Browse Exhibits (1 total)

Augustus became emperor after the defeat of Marc Antony in 31 BC (before this time he was known as Octavian). Throughout his reign, Augustus was known for the many reforms and institutes which he put into place. A common theme under Augustus was his promoting the new ‘golden age’ under his rule. He emphasised the peace after the recent civil strife and his connection to the gods. He had poets writing for him such as Virgil and Ovid promoting the summit of Roman history, which was his rulership. He died in 14 AD after a long and productive reign. Many building projects were done under his reign and he was renowned by the local historians and people. His reign was perhaps the most well-known of the emperors following Julius Caesar. For this reason, we choose him.

This exhibit is looking at the way Augustus/Octavian uses coins to promote ideals and his image throughout his life. The varied coins show examples of him using the gods to promote his image, a constellation to show his luck and divine position as emperor and reminders of local events occurring around this area. We selected the five coins from the collection at the Otago Museum because of their connections and the interesting themes they provide. Some key terms to define in the introduction to the exhibition are legend, obverse and reverse in reference to coins. The legend of a coin is the inscription, usually going around the outside of the coin in a clockwise direction; the obverse is the front of the coin and the reverse is the back.

What we hope to show is that Augustus used his coins throughout his reign for various purposes and in various ways. Coins are a good way of spreading messages throughout the empire because of the distance they travel and their frequency of use. Looking at these coins we hope to show that they are a valuable piece of evidence from the ancient world and provide a look into the period and reason they were created for. Augustus is just one of many people who used them in history for this purpose.

Credits:

Charlotte Dunn, Amberleigh O'Hagan, Hamish Wallace, Nina King, Shannon McCabe, Tim Hyslop.