ROMAN EMPIRE "NERO" 54-68 AD ~ NGC VF 5x4 ~ "TEMPLE OF JANUS"
ROMAN EMPIRE "NERO" 54-68 AD AV AUREUS ~ NGC VF 5x4 ~ ! NERO CLAUDIUS CAESAR AUGUSTUS "POMPEII TREASURE" THIS IS THE ONLY NERO COIN WE'VE SEEN THUS FAR WITH “ TEMPLE of JANUS" ON THE REVERSE !
In ancient Rome, the main Temple of Janus stood in the ROMAN FORUM near the Argiletum. It had doors on both ends, and inside was a statue of JANUS, the two-faced god of boundaries. The Temple doors (the "Gates of Janus") were closed in times of peace and opened in times of war.
The Temple of Janus was Numa's (2nd KING of ROME) most famous temple project, which he built to distract the early warlike Romans from their violent ways).
During Numa's reign, the Gates of the Temple of Janus were CLOSED and Rome remained at peace (as shown on the Reverse of this Coin). The next king, Tullus Hostilius, opened the Gates of Janus when he went to war with Alba Longa. The Gates of Janus remained open for the next 400 years until after the First Punic War when T. Manlius Torquatus closed the Gates of Janus in 235 BC. This closure lasted about eight years. War with the Gauls in Northern Italy forced the Gates of Janus to reopen. They did not close again until 29 BC, following the deaths of Marc Anthony and Cleopatra (when Augustus had overthrown Marc Anthony).
This Gold Aureus (NERO) has exceptionally attractive toning, and (rarely seen) the Complete visible / legible Names of NERO CAESAR! Most pieces I've seen the names are cut off or due to off-centering illegible. This is a VERY RARE opportunity to own such a piece of History dating back 2,000 YEARS!!!
This coin appears to have the "Boscoreale Toning," which are coins unearthed near the city of "POMPEII." In 1894 / 95 at a site near the buried city of Pompeii, diggers working on a Roman Villa, uncovered an amazing TREASURE that included table vessels and incredible beauty and GOLD AUREI (Ancient Gold coins of Roman origins). The intense heat from the volcanic ash / lava and the pyroclastic flows from the famous eruption of Vesuvius caused all the these gold coins to have a reddish hue or tint, which has become known as the "Boscoreale toning." These coins consisted of ALL the reigns up to and including AD 78. There were no formal records before these coins were dispersed to local museums and a couple of astute collectors.
NERO CLAUDIUS CAESAR AUGUSTUS GERMANICUS ( Born AD 37 and died (suicide) 68AD (at 31 years old). He ruled from 54 to 68 AD, and was the last of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. NERO was adopted by his grand-uncle Claudius (in 50 AD, at only 13 yrs old) and became heir and successor to his father's (Claudius) throne in 54 AD. Many historians believe that Claudius was poisoned by Nero's mother-Agrippina (Claudius' wife, which was also his niece). Claudius became Emperor after his nephew (Caligula) was murdered during a revenge raid (he survived it by hiding behind a large curtain). So Nero was son from Aggrippina (mother) from her previous marriage. She convinced her new husband Claudius to name her son (not Claudius' natural son from his previous marriage) as the heir to the throne (named successor). He's also known for serving up the head of his ex-wife to his new wife upon their marriage as a requested gift (by the new wife). But, he later killed his new wife, by kicking her to death while she was pregnant, in a fit of rage.
In ancient Rome, the main Temple of Janus stood in the ROMAN FORUM near the Argiletum. It had doors on both ends, and inside was a statue of JANUS, the two-faced god of boundaries. The Temple doors (the "Gates of Janus") were closed in times of peace and opened in times of war.
The Temple of Janus was Numa's (2nd KING of ROME) most famous temple project, which he built to distract the early warlike Romans from their violent ways).
During Numa's reign, the Gates of the Temple of Janus were CLOSED and Rome remained at peace (as shown on the Reverse of this Coin). The next king, Tullus Hostilius, opened the Gates of Janus when he went to war with Alba Longa. The Gates of Janus remained open for the next 400 years until after the First Punic War when T. Manlius Torquatus closed the Gates of Janus in 235 BC. This closure lasted about eight years. War with the Gauls in Northern Italy forced the Gates of Janus to reopen. They did not close again until 29 BC, following the deaths of Marc Anthony and Cleopatra (when Augustus had overthrown Marc Anthony).
This Gold Aureus (NERO) has exceptionally attractive toning, and (rarely seen) the Complete visible / legible Names of NERO CAESAR! Most pieces I've seen the names are cut off or due to off-centering illegible. This is a VERY RARE opportunity to own such a piece of History dating back 2,000 YEARS!!!
This coin appears to have the "Boscoreale Toning," which are coins unearthed near the city of "POMPEII." In 1894 / 95 at a site near the buried city of Pompeii, diggers working on a Roman Villa, uncovered an amazing TREASURE that included table vessels and incredible beauty and GOLD AUREI (Ancient Gold coins of Roman origins). The intense heat from the volcanic ash / lava and the pyroclastic flows from the famous eruption of Vesuvius caused all the these gold coins to have a reddish hue or tint, which has become known as the "Boscoreale toning." These coins consisted of ALL the reigns up to and including AD 78. There were no formal records before these coins were dispersed to local museums and a couple of astute collectors.
NERO CLAUDIUS CAESAR AUGUSTUS GERMANICUS ( Born AD 37 and died (suicide) 68AD (at 31 years old). He ruled from 54 to 68 AD, and was the last of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. NERO was adopted by his grand-uncle Claudius (in 50 AD, at only 13 yrs old) and became heir and successor to his father's (Claudius) throne in 54 AD. Many historians believe that Claudius was poisoned by Nero's mother-Agrippina (Claudius' wife, which was also his niece). Claudius became Emperor after his nephew (Caligula) was murdered during a revenge raid (he survived it by hiding behind a large curtain). So Nero was son from Aggrippina (mother) from her previous marriage. She convinced her new husband Claudius to name her son (not Claudius' natural son from his previous marriage) as the heir to the throne (named successor). He's also known for serving up the head of his ex-wife to his new wife upon their marriage as a requested gift (by the new wife). But, he later killed his new wife, by kicking her to death while she was pregnant, in a fit of rage.