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Lot 65. Augustus AE As, with Varus countermark
Varus countermark
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Bidding closed
(Sunday, December 21st, 19:32:30 CET)
Current time: Sunday, November 24th, 08:56:37 CET
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eAuction #32, Lot 65. Estimate: CHF 1'000.00
Augustus (27 BC - 14 AD). AE As (25 mm, 9.93 g), Lugdunum (Lyon), c. 15-10 BC. Countermarked by Publius Quinctilius Varus as governor of Germania in 7-9 AD.
Obv. CAESAR PONT MAX, laureate head right; countermark: VAR in ligature.
Rev. Altar of Lugdunum, Victory on each pedestal; below, ROM ET AVG.
RIC I, 230; for countermark: BN 1623.
Very rare. Host coin good fine, countermark lightly double struck, otherwise, very fine.
Publius Quinctilius Varus was one of Augustus' most celebrated generals. In 9 AD, while leading an army of three legions (the XVII, XVIII and XIX through northwestern Germany, he was abushed by German tribes under the Cheruscian king Arminius. After a hard-fought battle that lasted four days and three nights - the famous Battle of the Teutoburg Forest - the Roman army was annihiliated and Varus and his officers commited suicide. The Romans lost all of their legionary eagles and some 15-20'000 men, including many important officers and an unknown number of civilians, which lead to their retreat from Germania.
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