Julius Caesar, as Dictator (49-44 BC). AR denarius (20mm, 3.95 gm, 2h). NGC AU S 5/5 - 5/5. Military mint traveling with Caesar in northern Italy, ca. 49-48 BC. CAESAR, elephant advancing right, trampling horned serpent / Culullus, aspergillum, securis (axe surmounted by dog or wolf's head), and apex. Crawford 443/1. Sydenham 1006. Julia 9. Brilliantly struck with nearly full borders visible and sharp devices. Caesar's use of coinage served as a strategic tool during Rome's civil war. Here, the depiction of the elephant trampling a horned serpent represents his military prowess. Caesar had famously used elephants in his successful campaign against the Gauls, and he utilized the animal's iconographical strength and power to rally support among his troops and convey an aura of military success and authority. The inclusion of important religious implements on the reverse is a demonstration of his respect for Roman traditions. By showcasing reverence for religious practices, he may have sought to assure the public that he was a guardian of Rome's cultural heritage, even in the midst of civil conflict. This series of coinage effectively communicated Caesar's dual image as a capable military leader and a custodian of Roman tradition, helping to consolidate his support base and establish his legitimacy during the tumultuous events of the civil war. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Julius Caesar, as Dictator (49-44 BC). AR denarius (18mm, 3.89 gm, 5h). NGC Choice XF S 5/5 - 5/5. Military mint traveling with Caesar in North Africa, ca. 48-46 BC. Diademed head of Venus right, wearing necklace / CAESAR, Aeneas advancing left, head facing, palladium left in outstretched right hand, carrying Anchises on his left shoulder. Crawford 458/1. Sydenham 1013. Julia 10. Gunmetal toning gives gravitas to the mythical depictions. In the myth of the founding of Rome, Aeneas was the child of Venus and Anchises. With the fall of Troy, Aeneas, a Trojan warrior, was ordered by the gods to flee with a group of people including his father and son, Iulus. After Aeneas' own "Odyssey" through the Mediterranean, he landed in Italia, and his legacy would become the founding of Rome and his descendants would be Romulus and Remus. With this coins imagery, Julius Caesar refers to the mythical founding of Rome and was used to link Julius Caesar's lineage to Iulus, then Aeneas, and finally to Venus. Caesar also used the obverse of this coin to lay claim to the goddess Venus over his opponent of the time, Pompey the Great. The reverse refers to the moment Aeneas fled Troy, carrying his father to safety with him. This story was later immortalized in Virgil's Aenead, under the auspices of Augustus, who used this story to link himself by extension of his adoption by Julius Caesar to the founding of Rome. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Cnaeus Pompeius Magnus (Pompey the Great) (48 BC). AR denarius (17mm, 3.34 gm, 3h). NGC Choice VF 4/5 - 2/5, smoothing. Posthumous issue of uncertain mint in Sicily (Catania?), ca. 42-40 BC. MAG•PIVS•IMP•ITER, bare head of Pompey Magnus right; oenochoe right behind, lituus right before / PRAEF (AE ligate) / CLAS•ET•ORAE• (AE ligate) / MARIT•EX•S•C (MAR ligate), Neptune standing left, aplustre in right hand, right foot on prow, between the Catanaean brothers, each carrying a parent on their shoulders. Crawford 511/3a. Sydenham 1344. Pompeia 27. Deeply toned with crimson and cerulean highlights emanating from center. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Octavian, as Sole Imperator (31-27 BC). AR denarius (21mm, 3.48 gm, 7h). NGC Choice VF 5/5 - 4/5, Fine Style. Italian mint, ca. autumn 30-summer 29 BC. Bare head of Octavian right / IMP-CAESAR, surmounted by laureate head of Jupiter Terminus facing; winged thunderbolt below. RIC I 269a. Dramatic cabinet toning with underlying luster. Ex Heritage Auctions, Auction 3076 (9 September 2019), lot 33161. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Augustus (27 BC-AD 14). AR denarius (19mm, 3.83 gm, 5h). NGC Choice XF 5/5 - 4/5. Spain (Colonia Patricia?), ca. 17-16 BC. Bare head of Augustus right with well-manicured hair; linear border / AVGVSTVS, Capricorn right, holding globe attached to rudder, bearing cornucopia on back; linear border. RIC I 126. Radiating flowlines meld into the soft shadowed toning behind the graceful designs. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Augustus (27 BC-AD 14). AR denarius (20mm, 3.83 gm, 4h). NGC Choice XF 5/5 - 4/5, light scratch. Lugdunum, ca. 15-13 BC. AVGVSTVS-DIVI•F, bare head of Augustus right / IMP•X, bull charging right, head lowered, thrashing tail. RIC I 167a. Moody, graphite surface offset by brilliant high-points. Augustus' large 'bull coinage' struck at the Gallic mint of Lugdunum came at a time of aggressive expansion for the regime. The bull is a visual reference to the city of Thurium in Lucania, to which Octavian's household had a strong connection. While serving as Praetor, the father of Octavian, Gaius Octavius, led Roman forces to victory over a band of rebel slaves near Thurium in 60 BC. Probably in commemoration of this Victory, Octavius bestowed on his then three-year-old son the cognomen Thurinus. Octavius died the following year and young Octavian soon dropped Thurinus from his name completely, but after his rise to power he recalled the familial connection by using a charging bull (the type used by Thurium in its Greek coinage of previous centuries) in its imagery. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Marcus Agrippa, lieutenant of Augustus (died 12 BC). AE as (29mm, 10.70 gm, 6h). NGC Choice VF S 5/5 - 5/5. Posthumous issue, Rome, AD 37-41. M•AGRIPPA•L-•F•COS•III•, head of Agrippa left, wearing rostral crown / Neptune standing facing, head left, nude but for chlamys hanging behind and over both arms, small dolphin left in outstretched right hand, grounded trident in left; S-C across fields. RIC I (Gaius) 58. Matte, mahogany surfaces and a wonderfully handsome bust type. Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, perhaps history's greatest sidekick, was born in 63 BC, the same year as Gaius Octavius, with whom he struck up a close friendship in adolescence. Octavius recognized Agrippa's remarkable qualities as a soldier and statesman and relied heavily on him to put his various plans into action. Agrippa's mastery of strategy secured the naval victory over Sextus Pompey at Naulochus in 36 BC, and the defeat of Mark Antony and Cleopatra at Actium five years later. After Octavian assumed the title of Augustus in 27 BC, Agrippa was clearly regarded as second-in-command and the likely heir to the throne, even marrying Octavian's daughter, Julia the Elder. His many building projects, financed out of his own purse, helped transform Rome from a city of brick to one of marble, and his commemorative inscriptions survive on many important monuments, including the Pantheon. His name continued to be revered long after his death in 12 BC, as this coin, struck decades later, attests. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Claudius I (AD 41-54). AR cistophorus (27mm, 10.84 gm, 5h). NGC Choice Fine 5/5 - 4/5, Fine Style. Ephesus, ca. AD 41-42. TI CLAVD-CAES AVG, bare head of Claudius I left; dotted border / Distyle temple containing figure of Claudius (on left) standing facing, spear in right hand, being crowned with right hand by female figure (on right), cornucopia in left hand; ROM ET AVG on entablature, COM-ASI across fields, dotted border. RIC I 120. RPC I 2221. Whispers of subtle sapphire twirl across the fields. Son of the great general Drusus, and Antonia, niece of the emperor Augustus, Tiberius Claudius Drusus seemed well-positioned when he was born in 10 BC. But a serious childhood illness left him with a limp, a stammer, and other qualities that made him the black sheep of the family. While these problems barred him from a political career, such exclusion also granted him immunity from the family's murderous intrigues. Upon Caligula's assassination in January, AD 41, Claudius was the sole surviving Julio-Claudian male and, when members of the Praetorian Guard found him cowering behind a curtain in the palace, they immediately acclaimed him as Emperor. Claudius astutely awarded the Praetorians a substantial bonus, and with 10,000 heavily armed soldiers backing him, he easily forced the Senate to accept him as the next princeps. Once installed, Claudius surprised everyone by ruling with intelligence and moderation. In AD 43, he ordered the invasion and annexation of Britain, the first major addition of territory to the Empire since the days of Augustus. He exercised discernment in his selection of provincial governors and exhibited adept diplomacy in handling foreign relations. However, his notable shortcomings lay in his excessive attention to minutiae, dependence on freedmen and close associates, and his questionable choices in romantic partners. His third wife, Messalina, known for her promiscuity, wielded significant influence as Empress and became embroiled in a scandalous conspiracy in AD 48, which posed a threat to his rule. Subsequently, his next wife, Agrippina the Younger, skillfully utilized her influence to consolidate her own power and advance the position of her son, Nero, from a previous marriage, within the succession plans. This done, she fed Claudius a dish of poisoned mushrooms in October AD 54, and brought his 13-year reign to an end. Despite many missteps and his unsavory demise, Claudius had been a fairly successful ruler and his regime set a pattern for the Flavians and the reigns that followed. