Augustus 27 BC-AD 14. Lugdunum
Denarius AR

19 mm, 3,68 g

AVGVSTVS DIVI•F, laureate head right / IMP XII/ [ACT], Apollo Citharoedus of Actium standing right, holding lyre with his left hand and plectrum in his right.

Very Fine

RIC 193a; Cohen 163.

The Apollo Citharoedus of Actium refers to a statue or representation of the god Apollo depicted as a citharoedus, a term used to describe a musician who plays the cithara, an ancient Greek stringed instrument similar to a lyre. This particular depiction of Apollo is significant because of its association with the Battle of Actium, a decisive naval battle fought in 31 BC between the forces of Octavian (later Augustus) and the combined forces of Mark Antony and Cleopatra. The Battle of Actium, which took place off the coast of western Greece near the promontory of Actium, was a turning point in Roman history, leading to Octavian's victory and the subsequent establishment of the Roman Empire under his rule as Augustus. Before the battle, Octavian is said to have received a favorable omen from Apollo, whom he revered as his patron deity. The association with Apollo was politically significant, as Octavian sought to align himself with the god's attributes of harmony, order, and victory, contrasting himself with Mark Antony, who was more closely associated with the Egyptian goddess Isis through his alliance with Cleopatra. In the aftermath of the victory, Augustus celebrated Apollo's role in his triumph by commissioning a temple dedicated to Apollo on the site of Actium. This temple housed a statue of Apollo Citharoedus, emphasizing the god's role as a cultural and civilizing force. The statue depicted Apollo in a serene and majestic manner, holding a cithara, symbolizing not only his connection to music and the arts but also the harmony and order that Augustus claimed to have restored to the Roman state.