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 9280
- AUGUSTUS, 27 BC - AD 14. Æ As (28mm, 10.85 g, 12h). Rome
mint. Struck AD 11 - 12. Bare head left/Legend around large S*C. RIC I
471. Very fine, brown surfaces. Emperor of Rome during the birth and
early years of Christ's life. Excellent portrait facing left. Augustus
was the founder of the Roman Participate and considered the first Roman
emperor, controlling the Roman Empire from 27 BC until his death in AD
14. He was born Gaius Octavius into an old and wealthy equestrian
branch of the plebeian gens Octavia. His maternal great-uncle
Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC and Octavius was named in
Caesar's will as his adopted son and heir, then known as Octavianus.
He, Mark Antony, and Marcus Lepidus formed the Seond Triumvirate to
defeat the assassins of Caesar. Following their victory at the Battle of
Philippi, the Triumvirate divided the Roman Republic among them and
ruled as military dictators. The Triumvirate was eventually torn apart
by the competing ambitions of its members. Lepidus was driven into exile
and stripped of his position, and Antony committed suicide following his
defeat at the Battle of Actium by Octavian in 31 BC. The reign of
Augustus initiated an era of relative peace known as the Pax Romana
(The Roman Peace). The Roman world was largely free from
large-scale conflict for more than two centuries, despite continuous
wars of imperial expansion on the Empire's frontiers and the year-long
civil war known as the "Year of the Four Emperors" over the
imperial succession. Augustus dramatically enlarged the Empire, annexing
Egypt, Dalmatia, Pannonia, NOricum, and Raetia; expanding possessions in
Africa; expanding into Germania; and completing the conquest of
Hispania. Beyond the frontiers, he secured the Empire with a buffer
region of client states and made peace with the Parthian Empire through
diplomacy. He reformed the Roman system of taxation, developed networks
of roads with an official courier system, established a standing army,
established the Praetorian Guard, created official police and
fire-fighting services for Rome, and rebuilt much of the city during his
reign...................................................$245.00
 6700
- CLAUDIUS, AD 41-54 Æ As (25.5mm, 9.33 g, 6h). Uncertain mint
in Iberia (Mint I). Struck circa AD 41-50. Bare head left/Minerva
advancing right, brandishing spear and holding shield. Besombes &
Barrandon, "Nouvelles propositions de classement des monnaies de
[bronze] de Claude Ier," in RN 2000, pl. VI, 6; RIC I 100.
Very fine, dark brown patina, earthen encrustation, some green. From
the estate of Thomas Bentley Cederlind. Claudius inadvertently
persecuted the early Christians by expelling the Jews from Rome as they
were perceived as a sect of the Jews. Beautiful portrait...........................................$265.00
COINS
OF THE BIBLE  1000
- GAUL,
Nemausus, Augustus, with Agrippa. 27
BC-AD 14. Æ Dupondius (25mm, 12.30 g, 6h). Struck AD 10-14. Heads of
Agrippa, wearing combined rostral crown and laurel wreath, and Augustus,
laureate, back to back/Crocodile right, chained to palm frond with
wreath at top; two palm fronds at base. RPC I 525; RIC I 159. Near VF,
green patina. Succeeded Julius Caesar after numerous conflicts with his
peers including Marc Anthony and the step father of Augustus. Agrippa
was a close friend, son-in-law, and lieutenant to Augustus and was
responsible for the construction of some of the most beautiful buildings
in the history of Rome and for important military victories, most
notably at the Battle of Actium against the forces of Mark Antony and
Cleopatra. As a result of these victories, Octavian became the first
Roman Emperor, adopting the name of Augustus. Agrippa assisted Augustus
in making Rome a city of marble and renovating aqueducts to give all
Romans, from every social class, access to the highest quality public
services. Augustus was emperor when Jesus was
born.......................................................SOLD
  1003
- CALIGULA
AD 37-41, Bronze AS, Bust of Caligula facing to the left,
Reverse: Seated figure of the Roman goddess Vesta seated left S.C. to
either side. Very fine, nice green patina. While persecution of the
Christians in Rome did not really begin until the rule of Nero,
Caligula, who was mad, supported Agrippa in Judea who martyred St.
