Octavian, Hybrid or Annular Eclipse of 35 BC

Minted in 30-29 BC, this coin represents the last conflicts of Octavian before becoming the sole emperor of the Roman Empire. The eclipse of 35 BC was associated with the excecution of Sextus Pompey, the removal of Lepidus and the dissolution of the Second Triumvirate. Between 35-30 BC, Octavian defeated Marc Antony and Cleopatra. In 30 BC, Caesarion, Julius Caesar's only son , was excecuted by Octavian. This left Octavian as the only surviving ruler who could claim family ties to Julius Caesar. The obverse of this coin shows Mars the Roman god of war. The reverse shows the annular eclipse of 35 BC in a Macedonian shield design. Octavian placed varients of this symbol on coins with Julius Caesar to claim approval from the heavens and kinship with the divinity of Julius Caesar. The coins demonstrating the divine comet of Julius Caesar in 44 BC are different than the above symbol. The star symbol on the shield is directly associated with war, not absolute divinity. As one can see even NASA uses the above symbol on their solar eclipse charts. In 30 BC the ruler John Hyrcanus II of Israel died. Photo Mike Vosper Coins