L. Cestius and C. Norbanus, 43 BC. Aureus (Gold, 20 mm, 8.09 g, 12 h), Rome, January-April 43 BC. Draped bust of Africa right, wearing elephant skin headdress. Rev. L•CEST[IVS] / S•C - PR / C•NORBA Curule chair, front legs ornamented with eagles flying, facing half-right, surmounted by Corinthian helmet right. Babelon (Cestia) 1 and (Norbana) 3. Calicó 3. Crawford 491/1a. CRI 195. RBW 1716-7. Sydenham 1153. Rare and with a lovely rendering of Africa. Minor areas of weakness and the obverse struck slightly off center, otherwise, good very fine.


This aureus dates to the turbulent year after Julius Caesar’s assassination on the Ides of March (44 BC), when alliances among Rome’s leading political figures shifted rapidly. Octavian aligned with the Senate against Mark Antony, who had marched an army into Cisalpine Gaul to attack Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus, the province’s governor and one of Caesar’s assassins. Gaius Cestius and Lucius Norbanus - both Caesarians and supporters of Octavian - ordered this issue of gold aurei to pay Octavian’s troops in the campaign against Antony. Soon afterward, however, Octavian, Antony, and Lepidus formed the Second Triumvirate in November 43 BC, bringing their immediate conflict to an end.