Live auction - bga_423182 - PROVINCIA (PROVENCE) - FORUM IULII (FREJUS) Petit bronze à la proue et au capricorne

PROVINCIA (PROVENCE) - FORUM IULII (FREJUS) Petit bronze à la proue et au capricorne AU

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Estimate :	2 000 €
Price :	900 €
Maximum bid :	1 160 €
End of the sale :	14 March 2017 15:06:49
bidders :	1 bidder

Type : Petit bronze à la proue et au capricorne

Date: c. 27 AC

Mint name / Town : Fréjus, Var

Metal : bronze

Diameter : 14,5 mm

Orientation dies : 9 h.

Weight : 2,98 g.

Rarity : R3

Coments on the condition:

Bronze d’une rare qualité, avec une frappe vigoureuse, un centrage idéal et de très forts reliefs, mais une patine un peu poreuse avec une très légère concrétion de surface au niveau de la proue

Catalogue references :

LT.- - Dicomon.FRE-22 p. 167 - BN.manque

Obverse

Obverse legend : ANÉPIGRAPHE.

Obverse description : Proue à gauche, avec triple éperon et oeil ; grènetis.

Reverse

Reverse legend : ANÉPIGRAPHE.

Reverse description : Un capricorne à droite, appuyé sur un globe.

Commentary

Rare bronze d’une émission attestée par trois exemplaires en argent et plusieurs dizaines de bronzes (la plupart provenant des fouilles de Fréjus étant en très mauvais état de conservation).
Selon A. Deroc l’iconographie du droit avec la proue (mise en relation avec la victoire d’Actium) et le capricorne du revers (marque personnelle d’Auguste à partir de 29-28 avant J.-C.) permettent de proposer un monnayage frappé à l’occasion de la fondation de Forum Julii.
Cet exemplaire est probablement le plus bel exemplaire publié, avec de très forts reliefs sur un flan particulièrement épais.

Historical background

PROVINCIA (PROVENCE) - FORUM IULII (FREJUS)

(1st century BC)

Fréjus or Forum Iulii was founded in the 1st century BC. -VS. This is an important step on the Aurelian Way. From the outset, it has had an inland port, the basin of which, laid out in a marshy area, is connected to the sea by a long canal.. A rampart protects the town. It was probably on his way to Marseilles that he was going to besiege, that Julius Caesar founded, in 49 BC. -VS. , the Forum Iulii (literally the "Forum of Jules"). Tacitus tells us that the fleet of Antony and Cleopatra was sent to the port of Fréjus after their defeat before Octave (future emperor Augustus), off Actium in 31 BC.. -VS. The port will only lose its military role in the 3rd century, which it shared with those of Misenum and Ravenna. Shortly after the victory of Actium, around 29-27 BC. -VS. , the city receives veterans of the VIII legion and receives the title of colony and becomes an important market for the artisanal and agricultural production. Under Augustus, the city changes its name to become Forum Iulii Octavanorum colonia. All the great monuments of the City (amphitheatre, aqueduct, lighthouse, thermal baths, theatre) were built under the Julio-Claudians. Gnaeus Julius Agricola (40-93), better known as Agricola was born in Fréjus. Agricola completed the conquest of the Isle of Britain (today's Britain). He is the father-in-law of Tacitus, who wrote the story of his life. Forum Julii is mentioned there briefly at the beginning, in a laudatory way, as an “ancient and illustrious colony”.