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Claudius I (AD 41-54). AE as (28mm, 10.24 gm, 7h). NGC Choice XF 5/5 - 4/5, Fine Style. Rome. TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG P M TR P IMP P P, bare head of Claudius I left / LIBERTAS-AVGVSTA, Libertas standing facing, head right, pileus raised in right hand, left hand outstretched; S-C across fields. RIC I 97. Soft green patina with Fine Style dies artistically rendered to feature clear details. Ex Dr. Patrick Tan Collection. Son of the great general Drusus, and Antonia, niece of the emperor Augustus, Tiberius Claudius Drusus seemed well-positioned when he was born in 10 BC. But a serious childhood illness left him with a limp, a stammer, and other qualities that made him the black sheep of the family. While these problems barred him from a political career, such exclusion also granted him immunity from the family's murderous intrigues. Upon Caligula's assassination in January, AD 41, Claudius was the sole surviving Julio-Claudian male and, when members of the Praetorian Guard found him cowering behind a curtain in the palace, they immediately acclaimed him as Emperor. Claudius astutely awarded the Praetorians a substantial bonus, and with 10,000 heavily armed soldiers backing him, he easily forced the Senate to accept him as the next princeps. Once installed, Claudius surprised everyone by ruling with intelligence and moderation. In AD 43, he ordered the invasion and annexation of Britain, the first major addition of territory to the Empire since the days of Augustus. He exercised discernment in his selection of provincial governors and exhibited adept diplomacy in handling foreign relations. However, his notable shortcomings lay in his excessive attention to minutiae, dependence on freedmen and close associates, and his questionable choices in romantic partners. His third wife, Messalina, known for her promiscuity, wielded significant influence as Empress and became embroiled in a scandalous conspiracy in AD 48, which posed a threat to his rule. Subsequently, his next wife, Agrippina the Younger, skillfully utilized her influence to consolidate her own power and advance the position of her son, Nero, from a previous marriage, within the succession plans. This done, she fed Claudius a dish of poisoned mushrooms in October AD 54, and brought his 13-year reign to an end. Despite many missteps and his unsavory demise, Claudius had been a fairly successful ruler and his regime set a pattern for the Flavians and the reigns that followed. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Nero, as Caesar (AD 54-68). AR cistophorus (27mm, 10.76 gm, 7h). NGC VF 5/5 - 2/5, Fine Style. Ephesus, AD 51. NERONI•CLAVD•CAES•DRVSO•GERM, bareheaded, draped bust of Nero left / COS DES / PRINC / IVVENT, legend inscribed in three lines on shield; all within olive wreath terminating in large jewel. RPC I, 2225. RIC I (Claudius) 121. Adorable portrait of the teenage Nero with delicate details still visible across the surfaces. Nero, born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus in 37 AD, ascended to the Roman imperial throne in 54 AD, initiating a tumultuous reign that both captivated and horrified contemporaries. Initially perceived as a youthful and promising ruler, Nero's early years were marked by relative stability. However, his later years were characterized by a series of erratic and tyrannical acts. Nero's infatuation with the arts and his lavish spending on grandiose construction projects, such as the Domus Aurea, strained the Roman treasury. His ruthless suppression of the Pisonian conspiracy and persecution of Christians tarnished his legacy further. The Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD, though often attributed to Nero, remains a subject of historical debate. Ultimately, Nero's reign culminated in a revolt by the Roman Senate, leading to his suicide in 68 AD, marking the end of the Julio-Claudian dynasty and leaving a complex legacy as both a patron of the arts and a symbol of tyranny in Roman history. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Nero, as Augustus (AD 54-68). AE as (31mm, 13.10 gm, 7h). NGC AU 5/5 - 4/5, Fine Style. Lugdunum, AD 65. NERO CLAVD CAESAR AVG GER P M TR P IMP P P, laureate head of Nero right, globe at point of truncation / VICTORIA-AVGVSTI, Victory advancing left, wreath in outstretched right hand, palm cradled in left; S-C across fields, II in exergue. RIC I 411 (dupondius). Chestnut patina adds a colorful dimension to the Fine Style devices. Nero, born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus in 37 AD, ascended to the Roman imperial throne in 54 AD, initiating a tumultuous reign that both captivated and horrified contemporaries. Initially perceived as a youthful and promising ruler, Nero's early years were marked by relative stability. However, his later years were characterized by a series of erratic and tyrannical acts. Nero's infatuation with the arts and his lavish spending on grandiose construction projects, such as the Domus Aurea, strained the Roman treasury. His ruthless suppression of the Pisonian conspiracy and persecution of Christians tarnished his legacy further. The Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD, though often attributed to Nero, remains a subject of historical debate. Ultimately, Nero's reign culminated in a revolt by the Roman Senate, leading to his suicide in 68 AD, marking the end of the Julio-Claudian dynasty and leaving a complex legacy as both a patron of the arts and a symbol of tyranny in Roman history. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Galba (AD 68-69). AE sestertius (35mm, 26.84 gm, 6h). NGC VF 5/5 - 4/5, Fine Style. Rome, ca. June-August AD 68. IMP SER GALBA-AVG TR P, draped bust of Galba right, wreathed with oak laurel, seen from behind / S P Q R / OB / CIV SER, legend in three lines within oak wreath (Corona Civica). RIC I 263. The austere portrait looms forth from the chestnut surfaces. Servius Sulpicius Galba was born in 3 BC, and early on displayed a gift for cultivating the right friends. During his early manhood, he enjoyed the favor of the emperors Augustus, Tiberius, and Caligula, as well as the empress Livia, whose bequest of 500,000 sesterces helped launch his public career. Elected consul in AD 33, he served as governor in Germany and Africa before, late in life, accepting Nero's appointment as proconsul of Nearer Spain. This came as Nero's popularity was plummeting in Rome, and the aristocracy began looking toward the prestige-laden Galba for leadership. In March of AD 68, Vindex, governor of Gaul, rose in revolt and offered to support Galba as the new ruler. Two months later, Nero's regime collapsed and, at the age of 70, Galba found himself hailed as emperor, the first from outside the Julio-Claudian family. He made his way back to Rome and embarked on an austerity program to restore the state's finances. Although meaning well, Galba proved oblivious to the realities of his situation and soon managed to offend nearly every segment of Roman society. Galba attempted to salvage the situation by adopting a likable young aristocrat, L. Calpurnius Piso, as his successor, but this only alienated another key supporter, M. Salvius Otho, who had hoped to be chosen Caesar himself. Otho bribed Praetorian officers, and on 15 January AD 69, they attacked Galba and Piso in the Forum, hacking them to pieces. His entire reign lasted seven months and proved only the opening act in the disastrous "Year of the Four Emperors." The historian Tacitus pronounced Galba's epitaph: "It was commonly agreed he possessed the makings of a great ruler- had