Civic Coinage Flashcards
Monetary benefit of iconography w local/civic significance? Political?
Made the coins unique and thus recognisable in relation to the specific mint.
Can be useful means of political messaging for a state or individual appealing to a local audience
What are the themes in subjects of localised/civic coinage? (2)
local deities, often associated with geography
local leaders e.g. dynasts, conquerors
In what ways do coins relate to identity other than just reflecting it?
contribute to the creation and maintenance of a community’s identity
When was the steepest rise in no. of cities minting their own coins under Imperial Rome?
under Trajan’s reign 2nd cent BCE
What changed in civic coin minting in the 3rd cent CE?
number of mints declined but on average mints were producing higher volume
What are elements of iconography that frequently appeared on R civic coinage? (4)
Religion, local or to assoc. themselves w cults of Empire
Monumental local buildings
Local myth/history, often the origin story of a place
Divine representations of geography - city, mountain, river
When does civic coinage end under the R Empire? What’s the change we see in coinage?
end of 3rd cent
All coins now standardised and have Latin legends
What economic benefit could be reaped by a small state if they had their own coinage?
revenue from exchange rates w external currency
What was v unique about the iconography of repub coinage?
moneyers were depicted and immortalised on the types incl achievements of family, names, and family origins
What was a key western place of civic coinage in early imperial period? When and why did they come to an end?
Spain
c41 CE, likely an expression of wanting to be closer to Rome
Where was civic coinage particularly numerous under the R Emp?
The east eg. around Aegean
What did Eastern civic coinage look like under the Empire?
Obv: Imperial portrait / Roma (more rare)
Rev: locally significant icon
When did eastern civic coins reach a height in number and variety?
late 2nd-early 3rd cents CE, under the Severans
What authorities gave permission for western civic coin minting? Evidence?
public official (decurio) - DD legend (Decretio Decurionum)
local senate decree - PP (pecunia publica)
individual’s own money - DSP (de sua pecunia)
What authorities were behind the civic coin minting in the east?
most often local boule but individuals are also evidences as to being responsible
When do imperial portraits appear in large numbers and v consistently in the East? Numbers?
under and after Augustus
200+ cities minted coins w portrait of Aug
In what period did roman governors appear on eastern civic coinage? Why did they not last particularly long?
c44 BCE - c54 CE
Imperial images were more popular and recognisable
What was the iconography of roman client king coinage?
copied imperial obverse types on their reverses
obverses were more specific to their own reign and locality
What is the change in civic coinage from repub to Imperial periods?
civic coins started to bear iconography of the empire eg. emperors/roma
Who was first emperor to be minted consistently across Eastern civic coinage?
Augustus
What was an imperial theme on coinage that was NOT copied v consistently by civic mints? Example?
events e.g. Actium related iconography = rare
What place in Eastern empire was good at minting all the emperors in Year of 4? Significance?
Egypt
Indicates they had good communicative links w Rome and this appear to have a higher degree of importance likely due to EGYPTIAN CORN supply
What type of coins were minted consistently and widely across provinces?
small scale bronze series
What was fundamental unprecedented feature of Roman Imperial monetary system? Two mints involved in this? Caveat?
degree of centralization - Rome and, for some of 1st cent CE, Lugdunum produced most of the gold, silver, and bronze coinage for the empire.
Civic/Regional coinage continued until 3rd cent CE
When did western civic bronze coinages end?
37-41 CE, under Gaius
What information can civic small change movement provide? Limitations of?
Aggregate movements of people along migration channels and trade ones.
Circulations were restricted by the low fineness and distinctive denominations of civic coins.
