DI-365 | RIC I (SE) Nero 53
Nero
Nero

Dynasty: Julio-Claudian
Emperor: Nero
Authority: Nero
Date and mint: AD 64/AD 65 - Rome


Obverse: Head of Nero, laureate, right, with beard
Legend: NERO CAESAR AVGVSTVS

Reverse: Jupiter, nude to the cintura, manto which cubre the extremidades inferiores, seated, left in the throne, holding a thunderbolt in right hand and a long scepter in left.
Legend: IVPPITER CVSTOS

Comment: Nero belonged to the Julio-Claudian dynasty, the last direct line begun by Augustus. He was the son of Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus and Agrippina the Younger, sister of Caligula, who adopted him as successor. Nero came to power in AD 54 and is remembered both for his eccentric personality and for his interest in the arts. His reign saw the reconstruction of Rome after the Great Fire, but also serious tensions with the Senate and revolts. This denarius was struck in AD 64-65, a period of instability after the Great Fire, when Nero faced criticism over his handling of the disaster. The obverse shows Nero laureate and bearded, emphasizing his position as emperor and his public artistic persona. On the reverse, Jupiter, protector of Rome, holds thunderbolt and scepter, symbolizing the divine authority Nero claimed for his legitimacy. The legend IVPPITER CVSTOS means Jupiter the Guardian, stressing divine protection of the emperor.

Provenance: Ars Classica (2023)
Price: 12,310 €