Augustus

As · Bronze

RIC I² 158

Obverse

Heads of Agrippa (left) and Augustus (right) back to back, Agrippa wearing combined rostral crown and laurel wreath and Augustus wearing oak-wreath

Reverse

Crocodile chained to palm-shoot with tip right; above on left a wreath with long ties

Historical Note

The chained crocodile marks the conquest of Egypt in 30 BC. Egypt's wealth and grain were central to Rome's stability and to Augustus's personal power. Struck at Nemausus (Nîmes) for veterans of the Egyptian campaign. The rightward-pointing palm tip distinguishes this from leftward variants — an issue marker within a long production run.