The reverse of most Roman coins illustrated the manner in which the Emperor was closely associated with the gods and Roman victories in battle. This was both publicity for the Emperor and Rome itself, a unifying display of the dominance of the Roman ways as well as an opportunity for the Emperor to demand loyalty. Coins bearing the image of the Emperor, signified not only his power but also the importance the state gave to the ruler, making him appear almost god-like. The first Roman coin bearing the image of a person was that of Julius Caesar and, despite Caesar not being an ‘emperor’ in the proper sense of the term, his tradition continued throughout the Empire. One example of this is the adoption of Greek gods and Greek images on coins. The Romans were heavily influenced by ideas from the Greek civilisation. The word ’mint’, for example, is linked to the manufacture of silver coins in Rome in 269 BCE, near to the temple of Juno Moneta, the goddess who became the personification of money. The influence of Roman coinage extends to today. One of the prominent changes over time was the debasement and replacement of coins over the centuries.ĭue to the geographical extent of the empire, Roman currency was widespread, and it was extensively used even up to the middle ages, serving as model for many systems of trade and goods’ exchange. During this period, currency saw many changes in form, denomination and composition. Since 1970, the Vindolanda site has given up some fabulous finds, in particular the famous wooden writing tablets, large amounts of leather shoes, tools, jewellery and many other artefacts together with approximately 2600 Roman coins, some dating back to the Roman republic.Ĭurrency for most of the Roman Empire, including the republican period, consisted of gold, silver, bronze, orichalcum and copper coinage.

Roman currency denarius