Julius Caesar and Marcus Mettius - AR denarius, 44 B.C Scarce Portrait & Lifetime coin from the year of Caesar's death. "44 B.C.- the first year of the new calendar, was also the first time any ruler in the Roman Republic had minted coins with their own portrait on them." 3.1 grams (holed) 20 X 16.5 mm Obverse: Julius Caesar wearing the golden wreath,facing right, long neck, pronounced Adams apple (signifies wisdom); CAESAR IMPER(ATOR): Caesar, imperator. Reverse: M METTIVS: Marcus Mettius (mint magistrate). (Goddess) Venus Victrix walking left, Victoria in left hand, Spear in right hand. Shield resting on globe. Control letter A in left field. Found in an uncleaned lot from FunOldCoins. Julius Caesar, under the advice of Cleopatra's astrologer Sosiegenes, changed the Roman semi-lunar calendar to fit the Egyptian calendar of Thoth. He adjusted the lengths of the months so that there were 365 days to a year with only one intercalary day required every four years. The year of 44 B.C. would start on January 1st, the first new moon after Winter Solstice. Caesar changed the name of the month Quintilis, which means 5, to Julius, or July. He also had coins struck to commemorate the Calends of the new year. The first year of the new calendar was also the first time any ruler in the Roman Republic had minted coins with their own portrait on them. At this time in history temples were to be built to him as if he was a god. One might think that since the new year began on January 1st, that the intercalary, or leap year day, would be on December 32. Though Caesar made radical changes to the calendar, he did not feel that he could move the time when the intercalations where made because they had become interwoven with the religious observances during the month of February. This was the when the Pontiffs had previously added their intercalary month for Consuls they favored, the time Caesar had done away with. On the Ides (or 15th) of February the festivals of Lupercalia were celebrated. These feasts were believed to honor the god Februus, the purifier. To celebrate the holy day, two male priests ran through the streets wearing only the skins of sacrificed animals, beating women with leather straps called februa in the belief that it would make them fertile. It seems that in order to make his calendar change part of religious observances he chose this day - the ancient precursor to Valentines day - to appear before the crowd for the first time in a purple toga and a gold wreath, the dress of the ancient kings of Rome. He was then presented to the public for the first time as Dictatus Perpetuus, or dictator for life. His Consul, Mark Anthony, offered him the crown of Rome and the title of Rex or king, which Caesar turned down saying that Jupiter alone is the king of Rome - and the crowd cheered. The people feared the idea of a king, they had the right to vote and lived in a powerful Republic. The crowds cheered the new Dictatus Perpetuus, but the members of the Senate realized they had lost complete control of the calendar and realized the full meaning of the word dictator. They assassinated him exactly one month later, on the Ides of March. Complete chaos and anarchy ensued until about 30 B.C. All of the Senators were killed, Mark Anthony and Cleopatra committed suicide. The only Patricians left standing were the son of Julius Caesar, Augustus and his supporters. Augustus Caesar took complete control of the Republic and declared that he and his father were Gods. Augustus placed his name in the calendar, August, alongside that of his father, July. Contributed by: Edward A. Vitale Julius Caesar and Marcus Mettius - AR denarius, 44 B.C Scarce Portrait & Lifetime coin from the year of Caesar's death. "44 B.C.- the first year of the new calendar, was also the first time any ruler in the Roman Republic had minted coins with their own portrait on them." 3.1 grams (holed) 20 X 16.5 mm Obverse: Julius Caesar wearing the golden wreath,facing right, long neck, pronounced Adams apple (signifies wisdom); CAESAR IMPER(ATOR): Caesar, imperator. Reverse: M METTIVS: Marcus Mettius (mint magistrate). (Goddess) Venus Victrix walking left, Victoria in left hand, Spear in right hand. Shield resting on globe.