Roman Culture and Society
Roman Coinage
Clare Rowan
aes rude
c. 326 or after
Bronze coin, struck at Naples (?) for (?) Rome, 4.54g, after 326 BC. RRC 1/1
Obv: laureate head of Apollo, r.
Rev: ΡΩΜΑΙΩΝ. Forepart of man-headed bull r.
Coin striking
Rome, AR didrachm, 264-255 BC, 7.02g, RRC
20/1
Obv: Diademed bust of Hercules, r.
Rev: She-wolf suckling Romulus and Remus,
ROMANO in exergue.
Rome, AE currency bar or aes
signatum, 280-250 BC, 1746g,
RRC 9/1
Obv: elephant
Rev: cow
Rome. AE aes grave, 36mm, 366.36g,
225-217 BC, RRC 35/1
Obv: Head of bearded Janus
Rev: prow
The development of the denarius system, c. 212 BC
Rome, AV 60 asses, 211-208 BC, RRC 44/2
Obv: bearded bust of Mars, r. Mark of value below.
Rev: eagle standing on thunderbolt with wings spread,
ROMA
The denarius
A truly ‘Roman’ approach…
tresviri aere argento auro flando feriundo (tresviri AAAFF), or,
tresviri monetales
L. Marcius Phillipus, moneyer, 56 BC
M. Caecilius Q.f. Q.n. Metellus, 127 BC
M. Metellus, Q.f. moneyer, Rome mint, 127 BC,
AR denarius, RRC 263/1
Obv: helmeted head of Roma r., ROMA behind.
Rev: Macedonian shield decorated with
elephant‘s head, around, M. METELLVS Q.F.
Laurel-wreath border.
M. Caecilius Q.f. Q.n. Metellus, 82- 80 BC
M. Metellus, Q.f., moneyer, Rome mint, 82-80
BC, AR denarius, RRC 369-1
Obv: head of Apollo r., ROMA behind, X before.
Rev: : Macedonian shield decorated with
elephant‘s head, around, M. METELLVS Q.F.
Laurel-wreath border.
The Roman Mint(s)
From Meadows, A.
and Williams, J.
(2001) 'Moneta
and the
Monuments:
Coinage and
Politics in
Republican Rome',
Journal of Roman
Studies 91: 34.
Rome, Julius Caesar, mint travelling with Caesar, 49-48 BC, AR denarius, RRC 443/1
Obv: elephant advancing r., trampling snake (?), CAESAR in exergue
Rev: pontifical emblems
Experimentation at the end of the Republic: Sextus Pompey
Imperial denominations: Rome
•
•
•
•
•
AV aureus
AR denarius
AR quinarius (ends under Julio-Claudians)
sestertii and dupondii of orichalcum (brass).
as and quadrans of copper.
Imperial Titles
NERO CLAVDIVS CAESAR
AVG = Augustus
GER = Germanicus
P M = pontifex maximus
TR P = tribunician potestas
IMP = imperator
P P = pater patriae
(also COS = consul)
Imperial Coins
Nero, AE as, Lugdunum mint, AD 66, RIC 526.
Obv: IMP NERO CAESAR AVG P M TR POT P P, bare head r., globe at point of bust
Rev: Altar enclosure with ornamented top, decorated front panels, and central
double doors; in exergue ARA PACIS; in field, S C
Who chose coin types in the Roman Empire?
• Levick, B. (1982), 'Propaganda and the Imperial Coinage',
Antichthon 16, 104-16.
• Who designed any imperial monument? Who was the author?
• Does the level of involvement of the emperor have to be
uniform? e.g. Vespasian
‘Agrippa was the first to try his fortune, and when a great and almost incredible career was
predicted for him, Augustus persisted in concealing the time of his birth and in refusing to
disclose it, through diffidence and fear that he might be found to be less eminent. When he
at last gave it unwillingly and hesitatingly, and only after many requests, Theogenes sprang
up and threw himself at his feet. From that time on Augustus had such faith in his destiny,
that he made his horoscope public and issued a silver coin stamped with the sign of the
constellation Capricorn, under which he was born.’
Suetonius, Divus Augustus 94.12
Coins and Communication
Claudius, AV aureus, AD 45, Rome mint, RIC 25.
Obv: TI CLAVD CAESAR·AVG P M T·R·P IIII Laureate head of Claudius, r.
Rev: IMPER RECEPT inscribed on praetorian camp, at the door of which stands a
soldier with a standard.
As he cowered there, a common soldier, who was prowling about at random, saw his
feet, intending to ask who he was, pulled him out and recognized him; and when
Claudius fell at his feet in terror, he hailed him as emperor. Then he took him to the
rest of his comrades, who were as yet in a condition of uncertainty and purposeless
rage. These placed him in a litter, took turns in carrying it, since his own bearers had
made off, and bore him to the Camp in a state of despair and terror, while the throng
that met him pitied him, as an innocent man who was being hurried off to execution.
Received (receptus) within the rampart, he spent the night among the sentries with
much less hope than confidence; for the consuls with the senate and the city cohorts
had taken possession of the Forum and the Capitol, resolved on maintaining the public
liberty.
Suetonius Claudius 10
Nero, Rome mint, AE dupondius, AD 65, RIC 284 or 287.
Obv: NERO CLAVD CAESAR AVG GER P M TR P IMP P P, radiate head of Nero, right.
Rev: PACE P R TERRA MARIQ PARTA IANVM CLVSIT, Temple of Janus with garlanded
and closed doors left; latticed window right.
Temple of Peace
Norena, C. F. (2003). 'Medium and Message in Vespasian's Templum Pacis.' Memoirs
of the American Academy in Rome 48:25-43.
The ludi saeculares
Augustus, 16 BC
Domitian, AD 88
Septimius Severus, AD 204
‘Restitution’ coinages
Trajan, AD 98-117
(IMP CAES TRAIAN AVG GER AVG PP REST)
T. Carisius, c. 46 BC
Provincial
Coinage
(Ephesus)
Claudius and Agrippina the Younger, Ephesus, AR cistophoric
tetradrachm, AD 51, RPC I 2224.
Obv: TI CLAVD CAES AVG AGRIPP AVGVSTA. Laureate head of
Claudius and draped bust of Agrippina II, jugate.
Rev: DIANA EPHESIA, cult statue of Diana of Ephesus
Ephesus: Provincial Bronze
Antoninus Pius/ Temple of Ephesian
Artemis
Gallienus / alliance (homonoia)
between Ephesus and Pergamum
Caracalla / emperor on horseback
trampling barbarian
Elagabalus / temples to the imperial
cult (neokorates)
Coin Use and Circulation: Pompeii
Ebusus (Ibiza), 2nd- 1st century BC
Pseudo-Ebusus, struck in Pompeii?
(2nd-1st centuries BC) (Anglo-American
Project)
Pompeii Imperial Coin
Finds
Roman medallions
Nero, Rome mint, Bimetallic 50mm medallion (64.79 gm), AD 65. cf. RIC 12 p. 166
no. 273 (sestertius).
Obv: NERO CLAVD CAESAR AVG GER PM TR P IMP P P, laureate head of Nero right,
aegis on far shoulder / Roma, wearing short military tunic and helmet, seated left on
cuirass, holding parazonium with left hand, Victory on extended right hand; behind
cuirass, shield, bow and quiver, ROMA in exergue.
Non-monetary uses: The Blackfriars Shipwreck
Verulamium, Britain
Colonia Nemausus
Via Basiliano, Rome
Finding and Citing Coins