Roman Coins on Display

Silver stater, Aegina, 6th c. BCE (obverse: tortoise; reverse: incuse)

1. Aes grave, "heavy bronze," sextans (269-222 BCE; 48 gr): obverse, scallop shell flanked by two dots (the value of the coin); reverse, caduceus (no. 2001).

2. Aes grave, "heavy bronze," triens (269-222 BCE; 105 gr): obverse, thunderbolt flanked by four dots (the value of the coin); reverse, dolphin with four dots about (the value of the coin) (no. 2000).

3. Aes grave, "heavy bronze," triental as (222-295 BCE; ca. 90 gr): obverse, Janus head; reverse, ship's prow, single stroke above (value of the coin) (no. 2002).

4. Aes grave, "heavy bronze" sextans (269-222 BCE; 55 gr): obverse, turtle; reverse, wheel (no. 2003).

5. Silver denarius (187-175 BCE; 2 gr): obverse, head of Roma, inscr. ROMA; reverse, Dioscuri (Castor and Pollux), X (value of the coin) (no. 2006).

6. Silver denarius (79 BCE; 2 gr): obverse, Spain personified, inscr. HISPAN(IA); reverse, man in a toga (the moneyer, Albinus Nepos), inscr. ALBIN(US) N(EPO)S (no. 2007).Obv.

7. Silver denarius (88-87 BCE; 3 gr): obverse, Tatius; reverse, two soldiers about to crush the traitor Tarpeia with their shields; inscr. (off edge) L(UCI) TITURI (no. 2).

8. Silver denarius (ca. 54 BCE; 4 gr): obverse, Diana Plancia (for the Roman family, Plancius); inscription CN(AEUS) PLANCIUS AED(ILIS) CUR(ULIS); reverse, Cretan wild goat (agrimi), bow and quiver (no. 758).

9. Silver denarius (48 BCE; 2 gr): obverse, defeated Gaul chief, Vercingetorix?; reverse, Diana of Ephesos, stag and spear; inscription HOSTILIUS SASERNA (the moneyer) (no. 4).

10. Silver denarius (49-48 BCE; 4 gr): obverse, Piety personified; inscription PIETAS; reverse, two right hands clasping a caduceus; inscription ALBINUS (BRUTI) F(ILIUS), the moneyer Decimus Brutus who joined Marcus Brtusin assassinating Caesar in 44 BCE (no. 2008).

11. Silver denarius (32-31 BCE; 3 gr): obverse, Marc Antony with naval galley; inscription ANT(ONIUS) AUG(UR) IIIVIR R(EI) P(UBLICAE) C(ONSTITUENDAE); reverse, eagle standard of Antony's second legion; inscription LEG(IO) II(no. 2009).

12. Silver denarius (41 BCE; 3 gr): obverse, Mark Antony, with an inscription that gives both his titles and the name of the eastern moneyer Marcus Barbatius: M(ARCUS) ANT(ONIUS) IMP(ERATOR) AUG(UR) IIIVIR R(EI) P(UBLICAE) C(ONSITIVENDAE) M(ARCUS) BARBAT(IUS) Q(UAESTOR) P(UBLICAE); reverse, Octavius (became "Augustus" in 27 BCE) (no. 834).

13. Silver denarius (32-31 BCE; 3 gr): obverse, Octavian (becomes "Augustus" in 27 BCE); inscription IMP(ERATOR) CAESAR DIVI F(ILIUS) IIIVIR ITER(UM) R(EI) P(UBLICAE) C(ONSTITUENDAE) M(ARCUS); reverse, sacrificial instruments (replacing Marc Antony now in exile in Egypt); inscription CO(N)S(UL) ITER(UM) ET TER(TIUM) DESIG(NATUS) (no. 839).

14. Silver denarius (27 BCE or after; 2 gr): obverse, Augustus; inscription CAES(ARI) AUGUSTO; reverse, shrine with chariot and staff with eagle (legion's standard); inscription S(ENATUS) P(OPULSUS)Q(UE) R(OMANUS) (no. 2019).

15. Bronze as (27 BCE; 10 gr): obverse Agrippa wears a crown shaped like a ship prow; inscription M(ARCUS) AGRIPPA (L(UCII) F(ILIUS) CO(N)S(UL) III; reverse, Neptune with trident; inscription S(ENATUS) C(ONSULTO) (no. 2013).

16. Silver denarius (17 BCE- 2 CE; 2 gr): obverse, Augustus, inscription IMP(ERATOR) CAESAR (AUG(USTUS) DIVI F(ILIUS) PATER PAT(RIAE); reverse, Gaius (20 BCE- 4 CE) and Lucius (17 BCE- 2 CE) Caesar, sons of Agrippa and of Augustus's daughter Julia; inscription CO(N)S(ULES) DESIG(NATI) PRINC(IPES) IUVENT(UTIS) CAESAR (no. 2015).

17. Bronze as (21 CE; 10 gr): obverse, emperor Tiberius (ruled 14-37 CE); inscription IMP(ERATOR) TI(BERIUS) CAESAR DIVI AUG(USTI) F(ILIUS) AUGUSTUS; reverse, Tiberius's titles S(ENATUS) C(ONSULTO) PONTIF(EX) MAXIM(US) TRIBUN(ICIA) POTEST(ATE) XXIII(no.?).

