Page 17 - January1960

January, 1960 NATIONAL BUTTON BULLEfiN 15

rnove along to cases and provide the particulars on a number of buttons. Itre
arrangement is chronological by years of reign. unless ottrerwise stated, buttons
may be described as "coin replicas,', meaning flat, one-piece metal. Most are
stamped brass, some bronzed and some silvered. A few are cast.
AUGUSTUS was born Caius Octavianus on September 23, 63 B.C. After his
great-uncle, Julius caesar, adopted him, his name became daius Julius caesar
Octavianus, He is the Octavius in Shakespeare's ..Julius Caesar" and .,Anthony
and Cleopatra."
Augustus'reign is often ealled the Golden Age and his achievements are too
many and too well known to need recounting here. He ruled ftom 29 B.c. rurtil his
death in 14 A.D.
- Nq. I "AvglOaesare/Imperatore" This is not a coin circulated during his
reign, but one struck to honor him by a later ruler, He is crowned with the corona
radiata, a symbol not of his worldly power, but of his deiflcation.
TIBERIUS, emperor from 14-3? A.D. Altho Augustus had two wives, he had
no male heir. He wished his step-son, Tiberius Caludius Nero, to be his successor
and therefore adopted him. Tiberius is remembered as the rurer during the time
of Christ. St. Luke menbions him by name. Ifis reign was an unhappy one for
himself and his country; partly because he trusted the wrong advistirs. Much
$uelty and cormption marked his last years,
No. 9 "TilOaesar/Divi/Avgvst/F Avg/fmp VIII ,,Ti', abbreviates Tiberius.
"F Avgystr" is for "fllius Augusti," meaning son of Augustus. .,Imp VII', dates
the coin 18 A.D. As explained earlier, .Imp" in this position denotes Commander-
in-chief, not emperor. It was in 18 A.D. (the fourth yea.r of his reigtr) that Tib-
erius won his eighth great military victory.
No. 10 "XXXIII/fiberius" We have been unable to discover the meaning of
the numeral on this button. It may be a mark of value as used on gold coins
of the period. The button is black glass with gold-bronze luster.
CALIGULA reigned between 37 and 41. As successor to Tiberius. whose
grand-nephew he was, Caligula surpassed him in cnrelty and dissipation. Psy-
chiatrists now believe that he was insane. His father. called Germanicus for his
victories over the Germans, had been a great military leader, idolized by the
Roman people. To capitalize on that popularity, Caligula placed his father's
portrait on some of his coins and on others strowed himself as the very image
of his father.
No. 11 "C/Caesar/Avglcermanicvs/'Pon M/T? Pot" The emperor's real name
was Caius Caesar as given on the coin. "Germ,anicus" he took over from his
father. The name we know him by, Caligula, was really a nickname given him
in his childhood when he wore caligae, large, heavy army boots.
NERO, ruled 54-68. Buttons Nos. 1-6 already described.
VESPASIAN, ruled 69-?9. After the death of Nero by his own hand, a struggle
for power ensued. The year 69 is known as the Year of the Four Emperors for
that many did reign for however short a time! Fortunately for Rome, the final
victor was Vespasian, a capable and honest man. He was a builder and under
him the construction of the Coliseum was begun.
No. 12 "fmp/Caes/Vespasian/Avg/Cos III" Ifere again the inscription pro-
vides a date; the third year of Vespasian's consulship was ?1 A.D. It wiU be
noted that he wears the corona radiata ai that time. The explanation probably
is that this is a provincial coin minted for the "barbarians" who often considered
living men to be gods.

NEII,VA, ruled 96-98. His coin has already been described (No. ?.)