Roman Gods, Goddesses and Heroes

In response to a suggestion received, I am posting a list of reverse types found on Roman Coins. Promising to be rather large in size, this posting will cover several pages for ease of loading and be done in several sections. This first installment illustrates gods, goddesses and a few semi-divine personages that seem to fit here better than elsewhere. Attributes of these figures varied from time to time and selecting a single representative for some has been impossible. Not every representation of a god will include every attribute mentioned and there will always be a few figures that could be interpreted as more than one god. Personifications (less than divine) of ideas and virtues are covered on a separate page. Eventually a third segment of this series wil show 'other' reverses found on Roman coins.

Gods of the Roman pantheon were often associated with Greek equivalents and can be identified by their dress (or lack, nude figures are usually gods) or by the items ('attributes') that accompany them. Our list is not complete but will provide a reference to the common deities. Some of these examples are taken from Greek Imperial coins; indeed some of the deities are available only on Greek local issues. A few gods were represented in several very different manners. With this disclaimer, we begin:

Aesclepius Postumus antoninianus		Aesclepius, god of medicine, holds a serpent entwined staff.
Apollo Commodus denarius		Apollo, god of brightness, music and art, is shown in many various ways. Here he wears a long dress and carries a lyre. The image is a copy of a statue that stood on the Palatine Hill.
Apollo Septimius Severus provincial		Apollo was shown in so many ways a second sample seemed necessary. Here he is shown nude with bow and snake. Apollo often is shown in more graceful poses than other male gods. There are many other variations on Apollo as a reverse type.
Liber Bacchus Septimius Severus denarius		God of wine, Liber carries a thyrsus (decorated spear) and wine cup. He is accompanied by a panther.
Ceres Demeter Septimius Severus denarius		Ceres, goddess of agriculture, carries grain ears and a torch used when she descended into the underworld in search of he daughter Persephone.
Cybele Julia Domna sestertius		Cybele, a Great Mother goddess imported from the East, appears with twin lions, turreted crown and branch.
Dea Caelestis Septimius Severus denarius		Imported from North Africa the 'Bright Goddess' is limited to the Severan period. Here she rides a lion springing from the water. The coin probably commemorates Septimius' building of water works at Carthage.
Diana Artemis Julia Domna denarius		Diana, sister of Apollo, was worshipped in two rather separate manners. Often she is shown with a bow as goddess of the hunt. Here she carries a torch and has a moon on her shoulders in her role as bringer of light to the night.
Dioscuri Republican denarius		Rarely used in the Empire, the twin gods Castor and Pollux were often used by Republican moneyers. Castor alone appears on a coin of Geta.
Hercules Herakles Septimius Severus denarius		The hero Hercules carries a club and bow and wears the skin of the Nemean lion. Son of Zeus and a mortal, Hercules was popular as a symbol of strength and perseverance.
Hecate Septimius Severus provincial		Hecate was a Greek goddess of the underworld who is shown holding a torch. She is shown only on provincial coins and is easily confused with Artemis.
Isis Julia Domna denarius		Isis was imported from Egypt and was popular at Rome in the 3rd century AD. She is shown here nursing her infant son, Horus. At her feet are a plow and forepart of a ship to remind people that Egypt provided Rome with a steady supply of grain.
Janus Republican denarius		Janus, god of beginning and ending, is rarely seen on Imperial coins but common in the Republic. He is easily recognized, even in full length depictions, by the two faces looking in opposite directions.
Juno Hera Julia Maesa denarius		Juno, queen of the gods, is accompanied by a peacock.
Jupiter Zeus Septimius Severus sestertius		Jupiter, king of the gods, is bearded and accompanied by an eagle.
Mars Ares Septimius Severus denarius		Mars, god of war, is usually shown as a helmeted nude distinguishing him from the personification Virtus. He frequently carries a trophy over his shoulder and a spear.
Men Julia Domna provincial		Men was a local god of the East often seen on provincial coins. He wears a Phrygian cap and has a crescent behind his shoulders. Usually he is accompanied by a chicken.
Mercury Hermes Septimius Severus provincial		Mercury, messenger of the gods, wears a winged helmet, wings on his feet and carries a caduceus and purse. He was the patron of merchants, travelers and thieves.
Minerva Athena Septimius Severus denarius		Goddess of wisdom and courage, Minerva is shown wearing helmet and armor. Some coins also show a shield and her pet owl.
Nemesis Claudius denarius		Nemesis, goddess of retribution, is winged and accompanied by a snake. Other attributes are a wheel or bridle. As here (apologies for the condition of the fourree specimen) she often pulls open the front of her garment to spit on her breast, her standard gesture of aversion.
Neptune Poseidon Septimius Severus denarius		God of the sea, Neptune is shown nude with a trident. Often, as here, he is shown with one foot raised on a rock.
Pluto Hades Caracalla antoninianus		Pluto, god of the underworld, is accompanied by Cerberus, the three headed dog.
River Gods Hadrian provincial		Various river gods appear on both Roman and provincial issues. The example shows the Nile as issued at Alexandria, Egypt. River gods tend to be shown reclining and accompanied by flowing water or water animals like this crocodile.
Roma Gordian III antoninianus		Roma, the city goddess, resembles Minerva as a female warrior but is usually shown seated on a throne and identified by legend.
Romulus Hadrian denarius		Romulus, founder of the city, shares the attributes of Mars and is identified by legend.
Saeculo Frugifero Clodius Albinus sestertius		An African god, the fruitful age, was imported to Rome by the African rulers Clodius Albinus and Septimius Severus. His attributes are similar to those of Mercury and he can be identified by legends.
Serapis Postumus antoninianus		Imported from Egypt and popular at Rome in the 3rd century AD, Serapis is bearded, wears a tall headdress and carries a staff. He usually is shown gesturing with a raised hand. Here, at his feet, is the prow of a ship.
Saturn Gallienus antoninianus		Saturn, father of Jupiter, was god of time and inventor of agriculture. He is shown as an old man holding a sickle.
Sol Helios Oriens Valerian antoninianus		Under several names the god of the sun became popular during the late 3rd century AD. He wears a radiate crown and usually carries a whip. Technically, Oriens is the rising sun while Sol and Helios are names for the sun disk.
Tellus Hadrian denarius		Tellus, goddess of the earth (ground), holds tools of agriculture and is identified by legend.
Three Graces Gordian III provincial		Euphrosyne, Aglaia and Thalia, also known as the Charities, were minor goddesses of refinement and grace. They are shown on Greek Imperial coins nude posed together with the center Grace's back to the viewer.
Venus Aphrodite Julia Domna denarius		Venus, goddess of love, is shown here copying a statue of unknown location. She holds an apple and palm. This view from the rear is an exception to the general rule that goddesses were shown fully clothed. Other depictions of Venus show her fully dressed and carrying a helmet and scepter.
Vesta Julia Domna denarius		Goddess of hearth and home, Vesta is shown seated with a small statue of victory and a scepter. Other common attributes are a patera (dish for sacrifice) and covered head.
Vulcan Valerian I antoninianus		Vulcan, god of fire, is rarely used on Roman coins. He is shown here inside a temple holding the hammer and tongs of a blacksmith.

Other similar figures used as reverse types are shown on my personifications page.

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(c) 1999 Doug Smith