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Quinarius Aureus - Claudius VICTORIA AVGVSTI, Victoria
| Issuer | Roman Imperial Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 41-42 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Hammered |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | Victoria, the winged goddess of Victory, depicted standing and leaning to the right with her right foot placed upon a globe symbolising Roman world dominion. She holds a large oval shield in her left arm and inscribes upon it with a stylus held in her right hand, a composition alluding to the dedication of the spoils of victory. The winged figure is rendered in flowing drapery, with the wings spread behind her. The Latin legend VICTORIA AVGVST encircles the field within a beaded border. |
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| Additional information |
The quinarius aureus — struck at half the weight of a standard aureus — was never a common denomination under any emperor, and Claudius used it sparingly in his early reign. This issue almost certainly relates to the celebrations following the acclamation of Claudius by the Praetorian Guard in January 41 AD, an event so politically awkward — a reluctant emperor discovered hiding behind a curtain — that the new regime had particular incentive to project military confidence through its coinage. The Guard expected reward; the imagery of Victoria was as much a political payment as the donatives themselves.
RIC I#18 is genuinely scarce in any condition. The denomination saw little revival after the Julio-Claudian period.