James. One of the most cruelest of the 12 Caesars and was finally
murdered. Fine..........................................$175.00
1004
- PONTIUS
PILATE, AD 26-36AD, Judean Procurator under Tiberius, Æ
Prutah dated RY [31/32 AD, Lituus/date within wreath. Hendin 1343, very
nice as these are all sand cast and always crude, Pontios Pîlãtos]
was the fifth prefect of the Roman province of Judaea, from  AD 26-36. He
served under Emperor Tiberius, and is best known for presiding over the
trial of Jesus and ordering his crucifixion. In all four gospel
accounts, Pilate lobbies for Jesus to be spared his eventual fate of
execution, and acquiesces only when the crowd refused to relent. He thus
seeks to avoid personal responsibility for the death of Jesus. In the
Gospel of Matthew, Pilate washes his hands to show that he was not
responsible for the execution of Jesus and reluctantly sends him to his
death. The Gospel of Mark, depicting Jesus as innocent  of plotting
against the Roman Empire portrays Pilate as reluctant to execute Jesus.
In the Gospel of Luke, Pilate not only agrees that Jesus did not
conspire against Rome, but Herod Antipas, the Tetrarch of Galilee, also
finds nothing treasonable in Jesus' actions. In the Gospel of John,
Pilate states "I find no guilt in him [Jesus]," and he asks
the Jews if Jesus should be released from custody. For type very
fine...........................................$150.00  1005
- PONTIUS
PILATE, AD 26-36AD, Judean Procurator under Tiberius, Æ
Prutah, Hendon 1341, Simpulum/three grain ears very nice as these are
all sand cast and always crude, Pontios Pîîlãtos) was the fifth
prefect of the Roman province of Judaea, from AD 26-36. He served under
Emperor Tiberius, and is best known for presiding over the trial of
Jesus and ordering his crucifixion. In all four gospel accounts, Pilate
lobbies for Jesus to be spared his eventual fate of execution, and
acquiesces only when the crowd refused to relent. He thus seeks to avoid
personal responsibility for the death of Jesus. In the Gospel of
Matthew, Pilate washes his hands to show that he was not responsible for
the execution of Jesus and reluctantly sends him to his death. The
Gospel of Mark, depicting Jesus as innocent of plotting against the
Roman Empire, portrays Pilate as reluctant to execute Jesus. In the
Gospel of Luke, Pilate not only agrees that Jesus did not conspire
against Rome, but Herod Antipas, the Tetrarch of Galilee, also finds
nothing treasonable in Jesus' actions. In the Gospel of John, Pilate
states "I find no guilt in him [Jesus]," and he asks the Jews
if Jesus should be released from custody. For type, Fine to very
fine......................................................$135.00
  1006
- AGRIPPA,
AD 37-41, Bronze prutah, struck 41/42 AD, umbrella like canopy
with fringe, three ears of barley between two leaves. Judean procurator
under Caligula. St. James' death is about eleven years after the
martyrdom of Stephen, probably about A.D. 41-42. Agrippa may have been
motivated toward this persecution by zealous Pharisees (like Paul) who
sought to suppress the Jews who taught that Jesus was resurrected from
the dead. It even appears that the people of Jerusalem no longer support
the Jewish Christians. Hendin 1343itherington makes this point: the city
of Jerusalem has "turned against" the Jewish church (Acts, 386).
Hendin #553.
Fine.........................................................$60.00
 1007
- NERO,
AD 54-68. Æ As (24mm, 6.68 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck circa AD 64.
