Ancient Coin of the Day: An aureus of ca. 18 BC, a lovely example of a moneyer's coin, carrying the magistrate's name, Lucius Aquillius Florus, on the Reverse. #ACOTD

Image: RIC 1 Augustus 308

This coin is from the mint in Rome and was produced by one of the magistrates responsible for coinage, the 'tresviri aere argento auro flando feriundo' (The Three Men of the College responsible for the Casting and Striking of Bronze, Silver, and Gold), IIIVIR in the Legend.

Augustus' reforms to the 'cursus honorum' had meant that those holding the position tended to be younger men in their first official magistracy. This was a savvy move from Augustus, as the inexperienced magistrates would be less likely to 'rock the boat'.

Augustus knew the propaganda value of coinage, which is why the symbols on these coins continued to be dominated by Augustan imagery, such as the 'corona civica' on this denarius of C. Gallius Lupercus fro 16 BC.

Image: RIC 1 Augustus 377

Hence the novelty value of the Reverse of the coin at the head of this thread, where the petal design serves as a simple visual pun on the name of the magistrate Florus.

#ACOTD