NERO AND ROMA
Legends:
Reverse: ROMA SC
- Latin, expanded: Roma, Senatus Consultus
- English translation: Roma. (Issued) by decree of the senate.
Obverse: IMP NERO CLAUD CAESAR AVG GERM PM TR P XIII PP
- Latin, expanded: Imperator Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus Pontifex Maximus Tribunicia Potestate XIII Pater Patriae
- English translation: Emperor Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, Pontifex Maximus, with (has held) tribunician power thirteen times, father of the fatherland.
Nero
The reign of the emperor Nero was a plethora of bizarre behaviours, plots, murders and general suffering for those in his vicinity.
Interestingly enough however, throughout the early days of his reign Nero was known as a generous emperor: building public services, holding various entertainments, and improving the city of Rome, ironically, against fire. However, his reign began to deteriorate after he strayed from his mother’s carefully directed path, leading her to turn against him. Because of this, and after a failed attempt to have her conveniently killed in a ‘boating accident’, Nero had her stabbed to death.
Towards the end of Nero’s rule, things began to fall apart even more for the emperor. Included in the rumours of his misconduct are behaviours such as gross mistreatment of respectable Roman women (including the assault of a Vestal Virgin), praising the previously aforementioned unpopular Roman Emperor Caligula, flagrant over-spending, and the abuse and murder of some of his other relatives. A plot to have him assassinated emerged in 65 AD, as previously discussed in the Nero and Jupitercoin. Following this, Nero took a visit to Greece, where he announced several political reforms. However, this was not enough to ease the tensions that had been building throughout his reign, and so not long after his return to Rome in 68 AD, the senate turned against him and Nero was declared an enemy of the state. Nero tried to flee, but when he realised there was no way he could escape his impending execution, he decided to commit suicide instead.
Roma
Many ancient cities had patron gods or goddesses associated with them, with cities being named for their divine guardian, such as Athens. Deities could also be named after the cities they personify and protect, like Roma. Roma is a deity we see portrayed frequently on coins from ancient Rome, as she was considered to be the personification of Rome and the Roman state. She is often portrayed as seated on a throne, with a helmet and spear, and sometimes she is accompanied by a shield leaning against her throne – as can be seen on the depiction of her on this coin. This depiction symbolises her as a kind of guardian of Rome but could also be seen as a metaphor for Rome’s military power.
Coin Type
This coin is known as a sestertius, which is a coin that changed significantly as the Roman civilisation progressed. They were first introduced around 211BC, and during the Republican period of Rome, they were small silver coins that were quite rare. However, after Augustus’ coin reform they transitioned into large, brass coins that were far more common throughout the imperial period. During Nero’s reign, these coins would have been handled by the middle-upper class citizens of the Roman empire – a large demographic of people. Due to both this and its size, a sestertius would have been prime material on which to promote material that the emperor or senate believed was very important, and which needed to be seen more clearly than on a smaller, less widespread coin.
Coin Intention
This particular coin was minted in the year 67 AD, which lines up with the somewhat rocky end of Nero’s rule. At the time of this coin’s minting, Nero was on his tour of Greece, where he was indulging in the fine arts and looking towards political reforms. It also coincides with the rebuilding of Rome after the great fire, as well as the aftermath of the assassination plot. The coin depicts a bust of Nero on its obverse, paired with his string of titles, including GERMANICUS, or conqueror of the Germans, PONTIFEX MAXIMUS, meaning highest priest of the Roman religion, TRIBUNICIA POTESTATE (representative of the people), and PATER PATRIAE, or father of the country. On the reverse is a portrait of Roma paired with SC, which generally denotes that the coin was issued under the authority of the senate.
This combination of depictions and titles suggests that this coin was an attempt by Nero to remind the people of what he did and could do for them, and was a piece of propaganda intended to try and improve his relations with the people and the senate. By connecting himself with Roma, Nero was attempting to portray himself as a man of the people and guardian of Rome. After the fire, the people would have wanted to see their emperor looking out for their best interests and protecting them. Thus Nero seems to have chosen to portray himself on a sestertius, a widespread coin type, with Roma, fully armed and seated upon a throne. By political logic, this would hopefully send a message to his people that he was helping them – being the protector and guardian of Rome, who would help to rebuild their lives.
This coin was intended to function as propaganda, portraying Nero as a powerful leader who was a man of his people, however his people eventually forsook him, perhaps realising that he was not the man his coins portrayed him as.