fme_1008314 - AUGUSTE Médaille, Reproduction d’un sesterce d’Auguste, n°304

AUGUSTUS

(01/16/27 BC - 08/19/14 AD)

The temple of Mars Ultor was dedicated on May 12, 20 BC. It concretized the great diplomatic victory that the emperor had just won. Augustus had recovered the ensigns and the prisoners returned by the Parthians, lost following the defeats of Crassus at Carrhae (53 AC.), Decidius Saxa (40 AC.) and Marc Antoine (36 AC.). To commemorate this victory, an arc de Triomphe was erected on the Forum by virtue of a decision of the Senate. It was a great diplomatic success that the Res Gestae recalls (II, 11). On the arch, the characters accosting the quadriga of Augustus who received the Triumph on this occasion are Parthian warriors returning the military insignia. The Parthian king, Phraates IV (38-2 AC) tried to get closer to the Romans. Augustus offered him a young slave named Musa who received many honors and ended up assassinating the king of kings with the help of his son Phraatakes.