he never ruled." HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Galba (AD 68-69). AE sestertius (35mm, 25.59 gm, 7h). NGC VF 5/5 - 3/5, Fine Style. Rome. IMP SER SVLP GALBA•CAES AVG TR P, laureate and draped bust of Galba right, seen from behind / LIBERTAS-PVBLICA, Libertas standing facing, head left, pileus in outstretched right hand, grounded scepter in left; S-C across fields. RIC I 309. Chiseled portraiture and elegant drapery add a level of regality to this imposing specimen. Servius Sulpicius Galba was born in 3 BC, and early on displayed a gift for cultivating the right friends. During his early manhood, he enjoyed the favor of the emperors Augustus, Tiberius, and Caligula, as well as the empress Livia, whose bequest of 500,000 sesterces helped launch his public career. Elected consul in AD 33, he served as governor in Germany and Africa before, late in life, accepting Nero's appointment as proconsul of Nearer Spain. This came as Nero's popularity was plummeting in Rome, and the aristocracy began looking toward the prestige-laden Galba for leadership. In March of AD 68, Vindex, governor of Gaul, rose in revolt and offered to support Galba as the new ruler. Two months later, Nero's regime collapsed and, at the age of 70, Galba found himself hailed as emperor, the first from outside the Julio-Claudian family. He made his way back to Rome and embarked on an austerity program to restore the state's finances. Although meaning well, Galba proved oblivious to the realities of his situation and soon managed to offend nearly every segment of Roman society. Galba attempted to salvage the situation by adopting a likable young aristocrat, L. Calpurnius Piso, as his successor, but this only alienated another key supporter, M. Salvius Otho, who had hoped to be chosen Caesar himself. Otho bribed Praetorian officers, and on 15 January AD 69, they attacked Galba and Piso in the Forum, hacking them to pieces. His entire reign lasted seven months and proved only the opening act in the disastrous "Year of the Four Emperors." The historian Tacitus pronounced Galba's epitaph: "It was commonly agreed he possessed the makings of a great ruler- had he never ruled." HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Vespasian (AD 69-79). AR denarius (18mm, 3.57 gm, 6h). NGC Choice AU 5/5 - 2/5, Fine Style, scratches. Rome, AD 74. IMP CAESAR-VESPASIANVS AVG, laureate head of Vespasian right / PON MAX-TR P COS V, Vespasian, togate, seated right on curule chair, right foot on stool, with grounded scepter in right hand, olive branch in outstretched left hand. RIC II.I 702. Freshly struck and delicately rendered Fine Style dies. The obverse is enflamed with fiery toning and juxtaposed with the cooler, aquatic tones of the reverse fields. Descended from a family of small-time entrepreneurs and tax farmers in the Sabine hill country north of Rome, Flavius Vespasianus was born in AD 9 and rose to prominence in the Roman Army. He gained distinction during Claudius' invasion of Britain in AD 43-44 and won a Consulship in AD 51, but fell from imperial favor when he dozed off during one of Nero's musical performances. When a Jewish faction in the province of Judaea rebelled and massacred the local Roman garrison in AD 66, Nero sent Vespasian at the head of three legions to crush the revolt. Through his able son Titus, Vespasian gained the friendship and support of Mucianus, governor of Syria, who had another three legions at his disposal. When the collapse of Nero's regime in AD 68 led to a free-for-all for the throne, with Galba, Otho, and Vitellius following in quick succession, Vespasian realized he had the means and ability to make his own try for supreme power. On 1 July AD 69, the legions of Alexandria, Egypt declared Vespasian as emperor. He decided on a policy of blockade and attrition to defeat Vitellius, but the sudden declaration of support by the Danubian legions and their invasion of Italy in the fall of AD 69 brought a much quicker victory. Vitellius was executed on 20 December, and the Senate proclaimed Vespasian emperor two days later. Arriving in Rome the following October, Vespasian celebrated a magnificent triumph for the Judaean campaign before launching an austerity program to put the Empire's finances on sound footing. His decade of rule was largely untroubled by revolts and conspiracies. Upon his death due to a sudden illness in AD 79 he was widely and sincerely mourned, and power passed smoothly to his son Titus. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Vespasian (AD 69-79). AE dupondius (28mm, 15.75 gm, 7h). NGC Choice XF 5/5 - 4/5, Fine Style. Rome, AD 71. IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG COS III, radiate head of Vespasian right, globe at point of truncation / Roma seated left on cuirass, wreath in outstretched right hand, resting left hand on parazonium; shield behind, S-C across fields, ROMA in exergue. RIC II.1 279. Refined devices with a turtle-shell patina. Ex Bank Leu, old dealer's tag included. Descended from a family of small-time entrepreneurs and tax farmers in the Sabine hill country north of Rome, Flavius Vespasianus was born in AD 9 and rose to prominence in the Roman Army. He gained distinction during Claudius' invasion of Britain in AD 43-44 and won a Consulship in AD 51, but fell from imperial favor when he dozed off during one of Nero's musical performances. When a Jewish faction in the province of Judaea rebelled and massacred the local Roman garrison in AD 66, Nero sent Vespasian at the head of three legions to crush the revolt. Through his able son Titus, Vespasian gained the friendship and support of Mucianus, governor of Syria, who had another three legions at his disposal. When the collapse of Nero's regime in AD 68 led to a free-for-all for the throne, with Galba, Otho, and Vitellius following in quick succession, Vespasian realized he had the means and ability to make his own try for supreme power. On 1 July AD 69, the legions of Alexandria, Egypt declared Vespasian as emperor. He decided on a policy of blockade and attrition to defeat Vitellius, but the sudden declaration of support by the Danubian legions and their invasion of Italy in the fall of AD 69 brought a much quicker victory. Vitellius was executed on 20 December, and the Senate proclaimed Vespasian emperor two days later. Arriving in Rome the following October, Vespasian celebrated a magnificent triumph for the Judaean campaign before launching an austerity program to put the Empire's finances on sound footing. His decade of rule was largely untroubled by revolts and conspiracies. Upon his death due to a sudden illness in AD 79 he was widely and sincerely mourned, and power passed smoothly to his son Titus. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Titus, as Caesar (AD 79-81). AE dupondius (28mm, 11.89 gm, 6h). NGC XF 5/5 - 4/5, Fine Style. Rome, AD 73. T CAESAR IMP COS II CENS, radiate head of Titus right / FELICITA-S-PVBLICA, Felicitas standing facing, head left, caduceus raised in right hand, cornucopia cradled in left; S-C in field. RIC II.I (Vespasian) 742. Bold devices and handsome portraiture with a deep patina. Born in AD 41, Flavius Titus Vespasianus, the elder son of Vespasian, initially appeared destined for a life akin to that of an upper middle-class civil servant, following in his father's footsteps. Vespasian had earned acclaim as a general during Claudius' invasion of Britain, and Titus, as he matured, developed into an intelligent, handsome, and charismatic young man, eventually serving as his father's second in command during the Judaean campaign of AD 66-69. Following the collapse of Nero's regime in Rome, Vespasian assumed the throne while Titus took charge of the Judaean war, culminating in the conquest of Jerusalem in AD 70. Upon his triumphant return to Rome, where suspicions of a coup surrounded him, Titus warmly reunited with his father and was honored with a grand triumph. Subsequently, he held the position of Praetorian Prefect and diligently safeguarded his family's political influence. Upon Vespasian's death in AD 79, Titus ascended to the imperial throne, initially raising concerns that he might emulate the excesses of Nero or Caligula. However, he swiftly proved to be an unusually benevolent and compassionate ruler to the Roman populace. