PHRYGIA. Laodicea ad Lycum. Gaius Caesar, 20 BC - AD 4. Hemiassarion (Bronze, 14 mm, 3.27 g, 1 h), under the magistrate Antonius Polemon Philopatris, 5 BC. ΓΑΙΟΣ ΚΑΙΣΑΡ Bare head of Gaius Caesar to right. Rev. ΛΑΟΔΙΚΕΩΝ Eagle standing facing, turned slightly to right and with head to left; to left and right, monograms of ΑΝΤΩ and ΠΟΛΕ; below, monogram of ΦΙΛΟΠΑΤ. BMC 158. RPC 2899. Very dark blackish-green patina. About extremely fine.
From a European private collection.
Gaius Caesar was the oldest grandson of Augustus, son of Agrippa and the emperor's daughter Julia. Almost from infancy he and his younger brother Lucius were given an education suitable for 'heirs to the throne'. He was given ever-greater responsibilites, with an experienced staff to guide him (including the somewhat dubious Marcus Lollius, grandfather of Caligula's third wife Lollia Paulina, who amassed an enormous fortune from bribery and, until his enforced suicide in AD 2, did his best to cause strife between Gaius and his uncle Tiberius). He settled a number of problems with the Parthians, but he was wounded by trickery while on campaign against rebels in Armenia. Initially healed, the wound led to serious health problems and he died on 21 February AD 4. It has long been rumored that Gaius (as well as his brother Lucius, and others) was actually poisoned on the orders of Livia, as a way of ensuring the succession of her son Tiberius.