ZEUGITANA. Utica. Tiberius, 14-37. 'Dupondius' (Bronze, 29 mm, 13.78 g, 3 h), C. Vibius Marsus, proconsul, Drusus Caesar, quaestor, and Titus C. Rufus, praetor, 27/8. TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVST IMP VIII Bare head of Tiberius to left. Rev. C VIB MARSO PR COS DR CAE Q PR T G RVFVS F C / D - D / P - P Livia, veiled, seated right, holding patera in her right hand and scepter in her left. Alexandropoulos 115. RPC I 733.39 (this coin). SNG Copenhagen 438-9. Exceptionally well preserved and with a wonderful brown patina, very likely the finest known example and hence used as plate coin in RPC online. Minor traces of corrosion and with very light adjustment marks, otherwise, nearly extremely fine.



Gaius Vibius Marsus was a Roman senator and provincial governor who rose to prominence primarily through his appointment as governor of Syria in 42 CE. In this capacity, he became closely entangled in the political affairs of Judaea, particularly in relation to Herod Agrippa I. The relationship between Marsus and Agrippa was marked by deep-seated mistrust. When Agrippa began fortifying the walls of Jerusalem - an act laden with both symbolic and strategic implications - Marsus promptly reported the matter to Emperor Claudius, who ordered an immediate halt to the construction.

Tensions escalated further when Agrippa convened a gathering of client kings in Tiberias, Galilee, including Herod of Chalcis, Polemon II of Pontus, Cotys of Lesser Armenia, Antiochus IV of Commagene, and Sampsigeramus of Emesa. Marsus interpreted this assembly as an effort to forge a regional alliance that could potentially challenge Roman supremacy. Acting swiftly, he ensured that the participating rulers were dismissed and returned to their respective territories. These interventions brought Marsus into open conflict with Agrippa, who repeatedly petitioned Claudius to remove him from office.

Following Agrippa’s death in 44 CE, Marsus temporarily assumed administrative control over Judaea until he was succeeded by Gaius Cassius Longinus. Throughout his tenure, Marsus demonstrated himself to be a vigilant defender of Roman authority, opposing Jewish aspirations for greater autonomy with firm skepticism and direct countermeasures. The coin offered here from Utica refers to an earlier phase of his career, identifying him as proconsul of the province of Africa, a position he held from 26 to 29 (or possibly 27 to 30) CE.