C. Vibius Varus, 42 BC. AV Aureus

C. Vibius Varus, 42 BC. AV Aureus (20 mm, 8.00 g, 7 h). Rome.

Obv. Laureate head of Apollo right.

Rev. C•VIBIVS / VARVS. Venus, half-draped and seen from behind, standing left beside a column, gazing into a mirror held in her left hand.

Refs: Calicó 33; Crawford 494/34; CRI 190; RBW 1738; Sydenham 1137.

A striking aureus of C. Vibius Varus, issued during the turbulent year of 42 BC, when the Liberators Brutus and Cassius prepared to confront Antony and Octavian in the East. The moneyer was a supporter of the Caesarian cause, and his choice of types is revealing. The obverse bears a portrait of Apollo, god of music, prophecy, and harmony, whose cult was increasingly tied to Augustus’ propaganda in later years. The reverse depicts Venus, half-nude and admiring herself in a mirror—a daring and intimate rendering that emphasises both her beauty and her role as ancestress of the Julian line, to which Caesar, and by extension his heirs, laid claim.

The type cleverly combines divine ancestry with sensual appeal, reinforcing the legitimacy of the Caesarian faction while also creating one of the more unusual and artistically ambitious reverse designs of the late Republic.

Condition: Minor marks and light scratches with a few small deposits; otherwise a very attractive example of this rare and desirable type.