Changes in Portraiture on Ancient Roman Coinage
Over the roughly one thousand years that followed the overthrew of the last king in 509 BCE,
Rome underwent many cultural revolutions. Some of the most notable changes include the rise of the
Triumvirates and the overthrow of the Republic, the increasingly autocratic nature of the subsequent Empire, and the barbarization of the army and late Roman society – all of which resulted eventually in the decline and dismantling of many imperial structures.
As discussed in previous articles, coins serve three main functions: the basic monetary and economic role of facilitating trade, the formation of political legitimacy and the distribution of propaganda, and the strengthening of cultural identity. In a culture as long-lasting as Rome, this last part is especially interesting. By studying the changing portraiture and stylistic design choices on various numismatic issues and types, we can follow the social and political developments of the host culture.