Caesar, gold aureus, 48 BCE (HCRI 10)

Julius Caesar is probably best known to Celtic scholars for his description of the Gauls and Druids in his writings about the Gallic wars. This and the following two coins depict Gallic arms, trophies of war and were being used by Caesar to commemorate his victories in Gaul as well as downplaying the then current civil conflict with Pompey.

For our purposes the reverse is useful in showing us what Celtic arms looked like.

The shield is long, oval with rounded ends and is decorated.

The helmet is horned and has long ear and neck guards.

The war horn is of typical Celtic style, the bell being the head and open mouth of a fanciful animal.

The armor appears to be cloth which according to classical historians was brightly colored and patterned.

An axe is shown surmounted by a similar animal head. Though classical sources speak of spears, javelins and swords being used by Celtic warriors, the large numbers of axe heads found in Celtic territories and grave sites suggest they were almost certainly used as weapons. Caesar may have choose the axe to show since it was one of the symbols of the pontificate, and alludes to Caesar as Pontifex Maximus.

Caesar, silver denarius, 48 BCE (HCRI 11)

Caesar denarius, military mint in Spain, late 46 to early 45 BCE (HCRI 59)

For several years Caesar had been chasing Pompey's forces around the Mediterranean with final victory in Spain. The reverses of the coins minted to pay for this campaign again celebrate his Gallic victories-- propaganda for war-weary Romans.

Again we see typical Gallic arms: two shields, 2 spears., an animal headed war-horn, a torque and a horned helmet. Looking closely at the battle dress, it appears to be chain or scale mail, rare among the Celts who, it is said invented chain mail, though the torque suggests these are Chieftain's arms. The 'apron' is decorated also, perhaps studded leather or metal repousse.

Below are 2 Gallic captives, a dejected female wearing a draped gown and a kneeling male with his hands tied behind. His pointed beard is similar to that on the next coin

L. Hostilius Saserna, silver denarius, Rome 48 BCE (HCRI 18)

Rarely do we see portraits of actual Celts and when done are usually idealized statuary. The following 2 coins were minted by the moneyer L. Hostilius Saserna probably under the aegis of Caesar and not the Senate.

The appearance of this portrait is much different than those of Romans, enhancing their 'barbarian' or foreign nature to Roman citizens. The hair is long and probably limed, the beard and mustaches prominent and the facies peculiar. A Celtic shield is behind and he wears chain around his neck. This Roman has often been called Vercingetorix, probably a Romantic notion, but then, who really knows. The reverse of this coin is the shown above.

L. Hostilius Saserna, silver denarius, Rome 48 BCE (HCRI 19)

The sister coin to the above shows a female Gaul with a typical Celtic carynx behind. She has often been called Gallia, a concept that would be absolutely foreign to the tribal Celts. More likely she represents a captive. Hear hair is long in a non-Roman fashion and almost modern in appearance, perhaps limed and forming dreadlocks. Her face is pretty in contrast to most Roman females depicted on coins.

It has been suggested that the reverse of this coin, which depicts Artemis in a Greek fashion, commemorates Caesar's taking of Massilia which interfered with his march to Spain. Massila was an ancient Greek city and Artemis dear to her.