As of Caligula for Agrippa with Neptune - RIC I 2 58 (iii)

This coin is a bronze As that was minted under the authority of Rome’s third emperor, Caligula. It is a commemorative coin minted between 37-41 CE in honour of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa (64/62-12 BCE), a very prominent figure in the early Roman Empire. He was a close childhood friend of Augustus who became a very skilful and successful military general, politician, and engineer. He commanded many victorious of battles in his career, including the final battle of the republic, the Battle of Actium. This victory was instrumental in Augustus’ success in becoming Rome’s first emperor. Agrippa also left his mark on Rome through the many architectural and restoration projects which he undertook, including roads, aqueducts, baths, and the famous Pantheon. It was due to his fulfillment of these roles which enabled him to be loved and respected by the Roman people. Not only did Agrippa assure Augustus’ role as emperor, but he also helped cement his dynasty by marrying Augustus’ daughter Julia Caesaris, with whom he had five children. He was the grandfather of Caligula, through his daughter Agrippina. It is this close familial relationship that Caligula is exploiting through the minting of this coin.

Because of Agrippa's numerous actions and accomplishments, as well as his reputation as a good Roman and beloved leader, it is likely that Caligula issued this coin not just to honour Agrippa, but also to claim some of his glory via his relationship to him. It was believed by the Roman people that a man’s character was based on that of his father. In Caligula’s case, he was able to draw on the people’s respect of his father Germanicus, as well as many of his other male ancestors. Through this coin Caligula draws on the reputation of another good Roman, Agrippa, who was also a prominent and well respected member of the imperial family. Promoting Agrippa would have strengthened his claim that he was qualified for the role of emperor.

The legend on the obverse reads: M AGRIPPA L F COS III, which in its extended form translates to: “Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, consul for the third time”. This enables the Roman people (and us) to identify who the person coin is about, but is also another reminder of Agrippa’s successful political career and his numerous terms as consul.

Agrippa is depicted in the portrait on the obverse wearing a rostral crown; the award he was given after his victory over Sextus Pompey in the battle of Naulochus. This particular coin is slightly worn down leaving some of the details, including the rostral crown, to become unclear. However, since there are coins of the same type that still have details preserved we are able to use these to identify some of the indistinct features. The depiction of the rostral crown in Agrippa’s portrait alludes to this victorious battle, as well as his others, and was likely to remind the people of his accomplishments and his skill as a military commander. Caligula would have wanted to emphasise his ancestor's military glory, as it would have inflated his own.

Agrippa’s naval background is further alluded to in various ways on this coin as it was a very successful part of his life and one of the aspects he is remembered for most. Depicted on the reverse is Neptune, god of the sea, cloaked and holding a trident in his left hand and a dolphin in his right, though is difficult to see due to wear, in between the letters SC (refer to additional information). Agrippa would have been paired with Neptune on this coin for many reasons. First among them would be because he had often been linked to Neptune due to his many victories in naval battles (such as Mylae, Naulochus, Actium) earning him this close association. Another reason is that one of Agrippa’s building projects was the Basilica of Neptune, which was built to honour the sea god for his support in these battles. This representation installs the idea that Neptune must have held Agrippa in his favour, which would have been beneficial to Caligula because it shows the people that he also could possess this same favour from the gods.

Caligula may have issued this coin for a number of reasons. The foremost of these is that he wanted to commemorate his grandfather and his incredible accomplishments. This shows his loyalty to family, a trait highly regarded in the Roman world, and one expected of an emperor. However, like with most coins there are motivations that are not as apparent as this. Emperors were known to use coins for their own propagandistic purposes, linking themselves to not only the gods but to their successful and beloved ancestors in order to validate their role as emperor. Caligula is essentially stating that he too will be a great and successful leader because he is the descendant of a number of great men. Since coins were such a widespread item, Caligula was able to promote these underlying messages to the masses.

Credit:

Story by Anna Morete.
Photos by Charlotte Dunn, supplied by the Otago Museum.