I prefer to preserve lives”)

similarities:

— Still says “Caesar Augustus” — a minor link to his name

— Still adds a link to his adoptive father onto the coin through the comet (seen at his funeral games, interpreted as his soul joining the Gods’) — shows that he still wants his divine ancestry even as he breaks away from the image of the man

— Also uses the image of a wreath — and presents the same mercy that Caesar boasted

c.

c.

d.

d.