| Roman Imperial Coinage |  |
An intro to Roman
Imperial Coins.
It is difficult to put into a paragraph
or two the scope and sweep of types and denominations that make up what we
call Roman Imperial Coinage. The corpus spans enormous social, political and
economic changes over a period of half a milennium. It was built upon the
traditions of the late Republican and Imperatorial period. Beginning with
Augustus’ continuation of, mainly, the denominations already in circulation
in 27 B.C., it quickly developed its own suite of standardized denominations
that would continue to be recognizable until the beginning of the 3rd century
A.D.
Ah, but the types and style – these
grew in number and evolved in sophistication quickly from stereotypical “S
– C’s” and “Seated Livias” into a veritable smorgasboard
of deities, personifications, depictions, and downright propaganda –
always with the all-important Imperial portrait to make sure you never forgot
“The Golden Rule” – “He who issues the gold, rules!”
This tradition of portrait and widely varying reverses was one that managed
to survive the absolute demolition of the centuries-old Aureus, Denarius,
Sestertius, As system, carried on through the chaos of the single-denomination
Antoninianus period, through the reforms of Diocletian, and, with some diminution
of variety, right up to the reforms of Anastasius and the end of Roman coinage
as we know it at the beginning of the Byzantine age.
So if all you know of the art and
history of coins is what George Washington or Thomas Jefferson looked like
in profile, prepare yourself for an adventure. Abandon your preconceptions,
open your mind, and above all dig those beautiful coins, man!(Contributed
by Mark Lehman)
JULIO-CLAUDIAN DYNASTY
| Augustus | Gaius Octavius | Reigned 27 B.C -14 A.D |
| Agrippa | Marcus Agrippa, Augustus' Naval Commander | Never Reigned |
| Tiberius | Tiberius Claudius Nero | Reigned 14 A.D.-37 A.D. |
| Drusus The Younger | Son Of Tiberius | Never Reigned |
| Germanicus | Germanicus Julius Caesar, Caligula's Father | Never Reigned |
| Caligula | Gaius Julius Caesar Germanicus | Reigned 37 A.D.-41 A.D. |
| Nero and Drusus as Caesars | Nero Julius Caesar & Drusus Julius Caesar | Never Reigned |
| Claudius | Tiberius Claudius Drusus Nero Germanicus | Reigned 41A.D.-54 A.D. |
| Antonia | Octavian's Sister, Mother of Caludius | Never Reigned |
| Nero Claudius Drusus | Father Of Germanicus and Claudius | Never Reigned |
| Nero | Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus | Reigned 54 A.D.-68 A.D. |
THE CIVIL WAR OF A.D. 69 (The 'TWEENERS!)
| Galba | Servius Sulpicius Galba | Reigned 68 A.D.-69 A.D. |
| Otho | Marcus Salvius Otho | Reigned Jan-April 69 A.D. |
| Vitellius | Aulus Vitellius | Reigned April-Dec 69 A.D. |
| Vespasian | Titus Flavius Vespasianus | Reigned 69 A.D.-79 A.D. |
| Titus | Titus Flavius Vespasianus | Reigned 79 A.D.-81 A.D |
| Domitian | Tiuts Flavius Domitianus | Reigned 81 A.D.-96 A.D. |
THE ADOPTIVE EMPERORS
| Nerva | Marcus Cocceius Nerva | Reigned: 96-98 A.D. |
| Trajan | Marcus Ulpius Traianus | Reigned: 98-117 A.D. |
| Hadrian | Publius Aelius Hadrianus | Reigned: 117-138 A.D. |
| Aelius | Lucius Aelius Ceasar | Caesar 136-138 A.D. |
| Antoninus Pius | Titus Aurelius Fuluus Boionius Arrius Antoninus | Reigned: 138-161 A.D. |
| Faustina Sr. | Wife of Antoninus Pius | Reigned: 138-141 A.D. |
| Marcus Aurelius | Marcus Aelius Aurelius Vervs | Reigned: 161-180 A.D. |
| Faustina Jr. | Wife of Marcus Aurelius | Reigned: 161-175 A.D. |
| Lucius Verus | Lucius Verus | Reigned: 161-169 A.D. |
| Commodus | Lucius Aurelius Commodus | Reigned: 177-192 A.D. |
