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Coinage and Politics in the Early Empire - Coggle Diagram
Coinage and Politics in the Early Empire
'Propaganda'?
earlier scholars considered Roman imperial coins propaganda
Levick and Howgego both warn against overusing 'propaganda'
because: coinage was not issued systematically enough, many people were illiterate, latin legends meant little in the Greek-speaking East
Octavian: legitimacy through divine descent
silver denarius
obverse: head of Octavian facing right
reverse: victory on globe, with wreath and palm
Legend: CAESAR DIVI F (Caesar, son of the deified one)
date: shortly before Actium (31) to 27
significance
presents Octavian's legitimacy through his adoptive father, the deified Julius Caesar
combines a portrait of Octavian, whilst lauding Caesar as the deified one
Augustus: restoring the Republic
Augustus' coinage presents a paradox: it claims Republican restoration whilst normalising monarchy
under Augustus, the coinage gradually moves away from moneyer's family imagery and towards imperial themes
moneyer's names disappeared from precious metal coinage in 11 BC
many of Augustus' coin themes overlap with the vibe of Res Gestae - Egypt, symbolic honours of 28/7 BC, temple/road building
Nero: peace, victory, and imperial role
Nero and the closed Temple of Janus
Brass sestertius, Nero, c. 65 AD
obv: laureate head of Nero, globe at point of bust
reverse: closed doors of the temple of Janus, with SC
significance
Nero closed the Temple of Janus because peace had been achieved on land and sea
Nero is presented as bringer of universal peace, and architecture is used as a political symbol
Nero dupondius
brass dupondius, Nero
obv: radiate head of Nero facing left
reverse: winged victory advancing left, holding wreath and palm
legend: VICTORIA AVGVSTI
significance:
links Nero to Victoria Augusti, the emperor's victory
from Nero onward, the radiate crown became the marker of the dupondius as worth two asses - giving the denomination a clearer visual identity
Galba
the Year of Four Emperors, 68-69 AD, shows how coinage becomes more direct and politically charged amidst crisis
Galba Denarius
obverse: draped bust of Libertas, legend LIBERTAS PR
reverse: pileus between two vertical daggers, RESTITVTA
date: 68-69 AD
significance
deliberately recalls the language of tyrannicide, the pileus is the cap of liberty, the daggers allude to assassination of a tyrant
this imagery echoes Brutus' Ides of March coinage and was reused under Galba with deliberate political force
Galba's coinage thus implies that Nero is a tyrant
Dynastic Politics
Septimius Severus and the imperial family
gold aureus
obverse: laureate bust of Septimius Severus, draped and cuirassed
reverse: family group of busts, Julia Domna in centre flanked by Caracalla and Geta
Legend: FELICITAS SAECVLI
date: 202 AD
significance:
imperial family presented as guaranteeing the happiness/prosperity of the age
Septimius Severus' coinage placed heavy emphasis on family because the new dynasty needed to legitimise itself
Caracalla later murdered Geta, but at this time the image constructs dynastic harmony
