Woods, D.

2013

December

Revue Suisse de Numismatique

Regulus, Caesar, and a Brutish Bull

Published

()

Julius Caesar bull Rome coinage denarius Brutus Regulus

92

63

76

It is argued that the galloping bull on the reverse of a denarius issued by the moneyer L . Regulus in 42BC (RRC 494\24) probably represents Brutus, the main leader of the republican forces. He is depicted as an animal in play upon his cognomen Brutus often used in description of ‘brutish’ animals, but as a bull in particular because of the literary tradition of depicting warriors as bulls. There is an additional dimension to the play upon his name in that it reminds the viewer of the correspondence between the meaning of his name ‘devoid of feeling’ and his behaviour in assassinating one who had shown him so much favour. The bull is depicted galloping in flight in reference either to Brutus’ flight from Italy in 44BC or, more probably, to the retreat of republican forces before triumviral forces as they advanced through Epirus and Macedonia during the summer of 42BC.

Bern, Switzerland

0035-4163