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Titus, as Augustus (AD 79-81). AE sestertius (33mm, 25.29 gm, 7h). NGC Choice VF 5/5 - 2/5, Fine Style, light smoothing. Rome, AD 80-81. IMP T CAES VESP AVG P M TR P P P COS VIII, laureate head of Titus left / ANNONA-AVG, Annona standing facing, head left, statuette of Aequitas standing facing in right hand, cornucopia cradled in left; modius with grain ears leaning at feet to left, stern of ship behind to right. RIC II.1, 137. Deep, forest-green patina add a depth to the Fine Style devices. Ex Robert S. Sloan Collection; Bank Leu, private sale with old dealer's tag included. Born in AD 41, Flavius Titus Vespasianus, the elder son of Vespasian, initially appeared destined for a life akin to that of an upper middle-class civil servant, following in his father's footsteps. Vespasian had earned acclaim as a general during Claudius' invasion of Britain, and Titus, as he matured, developed into an intelligent, handsome, and charismatic young man, eventually serving as his father's second in command during the Judaean campaign of AD 66-69. Following the collapse of Nero's regime in Rome, Vespasian assumed the throne while Titus took charge of the Judaean war, culminating in the conquest of Jerusalem in AD 70. Upon his triumphant return to Rome, where suspicions of a coup surrounded him, Titus warmly reunited with his father and was honored with a grand triumph. Subsequently, he held the position of Praetorian Prefect and diligently safeguarded his family's political influence. Upon Vespasian's death in AD 79, Titus ascended to the imperial throne, initially raising concerns that he might emulate the excesses of Nero or Caligula. However, he swiftly proved to be an unusually benevolent and compassionate ruler to the Roman populace. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Domitian, as Augustus (AD 81-96). AE sestertius (35mm, 25.66 gm, 7h). NGC Choice VF 5/5 - 3/5, Fine Style. Rome, AD 90-91. IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM-COS XV CENS PER P P, laureate head of Domitian right / S-C, Domitian standing facing, head left, thunderbolt in right hand, grounded spear in left, crowned by Victory standing left behind, palm in left hand. RIC II.1, 703. Sumptuous surfaces of various shades of green accentuate the sharp designs. Ex Robert S. Sloan Collection; Frank Sternberg, private sale with old dealer's tag included. Domitian has gone down in history as a depraved tyrant, but he was certainly not a madman like Caligula, nor was he an incompetent dilettante like Nero. As a young man, Domitian was largely overshadowed by his older brother Titus, a situation that probably shaped his dour, resentful character. In AD 79, Vespasian was succeeded by Titus as Augustus, with Domitian taking the junior position of Caesar. But Titus ruled only two years before he fell ill and died in September of AD 81. Domitian wasted no time in seizing power as the third emperor of the Flavian dynasty. He soon proved a conscientious, detail-oriented administrator who kept a firm hand on all facets of government. Despite his uneven military record, the legions loved Domitian for raising their pay by nearly 50 percent. But Domitian's suspicion of the aristocracy soon deepened into paranoia. Unsuccessful conspiracies against him in AD 87 and 89 caused him to abandon all restraint, and by AD 93 Rome was in the grip of a reign of terror. Even Domitian's wife came to fear for her life, and she encouraged the emperor's personal attendants to plot against him, leading to his murder in AD 96. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Domitian, as Augustus (AD 81-96). AE as (26mm, 9.62 gm, 6h). NGC AU S 5/5 - 5/5, Fine Style. Rome, AD 85. IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM-COS XI CENS POT P P, laureate bust of Domitian right, wearing aegis / S-C, Victory advancing left, shield inscribed S P / Q R in right hand, fold of stola in left. RIC II.1, 388. Clear legends struck from delicately rendered dies, artfully including minute details on the emperor and goddess. Domitian has gone down in history as a depraved tyrant, but he was certainly not a madman like Caligula, nor was he an incompetent dilettante like Nero. As a young man, Domitian was largely overshadowed by his older brother Titus, a situation that probably shaped his dour, resentful character. In AD 79, Vespasian was succeeded by Titus as Augustus, with Domitian taking the junior position of Caesar. But Titus ruled only two years before he fell ill and died in September of AD 81. Domitian wasted no time in seizing power as the third emperor of the Flavian dynasty. He soon proved a conscientious, detail-oriented administrator who kept a firm hand on all facets of government. Despite his uneven military record, the legions loved Domitian for raising their pay by nearly 50 percent. But Domitian's suspicion of the aristocracy soon deepened into paranoia. Unsuccessful conspiracies against him in AD 87 and 89 caused him to abandon all restraint, and by AD 93 Rome was in the grip of a reign of terror. Even Domitian's wife came to fear for her life, and she encouraged the emperor's personal attendants to plot against him, leading to his murder in AD 96. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Trajan (AD 98-117). AR denarius (18mm, 3.43 gm, 7h). NGC Choice AU 5/5 - 5/5, Fine Style. Rome, ca. AD 115-116. IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GER DAC, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Trajan right, seen from front / P M TR P COS VI-P-P S P Q R, Fortuna enthroned left, right hand resting on rudder set on ground, cornucopia cradled in left; FORT RED in exergue. Cf. RIC II 319 (aureus). Remarkably clear surfaces with naturalistic portraiture of the emperor and goddess haloed by luster and slight toning. Ex Heritage Auctions, Auction 3064 (23 April 2018), lot 32304. Trajan was a beloved emperor that excelled in the civic side of governing. He exceeded in projecting a persona of paternalism and an understanding of the importance of public works. Trajan understood the art of propaganda, both in the city of Rome itself and throughout the Empire. However, Trajan was a warrior first and foremost. During his reign, the Empire expanded out to its largest size, both before his time and after. The arduous conquest of Dacia brought an enormous windfall of plundered loot entered the Roman economy. This increase of wealth paid for the construction of his enormous new Forum. In this new Forum, the Column of Trajan was erected, in order to display his numerous victories abroad, and as a resting place for his body after death, within the base structure. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Hadrian (AD 117-138). AV aureus (19mm, 7.33 gm, 6h). NGC XF 5/5 - 3/5, Fine Style, brushed. Rome, ca. AD 125-128. HADRIANVS-AVGVSTVS, laureate bust of Hadrian right / COS, she-wolf standing left, suckling twins Romulus and Remus; barred III in exergue. RIC II.3, 709. Calicó 1234. Sunny fields with a portrait so clear and life-like you expect the emperor to blink. This reverse evokes the Founding of Rome Myth. Romulus and Remus were twins and children of Rhea Silvia, a Vestal Virgin, who was impregnated by Mars while she slept. Her uncle, King Amulius feared they would threaten his reign and ordered their deaths. So in order to protect her babies from him, Silvia placed her children in a basket and placed them in the Tiber river, hoping fate would guide them to safety. With the help of the river god Tiberinus, the baby boys wound up at the future sight of Rome and they were found by the she-wolf. She nursed them and raised them for a time until they were adopted by a shepherd, Faustulus. The image of Romulus and Remus with the she-wolf became an icon of Rome; it was continuously depicted in art throughout the years of the Empire and into modern times. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Hadrian (AD 117-138). AV aureus (18mm, 6.84 gm, 6h). NGC Choice VF 5/5 - 4/5, Fine Style. Rome, AD 118. IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Hadrian right, seen from front / P M TR P•COS II, Concordia, draped, enthroned left, with patera in outstretched right hand, leaning left arm on statuette of Spes; CONCORD in exergue. RIC II.3, 107. Calicó 1205a. Wonderfully refined and sharp details for the grade, with areas of subtle silhouette toning. Publius Aelius Hadrianus was born in AD 76, the son of a distinguished Spanish senator and related through his mother to the future Emperor Trajan, who took him into his household when Hadrian was nine years old. After Trajan's accession, Hadrian held a series of civilian posts, including a consulship in AD 108, and commanded legions during the Dacian and Parthian wars. Hadrian was not formally adopted until Trajan lay on his deathbed in August, AD 117; after succeeding to the throne, Hadrian abandoned many of Trajan's over-ambitious conquests and engaged in a policy of peace abroad and reform at home. He spent most of his 21-year reign traveling, visiting every province of the Roman Empire. Under his patronage, Roman art and sculpture reached its creative peak. Hadrian came to see himself as a "second Augustus," providing the empire with a new foundation as a vast commonwealth of nations under Rome's guiding hand. