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Denarius - Octavian AEGVPTO CAPTA
| Issuer | Roman Empire (27 BC - 395 AD) |
|---|---|
| Year | 28 BC |
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| Shape | Round (irregular) |
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| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | A Nile crocodile rendered in profile, advancing to the right, with finely engraved scaly skin articulated across the dorsal surface and tail, its jaws slightly open. The creature stands on a plain ground line, presented as a powerful symbol of Egypt's conquest. The two-word legend is divided above and below the crocodile, filling the field. The reverse design is stark and emblematic, conveying the propagandistic message of Roman dominion over Egypt with bold simplicity. |
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Struck to commemorate Octavian's conquest of Egypt following the suicides of Antony and Cleopatra in 30 BC, this issue was part of a deliberate propaganda campaign to frame the annexation as a liberation rather than a conquest. Egypt was not organized as an ordinary province — it was administered directly under an equestrian prefect answerable to Octavian alone, deliberately excluding the Senate from any foothold in Rome's wealthiest acquisition. The grain supply of the entire city depended on it.
The two-year gap between the conquest and this coinage reflects the pace of Octavian's staged consolidation of power before formally receiving the title Augustus in 27 BC.