Tiberius AV Aureus

ROMAN EMPIRE. Tiberius. Gold Aureus, AD 14-37. Lugdunum. Obv: TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVSTVS, laureate head right. Rev: PONTIF MAXIM, Livia, as Pax, seated right on throne with ornamented legs, holding sceptre and olive branch; single exergual line below. About Extremely Fine; a couple of small knocks and scuffs, otherwise a strong example of the famous type with a distinctive portrait. Ex Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co. KG, Auction 377 (20/10/2022), lot 5691. Tiberius, the stepson and eventual heir of Augustus, reigned as Roman emperor from AD 14 to 37. A seasoned general and statesman, his early career was marked by military distinction and reluctant political service. Though Augustus groomed him for power, Tiberius always seemed uncomfortable in the role of princeps, preferring private retreat to public acclaim. As emperor, he maintained many of Augustus’s institutions and upheld the outward forms of republicanism, but increasingly distanced himself from the day-to-day functions of governance. His reliance on the ambitious and ruthless Praetorian Prefect Sejanus during the middle years of his reign created an atmosphere of paranoia and repression in Rome, especially as treason trials multiplied and the imperial court grew more insular. From 26, Tiberius withdrew almost entirely from public life, retiring to the island of Capri. Ancient sources such as Suetonius (Tiberius, 43-44) and Tacitus (Annals, 6.1) paint a lurid picture of his secluded lifestyle, alleging a retreat filled with cruelty and debauchery, though these accounts are often coloured by senatorial hostility. Viewed by many in the modern world through the lens of the novel 'I, Claudius' - in which he is portrayed as a brooding and bitter recluse - his image remains deeply ambiguous. It is true that his death in 37 was met with widespread relief among a Roman populace starved of contact with their emperor. Nevertheless, he left behind a well-stocked treasury and a stabilised frontier. Any hope that his administrative caution would provide lasting stability was swiftly undone by the erratic and extravagant reign of his successor, Caligula, whose accession later that year ushered in a very different chapter of imperial rule. Reference: Calicó-305c; RIC I-29; BMCRE-46. Weight: 7.85g. Diameter: 19mm. Die Axis: 4h. PLEASE NOTE: A 22.50% buyer's premium will be charged separately. VAT on the buyer's premium may apply in accordance with UK regulations. Payment can be made in EUR, CHF, or USD for an exchange fee. Please contact us to find out more.

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