Radiate head right/Genius standing left, sacrificing from patera over
lighted altar and holding cornucopia; I (mark of value) in exergue. RIC
I 215; WCN 276. Very fine, green patina. The Apostle and first
"Bishop of Rome," Peter, was imprisoned, tortured, and
crucified in Rome in 64 CE under the Roman emperor, Nero. Some scholars
set the date at October 13, 64 CE. The earliest documented mention of
Peter's death is in a letter from Clement, bishop of Rome (AD 88-97), to
the Corinthians. It is in "The Acts of Peter" (2nd
Century CE), that we find the story of Peter being crucified
upside-down, supposedly at Peter's request, because was "unworthy
to die in the same manner as my
Lord"........................................................SOLD
  1008
- NERO,
AD 54-68, Billion tetradrachm struck at Alexandria, Egypt. Bust of Nero
with radiate crown, Rev: Bust of Apollo, Greek legends. Nice tone, very
fine. BMC 144, the Apostle and first "Bishop of Rome", Peter,
was imprisoned, tortured, and crucified in Rome in 64 CE under the Roman
emperor, Nero. Some scholars set the date at October 13, 64 CE. The
earliest documented mention of Peter's death is in a letter from
Clement, bishop of Rome (AD 88-97), to the Corinthians. It is in "The
Acts of Peter" (2nd Century CE), that we find the story of
Peter being crucified upside-down, supposedly at Peter's request,
because was "unworthy to die in the same manner as my
Lord"..................................................$195.00
  1009
- NERO,
AD 54-68, Billion Tetradrachm, bust of Nero with radiate crown,
Rev: the Greek God Serapis right, KON #170, nicely toned, struck at
Alexandria, Egypt year LIA, The Apostle and first "Bishop of
Rome", Peter, was imprisoned, tortured, and crucified in Rome in 64
CE under the Roman emperor, Nero. Some scholars set the date at October
13, 64 CE. The earliest documented mention of Peter's death is in a
letter from Clement, bishop of Rome (AD 88-97), to the Corinthians. It
is in "The Acts of Peter" (2nd Century CE), that we
find the story of Peter being crucified upside-down, supposedly at
Peter's request, because was "unworthy to die in the same manner as
my
Lord".......................................................................$195.00
  1010
- DOMITIAN,
AD 81-96, Bronze As, Bust of Domitian right, Reverse: Minerva
standing holds a thunderbolt and spear, RIC [Titus 169]. The emperor
Domitian, who was naturally inclined to cruelty, first slew his brother,
and then raised the second persecution against the Christians. In his
rage he put to death some of the Roman senators, some through malice;
and others to confiscate their estates. He then commanded all the
lineage of David be put to death. Amont the numerous martyrs that
suffered during this persecution was Simeon, bishop of Jerusalem, who
was crucified; and St. John, who was boiled in oil, and afterward
banished to Patmos. Flavia, the daughter of a Roman senator, was
likewise banished to Pontus; and a law was made, "That no
Christian, once brought before the tribunal, should be exempted from
punishment without renouncing his religion." A variety of
fabricated tales were, during this reign, composed in order to injure
the Christians. Such was the infatuation of the pagans, that, if famine,
pestilence, or earthquakes afflicted any of the Roman provinces, it was
laid upon the Christians. These persecutions among the Christians
increased the number of informers and many, for the sake of gain, swore
away the lives of the innocent. Another hardship was, that, when and
Christians were brought before the magistrates, a test oath was
proposed, when, if they refused to take it, death was pronounced against
them; and if they confessed themselves Christians, the sentence was the
same. Nice bold portrait of Domitian.........................................$145.00
1011 - VESPASIAN, 69-79 AD, silver denarius, bust of
Vespasian facing right, reverse female seated to left, slightly of
center, nice portrait. It was during his reign that Jerusalem wasa
destroyed by the Roman army under his son Titus. Vespasian was the first
Roman Emperor to die of natural causes. Near
fine...............................................$49.00
 1012
- CONSTANTINE THE GREAT, 306-337 AD, bronze follis, bust of
Constantine, Rev: Genius standing. Nice portrait in mailed bust.
Constantine is regarded as the first Christian Emperor. Constantine was
the first emperor to stop Christian persecutions and to legalize
Christianity along with all other religions and cults in the Roman
Empire. In February 313, Constantine met with Licinius in Milan, where
they developed the Edict of Milan. The edict stated that Christians
should be allowed to follow the faith without oppression. This removed penalties
for professing Christianity, under which many had been martyred
previously, and returned confiscated Church property. The edict
protected from religious persecution not only
Christians but all religions, allowing anyone to worship whichever deity
they chose. A similar edict had been issued in 311 by Galerius, then
senior emperor of the Tetrarchy; Galerius' edict granted Christians the
right to practice their religion but did not restore any property to
them. The Edict of Milan included several clauses which stated that all
confiscated churches would be returned as well as other provisions for
previously persecuted Christians. Very fine, large
flan.........................................$45.00,
another very fine, some reverse green deposits from soil, sharp portrait
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