This type was struck in the aftermath of the civil wars following the Battle of Actium (31 BC). The trophy on a ship’s prow directly alludes to Octavian’s naval victory over Antony and Cleopatra, a triumph that paved the way for Augustus to consolidate power as sole ruler of Rome.
Ex. Fritz Rudolf Künker, Auction 54, 7 May 2019, lot 135.
From a Lower Rhine private collection. Acquired in January 1988 from J. Loon (Coin Investment).
With control punch on the obverse, lightly smoothed in places.
Roman Imperial
Octavian Augustus (27 BC-14 AD), Denarius 30/29 BC, Italian mint Brindsi or Rome
Obverse: head of Augustus right
Reverse: war trophy set on the prow of a ship, surrounded by captured arms
IMP CAESAR
Diameter 19 mm, weight 3.46 g
The Battle of Actium in 31 BC marked a decisive turning point in Roman history. Octavian, the adopted son of Julius Caesar, defeated the combined forces of Mark Antony and Cleopatra VII, bringing an end to the long cycle of civil wars. The following year Alexandria was captured, and both Antony and Cleopatra committed suicide. This victory enabled Octavian to proclaim the “restoration of peace” and establish the new political order of the Principate, the beginning of the Roman Empire.
The denarii depicting a trophy on the prow of a ship were powerful propaganda tools. By pairing the portrait of Augustus with the image of a naval trophy, they directly commemorated the crushing of Antony and Cleopatra’s fleet. The war trophy, adorned with captured arms, served as a reminder of victory, while the ship’s prow highlighted that Rome’s destiny had been decided at sea.
Struck in large numbers, these coins spread a clear political message: Rome now had one ruler who would ensure peace and stability after years of turmoil. They are among the earliest examples of Augustan coinage as a medium of propaganda, linking military triumph with the ideology of the pax Romana—the Roman peace ushered in by the new princeps.