18. Silver denarius (22 CE; 2 gr): obverse, emperor Tiberius (ruled 14-37 CE); inscription IMP(ERATOR) TI(BERUIS) CAESAR F(ILIUS) DIVI AUG(USTI) PONTIF(EX) MAXIM(US) TRIBUN(ICIA) POTEST(ATE) XXIIII; reverse, Livia or a personification. This is possibly an example of the coin that Jesus held aloft: "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's" (no.?).

19. Bronze dupondius (54-68 CE; 10 gr): obverse, Nero (ruled 54-68 CE); inscription IMPERATOR (NERO) CAESAR AUG(USTUS) GER(MANICUS) P(ONTIFEX) M(AXIMUS) TR(IBUNICIA) P(OTESTATE); reverse, a butcher's market ("macellum"), the symbol of the mint at Lyons; inscription MAC(ELLUM) AUG(USTI) S(ENATUS) C(ONSULTO) (no. 2010).

20. Silver tetradrachm (54-68 BCE; 14 gr); obverse, emperor Nero (ruled 54-68 CE), his name in Greek; reverse, eagle, mint-mark of Antioch, Syria; inscription H OP (no. 2121).

21. Bronze sestertius (69 CE; 25 gr): obverse, emperor Vitellius (ruled 69 CE); inscription Obv. A(ULUS) VITELLIUS GERMANICUS IMP(ERATOR) AUG(USTUS) P(ONTIFEX) M(AXIMUS) TR(IBUNICIA) P(OTESTATE); reverse, Peace with an olive branch; inscription PAX AUGUSTI S(ENATUS) C(ONSULTO) (no. 919).

22. Silver denarius (98-117 CE; 2 gr): obverse, Trajan (ruled 98-117 CE); inscription IMP(ERATORI) TRAIINO AUG(USTO) GER(MANICO) DAC(ICO) P(ONTIFICI) M(AXIMO) TRI(BUNICIA) P(OTESTATE); reverse, Equity with scales of justice; inscription CO(N)S(ULI) V P(ATRI) P(ATRIAE) S(ENATUS) P(OPULUS)Q(UE) R(OMANUS) OPTIMO PRINC(IPI)(no. 2016).

23. Bronze dupondius (17-138 CE; 14 gr): obverse, Hardrian (ruled 117-138 CE); inscription HADRIANUS AUGUSTUS; reverse, Welfare personified; inscription S(ENATUS) C(ONSULTO) (no. 2010).

24. Silver denarius (138-141 CE; 2 gr): obverse, Faustina (100-141 CE), wife of Antoninus Pius (ruled 138-161 CE); inscription FAUSTINA AUGUSTA; reverse, Juno queen of heaven; inscription IUNONI REGINAE (no. 2011).

25. Silver denarius (175 CE; 17 gr): obverse, the emperor Marcus Aurelius; inscription M(ARCUS) ANTONIUS AUG(USTUS) GERM(ANICUS) SARM(ATICUS); reverse, Victory personified and Aurelius's titles TRI(BUNICIA) P(OTESTATE) XXIX IMP(ERATOR) VIII CO(N)S(UL) III (no. 2012).

26. Bronze sestertius (192 CE; 22 gr): obverse, the emperor Commodus (died 192 CE), son of Marcus Aurelius; inscription L(UICUS) AEL(IUS) AUREL(IUS) COMM(ODUS) AUG(USTUS) P(IUS) F(ELIX); reverse, Commodus's titles LIB(ERTAS) AUG(USTA) P(ONTIFEX) M(AXIMUS) TR(IBUNICIA) P(OTESTATE) XVII CO(N)S(UL) VII P(ATER) P(ATRIAE) S(ENATUS) CONSULTO (no. 1014).

27. Silver (debased) denarius (193-211 CE; 3 gr): obverse, Julia Domna, wife of Septimius Severus; inscription IULIA AUGUSTA; reverse, Ceres seated with wheat; inscription CERERI FRUGIFERAE (no. 1039).

28. Silver denarius (235 CE or before; 2 gr): obverse, Julia Mamaea (died 235 CE), mother of Alexander Severus; inscription IULIA MAMAEA AUG(USTA); reverse, Julia Mamaea offers a libation to Juno the Preserver, Juno's peacock at her feet; inscription IUNO CONSERVATRIX (no. 1083).

29. Silvered bronze Antoninianus (244-249 CE; 2 gr): obverse, Philip I (ruled 244-249 CE); inscription IMP(ERATOR) M(ARCUS) IUL(IUS) PHILIPPUS AUG(USTUS); reverse, Annona, the grain supply personified, and fruits of plenty; inscription ANNONA AUG(USTORUM) (no. 1156).

30. Bronze sestertius (298-336 CE; 2 gr): obverse, Canstantine the Great (ruled 298-336 CE); inscription CONSTANTINUS AUG(USTUS); reverse, Providence personified, the gate of a camp mint-mark of Thessalonica, Greece; inscription PROVIDENTIAE AUG(USTORUM) TS.S (no. 1252).

31. Bronze centenionalis (350-353 CE; 4 gr): obverse, Magnentius (ruled 350-353 CE); inscription D(OMI)N(US) MAGNENTIUS P(ATER) P(ATRIAE) AUG(USTUS); reverse, the Christian monogram Chi-Rho flanked by Alpha and Omega; inscription SALUS D(OMINIS) N(OSTRIS) AUG(USTUS) A W ROMA (no. 2017).

Text by: Mike Cibura