Denarius[³²] of the moneyer

Quintus Caepio Brutus

The obverse[¹⁰⁸⁴] of the ancient Roman coin features the head of Libertas with an inscription behind stating LIBERTAS and a boarder of dots. Coin's reverse[¹¹³⁹] depicts L. Iunius Brutus, who walks between two lictors and preceded by an accensus. There a legend stating BRVTVS in exergue and a border of dots.

This coin's moneyer is more famous under the name Marcus Junius Brutus, the leading character in the assassination of Caesar. He was born in 85 BC and when his father passed away his uncle adopted him. Therefore his name is Q. Caepio Brutus. This name is featured of various official public documents as well as on coins. In 59 BC Brutus assumed the position of the moneyer and in the following year supported Cato on his way to Cyprus. When Brutus came back to Rome he offered his support to Pompey, thus involving into battle against Caesar that took place in 48 BC in Dyrrhachium.

The battle was lost by Brutus, nevertheless Caesar pardoned him. Later he received a promise given by Caesar to hold the governorship of Macedonia. Despite this fact he decided to join the conspiracy against the emperor and in 44 BC Caesar was assassinated.

The fate of Brutus was decided on the battlefields at Philippi. His army was defeated by Mark Antony and Octavian and Brutus committed suicide.

The obverse of the ancient Roman coin includes the head of the goddess Liberty and her name spelled in Latin LIBERTAS, which can be found on the right. The type was selected by Brutus, who supported Pompey on the lands that he wanted to free. The reverse of the coin features Lucius Junius Brutus, who was the ancestor of the conspirator. The scene depicts him walking between 2 lictors, being preceded by an accensus. It is worth noting that the lictor was an associate of a special class of Roman social servant. The lictor had special tasks to attend and defend magistrates of the Roman Republic who held imperium.

The coin's reverse shows lictors who accompanied the consuls during certain official events, including the senatorial sessions. They carried fasces, a bundle of rod along with an ax found in the middle. The ax was the symbol of consuls' authority.

It's interesting to note that accensus represented a minor official of a consul. Historical facts state that L. Junius Brutus took the Tarquin kings away from Rome and founded the first consulship of the Roman Republic.

Marcus Junius Brutus, was also known under the name of Quintus Caepio Brutus. He was the one to gain fame as a reluctant leader of the conspiracy linked with the assassination of Julius Caesar.

Servilia, who was the mother of Brutus, was also the half-sister of Cato the Younger. It is believed that she had been engaged in a long affair with Roman Emperor Caesar. Certainly Caesar may have considered Brutus as his biological son.

However, in the multifaceted politics of Rome, the Roman Emperor considered Brutus as his protégé. Although Caesar treated Brutus with respect, the latter offered his support to Pompey in his civil war with Caesar. Brutus’ decision to support Pompey is even more unusual since Pompey was the one to murder his father. It looks like Brutus had made his decision to fight on Pompey's side to support the Republic against the persistent consolidation of Caesar's power.

Despite the fact the Pompey lost the war against Caesar, the latter pardoned his supporter Brutus and took good care of him. In 46 BC the emperor made Brutus the governor of Cisalpine Gaul and in 44 BC Brutus became the top praetor in Rome.

The good treat that Caesar gave to Brutus was apparently not enough for the latter so Brutus joined the conspiracy against the emperor. Possible motives for Brutus were the salvation of the Republic from dictatorship as well as royal ambitions of Caesar.

The death came after Julius Caesar in 44 BC on the Ides of March. There was no realistic back up plan for those who managed the conspiracy. Later Brutus committed suicide after being defeated by Mark Antony and Octavian following in 42 BC the battle of Philippi.