Faces of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty: The Coins

AR Denarius of Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar was a Roman dictator, politician and military general who instigated the rise of the Roman Empire. Julius Caesar was one of the first to put his own image on the coins though this coin has a more traditional image of Venus, to whom Caesar traced his lineage, showing his divine ancestry. She is shown wearing a diadem crown, signifying her great divinity and beauty. The imaging on these coins conveyed that Caesar had power. On the reverse is a trophy (captured armor) and fearful prisoners of war. Julius Caesar’s coins show his military success and feature the symbols of victory and influence. Augustus, also known as Octavian, was Julius Caesar's nephew. Julius Caesar adopted Octavian and he became his heir. 

Bibliography:

NGC Ancients: Julius Caesar and His Coinage. NGC, www.ngccoin.com/news/article/5243/NGC-Ancients/.

Mark, Joshua J. “Julius Caesar.” Ancient History Encyclopedia, Ancient History Encyclopedia, 2 Dec. 2019, www.ancient.eu/Julius_Caesar/.

AR Denarius of Marc Antony and Octavian

This worn coin’s obverse illustrates a profiled bust of Octavian, also known as Augustus (63 BCE-14 CE). Octavian was Julius Caesar’s adopted son, and the first Emperor of the newly formed Roman Empire. The coin’s reverse illustrates a nearly identical profiled bust of Marc Antony (83-30 BCE), a Roman politician. Although he was not a blood member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, he was an active supporter of Julius Caesar. Antony and Octavian struggled against one another for power--while Antony was one of Caesar’s designated secondary figures of command, Octavian was Caesar’s son. Eventually, Octavian’s sovereignty prevaled after defeating Antony at the battle of Actium in 31 BCE. The coin, which was minted shortly after Caesar’s assassination in 44 BCE, represents Antony and Octavian's rivalry, as it features both figures on opposite sides. Both figures are also represented in profile, and like the other coins in this exhibition, appear youthful and therefore idealized.

Sesterius of Emperor Caligula

The coin’s obverse illustrates a profiled bust of Agrippina Senior (14 BCE-33 CE), granddaughter of Emperor Augustus and mother of Emperor Caligula. Agrippina and her husband, General Germanicus, conspired to regain control over the Roman Empire from his adoptive father, Emperor Tiberius, through their shared Julio-Claudian bloodlines and political leverage. The coin likens Aggripina to a male Emperor, implying the magnitude of her socio-political influence. The coin’s reverse illustrates a pushcart helmed by mules, presumably in a funerary procession, as the coin was manufactured under her son’s sovereignty less than ten years after her death. This side reads “MEMORIAE AGRIPPINA”, or “In Memory of Agrippina”.

AE of Caligula:

Obverse: Bare head of Caligula. Reverse: Vesta, veiled and draped, seated on a throne holding a transverse scepter. Caligula was the third son of Germanicus. Caligula became general at the age of 25 after the death of his adopted father Tiberius. Caligula through being an excellent general had ultimately taken control of the Eastern European states. He met his downfall after spending much of the money in the Roman treasury on building projects and a lavish lifestyle. He was stabbed to death by officers for doing so. Vesta, the goddess of the hearth fire was an important symbolic role in Roman life. As Rome developed, the hearth fire became more prominent and accessible in Roman homes where it had once not been easily accessible. Thus, this figure of Vesta signifies the social progression Rome had made as a country.

Bibliography:

-History.com Editors. “Caligula.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 16 Dec. 2009, www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/caligula.

-The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Vesta.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 25 Jan. 2019, www.britannica.com/topic/Vesta-Roman-goddess.

AR Denarius of Tiberius

Tiberius certified himself as Augustus’s heir by divorcing his own wife Vipsania and marrying Augustus’s daughter Julia. The obverse Tiberius is shown wearing a crown that symbolizes his power. The obverse side where Tiberius’s mother Livia is pictured, the words Pontif Maxim are written. Even though the inscription is on Livia's side, it refers to Tiberius's role as Pontifex Maximus, or High Priest. Livia was not an official ruler, though she was powerful and she was important for Tiberius because her marriage to Augustus is the only reason Tiberius became emperor. Since there were very few women of power, Livia’s power was very well known. Tiberius never put Livias’s official name on the back of his coins. He alluded to her by putting words that represent the type of ruler Livia was and the influence she had on affirming his position of power. Like the other coins featured in this exhibition, Tiberius is illustrated in profile. His cruel facial expression contrasts kore sculptures' archetypical Archaic smiles, asserting his authority.