Interactive Coin Resources

Below are a series of scanned and annotated coins connected to the late Republic and the the rule of Augustus. Clicking on the annotations will reveal information about the coins. You can find more coins (including an Athenian tetradrachm) on our Sketchfab pageLink opens in a new window. If you are a teacher and would like the raw scanned files to use for developing teaching resources (e.g. 3D prints of the coins) with your students do just email Clare at C.Rowan@warwick.ac.uk. Some inspiration for classroom activities related to these resources can be found on this 'Views from the Classroom' blog! We would like to thank the Chau Chak Wing Museum for the use of their coin collection to create these scans.

Coin manufacture and denominations

You will see that when you turn the coins displayed here the images do not perfectly align. This is because coinage in the ancient world was made by hand, and so the two stamps or 'dies' did not always align perfectly. Many of the coins shown are silver denarii, but there are also some bronze coins. The table of denominations may be of use in looking at the coins presented.


How coins were struck	Denominations in the Roman denarius system after c. 141/140 BC.

The late Republic

This coin was struck in Ptolemaic Egypt for Cleopatra VII and shows her portrait.

A bronze coin of Cleopatra the Great Link opens in a new window

This silver coin communicates the alliance of Mark Antony and Cleopatra.

A denarius of Cleopatra and Antony Link opens in a new window

The Augustan Principate

This provincial coin celebrates the wedding of Julia and Marcellus in 25 BC.

A provincial coin with Julia and Marcellus Link opens in a new window

This silver denarius shows the comet associated with the deification of Julius Caesar.

Silver denarius of Augustus showing a comet Link opens in a new window

This coin shows Gaius Caesar participating in military exercises.

Denarius of Augustus showing Gaius Caesar Link opens in a new window

This issue shows Gaius and Lucius Caesar with spears and shields as the leaders of the youth.

A denarius showing Gaius and Lucius Caesar Link opens in a new window

This bronze coin shows both Augustus and Agrippa, communicating Agrippa's role in Augustus' military success.

A bronze coin showing Augustus and Agrippa Link opens in a new window

This was the smallest coin denomination (quadrans) and doesn't show Augustus at all!

A bronze quadrans from 4 BC with an altar Link opens in a new window

Later representations of Augustus

Tiberius was reliant on Augustus in the ideology of his rule; many of his coins carry imagery of the divine Augustus.

An As of Tiberius showing the deified Augustus Link opens in a new window

This is a worn coin, but shows the statue of the divine Augustus being pulled by elephants.

Sesterius showing the deified Augustus Link opens in a new window

A task to set students

Having looked at some of the annotations of the models above, students might be willing to create their own annotations! Below are a coin and a token that students might like to annotate using powerpoint, or by hand if they are printed out. The images come directly from our Youtube videos on the imperial image and students will be able to gather the relevant information from them.

Coins and tokens from the video 'The Imperial Image and Tokens'

An imitation denarius

A bronze token with Augustus

Coins and tokens from the video 'Thinking about Livia and the Imperial Image'

A provincial coin showing the imperial family

A token showing Augustus and Livia