Original scientific paper

Showing buildings on roman imperial coins from Augustus to Commodus

Tena Fabry ; Croatian numismatic society, Zagreb, CRO

Abstract

The article chronologically presents Roman imperial coins featuring buildings, from
Augustus to Commodus. Roman coins first showed buildings in the time of the Republic,
and some of these were reminted by Trajan, but this article is about buildings depicted
on Roman imperial coins from the Julio-Claudian dynasty to the end of the Antonine
dynasty. It gives a short historical-archaeological survey of each building found on the
reverse of the coins minted by each emperor, from Augustus to Commodus, a photograph
of the coin, and a numismatic analysis of the reverse of every variant of imperial coin
with a description of the building it shows, giving the type of coin, the time when it was
minted, the mint and its RIC number (Mattingly H., Sydenham E.A., Roman Imperial
Coinage (RIC) – vol. I-III, London, 1972). The author concludes that all the emperors
from the Julio-Claudian dynasty to the end of the Antonine dynasty, except Otho, minted
coins showing buildings. There are most depictions of various buildings on the coins of
Augustus, Domitian, Trajan, Hadrian and Antoninus Pius. Some of the emperors, such
as Caligula, Galba, Vitelius, Titus and Lucius Verus, depicted only one building each on
coins. Most of the buildings are from the City of Rome, whereas buildings from Roman
provinces are more often shown on Roman provincial and colonial coins, which were
not included in this text. The coins typically show various temples, sanctuaries and
basilicas. There are most representations of the Jupiter Capitolinus Temple (Juppiter
Optimus maximus), the Vesta Temple on the Forum and the Temple of Augustus and
Rome, probably in Pergamon. Many other buildings are also shown, such as the Curia
Julia, Castra Praetoria, Macellum Magnum, the Colosseum, i.e. the Amphitheatre of
the Flavians, the Palace of the Flavians, Circus Maximus, the Rostra, and there is also
a depiction of the Forum of Traian, many triumphal arches, several bridges, the Port
of Ostia, and the Augusta Emerita Citygate in Lusitania. Most of the images have been
identified, but it has not been possible to identify some of the temples and triumphal
arches so we still do not know exactly where they stood, who built them and when,
and to whom they were dedicated. This diversity and multitude of various buildings
shown on Roman imperial coins from Augustus to Commodus represented the best and
most important Roman architecture. The amazing precision of their depiction makes it
possible to reconstruct the appearance of the structures that have not been preserved.

Keywords

Hrčak ID:

164307

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/164307

Publication date:

10.11.2015.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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