Sestertius of Nero with Roma and Victoria - RIC I 2 no. 361

This coin was minted in 67 CE under the authority of Nero, the fifth Julio-Claudian emperor of Rome. The coin is a sestertius, a lower-denomination coin, which would have circulated in the lower classes of Rome.

Nero came to power after the death of Claudius in 54 CE. His predecessor's death, like that of the other Julio-Claudians, was surrounded by rumours of conspiracy and murder. This rumor was common regarding the deaths of emperors so it was important for an incoming emperor to solidify their claim to the imperial power through whatever political, militaristic, or symbolic means necessary. While this period was long past in Nero's reign by the time this coin was minted, other reasons for pushing this propaganda had arisen. In 65 CE a conspiracy to kill Nero was uncovered, and in addition to this, Nero lost his wife Poppaea. With so much upheaval close to the emperor, it would have benefited him to remind the population of his ancestry and the justifications behind his possession of power. Due to the sestertius being widely used, this message would have quickly spread.

Nero himself is the figure depicted on the obverse side of this coin, which is made clear by both the legend and the attributes of the figure. The legend on the outer edge of the coin reads "IMP NERO CLAVD CAESAR AUG GERM PM TRP XIII PP". In plain english, this becomes "Emperor Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, High Priest, with the Tribunician Power for the 13th time, Father of the Fatherland". This legend helps date the coin to 67 CE, as emperors frequently marked the years of their reign with the number of times their Tribunician Power had been renewed. Before his coin reform in 63 CE, Nero was depicted on coinage as a youth, often with a bare head, but usually without crown or laurel wreath. After the reform, his image changed to a much more ample figure, undoubtedly as a sign of wealth or power (as only the rich could afford the food to put on weight). Additionally, he was always depicted wearing a laurel wreath on these later sestertii, and indeed on this coin it is possible to make out these leaves on his head.

The image on the reverse is the goddess Roma, who was the deified personification of the city of Rome. We can tell which divine figure this is from the inscription "ROMA" below her seat, but we can also see other attributes such as her helmet, spear, and other armour. Additionally, the figure of Victoria can be seen in her hand, who was the Roman goddess of victory. This depiction of Roma was originally based on another goddess, Minerva, the Roman goddess of war strategy, trade, and useful crafts. Roma was also a protector goddess of the city, and important to the Imperial Cult. It was only with Roma that Augustus first allowed himself to be worshipped while he was alive, and thus Roma seems to be associated with the worship of the emperors.

The purpose of this coin then, may have been to promote the link between Nero and the Imperial Cult, if not directly, then surely through his ancestors. His predecessor, Claudius, was deified by Nero almost immediately following his death. Nero may have wished to promote his relationship to his (step-)father in this turbulent period of his reign, as this would have emphasised his right to the position of emperor. Conversely, Nero may have wanted to promote his family lineage as going back to Augustus himself. By promoting these family ties, and the divinity within his family, Nero is mirroring the earlier propaganda of Augustus, who used his status as the adopted son of the deified Julius Caesar to claim his own divinity. Other emperors had also used Roma as a symbol of their divinie heritage and right to rule, and this coin issue continues this tradition.

Another message that the coin could be interpreted to depict, is one of Nero as the protector of Rome. The armored and armed Roma often signifies that her protective characterisation is in play. By placing this image in juxtaposition to his own, Nero may have easily suggested the comparison of this defender goddess and himself. With the conspiracies having come to light in 65 CE, it may have been pertinent for Nero to establish his image both as Rome's ruler and defender. Additionally, Roma carries Victoria on this coin, perhaps signifying that anything endangering the city had already been fought and with positive results. Indeed, many of those involved in the conspiracy of 65 CE had been promptly executed.

This coin also includes the marking 'SC' on the reverse (see additional information), although Nero was, near this time, beginning to exclude the marking of the Senate from his coins. This signified a shift away from the Senate having any power in Rome, and would have emphasised Nero's absolute power in the city.

Thus through the use of the goddess Roma on this coin, Nero is solidifying his absolute right to rule Rome, due to both his victory over adversity and his role as leader and defender of the city.

Credits:

Story by Sarah MacManus.
Photos by Charlotte Dunn, supplied by the Otago University.