Typenatlas der römischen Reichsprägung von Augustus bis Aemilianus

The aim of the project TAR is to provide a systematic analysis of the reverse typology of Roman imperial coins of the Principate. The third and final volume of the work covers animals, mythical creatures, plants and objects – not only as main coin motives, but also as secondary attributes. The work is organised iconographically, not according to the accompanying inscriptions, since the legends often do not directly explain the types. Among the animals covered in the volume, the birds of the Capitoline Triad – eagle, peacock, and owl – take centre stage, but also the symbol of the city of Rome: the she-wolf suckling Romulus and Remus. The chapter on plants presents detailed analyses of objects widely depicted on coins, such as palm tree and palm branch, laurel wreath and ears of corn. Since there are several monographs on buildings on Roman coins already, this class of types has been excluded from Schmidt-Dick’s book: with the notable exception of altars and altar enclosures. Among the objects featured on the reverses of Roman coins, sacrificial implements – as well as rudder and globe – must be singled out because of their importance for Roman imperial ideology. The military played an important role in Roman self-fashioning, too, which is why the regular occurrence of military standards, shields and trophies on coins of the imperial period is not surprising.