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Hadrian (AD 117-138). AV aureus (18mm, 7.02 gm, 6h). NGC Choice VF 5/5 - 4/5, Fine Style. Rome, AD 125-128. HADRIANVS-AVGVSTVS, laureate bust of Hadrian right / COS, she-wolf standing left, suckling twins Romulus and Remus; barred III in exergue. RIC II.3 709. Calicó 1234. Satiny flan surmounted by an impressive portrait. This reverse evokes the Founding of Rome Myth. Romulus and Remus were twins and children of Rhea Silvia, a Vestal Virgin, who was impregnated by Mars while she slept. Her uncle, King Amulius feared they would threaten his reign and ordered their deaths. So in order to protect her babies from him, Silvia placed her children in a basket and placed them in the Tiber river, hoping fate would guide them to safety. With the help of the river god Tiberinus, the baby boys wound up at the future sight of Rome and they were found by the she-wolf. She nursed them and raised them for a time until they were adopted by a shepherd, Faustulus. The image of Romulus and Remus with the she-wolf became an icon of Rome; it was continuously depicted in art throughout the years of the Empire and into modern times. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Hadrian (AD 117-138). AV aureus (20mm, 7.20 gm, 6h). NGC VF 5/5 - 4/5, Fine Style. Rome, ca. AD 133-135. HADRIANVS-AVG COS III P P, bare bust of Hadrian right, seen from behind / Hadrian on horseback trotting right, right hand raised in gesture of address. RIC II.3, 2036. Calicó 1166. Handsome and simple portraiture on a marigold flan. Midway through his reign, in AD 125, Hadrian's coinage underwent a thorough redesign. His early militaristic portrait style, which depicted his entire upper bust either armored, draped or "heroically nude," was replaced by a much larger head of highly refined style; the obverse legend, which in Trajanic fashion had formerly provided all his names and titles, was simplified to HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS. Reverse types and legends were also simplified, with many providing only providing the title COS III ("Thrice Consul") or entirely anepigraphic with the consular title added to the obverse. This aureus, with a portrait of remarkable serenity, perfectly embodies Hadrian's Augustan vision - the style is thoroughly Hellenistic, idealistic, and highly reminiscent of coins of the original Augustus. The reverse type, showing Hadrian astride a horse setting off on one of his many journeys, proved highly influential and was copied by many future rulers. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Hadrian (AD 117-138). AV aureus (20mm, 7.18 gm, 6h). NGC VF 4/5 - 4/5, Fine Style. Rome, ca. AD 128-132. HADRIANVS-AVGVSTVS, rejunvenated, Diomedes-style bare bust of Hadrian left, drapery on left shoulder / ROMVLO-CON-DITORI, Romulus advancing right, transverse spear in right hand, trophy in left hand over left shoulder. Calicó 1363 (this coin). RIC II.3, 1423. Gorgeous portrait style with clearly defined devices for the grade. This handsome portrait of Hadrian is reminiscent of Greek and Roman idealistic sculptures of the great Hero Diomedes. An integral commander in the War of the Epigoni and the Trojan War, Diomedes was renowned for his bravery, strategy, and strength. He earned great favor from Athena and is the only mortal, besides Heracles, to have wounded members of the Pantheon. After the great war, he allegedly founded several cities in Magna Graeca, of which he successfully ruled until his death where he was deified. Interestingly, the family name for albatrosses, Diomedeidae, originates from his name as they played a role in his apotheosis. It is possible, as the holder denotes, that Hadrian is connecting himself to this heroic leader through his portraiture style. The militaristic reverse of Romulus also contributes to a powerful theme of military strength, epic bravery, and favor with the gods. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Hadrian (AD 117-138). AR denarius (20mm, 3.35 gm, 6h). NGC MS S 5/5 - 4/5. Rome, ca. AD 121-123. IMP CAESAR TRAIAN-HADRIANVS AVG, laureate head of Hadrian right / PM T-R-P COS III, Roma seated left on cuirass, Victory standing left in outstretched right hand, grounded spear in left; shield behind. RIC II.3, 541. Lovely luster, slight toning, and exquisite detail. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Hadrian (AD 117-138). AR denarius (20mm, 3.45 gm, 6h). NGC MS 5/5 - 4/5, Fine Style. Rome, ca. AD 124-125. HADRIANVS-AVGVSTVS, laureate head of Hadrian right / CO-S-III, Roma standing facing, helmeted head left, Victory right on globe in right hand, reversed spear in left. RIC II.3, 722. Superbly crisp with lustrous backlighting that haloes the two figures. Ex Frank Reinhardt Collection; Gitbud & Naumann, Auction 6 (4 August 2013), lot 390. Publius Aelius Hadrianus was born in AD 76, the son of a distinguished Spanish senator and related through his mother to the future Emperor Trajan, who took him into his household when Hadrian was nine years old. After Trajan's accession, Hadrian held a series of civilian posts, including a consulship in AD 108, and commanded legions during the Dacian and Parthian wars. Hadrian was not formally adopted until Trajan lay on his deathbed in August, AD 117; after succeeding to the throne, Hadrian abandoned many of Trajan's over-ambitious conquests and engaged in a policy of peace abroad and reform at home. He spent most of his 21-year reign traveling, visiting every province of the Roman Empire. Under his patronage, Roman art and sculpture reached its creative peak. Hadrian came to see himself as a "second Augustus," providing the empire with a new foundation as a vast commonwealth of nations under Rome's guiding hand. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Hadrian (AD 117-138). AR denarius (20mm, 3.55 gm, 6h). NGC MS 5/5 - 4/5, Fine Style. Rome, ca. AD 128-129. HADRIANVS-AVGVSTVS, laureate head of Hadrian right, slight drapery visible on left shoulder / COS-III, Pudicitia enthroned left, drawing out veil with right hand, left arm resting in lap. RIC II.3, 856. Bold and brilliant. Struck from such fresh dies that the engraver's centering circle can be seen on the reverse. Ex Peter Corcoran Collection; Classical Numismatic Group, Mail Bid Sale 63 (21 May 2003), lot 1343. Publius Aelius Hadrianus was born in AD 76, the son of a distinguished Spanish senator and related through his mother to the future Emperor Trajan, who took him into his household when Hadrian was nine years old. After Trajan's accession, Hadrian held a series of civilian posts, including a consulship in AD 108, and commanded legions during the Dacian and Parthian wars. Hadrian was not formally adopted until Trajan lay on his deathbed in August, AD 117; after succeeding to the throne, Hadrian abandoned many of Trajan's over-ambitious conquests and engaged in a policy of peace abroad and reform at home. He spent most of his 21-year reign traveling, visiting every province of the Roman Empire. Under his patronage, Roman art and sculpture reached its creative peak. Hadrian came to see himself as a "second Augustus," providing the empire with a new foundation as a vast commonwealth of nations under Rome's guiding hand. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Hadrian (AD 117-138). AR denarius (19mm, 3.42 gm, 5h). NGC Choice AU S 5/5 - 5/5, Fine Style. Rome, AD 121 (late)-123. IMP CAESAR TRAIAN-HADRIANVS AVG, laureate, cuirassed bust of Hadrian right, cropped of its pteryges, seen from front / P M TR P-COS III, Hadrian standing facing, head left, in military attire with the attributes of Fortuna, rudder on globe in right hand and grounded reversed spear in left. RIC II.3 569. Exquisitely formed and struck designs, backed by sunset gleams within radiating flowlines. