HISTORICAL ROMAN COINS.*
" num the earliest times to the reign of Augustus" states the scope of Mr. Hill's book. But the "earliest times" do not carry us very far back. The earliest coin which he records belongs to the year 338 B.C., when Rome had con- quered the troublesome pirates of Antium. This achieve- ment was commemorated by the beaks of ships (rostra) represented on the reverse. This, therefore, was an "historical" coin. Mr. Hill traces the same character in the specimens which he describes for us as he passes under review the mint products of the next three centuries and a half. His latest specimen belongs to the year 13 of our era. It is a silver denarius, bearing on the obverse the head of Augustus, on the reverse Tiberius in a triumphal chariot. It was struck to commemorate the triumph which Tiberius celebrated in the January of that year in recognition of his victory in Pannonia some four years before. This celebra- tion had been delayed by the disaster to the legions of Varus. compelling, as it did, his continued presence in Germany. This coin is numbered 109 in the plate of illustrations (xv.) Its immediate predecessor, 108, takes us into a time when the fortunes of Tiberius were far less promising. The obverse shows Augustus as usual, the reverse his destined successors on the throne, the young Caesars Caine and Lucius. They are standing by an altar wearing the toga virilis, with instru- ments of sacrifice by them ; the inscription, set out at full length, is : " Cairn: Lucius Caesarea; Augusti Filii, Consules Designati, Principes Juventutis." The title of "Princeps Juventutis " was equivalent to our modern "Prince Imperial," or "Royal," or "Crown Prince," and it may be supposed that Augustus thus indicated to the world his choice of a successor. Tiberius was still in retirement or exile at Rhodes, at least when the coin was designed. It was after the question of succession was settled that he returned to Rome. If we go back something less than fifty years, we find what we may call the first of the Imperial coins. It bears the head of Julius Caesar, and is the first coin on which the portrait of a living person appears. Another, somewhat later in date, shows Antony, bearded—he let his hair grow in token of mourning after the assassination of Caesar—and yet another a head of Brutus. To put the living man instead of the ideal figure meant, we may say, personal instead of a popular rule. The thought is suggested whether Rome would have been more free if the enemies of Caesar had triumphed. We hope that we have said enough to send our readers to Mr. Hill's learned and valuable book.
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