The Utility of Family; Dynasty for the Julio-Claudian Emperors

The Julio-Claudian dynasty provided the foundation for over three centuries of Roman imperial reign. Ushered in by Augustus, the imperial system relied on dynasty as opposed the more traditional republican methods of election. Therefore, the strategy to obtain legitimacy and public support changed greatly. This can be reflected in the coins relating to this period as we have explored.

In comparison to Augustus and Tiberius, the later rulers of the Julio-Claudian dynasty faced the new and unique problem of linking their lineage to those earlier emperors to secure their power. This resulted in the promotion members of their family, dead and alive, to show links to the previous patricians.

The literary sources available to the modern enthusiast provide a colourful view of the Julio-Claudians, full of scandal and intrigue. These, while interesting to reader and very compelling, are heavily influenced on the classical author's research and bias. They provide valuable a resource, but need to be tempered by other sources. Presented here are analyses of coins from the emperors Caligula and Claudius, the third and forth emperors of Rome. Through an examination of these five coins a clear change in the emperor's focus to promote themselves emerges. The three coins of Caligula, featuring Agrippina, Germanicus, and Nero and Drusus, and Claudius’ two coins depicting Germanicus and Antonia minor are explored. As evidenced, no longer are coins solely focused on the emperor and, for example, a divine right, a specific military accolade or a cultural success. Now, we see and clear derivation of power from previous influential family members and, notably, women with peak imperial influence.

Overall, the coins illustrate the shift in mindset from the personal promotion of the earlier emperors, to the reliance of later rulers on family members, their accomplishments and direct ties to power. Caligula and Claudius were not triumphal generals, they had not foiled plots against the integral structures of Rome, nor had they showed familial virtue. However through the promotion of their sisters, mothers and fathers they augmented their legitimacy and aimed to cement their own rule. The coins, and the stories attached to them, illustrate and facilitate a clearer picture of these emperors, and hopefully allow the modern interpreter to form a more accurate view of these figures nearly two millennia on.