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Hadrian (AD 117-138). AR denarius (20mm, 3.36 gm, 7h). NGC AU 5/5 - 5/5. Rome, ca. AD 119-122. IMP CAESAR TRAIAN-HADRIANVS AVG, laureate, draped bust of Hadrian right / P M TR-P COS III, Clementia standing facing, head left, sacrificing from patera in right hand over altar, to left, grounded scepter in left, CLEM in exergue. RIC II.3, 500. Exquisite and sharp devices backlit by polychromatic toning. Publius Aelius Hadrianus was born in AD 76, the son of a distinguished Spanish senator and related through his mother to the future Emperor Trajan, who took him into his household when Hadrian was nine years old. After Trajan's accession, Hadrian held a series of civilian posts, including a consulship in AD 108, and commanded legions during the Dacian and Parthian wars. Hadrian was not formally adopted until Trajan lay on his deathbed in August, AD 117; after succeeding to the throne, Hadrian abandoned many of Trajan's over-ambitious conquests and engaged in a policy of peace abroad and reform at home. He spent most of his 21-year reign traveling, visiting every province of the Roman Empire. Under his patronage, Roman art and sculpture reached its creative peak. Hadrian came to see himself as a "second Augustus," providing the empire with a new foundation as a vast commonwealth of nations under Rome's guiding hand. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Hadrian (AD 117-138). AR denarius (19mm, 3.36 gm, 5h). NGC Choice VF 4/5 - 5/5, Fine Style. Rome, ca. AD 130-133. HADRIANVS-AVG COS III P P, bare head of Hadrian right / ITA-LIA, Italia standing facing, head left, with grounded scepter in right hand and cornucopia cradled in left arm. RIC II.3, 1541. An exceptional example with the matte-gray recesses becoming a stage for the Fine Style designs to burst forth. Publius Aelius Hadrianus was born in AD 76, the son of a distinguished Spanish senator and related through his mother to the future Emperor Trajan, who took him into his household when Hadrian was nine years old. After Trajan's accession, Hadrian held a series of civilian posts, including a consulship in AD 108, and commanded legions during the Dacian and Parthian wars. Hadrian was not formally adopted until Trajan lay on his deathbed in August, AD 117; after succeeding to the throne, Hadrian abandoned many of Trajan's over-ambitious conquests and engaged in a policy of peace abroad and reform at home. He spent most of his 21-year reign traveling, visiting every province of the Roman Empire. Under his patronage, Roman art and sculpture reached its creative peak. Hadrian came to see himself as a "second Augustus," providing the empire with a new foundation as a vast commonwealth of nations under Rome's guiding hand. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Hadrian (AD 117-138). AE sestertius (33mm, 23.64 gm, 6h). NGC XF S 4/5 - 4/5. Rome, ca. AD 119-123. IMP CAESAR TRAIAN-HADRIANVS AVG, laureate, cuirassed bust of Hadrian right, seen from front / P M TR-P-COS III, Spes advancing left, flower raised in right hand, hitching hem of stola with left; S-C across fields. RIC II.3, 680. Delicately sculpted detail with a lovely range of chocolate and copper hues. Ex Coin Galleries, Mail Bid Sale (17 July 2002), lot 391. Publius Aelius Hadrianus was born in AD 76, the son of a distinguished Spanish senator and related through his mother to the future Emperor Trajan, who took him into his household when Hadrian was nine years old. After Trajan's accession, Hadrian held a series of civilian posts, including a consulship in AD 108, and commanded legions during the Dacian and Parthian wars. Hadrian was not formally adopted until Trajan lay on his deathbed in August, AD 117; after succeeding to the throne, Hadrian abandoned many of Trajan's over-ambitious conquests and engaged in a policy of peace abroad and reform at home. He spent most of his 21-year reign traveling, visiting every province of the Roman Empire. Under his patronage, Roman art and sculpture reached its creative peak. Hadrian came to see himself as a "second Augustus," providing the empire with a new foundation as a vast commonwealth of nations under Rome's guiding hand. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Hadrian (AD 117-138). AE dupondius (26mm, 12.53 gm, 5h). NGC Choice VF 5/5 - 3/5, Fine Style. Rome, ca. AD 124-125. HADRIANVS-AVGVSTVS, radiate bust of Hadrian right, with slight drapery visible on left shoulder / C-O-S-III, Pegasus flying right; S C below. RIC II.3 746. Artistic Fine Style dies on a dark greenish-brown flan. Ex Heritage Auctions, Auction 231439 (25 September 2014), lot 64057; Heritage Auctions, Auction 3026 (30 September 2013), lot 26270; Heritage Auctions, Auction 3022 (15 January 2013), lot 26171. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Hadrian (AD 117-138). AE dupondius (27mm, 13.63 gm, 6h). NGC Choice VF 4/5 - 3/5, Fine Style. Rome, AD 119-120. IMP CAESAR TRAIANVS HADRIANVS AVG P M TR P COS III, radiate, heroically nude bust of Hadrian right, seen from front, slight drapery on left shoulder / SALVS P-VBLICA, Salus-Fortuna standing facing, head left, patera in outstretched right hand, rudder cradled upright in left arm, right foot on globe; S-C across fields. RIC II.3 276. Dignified, regal portrait on ochre surfaces with areas of light chestnut toning. Hadrian sported a full beard throughout his reign, indeed throughout his life. Some believed his facial hair to be a sign of his devotion to Greek culture, where full beards were a mark of intellectualism and maturity. Others, however, took a more cynical approach. The Historia Augusta states that "he was tall of stature and elegant in appearance; his hair was curled in a comb, and he wore a full beard to cover up the natural blemishes on his face." Regardless of the reason for his beard, Hadrian changed the imperial relationship with facial hair forever. While none of the Roman emperors before him had sported a beard, every emperor for the next hundred years after Hadrian's ascension did have one, with the fourteen-year-old Elagabalus being the first to break the trend in AD 218. As citizens of the empire often looked to the imperial family for fashion cues, beards became quite popular among the population around the time of Hadrian's rule and remained so for some time. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Antoninus Pius, as Augustus (AD 138-161). AR denarius (20mm, 6h). NGC Choice VF S. Rome, AD 145-161. ANTONINVS-AVG PIVS P P, laureate head of Antoninus Pius right / C-OS-IIII, Aequitas-Moneta standing facing, head left, with scales in right hand, grounded scepter in left. RIC III 127. Gorgeous portrait style with bright surfaces. Born in AD 86 as T. Aurelius Fulvius Boionius Antoninus to a wealthy family from Nemausus in Gaul. His grandfather and father had each risen to Consul, and like them, he entered the Senate at the appropriate age and enjoyed a distinguished career. Around AD 120, he married Annia Galeria Faustina, an aristocratic lady of Spanish descent with family ties to the emperors Trajan and Hadrian. He earned a consulship in AD 130 and served as the Proconsul of Asia. Tall, handsome, and widely admired for his sober judgment, he soon attracted the attention of Hadrian, who made him a close advisor. When Hadrian's intended successor, Aelius, died early in AD 138, the ailing emperor settled on the 52-year-old Antoninus as his replacement. Hadrian died on July 10, and Antoninus succeeded without serious opposition. Unlike the restless Hadrian, Antoninus never left Italy and was content to rule from Rome. Stability and equanimity were his watchwords, and his policies kept the Empire on an even keel for 24 years. He put no one to death, friend or foe. Only minor flare-ups in northern Britain and northern Africa disturbed the general peace. The frontiers were maintained and defended, with his decision to build a new wall in Britain 90 miles north of the Hadrian's Wall the only instance of imperial expansion. He carefully groomed Marcus Aurelius as his successor but neglected to provide him with any military training. In fact, the mild, civilian character of his reign may have unwittingly allowed storm clouds to gather and strengthen both within and beyond the frontiers. Nevertheless, later generations viewed Antoninus as the perfect emperor, and the tranquility of his reign took on the sheen of a lost golden age. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Antoninus Pius, as Augustus (AD 138-161). AE sestertius (33mm, 23.49 gm, 6h). NGC XF S 5/5 - 5/5. Rome, AD 153-154. ANTONINVS AVG-PIVS P P TR P XVII, laureate head of Antoninus Pius right / INDVLGENTIA-AVG COS IIII, Indulgentia enthroned left, right hand extended, transverse scepter cradled in left arm; S C in exergue. RIC III 914. A gorgeous example of Imperial bronze, with a deep, moody patina and a graceful portrait of the emperor. Born in AD 86 as T. Aurelius Fulvius Boionius Antoninus to a wealthy family from Nemausus in Gaul. His grandfather and father had each risen to Consul, and like them, he entered the Senate at the appropriate age and enjoyed a distinguished career. Around AD 120, he married Annia Galeria Faustina, an aristocratic lady of Spanish descent with family ties to the emperors Trajan and Hadrian. He earned a consulship in AD 130 and served as the Proconsul of Asia. Tall, handsome, and widely admired for his sober judgment, he soon attracted the attention of Hadrian, who made him a close advisor. When Hadrian's intended successor, Aelius, died early in AD 138, the ailing emperor settled on the 52-year-old Antoninus as his replacement. Hadrian died on July 10, and Antoninus succeeded without serious opposition. Unlike the restless Hadrian, Antoninus never left Italy and was content to rule from Rome. Stability and equanimity were his watchwords, and his policies kept the Empire on an even keel for 24 years. He put no one to death, friend or foe. Only minor flare-ups in northern Britain and northern Africa disturbed the general peace. The frontiers were maintained and defended, with his decision to build a new wall in Britain 90 miles north of the Hadrian's Wall the only instance of imperial expansion. He carefully groomed Marcus Aurelius as his successor but neglected to provide him with any military training. In fact, the mild, civilian character of his reign may have unwittingly allowed storm clouds to gather and strengthen both within and beyond the frontiers. Nevertheless, later generations viewed Antoninus as the perfect emperor, and the tranquility of his reign took on the sheen of a lost golden age. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Antoninus Pius, as Augustus (AD 138-161). AE sestertius (33mm, 26.52 gm, 6h). NGC XF 5/5 - 4/5, Fine Style, light smoothing. Rome, AD 143-144. ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P COS III, laureate head of Antoninus Pius right / IMPERA-TOR•II, Fides standing facing, head right, grain ears in lowered right hand, basket of fruits in outstretched left. RIC III 716a. Wonderful deep perylene green patina graces the surfaces. Ex Heritage Auctions, Auction 3032 (10 April 2014), lot 23958. The goddess Fides was represented the virtue of faithfulness and honesty in interpersonal relationships, whether in the context of religion, family, friendship, or agreements between individuals or states. While on coinage she became popularly depicted in her military guise, as Fides Militum, holding onto a grounded standard in each hands, this coin has completely different attributes. Although her name does not appear in this specific coin, we do have many other examples naming her in the guise of Fides Publica with these attributes holding grain ears and a bowl of fruit, items commonly associated with Ceres. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Marcus Aurelius, as Caesar (AD 161-180). AR denarius (18mm, 3.08 gm, 11h). NGC Choice AU S 5/5 - 5/5. Rome, ca. AD 145-147. AVRELIVS CAE-SAR AVG P II F, bare head of Marcus Aurelius right / CO-S-II, Spes advancing left, flower upward in right hand, hitching stola with left. RIC III (Antoninus Pius) 431. Delightfully sharp devices with delicately rendered curls and ripples of fabric. Radiant flow lines are emphasized by soft bursts of sapphire and sunset tones. Originally given the name Marcus Annius Verus, the future Marcus Aurelius was born in AD 121 into a patrician family of Spanish origin. At an early age, Marcus earned the patronage of the emperor Hadrian and was formally schooled at the Imperial court. At the age of 17, Marcus was adopted by Antoninus Pius, along with Lucius Verus; it is widely assumed that Antoninus was following Hadrian's wishes that both young men eventually succeed to the throne. After Hadrian's death, Antoninus kept young Lucius in the background while he showed Marcus every preferment. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Marcus Aurelius, as Augustus (AD 161-180). AR denarius (19mm, 3.53 gm, 5h). NGC Choice AU 5/5 - 5/5. Rome, AD December 170-December 171. M ANTONINVS-AVG TR P XXV, laureate head of Marcus Aurelius right / C-OS-III, Mars advancing right, transverse spear in right hand, trophy in left hand over left shoulder. RIC III 231. Razor-sharp devices throughout the steely flan. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Faustina Junior (AD 147-175/6). AR denarius (19mm, 3.62 gm, 6h). NGC Choice MS S 5/5 - 5/5. Rome, AD 161-164. FAVSTINA-AVGVSTA, draped bust of Faustina Junior right, seen from front, hair waved and coiled at lower back of head in chignon / FECV-N-D-I-TAS, Fecunditas standing facing, head right, grounded scepter in right hand, infant seated left in outstretched left hand. RIC III (Marcus Aurelius) 677. Stunning high grade example struck from fresh dies onto a bright flashing flan with alluring toning, Annia Galeria Faustina the Younger was born in about AD 129 to Antoninus Pius and his wife, Faustina the Elder. When Antoninus was adopted by Hadrian as his successor in AD 138, the emperor arranged for her betrothal to Lucius Verus, also about eight and the son of Aelius, who had died the same year. When Antoninus inherited the throne, he broke the engagement and instead betrothed her to his nephew (and adoptive son) Marcus Aurelius. They were wed in AD 145 to great rejoicing and went on to produce at least 13 children, of which only three or four survived to adulthood, among them the future emperor Commodus. Faustina seems to have been a free, fun-loving spirit in the mold of her mother, which earned the disapproval of staid Roman historians. Marcus Aurelius, after he became emperor in AD 161, spent long years on campaign, which must have strained the relationship. Faustina accompanied him on some of these and was given the honorific title "Mater Castrorum," or "Mother of the Camp." Nevertheless, there were rumors of adulteries with soldiers, sailors and gladiators, which do not seem to have altered her husband's devotion to her. More serious are allegations that she had some part in the abortive rebellion of the eastern general Avidius Cassius, in AD 175. Whatever the truth, she died soon thereafter, either of illness or as the result of an accident. Reputation or no, Marcus grieved greatly and ordered her deification. The lifetime coinage of Faustina started at the time of her marriage and continued over 30 years, showing her from a fresh-faced princess to a mature matron, and providing a pageant of Roman feminine hairstyles over that span. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Faustina Junior (AD 147-175/6). AR denarius (18mm, 3.54 gm, 6h). NGC Choice AU S 5/5 - 5/5. Rome, AD 147-150. FAVSTINAE AVG-PII AVG FIL, draped bust of Faustina right, hair plaited and coiled at back with strings of pearls / VE-NVS, Venus standing facing, head left, with apple in right hand, dolphin-entwined rudder in left. RIC III (Antoninus Pius) 517c. Stunning surfaces with rippling flow lines and sharp devices. Annia Galeria Faustina the Younger was born in about AD 129 to Antoninus Pius and his wife, Faustina the Elder. When Antoninus was adopted by Hadrian as his successor in AD 138, the emperor arranged for her betrothal to Lucius Verus, also about eight and the son of Aelius, who had died the same year. When Antoninus inherited the throne, he broke the engagement and instead betrothed her to his nephew (and adoptive son) Marcus Aurelius. They were wed in AD 145 to great rejoicing and went on to produce at least 13 children, of which only three or four survived to adulthood, among them the future emperor Commodus. Faustina seems to have been a free, fun-loving spirit in the mold of her mother, which earned the disapproval of staid Roman historians. Marcus Aurelius, after he became emperor in AD 161, spent long years on campaign, which must have strained the relationship. Faustina accompanied him on some of these and was given the honorific title "Mater Castrorum," or "Mother of the Camp." Nevertheless, there were rumors of adulteries with soldiers, sailors and gladiators, which do not seem to have altered her husband's devotion to her. More serious are allegations that she had some part in the abortive rebellion of the eastern general Avidius Cassius, in AD 175. Whatever the truth, she died soon thereafter, either of illness or as the result of an accident. Reputation or no, Marcus grieved greatly and ordered her deification. The lifetime coinage of Faustina started at the time of her marriage and continued over 30 years, showing her from a fresh-faced princess to a mature matron, and providing a pageant of Roman feminine hairstyles over that span. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Lucius Verus (AD 161-169). AR denarius (18mm, 3.32 gm, 12h). NGC MS S 5/5 - 4/5. Rome, December AD 161-December AD 162. IMP L AVREL VERVS AVG, bare head of Lucius Verus right / PROV DEOR TR P II COS II, Providentia standing facing, head left, globe raised in right hand, cornucopia cradled in left. RIC III (Marcus Aurelius) 482. Well centered and bursting with icy luster across the nearly pristine surfaces. Entirely deserving of its Star designation. Late in AD 136, the Emperor Hadrian adopted a handsome aristocrat named Lucius Aurelius Commodus as his intended successor, giving him the name Aelius Caesar. The new heir had a seven-year-old son, who received the name Lucius Verus, and the boy's place in the dynastic succession seemed secure. But Aelius died of consumption only 16 months later, forcing Hadrian to adopt as his replacement another, more seasoned senator, Antoninus Pius. Antoninus in turn adopted Lucius Verus and another youth of a good Spanish family, Marcus Aurelius; it is widely assumed that he was following Hadrian's wishes that both eventually succeed to the throne. After Hadrian's death, however, Antoninus determined that Lucius, while handsome and charming, was something of a lightweight and that the sober Marcus was better suited to the burden of government. Nevertheless, when Antoninus died in March, AD 161, Marcus Aurelius insisted that the Senate also grant Lucius Verus the title of Augustus, for the first time giving the Empire two theoretically coequal rulers. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Caracalla, as Caesar (AD 198-217). AR denarius (18mm, 3.75 gm, 5h). NGC Choice AU S 5/5 - 5/5. Laodicea, AD 196-197. M AVR ANTON-CAES PONTIF, bare headed, draped, and cuirassed bust of Caracalla right, seen from back / SECVRITAS-PERPETVA, Minerva standing facing, head left, aegis on breast, right hand resting on shield, reversed spear grounded in left hand. RIC IV.I 330. Remarkably bold devices with delicately carved folds of drapery and curls. Ex Classical Numismatic Group, Electronic Auction 525 (19 October 2022), lot 1198; Heritage Auctions, Auction 232207 (16 February 2022), lot 63263. Born in Lugdunum in AD 188, while his father was serving as governor of Gaul, Lucius Septimius Bassianus started out life as a cheerful, affable youth whose character deteriorated as he gained more prestige and power. His father, Septimius Severus, seized the throne and defended it against all rival claimants during the civil wars of AD 193-197. Bassianus was named Caesar in AD 195 and was further elevated to co-Augustus with his father three years later, when he was only 10. His name was changed to Marcus Aurelius Antoninus in honor of the revered Antonine dynasty, but the boy preferred barbarian manners and fashions, and he soon earned a nickname after a type of hooded Germanic cloak he liked to wear- Caracalla (or, in modern terms, "hoodie"). HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Macrinus (AD 217-218). AR denarius (19mm, 3.47 gm, 6h). NGC MS S 5/5 - 5/5. Rome, AD 217-218. IMP C M OPEL SEV MACRINVS AVG, laureate, cuirassed bust of Macrinus right, wearing short beard, seen from front / SALVS PVBLICA, Salus enthroned left, feeding from patera in right hand snake coiled round altar at left. RIC VI.II 84. Well-centered strike with crisp depictions. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Macrinus (AD 217-218). AR denarius (20mm, 3.43 gm, 12h). NGC Choice AU 5/5 - 4/5, Fine Style. Rome, AD 217. IMP C M OPEL SEV MACRINVS AVG, laureate, cuirassed bust of Macrinus right, with older features and longer beard, seen from front / PONTIF MAX TR P COS P P, Annona enthroned left, two grain ears in right hand outstretched over filled modius at feet, cornucopia cradled in left arm. RIC IV.II 19. Absolutely deserving of the Fine Style designation, the devices are razor-sharp with the subtlest of artistic detailing still on full display. Ex Morris Collection (Heritage Auctions, Auction 271920, 26 May 2019), lot 40299. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Elagabalus (AD 218-222). AR denarius (19mm, 2.76 gm, 12h). NGC Choice AU S 5/5 - 5/5. Antioch. ANTONINVS PIVS FEL AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Elagabalus right, seen from behind / FELICIT-AS/TEMP, war galley right, with seven rowers and a pilot, standard and acrostolium; furled sail at prow. RIC IV.II 187. Glittering surfaces with clear devices struck from fresh dies. Ex Morris Collection (Heritage Auctions, Auction 61160, 10 May 2020), lot 97403. Without doubt, the four-year reign of Elagabalus stands as one of the strangest interludes in all Roman history. His rise to power was engineered by his grandmother, Julia Maesa, the sister of the powerful Roman Empress Julia Domna. Maesa, determined to restore the Severan-Emesan dynasty to power, seized upon her 13-year-old grandson, Varius Avitus Bassianus, as the means. The boy, who was the hereditary high priest of the god Elagabal, greatly resembled a young Caracalla, and Maesa had it put about to the soldiers that he was the emperor's natural son and true successor. That, plus a liberal sprinkling of gold, induced the troops to revolt and proclaim Avitus (now renamed Antoninus, but widely known as Elagabalus after his god) as emperor. Improbably, Macrinus was defeated and killed, and Elagabalus with his retinue made their way to Rome, where the people greeted their new ruler with mixed bafflement, amusement, and horror. Elagabalus was also what would today be called transgendered and totally committed to the orgiastic rites of his cult. He married three times in rapid succession, including a scandalous union with a Vestal Virgin. The populace and soldiery soon became disgusted with this un-Roman behavior. Maesa finally decided that he must be replaced to save the dynasty. She persuaded Elagabalus to adopt his more docile cousin Alexander as Caesar, then coolly arranged for the Praetorians to murder their oddball emperor along with his mother, Julia Soaemias, in March, AD 222. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Severus Alexander, as Augustus (AD 222-235). AR denarius (20mm, 3.07 gm, 5h). NGC Choice AU S 5/5 - 4/5. Antioch. IMP C M AVR SEV ALEXAND AVG, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Severus Alexander right, seen from back / LIBERALITAS AVG, Liberalitas standing facing, head left, tessera in right hand, cornucopia cradled in left. RIC IV.II 281. Wintry surfaces flash around the crisp devices. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Severus Alexander, as Augustus (AD 222-235). AE sestertius (31mm, 26.12 gm, 2h). NGC Choice VF 5/5 - 4/5, Fine Style. Rome, AD 231-235. IMP ALEXANDER PIVS AVG, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Severus Alexander right, seen from front / MARS-VLTOR, Mars advancing right, transverse spear in right hand, shield in left; S-C across fields. RIC IV.II 635. Impressive portrait with enthralling detail in hair and face. The first eight years of Severus Alexander's reign were mercifully free of serious external threats. In AD 230, however, the new Sasanian king of Persia, Ardashir I, staged a major invasion of Rome's eastern provinces, besieging the important border city of Nisibis and raiding as far as Cappadocia. Peaceful by nature and with no military training, Alexander was ill-equipped to deal with the situation. His mother Julia Mamaea, the real ruler of the state, made peace offers to the Sasanians, which were haughtily rebuffed. Alexander was thus compelled to mount an expedition to the east, an effort reflected in the martial aspect of this sestertius. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Severus Alexander, as Augustus (AD 222-235). AE sestertius (35mm, 23.02 gm, 2h). NGC Choice Fine S 5/5 - 4/5. Rome, ca. AD 234. IMP ALEXANDER PIVS AVG, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Severus Alexander right, seen from front / P M TR P-XIII COS III PP, radiate Sol advancing left, right hand raised in gesture of adlocutio, whip cradled in left arm. RIC IV.II 538. The imposingly broad flan allows the entirety of the well-defined details to be seen. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.

Maximinus I (AD 235-238). AR denarius (21mm, 1h). NGC Choice AU S. Rome, AD 236-238. IMP MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG , laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Maximinus I right, seen from behind / PROVIDENTIA AVG, Providentia standing facing, head left, wand in right hand over globe at feet to left, cornucopia cradled on left arm. RIC IV.II 13. Brilliant light flashes across polychromatic toning which contributes an otherworldly affect to the razor-sharp details. HID05401242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved.