From Art to Artifact:  Making Sense of Roman Coins

Two important points of variation appear between this bronze sestertius minted in Lugdunum in 65 C.E and the Hood Museum’s brass sestertius minted in Rome in 66 CE: Nero’s title is different on the obverse inscription, and a small globe appears at the lowest point of Nero’s portrait. Everything else, namely the content of the coin and the overall significance of the inscription, remains exactly the same between the two issues.

In 65 CE Nero was not yet using IMP as a praenomen at the beginning of his titles [NERO CLAUD CASEAR AUG GER PM TRP IMP PP]. Nero claims the endorsement of the military by using IMP, or imperator, as his first name in 66 CE; the army traditionally bestowed the title imperator on their commander, unlike other titles that were given by the Senate. 66 CE is the first time Nero uses imperator as a first name on his coinage.

The presence of the globe at the terminal point of Nero’s portrait is the most immediate way to distinguish coinage from the Roman mint and the mint at Lugdunum. The round globe symbolizes dominion and empire, and many other emperors featured globes more prominently on their coins and statuary.