Ancient Coin of the Day: A brass dupondius of Claudius, ca. AD 41-50, commemorating the deification of Livia, the wife of Augustus and grandmother of Claudius. #ACOTD #Livia

Image: RIC Claudius 101; ANS 1978.27.5. Link - http://numismatics.org/collection/1978.27.5

This coin is a fantastic example of the legacy of Livia, the wife of Augustus, and first empress of Rome. The coin commemorates Claudius' deification of his grandmother, which took place on 17 January AD 42. The event was a significant one for Claudius, as he was...

...the first Roman emperor not to be connected by blood to Augustus. He was, however, linked by blood to Livia, hence her deification also served him politically, stressing his connection to the original imperial family, if not to Augustus himself.

The Obverse of the coin shows a portrait of Augustus wearing a radiate crown, a mark of deification for the men of the imperial family, with the simple Legend DIVVS AVGVSTVS S C - 'The Deified Augustus, by decree of the Senate'.

The Reverse shows Livia seated on an ornamental throne, carrying ears of corn in her right hand and wearing a wreath of corn-ears, suggesting the idea of plenty and munificence. The Legend DIVA AVGVSTA - 'The Deified Augusta' - confirms the context of the coin.

Although doubtless a major influence on the nascent Principate, Livia's portrait is largely absent from imperial coinage issues during her lifetime. She did, however, appear on provincial issues, such as this one from Clazomenae.

Image: RPC 2496. Link - https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/1/2496 

Clazomenae (on the west coast of modern Turkey) had been re-founded by Augustus, perhaps ca. 12 BC after an earthquake, which may account for why they so prominently featured Livia on this Reverse, with the Legend ΘΕΑ ΛΙΒΙΑ - 'Livia, the Goddess'.

Livia would also be utilised by later emperors, again as a means of acquiring legitimacy. Here she features on the Reverse of an aureus of Galba, ca. AD 68-69, again as Diva Augusta.

Image: RIC Galba 184; British Museum (1867,0101.632). Link - http://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.1(2).gal.184

Titus too would use the image of Livia as the personification of key Roman concepts, as on this bronze dupondius of AD 80-81, again reflecting her continued significance to imperial 'auctoritas'.

Image: RIC 2.1 Titus 426; ANS 1944.100.41827. Link - http://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.2_1(2).tit.426

For more on Livia before her marriage to Augustus, see:

Huntsman, Eric D. “LIVIA BEFORE OCTAVIAN.” Ancient Society, vol. 39, 2009, pp. 121–169.

http://www.jstor.org/stable/44079922 

#ACOTD #Livia