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Sestertius - Augustus MVNICIPI PATRONVS PARENS
| Issuer | Gades (Hispania Ulterior) |
|---|---|
| Year | 27 BC - 12 BC |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 37.61 g |
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|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | A large aplustre — the ornamental stern-piece of an ancient warship — depicted centrally in the field, rendered with curved, fan-like radiating timbers and scrolling ornamental elements, emblematic of Agrippa's celebrated naval victories. The surrounding legend reads MVNICIPI PATRONVS PARENS, distributed around the periphery of the flan, referencing Agrippa's role as patron and father-figure of the municipium of Gades. The design is bold and deeply struck, with the aplustre serving as a powerful symbol of Roman naval supremacy and Agrippa's personal prestige in Hispania. |
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| Additional information |
Gades — modern Cádiz — held a uniquely privileged position in the Roman west, having maintained commercial ties with Rome stretching back centuries through Phoenician trade networks. The title MVNICIPI PATRONVS PARENS on this issue reflects Augustus's formal adoption of the role of civic patron, a relationship the city cultivated aggressively: Cornelius Balbus, a native of Gades and the last non-Roman to celebrate a triumph, served as a key intermediary between the city and Augustus in precisely this period.
Local bronze coinage of this kind was not minted under central Roman authority but by civic magistrates operating within sanctioned limits — the weight alone signals Gades's ambition to produce prestige-grade civic bronze.