In today's article, placement student Daniel Garrett takes a look at Winchester City Museum's collection of Roman coins and their role both politically and socially within society.
Winchester is a city renowned for its classical remains and ancient sites, which attract many tourists each year — especially to Winchester City Museum. Having worked there over the holidays, I found this unique museum drew me closer to the coins of Roman times. These coins acted as both currency and cultural artefacts, hinting at themes such as symbolism, propaganda and historical context that invite deeper exploration.
Roman coins were first produced in the late 4th century BCE, with the aes rude (Latin: rough bronze) considered the prototype for the Roman coinage system. As contact between Romans and the Greeks living in Southern Italy became more common, a need emerged in Roman society to imitate their neighbours. Rome gradually began to move away from livestock as the core of its economic system, adopting the novelty of coinage. In fact, this shift is reflected in their vocabulary: the Latin word for money, pecunia, derives from pecus, meaning cattle. However, beyond being a means of payment, coins were also used by the state and local authorities to spread short but powerful messages that could reach a broad audience.
Why was propaganda placed on Roman coins? Roman emperors knew that to maintain stability and loyalty within their empire, they needed to control public perception. Without the digital or print media we have today, coins were the primary means for rulers to communicate with the entire population. When used as payment, coins served a secondary political purpose, as citizens would see these messages daily, embedding the ideas into society. In this way, citizens would witness the emperor's desired image through symbols of Roman victories and messages of divine strength. Overall, Roman coins portrayed the power and legitimacy of each emperor and their empire, serving as concise pieces of propaganda.
A significant development in coin imagery occurred when Julius Caesar became the first living Roman to issue coins with his own portrait. At the time, this was considered an innovative approach to coin design and was among the most direct forms of propaganda. Caesar's image on the coin promoted him, influencing public opinion to favour his beliefs, actions, and decisions. Even the emperor's portrait would be idealised, projecting strength and youth, and perhaps even divine qualities. For example, Augustus, Rome’s first emperor, ruling from 27 BCE to 14 CE, was continuously depicted as youthful and vigorous, signifying stable leadership even as he aged. A coin of Augustus can be viewed at Winchester City Museum.
There was a strong focus on military successes on Roman coins, which often depicted the spoils of war or conquered territories. The Battle of Actium is portrayed on the reverse of this coin of Augustus. The back depicts the triumphal arch awarded to Augustus in 29 BCE for defeating Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium. This coin inspires confidence among Roman citizens and soldiers while sending a clear message to adversaries: Rome was an unstoppable military force, and any enemies would be defeated.
The legacy of propaganda on Roman coins provides a fascinating historical record, reflecting the political circumstances and imperial ideologies of ancient Rome. Shifts in priorities, strengths, and even insecurities of their rulers are revealed in coins minted under various emperors. Despite these changes over time, controlling coin imagery allowed emperors to maintain influence over public perception, reminding every citizen daily of the emperor's strength and the empire’s privileges.
In modern terms, the coins of ancient Rome offer valuable insights into how political messages were crafted and spread in an era before mass media. They remind us that leaders have always sought to shape public opinion and collective identity, despite challenges and limitations. The ancient Romans understood that propaganda, even in its simplest and most direct form — coinage—was a remarkably powerful tool.
With special thanks to Daniel Garrett for his contribution to Culture on Call. Visit Winchester City Museum to discover more!
