| Heritage World Coin Auctions > CSNS Signature Sale 3115 | Auction date: 8 May 2024 |
| Lot number: 31041 Price realized: This lot is for sale in an upcoming auction - Bid on this lot  | Show similar lots on CoinArchives Find similar lots in upcoming auctions on  |
| Lot description: Ancients L. Cestius and C. Norbanus (43 BC). AV aureus (20mm, 7.96 gm, 1h). NGC Choice AU 3/5 - 4/5. Rome, ca. January-April 43 BC. Draped bust of Africa right, seen from front, wearing elephant skin headdress over helmet; large dotted border / L•CESTIVS / EX•S•C-P R / C•NORBA, curule chair with legs decorated with eagles flying right, back decorated with confronted coiled serpents; dotted border. Calicó 4 (same dies). Crawford 491/1b. Sydenham 1154. Cestia 2 and Norbana 4. Scarce. This eye-catching early Roman aureus is exquisite with its shimmering radiate surfaces. Ex New York Sale XL (11 January 2017), lot 1167; Baldwin's Auctions, Auction 99 (4 May 2016), lot 6; Aurora Collection (New York Sale XXXII, 8 January 2014), lot 2; Numismatica Ars Classica 63 (17 May 2012), lot 486; Triton III (30 November 1999), lot 828. This intriguing gold aureus belongs to the 12 months immediately following the assassination of Julius Caesar, which produced a chaotic situation in Rome when the Senate briefly regained its preeminence and a host of unlikely alliances were formed and broken up. Octavian, Caesar's young heir, allied himself with Cicero and the Senate against Marc Antony, who, following the end of his Consulship on 1 January 43 BC, took an army north to attack Decimus Albinus Brutus, one of the assassins, who had been appointed by the Senate as governor of Cisalpine Gaul. The new Consuls Hirtius and Pansa, in turn, raised a Senatorial army and set off to attack Antony, ostensibly with Octavian's support. Lucius Cestius and Gaius Norbanus, both Caesarians and supporters of Octavian, were elected Praetors for 43 BC and ordered the striking of this issue of gold aurei to pay the Senatorial soldiers. Two of the new legions were raised in Africa, reflected by the personification on the obverse of this piece. The curule chair on the reverse reflects the authority of the Consuls and Praetors. The alliance between Octavian and Senate would prove to be short-lived, and the latter's renewed authority was swept away when Octavian, Antony, and Lepidus formed the Second Triumvirate. https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/roman-republic/ancients-l-cestius-and-c-norbanus-43-bc-av-aureus-20mm-796-gm-1h-ngc-choice-au-3-5-4-5/a/3115-31041.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-3115-05082024 HID02906262019 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved Estimate: 8000-10000 USD |  |
