During the turbulent period following the Second Battle of Mutina in April 43 BCE, Octavian, Julius Caesar’s adopted heir, began solidifying his claim to Caesar’s legacy. This pivotal moment marked Octavian’s emergence on the Roman political stage, just before the formal establishment of the Second Triumvirate later that year. Coins issued during this time, such as this aureus, depict Julius Caesar with a gold wreath, emphasizing his status as a revered figure even before his deification in 42 BCE. The coinage served as a strategic tool for Octavian, reinforcing his connection to Caesar and his political legitimacy through iconography and inscriptions that paralleled his adoptive father’s titles and achievements.

Octavian’s rise was marked by political and military audacity. Following the deaths of both consuls in the Mutinensian War against Mark Antony, Octavian capitalized on his leadership of Caesarian veterans. After the Senate twice refused his demands for the consulship, the nineteen-year-old marched on Rome with eight legions, compelling his appointment as consul suffectus in mid-43 BCE. His actions demonstrated both his political acumen and willingness to defy convention, securing his position as a key power player in Rome’s fractious political landscape. The aureus issued during this time underscored Octavian’s claim to be Caesar’s heir, with the dual portraits of Caesar and Octavian reinforcing their familial and political ties.

The issuance of this coinage represented a turning point in Octavian’s career. Initially aligned with the Senate, he shifted allegiance, leveraging his role in Caesar’s legacy to garner support from Caesar’s loyal veterans. The coin’s depiction of Julius Caesar as a veristic and venerable figure resonated deeply with the legions, consolidating their loyalty to Octavian. This strategy also served to challenge Mark Antony, who had similarly used Caesar’s image on his coinage to assert his own claim as Caesar’s successor. Through this symbolic and political maneuvering, Octavian established himself as a formidable rival to Antony while reinforcing his authority among Caesar’s followers.

Shortly after seizing the consulship, Octavian reconciled with Antony and Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, forming the Second Triumvirate, which resulted in a de facto military dictatorship. This alliance enabled the Triumvirs to defeat Caesar’s assassins, Brutus and Cassius, at the Battle of Philippi in 42 BCE. However, as Lepidus’s influence waned, tensions between Octavian and Antony intensified, setting the stage for their eventual confrontation in 32–30 BCE. These events not only marked the consolidation of Octavian’s power but also signaled the transition from the Roman Republic to the emergence of the Empire under his eventual rule as Augustus.



Octavian, as Consul (43 BC), with Julius Caesar. AV aureus (19mm, 8.11 gm, 4h). Military mint in Transalpine and Cisalpine Gaul, July-August 43 BC. C•CAESAR•COS•PONT•AVG• (partially ligate), bare head of Octavian right / C•CAESAR•DICT•PERP•PONT•MAX (partially ligate), laureate head of Julius Caesar right. Crawford 490/2 (R3). Sydenham 1321. Calicó 52.

Ex CNG 45, 1998, lot 1813; Ex Jean Vinchon November 20, 1992 lot 92; Ex Munzen & Medaillen Auction 52, June 19, 1975 lot 522; Munzen und Medaillen Auktion XXVIII (19-20 June 1964), lot 251; Otto Helbing 63, 1931 (Professor Prix), lot 290; Helbing Auktion (March 1928), lot 460