Robert Suski
Prace Historyczne, Numer 138, 2011, s. 9 - 23
https://doi.org/10.4467/20844069PH.11.001.0147
Coinage and emperial propaganda of the 3rd century on the example of usurper Julianus’s coinage issues (283?)
The history of the Roman Empire during the crisis of the 3rd century is not well documented. One of the valuable sources which extends our knowledge about that period are coins issued by the emperors. Since over 50 years historians have been arguing over the meaning of representations minted on coins. Some of the researchers interpret them as deliberate imperial propaganda – a mark of a ruler – while others oppose this view. For this reason the author of this paper decided to analyse the coinage issued by one of the usurpers (Iulianus) who attempted to seize power in the 3rd century. The aim of the analysis was to assess the coherence of the message conveyed through the usurper’s coinage. Among slogans and images presented in Iulianus’s coinage there can be found the most popular symbols which appeared on Roman coins of the 3rd century (Victoria and Jupiter’s protection extending over the emperor), whose mintage was supposed to have legitimised his act of usurpation. In the case of the reference to prosperity (Felicitas) it is impossible to decide whether it was deliberate propaganda or sheer coincidence. The most noticeable and meaningful is the reference to the personifi cations of Pannonian provinces (Pannonia Inferior and Superior). This reference had particular signifi cance to Iulianus. It seems that the programme presented in the usurper’s coinage was well thought out and not coincidental.