ROMAN. C. Cassius Longinus. The Republicans. Spring 42 BC. Silver Denarius (3.65g). Military mint, probably at Smyrna; P. Cornelius Lentulus Spinther, legatus. Veiled, diademed and draped bust of Libertas right / Capis and lituus. Crawford 500/5; CRI 223; Sydenham 1305; RSC 6; RBW 1764. aEF. An incredible pedigree. Crawford estimated that fewer than thirty obverse dies were employed for this rare and historically important issue. C. Cassius Longinus, one of the principal assassins of Julius Caesar, withdrew to the East after the Ides of March and rapidly rebuilt his power there. Drawing on his earlier successes against the Parthians as governor of Syria, he raised nearly twelve legions by 43 BC, defeated Antony's general Dolabella, secured Syria as his base, and even prepared for a projected invasion of Egypt. The formation of the triumvirate between Antony, Octavian and Lepidus, however, forced a change of plan. Cassius abandoned the Egyptian venture and marched west to join Brutus at Smyrna, where the two regicides coordinated their campaign by striking at the triumvirs' allies in Asia. The following year they advanced into Thrace and took up a defensive position near Philippi to await the armies of Antony and Octavian. In the ensuing battle, Brutus won a striking success against Octavian, capturing his camp, but Cassius' forces were routed by Antony. Not knowing of Brutus' victory, Cassius believed the entire cause was lost and ordered his freedman Pindarus to kill him, bringing his career to a tragic close. From the David Allan Collection, acquired from Noble Numismatics in November 1999; formerly a British Museum duplicate, donated in 1872 and subsequently deaccessioned; earlier ex Eton College Collection, Sotheby's, London, 1 December 1976, lot 417; and ex W. Woolmer, Sydney, November 1982, by exchange. (P)

Estimate: AUD 1000