Ab Urbe Condita

C.049 Silver Denarius from c.48 BC showing Venus Genetrix on the obverse, and Aeneas moving left, holding the palladium and carrying his father Anchises on the reverse. The legend reads CAESAR.

February 2013 to February 2014

According to legend, the city of Rome was founded in 753 BC. Ab urbe condita, Latin for ‘from the foundation of the city,’ was a phrase that reminded Rome’s citizens that their beloved city was the product of centuries of economic, political, and military expansion. From a collection of settlements on the banks of the Tiber, Rome grew to become the greatest city of the ancient world.

Coinage, originally adopted through trade with the Greeks, was one of the most effective methods of commemorating Rome’s successes, and the growth of its power in the Mediterranean.


Curated by Mr Daniel Patrick Press