DR-834 | Crawford: 519/2
Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus
Cneo Domitius Ahenobarbus

Gens: Domitia
Moneyer: Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus
Date and mint: 41 BC - ?


Obverse: Bust of a man, right, with beard. Dotted border.
Legend: AHENOBAR

Reverse: Bow, right, on which stands a trophy with two spears and a shield. Dotted border.
Legend: CN DOMITIVS IMP

Comment: Obverse: Bearded bust of Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus facing right. The beard, a direct allusion to his cognomen (Ahenobarbus, “bronze beard”), became a family emblem and symbol of his patrician pride. The realism of the portrait suggests a propaganda intention, presenting him as a firm leader and legitimate heir to republican values.

Reverse: Galley bow on which rises a military trophy made up of spears and a shield, representing his naval successes and his authority as an independent commander. The maritime motif makes direct reference to his command of the fleet in the Adriatic after the defeat of the Republicans at Philippi.

Comment: This denarius was minted around 41 BC, when Ahenobarbus maintained resistance against the Triumvirate of Octavian and Mark Antony, controlling part of Greece and the Ionian Sea. The broadcast acts as a political manifesto, claiming its independence and legitimacy. Shortly after, in 40 BC, he reconciled with Mark Antony, was restored to his honors and ended up fighting at his side until his death shortly before the battle of Actium (31 BC).

Provenance: Numismatica Ars Classica (2007)
Price: 14,013 €