E-auction 696-754377 - bga_1153734 - NEMAUSUS - NÎMES Bronze (quadrans)

NEMAUSUS - NÎMES

(1st century BC)

This coinage would begin around 27 BC. The right exalts Agrippa, the admiral of Augustus' fleet, his friend, his son-in-law and the winner of the battle of Actium (31 BC), who unfortunately died in 12 BC. The typology of the law places these coins on an equal footing with the civic coinage of Vienne, Lyon, Orange and perhaps Narbonne. After this date, only the Nîmes coinage continued to be minted in Gaul. If the first issue is rare, the other three are common. We would be dealing with light dupondii, fiduciary coin which made it possible to supply Gaul deficient in imperial coins and procured local monetary increased profits. The typology of the reverse would relate to the capture of Egypt by Octavian in 30 BC and the installation of veterans who, having served in the legions, would have received for "Honesta missio" or retirement bonus, land around Colonia Augusta Nemausus. The city will change status in 24 BC by becoming a Roman colony and dominating the territory of the Arecomic Volques.