DOI article:
Boruch, Wojciech: Galba's propaganda motifs on Vespasian's coins
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21228#0081
Many controversies in literaturę are roused by Galba's motif of AEQVITAS
AVGVSTI S.C.30 It was under Galba's reign that this theme had appeared in
imperial coinage for the first time. With slightly different attributes, the personi-
fication of Aeąuitas appears in Vespasian's coinage throughout his princi-
pate.31 The controversy referred to above has to do with the propaganda message
in a personification of Aeąuitas in both rulers' coinage. A. Wallace-Hadrill32 has
recently argued that the propaganda of Aeąuitas was primarily to convince users
that the coin kept its weight standard and, in broader sense, that the state's
financial administration was honest and dependable. This daring interpretation
of Aeąuitas and its propaganda import arouses a number of doubts, especially
in reference to Galba's and Vespasian's basie intentions. Let us notę that Aeąuitas
personified is featured on gold and bronze coins. However, it has long been
stressed in numismatic literaturę that this emperor's silver issues considerably
exceeded the weight standards set by Nero in 64 A.D.33 Bearing the latter in
mind, the propaganda of Aeąuitas seems far morę convincing and justified in
the beginning of Galba's reign: in the spring and summer of 68 A.D. It was then
that the ąuestion of trust in the coin he emitted was of paramount importance.
As regards Vespasian's propaganda intentions, the interpretation of Aeąuitas
advanced by A. Wallace-Hadrill also presents difficulties. Vespasian's silver coins,
especially in the first years of his reign, had a lowered precious metal content
compared to Nero's standards mentioned above.34 Characteristically, Aeąuitas
personified on Vespasian's gold and silver coins is not accompanied by the re-
verse legend AEQVITAS AVGVSTI, as it is the case in this emperor's bronze
coinage. The latter had kept the standards set as far back as Augustus.35 Let us
notę that Aeąuitas was recurrently propagated throughout Vespasian's reign
without displaying any palpable time preference. Thus, if we accept A. Wallace-
HadrilTs position on the propaganda message behind Aeąuitas' personification,
we must bear in mind several doubts and fundamental research ąuestions con-
cerning this issue.
An interesting propaganda topie in both rulers' coinage is that of the empire's
provinces.
One characteristic ąuality of the events of 68-69 A.D. was the role played by
the provinces in promoting candidates for the imperial throne.36 For Galba, who
had been governor of the province of Hispania Tarraconensis under late Nero,
30 RIC2, vol. 1 (Galba), Nos. 493-495; cf. 121-122.
31 RIC, vol. 2 (Vespasian), Nos. 5; 12; 260; 277; 282; cf. 399; 482-483; 527; 542; 557-558; 568; 580;
615; 618; 652; 666; 676; 694; 709; 758-759.
32 A. Wallace-Hadrill, "Galba's Aeąuitas" in: N.C., vol. 141 (1981), pp. 20-39.
33 See C.H.V. Sutherland, RICp pp. 217; 220; cf. p. 230.
34 For a detailed bibliography, see A. Kunisz, Mennichoo w Cesarstwie Rzymskim w I w.n.e. {Coinage
in the Roman Empire in the First Century A.D.) (Katowice: 1978), pp. 107-118.
35 A. Kunisz, Mennictwo..., pp. 115-117.
36 For the role of the provinces in the events of 68-69 A.D., see P.A.L. Greenhalgh, The Year of
the Four Emperors (London: 1975), p. 20.
79
AVGVSTI S.C.30 It was under Galba's reign that this theme had appeared in
imperial coinage for the first time. With slightly different attributes, the personi-
fication of Aeąuitas appears in Vespasian's coinage throughout his princi-
pate.31 The controversy referred to above has to do with the propaganda message
in a personification of Aeąuitas in both rulers' coinage. A. Wallace-Hadrill32 has
recently argued that the propaganda of Aeąuitas was primarily to convince users
that the coin kept its weight standard and, in broader sense, that the state's
financial administration was honest and dependable. This daring interpretation
of Aeąuitas and its propaganda import arouses a number of doubts, especially
in reference to Galba's and Vespasian's basie intentions. Let us notę that Aeąuitas
personified is featured on gold and bronze coins. However, it has long been
stressed in numismatic literaturę that this emperor's silver issues considerably
exceeded the weight standards set by Nero in 64 A.D.33 Bearing the latter in
mind, the propaganda of Aeąuitas seems far morę convincing and justified in
the beginning of Galba's reign: in the spring and summer of 68 A.D. It was then
that the ąuestion of trust in the coin he emitted was of paramount importance.
As regards Vespasian's propaganda intentions, the interpretation of Aeąuitas
advanced by A. Wallace-Hadrill also presents difficulties. Vespasian's silver coins,
especially in the first years of his reign, had a lowered precious metal content
compared to Nero's standards mentioned above.34 Characteristically, Aeąuitas
personified on Vespasian's gold and silver coins is not accompanied by the re-
verse legend AEQVITAS AVGVSTI, as it is the case in this emperor's bronze
coinage. The latter had kept the standards set as far back as Augustus.35 Let us
notę that Aeąuitas was recurrently propagated throughout Vespasian's reign
without displaying any palpable time preference. Thus, if we accept A. Wallace-
HadrilTs position on the propaganda message behind Aeąuitas' personification,
we must bear in mind several doubts and fundamental research ąuestions con-
cerning this issue.
An interesting propaganda topie in both rulers' coinage is that of the empire's
provinces.
One characteristic ąuality of the events of 68-69 A.D. was the role played by
the provinces in promoting candidates for the imperial throne.36 For Galba, who
had been governor of the province of Hispania Tarraconensis under late Nero,
30 RIC2, vol. 1 (Galba), Nos. 493-495; cf. 121-122.
31 RIC, vol. 2 (Vespasian), Nos. 5; 12; 260; 277; 282; cf. 399; 482-483; 527; 542; 557-558; 568; 580;
615; 618; 652; 666; 676; 694; 709; 758-759.
32 A. Wallace-Hadrill, "Galba's Aeąuitas" in: N.C., vol. 141 (1981), pp. 20-39.
33 See C.H.V. Sutherland, RICp pp. 217; 220; cf. p. 230.
34 For a detailed bibliography, see A. Kunisz, Mennichoo w Cesarstwie Rzymskim w I w.n.e. {Coinage
in the Roman Empire in the First Century A.D.) (Katowice: 1978), pp. 107-118.
35 A. Kunisz, Mennictwo..., pp. 115-117.
36 For the role of the provinces in the events of 68-69 A.D., see P.A.L. Greenhalgh, The Year of
the Four Emperors (London: 1975), p. 20.
79